DeArmond Starfire Special

[matsickma]

Hi drednut,

All of the higher end DeArmond guitars were made in Korea at the Cort factory. Only the lower end models with bolt-on necks were made in Indonesia. None of the set-neck models were made in Indonesia. Interestingly, Fender also used the Cort factory to manufacture the "lower end " (i.e., ~ $1000) Gretsch models.

Korean made DeArmonds: Jetstar, Jetstar Bass, 7-Star, Bajo Jet, M70, M72, M75, M75T, M77, M77T, S73, S7312, Starfire Special, Starfire Classic, Starfire Bass, X135, X145, X155 & T-400. The Pilot Plus, Pilot Pro Pro and Pilot Deluxe along with the Ashbory Bass were made in Korea.


matsickma

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Boken Ho,

You got more Beards than ZZTop.

I just bought my first wood reso, a 7 String Sho Bro. It's still in transit.

Hatted Ho

 

[golden]

i am thinking about replacing my guild pics with dearmond 2000 on my guild starfire II 1966!! is this a simple job, or will it require cutting in my baby? i wanna do it cause i miss the shimmering tone!

 

[dklsplace]

i am thinking about replacing my guild pics with dearmond 2000 on my guild starfire II 1966!! is this a simple job, or will it require cutting in my baby? i wanna do it cause i miss the shimmering tone!

If you have the smaller Guild humbuckers, these GFS pickups will cover the existing routes exactly, but you will have to drill new mounting holes. If you decide to switch back, the new holes will still be covered & won't show.

Just put these on my '64 SF project.

 

[doc]

I have been reading this thread and going crazy. I have been interested in getting some DeArmond 200/DynaSonic pups, and try them out. However, I haven't been able to find a source for them other then others telling me to try Ebay. My T-400 made in Korea and has white 2ks on it. It sounds really good. However, I have heard of the 200s and gretsch dynasonics and wanted to try them out. Are you saying the GFS NYII are close to sounding like them? And can I use them on my T-400. I am going to mod my T-400 so that the two singles coils are in series and performs like a humbucker. This was a possible part of the mod to be done by me. 8)

 

[dklsplace]

Well, I can say I like them better than the 2ks. I can definitely say you really have nothing to lose for about $80 for the pair.

If you can find a set of 200's on ebay, good luck & be prepared to bid high.

 

[doc]

What I find interesting why hasn't someone reverse engineered the 200's and sell them? Wouldn't they have a ton of business? :?: :?

 

[matsickma]

Hi doc,

The DeArmond model 200's are very rare. They look similar to 2k's with a bit more of a bevel around each pole piece than a 2k but less bevel when compared to a model 2000. Early Guild, Gretsch, Kustom and Martin electrics used them. The model 200's have the very long Alinco pole pieces that are chrome plated.

The Dearmond 2k's were specific to the DeArmond guitars. The model 2000 Pups are used on the Guild M70 and X160 Rockibilly guitars and the lower model Gretsches.

On the high end Gretsches The Dynasonics are used. They are similar to a Model 200's except the pole pieces are larger in diameter and are unplated Alinco V.

I beleive the history of the DeArmond 200's and the origional Gretsch Dynasonics goes something this: DeArmond used to provide model 200's to Guild (white), Gretsch (black), Kustom & Martin (black with assymetric chrome cover. Somewhere along the way Gretsch and DeArmond had a falling out. Gretsch went out and developed the Dynasonic which had many features of the DeArmond.

Today the source for Dynasonics and 2000 have been limited. I occasionally find Warpdrive music selling both types on ebay. Also ebay seller, Blackrider, sells them also.Dynasonics usually sell for $130 each and 2000 go for around $80 each.

M

 

[doc]

Since I have only really been thinking about the Dynasonics and so I need to go to the music store and play a git with them on it or find an sample of them on the internet :?: :? Thanks for laying that out it really helped me. 8)

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

I had no idea there were so many DeArmond pickup models. I assumed 2K and 2,000 were the same.

What do you call the most common white Guild DeArmond of the 60s? And what do you call the rare full-size ones without adjustment screws on p 31, 32, 39, 61, 63, 74, 83, 156, 170, 182 of the Moust book? And how do those two sound compared to each other?

 

[matsickma]

The common white ones are model 200's. I don't know the model name of the full face pickup used on M65's. Also on Hans book, page 31, the middle pickup is a very rare and desirable Dearmond pickup with pole pieces in the middle and , if you look closley, beveled plastic on the top and bottom sides about the pole pieces.

If anyone is interested in buying a set of these DeArmonds or Franz pups you should just be prepared to pay $300 to $400. If your not committed to that price range you will have to rely on luck to win an auction.

A week ago on Friday a very rare set of Black cover Franz PUP's showed up on eBay. I hesitated and they were sold with a BIN in less than half an hour. These pickups are very rare so getting a set will cost you.

M

 

[guildzilla]

Mat, you sure didn't hesitate to nail the BIN on the X-170 last week. Congrats. Could be the BIN of the year. I've been olive green with jealousy all week.

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Mat,

I'd never noticed that bevel before.

On those black P90s, was that bigger spacer ever used on a Guild?

 

[matsickma]

Hi guildzilla and Darryl,

My frustration with hesitation on the Black Franz PUPs led to the quick snapping up of X170. Occasionally the X170 have been selling at reasonable prices. However in general they are still $1000+ guitars.

I came to the conclusion I now want a solid or semi-hollow body guitar with Franz PUPs. It looks like all of the Guilds with Franz pups are on hollowbody guitars. I just realized that as I was messing around with pickup possibilities. I checked out the route on a Blues 90 and a Frantz will fit. It is slightly smaller so a little cosmetic work will be needed. The next time I get a chance at a set I am getting them and mounting onto a Blues 90.

Wituh regards to the white Dearmond PUPs with the pole pieces in the middle...I beleive they were mounted on the prototype DE-500. The detail of the white plastic is pretty hard to tell in most pictures. However a few years ago a guy sold a pair on ebay that his dad had bought years ago. Needless to say I was too conservative of a bidder and didn't score them. However that auction had great pictures which showed the 'beveled" detail.

I did a check on the cost of vintage PUP's on ebay. In some cases people are paying over $5000 for a vintage Strat, etc. So I have now convinced myself the Franz and Dearmonds are worth a few hundred $.

In regards to the black Franz and spacer...I am not sure. I know Billydlight advises the bridge Franz PUP has to be very close to the string to get the best growling sound. That is the sound I want!

M

 

[hansmoust]

White faced DeArmonds

Wituh regards to the white Dearmond PUPs with the pole pieces in the middle...I beleive they were mounted on the prototype DE-500. The detail of the white plastic is pretty hard to tell in most pictures.

M

Hello everybody,

Made a quick shot of one of the DeArmonds on my '59 X-550. That's what the pickup looks like.

[img:756:567]http://www.guitarchives.nl/fotos/X550DeA.jpg[/img]




Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Hans,

How does that sound compared to the ones with adjustment screws on top? And did Guild ever use big spacers under p90s?

 

[hansmoust]

Hans,

How does that sound compared to the ones with adjustment screws on top? And did Guild ever use big spacers under p90s?

Hello Darryl,

Don't think I'm very good in describing pickups and the final sound depends so much on what guitar they are on, but I can tell you this:
They are less powerfull than the regular ones and they have a nicer 'high end'. I like 'm!

As far as the spacer is concerned, I assume you're referring to the black pickups you scored on eBay. Well, the photos weren't all that clear but I believe that they were selling one Guild pickup and one Gibson P-90.
Guild used spacers but I believe the one in the auction was a Gibson spacer. The black covers looked like regular black Guild covers though.

Let me know what your findings are once you've received the pickups.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Hans,

You're right. Two black Guild Franz covers, one Guild Franz P-90, one Guild Franz P90 spacer, one P-90 spacer (apparently Gibson), and one one P90 (apparently Gibson).

So I guess I'll sell the Gibby with its spacer, but not the cover.