Guild Basses

[lungimsam]

If I had a Pilot, perhaps, but I just can't come to terms with the look of those on a Starfire... and their compact size will make that headstock look like a delta wing instead of a kite...

I think they look fine on both of my Starfires. The Starfire bass on the left has ultralights with reg. size clovers, the Starfire bass on the right has ultralights with mini clovers.
NS Starfire stock Grover set is 352g
Ultralite mini clovers: 218g
Ultralight reg. Clovers: 228g

 

[Harp Tail]

I think they look fine on both of my Starfires. The Starfire bass on the left has ultralights with reg. size clovers, the Starfire bass on the right has ultralights with mini clovers.
NS Starfire stock Grover set is 352g
Ultralite mini clovers: 218g
Ultralight reg. Clovers: 228g

Cool - didn't know the ultralights also came with full size clovers. Thanks for sharing.

 

[twocorgis]

I think they look fine on both of my Starfires. The Starfire bass on the left has ultralights with reg. size clovers, the Starfire bass on the right has ultralights with mini clovers.
NS Starfire stock Grover set is 352g
Ultralite mini clovers: 218g
Ultralight reg. Clovers: 228g

Love Hipshot Ultralite tuners, even the "licensed" ones. Always an excellent upgrade!

Just did the licensed tuners, along with Hipshot's Kickass bridge on my budget tractor build, and I'm very pleased with the results.

 

[lungimsam]

Hows that Bisonic compare to the pbass pickup? Less mid scooped than the pbass pup?

 

[twocorgis]

Hows that Bisonic compare to the pbass pickup? Less mid scooped than the pbass pup?

It's a Fred Hammon Dark Star (thanks to pal @mellowgerman for finding it on Reverb) that came with quality pots and wiring already loaded into the pickguard. I think all my Dark Stars sound better than the original Bisonic. With the tone all the way up, you can get some great classic P-Bass sounds, and with it rolled off, they get super woofy. I've come to just love this bass, pretty remarkable for something that started life as a $175 Squier Sonic Precision.

 

[RVBASS]

It's a Fred Hammon Dark Star (thanks to pal @mellowgerman for finding it on Reverb) that came with quality pots and wiring already loaded into the pickguard. I think all my Dark Stars sound better than the original Bisonic. With the tone all the way up, you can get some great classic P-Bass sounds, and with it rolled off, they get super woofy. I've come to just love this bass, pretty remarkable for something that started life as a $175 Squier Sonic Precision.

What do you think of the sound of that pickup in a solid body bass compared to a hollowbody bass? Is it a bit darker sounding in a solid body?

 

[twocorgis]

What do you think of the sound of that pickup in a solid body bass compared to a hollowbody bass? Is it a bit darker sounding in a solid body?

It's hard to say, because there are too many other variables. Short vs. long scale, and also the number and location of the pickup(s). I also have rounds on the tractor, vs TI flats on the DeArmond, so that just clouds things further. I am glad that I have both, though!

 

[lungimsam]

What do you think of the sound of that pickup in a solid body bass compared to a hollowbody bass? Is it a bit darker sounding in a solid body?

Not a Guild but:
I put a Bisonic in my Gibson short scale Les Paul Tribute double cutaway solid body bass and it sounds fantastic. Bright, awesome fundamental. Well rounded tone like Starfires have. I like Bisonics because they are not mid scooped in eq profile.
In fact, some time ago I did a sound sample quiz on LTG and I don;t think anyone could tell which was the semi-hollow bass between the Gibson with Bisonic and the Starfire. Not that a Bisonic will make something sound semi-hollowbody, I just think there isn;t enough diff between semi-hollow and solid body tone anyway to notice. Back then I eq'd my basses crazy bright. Now I eq them with way more midrange and bass and they still sound great. Bisonics are great if you don;t like mid scooped pickup eq's like some of the pbass pups have.

 

[RVBASS]

Thanks for the comments, Lungimsam, interesting results! I may try putting one in a solid body and see how it sounds. Thanks!

 

[lungimsam]

PS-I used the NS Guild BS-1 Bisonic neck pup, not the Hagstrum or Dark Star or Novak. So I can;t speak to how those would sound.

 

[mavuser]

An original Hagstrom Bisonic definitely sounds better in a semi-hollow than a solid body. I don't know how to explain it, it just does. It still sounds great in a solid body, but nothing like a Starfire. the Guild reissue (actually it is a Dark Star reissue, not a Bisonic reissue) to me sounds better in a solid body than the Starfire (see Serek's demo). the Hammon or Novak Dark Stars I would use in any bass.