Headstock says SF4, Label says Starfire V. What's up??

[pdks]

I was looking at a Starfire IV ...or at least I think it's a '4.'

The headstock clearly says 'SF 4'

but the inside label appears to be a Starfire V (five).

Do you think the seller is offering a legitimate guitar? Did Guild ever make mistakes like that?

I thought at first that the 'I' had simply faded (Roman numeral 'IV' for '4'), but looking at it hard, it doesn't look likely. The label quite clearly says 'SFV.'

One wild thought is that it's a 'Frankenstein Starfire,' created from two different guitars!



thanks for your insight!

 

[fronobulax]

The headstock clearly says 'SF 4!

That's actually the truss rod cover and, at least on the electric basses, they are close to interchangable. So it may be as simple as the truss rod cover was replaced and you have a V. It's not quite Frankenstein if the only change was the truss rod cover.

Hans has documented many cases where the guitar leaving the factory did not meet the catalog specs so it is also possible to construct a scenario where they just used a truss rod cover that was available.

I'd start looking at distinguishing features other than the lable and truss rod cover so see if they confirm the V.

 

[capnjuan]

Hi pdks; go check the serial #; google 'guild serial numbers'; you'll get several pages. Gotta tell ya that from the pic of the tag, it looks like SF4 but the 4 just poorly formed; the 'open top' style like I learned in grade school. Alternatively, if there's a booboo and the ser # and tag say SF5, then I suppose the truss rod cover could be wrong. I don't know the guitars that well but the last thing I'd suspect is mis-mated neck/body.

I agree w/ 'Frono on the rod cover and details.


That having been said, I can relate to your sense of being sick; a/k/a GASnausea .... :lol:

 

[hideglue]

pdks,
Does the fingerboard have block inlays?
Master Volume?

 

[Jahn]

does it have a bigsby?

 

[jp]

Does the fingerboard have block inlays? Master Volume?

hideglue's right. Starfire Vs have a master volume and block inlays.

 

[coastie99]

So did the Starfire IV for a while, after the V was discontinued in 1973 !

 

[krysh]

...and gold hardware only was used on some special edition SF 4's, like mine from 1990, and regularly on the SF 6, not necessarily on a SF 5.
SF 6, SF 5 and also most earlier SF 4 (before the 90's) have an additional master volume beside the pickguard, so this would not help. blockinlays and bigsby would make it a SF 5.
because no g-shield inlay on the headstock but the chesterfield logo it is definitively not a SF 6 ;-)
Also the high gloss (gold??) finish without woodgrain seems to be rare, or is it only a bad picture?
seems to be a special model anyway.
more pics would be helpful.
sorry, don't know more. HANS???

edit: 2

 

[hansmoust]

. sorry, don't know more. HANS???

There's not a whole lot I can do with those photos. I think this is a classic case of bad handwriting and it says Starfire 4 on the label. I would say a Starfire 4 Special from the first half of the '80s with optional Gold hardware but of course I could be wrong.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[pdks]

You guys are a virtual cornucopia of knowledge! It's a bit like "Guild CSI" ...


First, thanks for the serial number lookup. He said it was an '82, the charts says its an '84 (GA100760 Model SF4-WNL) ...do you think that really matters? And that 'WNL' in the serial number ...does that mean anything?

I know a guy who loves his 1980 SF4. On the other hand, the quality of manufactured products in the '80's (before the big quality movement in the U.S. in the 1990's ...think old leaky Harley's!) wasn't always the greatest ...???


It's dots and no Bigsby, yet gold hardware, and that is a master volume control on the upper bout/treble side, isn't it?? ...and an unusual finish, perhaps? Maybe a special edition SF4?

Thanks!

Phil


ps: I notice the pickguard is missing and the screwholes appear to be filled. Is that a big deal? Would you replace pickguard? I looked online and see that you can find them for sale.

 

[capnjuan]

Hi Phil; killer Starfire 4/5/IV/V!!( :lol: ) The only comment I have has to do with the pickguard; if you want one for aesthetic/refurb reasons or to support your hand, put one on it. If the 'fill' job is cosmetically passable, I'd wouldn't put a pg on it just to fill the holes....my .$.02, really very pretty.

cj

 

[coastie99]

Phil,

That is a very pretty SF !

More piccies, please.

 

[krysh]

You guys are a virtual cornucopia of knowledge! It's a bit like "Guild CSI" ...


First, thanks for the serial number lookup. He said it was an '82, the charts says its an '84 (GA100760 Model SF4-WNL) ...do you think that really matters? And that 'WNL' in the serial number ...does that mean anything?

I know a guy who loves his 1980 SF4. On the other hand, the quality of manufactured products in the '80's (before the big quality movement in the U.S. in the 1990's ...think old leaky Harley's!) wasn't always the greatest ...???


It's dots and no Bigsby, yet gold hardware, and that is a master volume control on the upper bout/treble side, isn't it?? ...and an unusual finish, perhaps? Maybe a special edition SF4?

Thanks!

Phil


ps: I notice the pickguard is missing and the screwholes appear to be filled. Is that a big deal? Would you replace pickguard? I looked online and see that you can find them for sale.

hey phil,

great SF4 as far as I can tell. how much does he want?
if WNL was WNT or maybe WLT I would say walnut finish, mayby winered, HANS?.
the pickups seem to be the optional DiMarzios instead of the guild humbuckers if original.
the master volume seems to be not original, because usually the pickup-switch is in this position, so the pickup-switch is probably not original either., same with the knobs, they are not original guilds.
Pickguard or not is just a question of taste, doesn't matter, you might get one from Hans, if you like.
Don't worry about quality, should be as good as all guilds ;-)

So:
SF 4, 1984, special with extra: gold hardware, DiMarzio PU's, maybe extra ebony fretboard? (seems to be very dark)

other ideas?

ps: I can only recommend the SF4, I love mine, too.

 

[fronobulax]

FWIW, the 60's SF basses had the PU selector and the master volume both on the treble bout.

 

[pdks]

... the charts says its an '84 (GA100760 Model SF4-WNL) ...



hey phil,

if WNL was WNT or maybe WLT I would say walnut finish, mayby winered, HANS?.
the pickups seem to be the optional DiMarzios instead of the guild humbuckers if original.
the master volume seems to be not original, because usually the pickup-switch is in this position, so the pickup-switch is probably not original either., same with the knobs, they are not original guilds.
...

So:

SF 4, 1984, special with extra: gold hardware, DiMarzio PU's, maybe extra ebony fretboard? (seems to be very dark)

Fascinating stuff ...thanks!



Looking at the inside label again, it could be WAL instead of WNL in the model number??



P.

 

[capnjuan]

Nice avatar pdks; and noticed that you are Canuckquois; some of your countrymen are here .... welcome anyway :evil: :lol:

best regards,
cj

 

[pdks]

Thanks CJ.


(I'm not nearly as cool as the guy in the painting!)



Phil

 

[krysh]

Looking at the inside label again, it could be WAL instead of WNL in the model number??[/size]

P.

So walnut finish it will be.

this is how the original mastervolume configuration should look, here on a 1974 sf6:

 

[hansmoust]

this is how the original mastervolume configuration should look, here on a 1974 sf6:

Hello krysh,

But not on a Starfire 4 from the first half of the '80s!

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[capnjuan]

Thanks CJ.(I'm not nearly as cool as the guy in the painting!) Phil

Well that's too bad. A lot of us aren't as cool as our avatars either ...... in which case you'll fit right in! cj