Hi! As the title says. I need a semi-hollow guitar. After considering several around similar price range, including Epiphones Sheraton, DOT, ES-335, as well as Sire Larry Carlton H7, D'Angelico, Gretsch, Starcaster, and several options by Ibanez, I landed on a Guild Starfire and Hagstrom Viking as the 2 finalists.
Both have pluses and minuses. But I'm leaning towards the Guild. For the Guild, what is in my price range is either a new I DC Starfire or an used Dearmond Starfire Custom.
I have read quite a few good things about the Dearmond. Specially the early ones made in Korea, which I have located a very nice example of.
The I DC I have read some mixed reviews. I can get the Dearmond for less than a new I DC.
At the moment I'm leaning heavily towards the Dearmond. I just like the vibe there more. I haven't seen either in person let alone played them. Just based on looks and reports online. Plus the Dearmond is a blonde, which is a nicer color than any of the I DC I have seen. Being older it also has that somewhat vintage look a sparkling new guitar lacks.
But looks apart, which one is the better guitar and the better catch in your opinion?
I used the search function before I posted as I thought this would be a common questions. But couldn't find anything. Maybe the Dearmond are just not common enough to be usually cross-shopped with a new I DC ?
The other very close option is the Hagstrom. What I like about the Hagstrom is that it is a different take on the ES-335. Mixed with some more modern features and slightly different construction, as it doesn't have a sustain block that goes all the way through like the ES-335. So maybe it will sound a bit different and more special compared to the very common sound of an ES-335. The Dearmond and Guild seem to be very close to the ES-335. From what I have read, one of the closest semi-hollows to an ES-335. The Hagstrom is also lighter. I hear the Dearmond is very heavy. What I don't like about the Hagstrom is the headstock and the fact I can't find too much info on how good it actually is. They are very rare it seems.
What I don't like about the Dearmond is the infamous heavy weight, that it seems to be very bright, being all maple and the gold tone pups are said to be very bright. But maybe I can EQ it out when I need warmer? What I love about the Dearmond is the vintage vibe and that it doesn't have PAF sounding pups. For that I would probably just go with an insired by Gibson Epiphone ES-335.
The wild card is a 1967 Harmony H72 I found locally. I know they were cheaper department store guitar in their day. But today it's a corky, vintage guitar, which is played in and has a lot of character. Is it built worse than a Dearmond? I don't know. But the guy wants twice the price of what the Dearmond costs.
But so, back to the "Guilds", I DC or Dearmond?
If you have any experiences with the Hagstrom Viking and Harmony H72, I would love to hear it too.
Thanks a lot!
Both have pluses and minuses. But I'm leaning towards the Guild. For the Guild, what is in my price range is either a new I DC Starfire or an used Dearmond Starfire Custom.
I have read quite a few good things about the Dearmond. Specially the early ones made in Korea, which I have located a very nice example of.
The I DC I have read some mixed reviews. I can get the Dearmond for less than a new I DC.
At the moment I'm leaning heavily towards the Dearmond. I just like the vibe there more. I haven't seen either in person let alone played them. Just based on looks and reports online. Plus the Dearmond is a blonde, which is a nicer color than any of the I DC I have seen. Being older it also has that somewhat vintage look a sparkling new guitar lacks.
But looks apart, which one is the better guitar and the better catch in your opinion?
I used the search function before I posted as I thought this would be a common questions. But couldn't find anything. Maybe the Dearmond are just not common enough to be usually cross-shopped with a new I DC ?
The other very close option is the Hagstrom. What I like about the Hagstrom is that it is a different take on the ES-335. Mixed with some more modern features and slightly different construction, as it doesn't have a sustain block that goes all the way through like the ES-335. So maybe it will sound a bit different and more special compared to the very common sound of an ES-335. The Dearmond and Guild seem to be very close to the ES-335. From what I have read, one of the closest semi-hollows to an ES-335. The Hagstrom is also lighter. I hear the Dearmond is very heavy. What I don't like about the Hagstrom is the headstock and the fact I can't find too much info on how good it actually is. They are very rare it seems.
What I don't like about the Dearmond is the infamous heavy weight, that it seems to be very bright, being all maple and the gold tone pups are said to be very bright. But maybe I can EQ it out when I need warmer? What I love about the Dearmond is the vintage vibe and that it doesn't have PAF sounding pups. For that I would probably just go with an insired by Gibson Epiphone ES-335.
The wild card is a 1967 Harmony H72 I found locally. I know they were cheaper department store guitar in their day. But today it's a corky, vintage guitar, which is played in and has a lot of character. Is it built worse than a Dearmond? I don't know. But the guy wants twice the price of what the Dearmond costs.
But so, back to the "Guilds", I DC or Dearmond?
If you have any experiences with the Hagstrom Viking and Harmony H72, I would love to hear it too.
Thanks a lot!