I am looking for a decent vintage starfire or something very near to it. I would prefer a starfire II or III. My concern is that I will not get to play any before I buy. I would like to know which guitars would have a more substantial neck carves as I am used to my bluesbird and a tele neck that is a full inch thick or more all the way up and down the neck. any help would be greatly appreciated.
neck size on starfires and like guitars
- Thread starter mrfjones
- Start date
Bluesbob
Junior Member
Hi mrfjones.
I know that the neck on my Starfire III is shorter and smaller than either of my Teles and my Strat, almost like the neck on my '97 Gibson SG. But the Starfire is, for me, a lot more playable than the Gibson, even though they're about the same size. I have flat-wound 11's on the SF, as well as a recent fretboard dress and fret replacement, so that may have something to do with it.
Also, I play different styles of music on my Teles than I do on my Guilds. I tried to cop a George Harrison vibe with the SF, but it didn't work out, so I went back to a Tele. I would just play the Starfire, plugged into a Princeton Reverb, if I didn't have to play in different styles in my band projects. For the bands, I find the Teles, especially my #1 (Nocaster bridge and SD Seth Lover neck pups) allow me to be more versatile.
Sorry if this isn't much help.
I know that the neck on my Starfire III is shorter and smaller than either of my Teles and my Strat, almost like the neck on my '97 Gibson SG. But the Starfire is, for me, a lot more playable than the Gibson, even though they're about the same size. I have flat-wound 11's on the SF, as well as a recent fretboard dress and fret replacement, so that may have something to do with it.
Also, I play different styles of music on my Teles than I do on my Guilds. I tried to cop a George Harrison vibe with the SF, but it didn't work out, so I went back to a Tele. I would just play the Starfire, plugged into a Princeton Reverb, if I didn't have to play in different styles in my band projects. For the bands, I find the Teles, especially my #1 (Nocaster bridge and SD Seth Lover neck pups) allow me to be more versatile.
Sorry if this isn't much help.
Walter Broes
Enlightened Member
I have a SFIII from '61, and the neck on it could probably only be described as "small". Not thick, not wide.
jp
Senior Member
Hey Scott,
In general, I would say that it'll be hard to find a vintage Starfire with a more substantial neck. They tend to be quite slim, even more so in the mid- to late-60s. The late 50s T-100s and early 60s SFs have a little more meat on them, but by no means Tele or 50s Gibson chunky. I recall reading somewhere on this forum that the 90s Starfire neck profiles are consistently thicker than their predecessors.
Perhaps someone who knows better can chime in?
In general, I would say that it'll be hard to find a vintage Starfire with a more substantial neck. They tend to be quite slim, even more so in the mid- to late-60s. The late 50s T-100s and early 60s SFs have a little more meat on them, but by no means Tele or 50s Gibson chunky. I recall reading somewhere on this forum that the 90s Starfire neck profiles are consistently thicker than their predecessors.
Perhaps someone who knows better can chime in?
that is the kind of thing I was afraid of, but I haven't really played a 90's guild that I wasn't fond of either. maybe that is the direction I should be looking. I could probably find a nice mid 90's starfire for a decent price too.