Phil Lesh red Starfire II

[hansmoust]

The Grateful Dead posted a cool photo from 1967 with a shot of Phil's Big Red Starfire Bass:
I think this is before any major mods - not the greatest pic for details but cool to see Phil hunched over it, clutching his pick and playing up high on the neck!

Not in color, but at least you can see the details. Photo taken during that same event.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[hieronymous]

There are good shots of what I think is the same bass from a free concert in NYC (Columbia?) circa 1969(?). It has been discussed in a couple other threads. My recollection is that bass had no obvious proto-Alembic mods. The discussion I recall concerned a couple of sliver "dots" which no one figured out and may have been cosmetic or maybe used when a spotlight was doubling as a range finder. In any event, I can't see enough to tell whether they are there or not.

Ah yes - found the thread - picture with the dots is about halfway down:

Guilds at Woodstock

This thread got me thinking... What Guilds were at Woodstock? Obviously Richie Havens' D40 and Jack Casady's Starfire II, but there have to be others. I have no idea how the Newark Street Starfire basses are selling, but now that there is an SF II, an ad campaign alluding to Woodstock could...

letstalkguild.com

Not in color, but at least you can see the details. Photo taken during that same event.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

Thank you - what a great shot! Pickup selector & master volume? Would those have been stock?

 

[fronobulax]

Pickup selector & master volume? Would those have been stock?

Presumably.

BA-1211 which is '67

Note BA-1407, which is also a '67 has the "suck" switch

 

[mellowgerman]

I wanna know where does the door go though?

 

[adorshki]

I wanna know where does the door go though?

From which title another another '60's band took their name. Curiously, they didn't have a regular bassist.

 

[Happy Face]

From which title another another '60's band took their name. Curiously, they didn't have a regular bassist.

Last year I spent some time in a Doors cover band. It was illuminating. Many of the songs had cool structures and some had fun bass parts.

Not all though, so I withdrew when they decided to morph in to tribute band. I had written belter bass parts than on some of the recorded versions but the others wanted us to sound just like the album. "People will notice!" I was told. I doubted it. Sayonara.

 

[mgod]

Horrors! Originality!

 

[walrus]

Ha! We have circled back to the thread where we veered into bands who sound like the record when they play live!

walrus

 

[freddyfingers]

Can anyone tell me what guitar Garcia and wire are playing?

 

[fronobulax]

Can anyone tell me what guitar Garcia and wire are playing?

Weir has played several Guilds. A search will turn up photos and IDs, but that guitar does not look like any of them.

 

[hansmoust]

Can anyone tell me what guitar Garcia and wire are playing?

Resp. Gibson Les Paul Custom and Gibson ES-345.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[freddyfingers]

Thanks!

 

[Minnesota Flats]

That PIC makes me not miss curly cords...

 

[franko D]

Thanks all for this discussion.
Looking at the large b/w image of Mr. Phil,
I noticed he has the neck PU selected with max volume and min tone and plucking near the bridge.

 

[franko D]

Just to stir the pot,
The saddle positions looks oddly even for correct intonation.
Anyone to hazard a guess on string type and gauge?
And wishing you all a better year than 2020.

 

[RVBASS]

This photo shows a back door in Phil’s Starfire, so apparently some early modifications were done.

 

[lungimsam]

1. Why is the neck heel black?
2. I got some mild tinnitus off and on in my right ear just from home listening at volumes below 100dB I would guess. I don;t know how those cats survived standing that close to their blaring amps. Maybe because they were outside and the sound dispersed and maybe my speakers the sound doesn't;t disperse because I am in a small room?

 

[Rebosbro]

1. Why is the neck heel black?
2. I got some mild tinnitus off and on in my right ear just from home listening at volumes below 100dB I would guess. I don;t know how those cats survived standing that close to their blaring amps. Maybe because they were outside and the sound dispersed and maybe my speakers the sound doesn't;t disperse because I am in a small room?

Back in those days, they did a “song”called feedback. It’s exactly what you would think. So not a lot of volume, just getting feedback, fading it out, new tone, fade out,etc
I guessing that’s what they are doing there
Paul

 

[Rebosbro]

Got a Rolling Stone CE Jerry Garcia magazine for Christmas. Had another shot of this show with Pigpen and Bill in it. Also a hot of Jerry with a Guild.
Paul

 

[hieronymous]

Another cool Phil Starfire pic!