Some Hans-pertise with Guild serial numbers, please.

[jp]

Hi Hans,

Is there any way to date my newly purchased mid- to late-60s Starfire III using the serial number? 43249

I remember what you said in a previous thread about the Guild serial number chart being incomplete for a few years during Guild's move from Hoboken to Westerly. Did they at least keep rough track of the number of guitars produced during those years, so that one could at least make an educated guess? :?

 

[hansmoust]

Hi Hans,

Is there any way to date my newly purchased mid- to late-60s Starfire III using the serial number? 43249

I remember what you said in a previous thread about the Guild serial number chart being incomplete for a few years during Guild's move from Hoboken to Westerly.

Hello jp,

Your Starfire III is not from the period you mentioned.
It's from the early part of 1965, just before they switched to a different serial number system.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[fronobulax]

First the bad news...

Your Starfire III is not from the period you mentioned.

And now the good, at least for the "older is better crowd"...

It's from the early part of 1965, just before they switched to a different serial number system.

 

[jp]

Thanks so much, Hans!

That was actually my guess. The listing claimed that it was from '69. However, according to the chart for the old system, from years 1960-1964, production slowly ramped up:

1960 -- 2677
1961 -- 3705
1962 -- 4302
1963 -- 6220
1964 -- 9692

So despite the faulty record-keeping, and assuming that 46606 is the last serial number of that year (7970 Guilds for that year), it would make sense that it's a 1965. Thanks for the confirmation.

This post smacks of a mathematics word problem. Now. . .

You are in a hot air balloon floating eastward over an alligator-infested swamp at 2000 meters, and you're rapidly losing altitude. Besides yourself, you have a 1952 Les Paul gold top, a 1951 Fender Nocaster, and a 1959 Guild Aristocrat. Which one do you toss over the edge first? 8)

 

[hansmoust]

So despite the faulty record-keeping, and assuming that 46606 is the last serial number of that year (7970 Guilds for that year), it would make sense that it's a 1965. Thanks for the confirmation.

Hello jp,

You didn't have to guess about that one. There was no faulty record-keeping during that particular period and the serial numbers are pretty accurate. Ser.# 46606 was the last number from that series. During 1965 (not at the end of 1965) the serial number system was changed and consequently they made much more guitars during 1965 than the 7970 you calculated. You should add all the numbers from the new series as well, which should be close to another 3500 guitars.
The problems with the serial numbers started at the end of the '60s when there were 2 factories that were both producing Guild guitars at the same time.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[jp]

Gotcha. I guess I didn't remember the information from that previous post correctly.

Thanks again Hans.

 

[northbayj]

Answer to the math problem: You strap the Nocaster and Aristocrat as high up on your back as you can, arm yourself with the Les Paul and wade to safety. Alligators are no match for a 10-pound Gibson solidbody swung with angry precision.