Starfire I-12 Is Here

[DrumBob]

Guild just sent me a Starfire I-12 for review, and I've got to say, I am very impressed so far. The workmanship on this Indonesian instrument is top notch, right out of the box, and the neck is wide and comfortably chunky, befitting an electric 12-string. I reviewed one of the first group of Starfire I's last year and didn't get on with the skinny pencil neck at all, but this guitar feels different, more solidly made, and much friendlier in my hands. I like the push-pull pots for each pickup too. That really accentuates the jangle and chime I want from a 12-string. I can see this being a very viable alternative to a pricey Rickenbacker. The review will appear in an upcoming issue of Vintage Guitar.

Meanwhile, my review of the Surfliner is coming up very soon. Look for it.

 

[fronobulax]

Guild just sent me a Starfire I-12 for review, and I've got to say, I am very impressed so far. The workmanship on this Indonesian instrument is top notch, right out of the box, and the neck is wide and comfortably chunky, befitting an electric 12-string. I reviewed one of the first group of Starfire I's last year and didn't get on with the skinny pencil neck at all, but this guitar feels different, more solidly made, and much friendlier in my hands. I like the push-pull pots for each pickup too. That really accentuates the jangle and chime I want from a 12-string. I can see this being a very viable alternative to a pricey Rickenbacker. The review will appear in an upcoming issue of Vintage Guitar.

Meanwhile, my review of the Surfliner is coming up very soon. Look for it.

Thank you.

But the real question is whether you are going to buy it?

 

[DrumBob]

Thank you.

But the real question is whether you are going to buy it?

I'm kicking that around right now. I'm leaning toward keeping it.

 

[fronobulax]

I'm kicking that around right now. I'm leaning toward keeping it.

Thanks. We both understand that a good reviewer can write a useful review about a product they are ultimately not interested in but it is more fun when reviewer likes the product.

 

[DrumBob]

Thanks. We both understand that a good reviewer can write a useful review about a product they are ultimately not interested in but it is more fun when reviewer likes the product.

That was the case with the Surfliner. Nice guitar, fun to play, but no real interest in owning one.

 

[Ixtlan]

The only other new option is the Danlectro, so....

 

[archiestone]

Curious how much she weighs, if known? (the 12 string)

​

 

[Default]

This one has no bracing, or am I mistaken?

 

[fuman]

Local dealer has one and I was skeptical. My first good guitar was a Guild Starfire XII (1967, Emerald Green). So now, thanks to this review, I have to go check it out. Thanks a lot.

 

[DrumBob]

I think overall, it's a pretty well made guitar. I just wrote my review for Vintage Guitar, which will appear soon, and sent it off to my rep at Guild for vetting. Will I keep it? No, I'm sending it back. I'm not buying guitars at this point, and honestly don't need it. With two Rickenbacker 12s, I'm in good shape.

 

[GAD]

I think overall, it's a pretty well made guitar. I just wrote my review for Vintage Guitar, which will appear soon, and sent it off to my rep at Guild for vetting. Will I keep it? No, I'm sending it back. I'm not buying guitars at this point, and honestly don't need it. With two Rickenbacker 12s, I'm in good shape.

What happens if you write something unflattering?

 

[GGJaguar]

What happens if you write something unflattering?

Funny story - when I was writing for 20th Century Guitar, I did a review of a Gretsch where I was critical about some things. I received a letter from FMIC thanking me for such a great article. Strange, but it gets stranger. I later wrote an article about (I think) the latest Custom Shop reissues and I praised Fender for paying attention to details and that they took a large leap forward in vintage accuracy. I received a letter from an FMIC attorney (really!) practically threatening a lawsuit for my disparaging remarks. WTH? They still loved me, though, because they sent me an X-160 Rockabilly to review.

 

[Opsimath]

Funny story - when I was writing for 20th Century Guitar, I did a review of a Gretsch where I was critical about some things. I received a letter from FMIC thanking me for such a great article. Strange, but it gets stranger. I later wrote an article about (I think) the latest Custom Shop reissues and I praised Fender for paying attention to details and that they took a large leap forward in vintage accuracy. I received a letter from an FMIC attorney (really!) practically threatening a lawsuit for my disparaging remarks. WTH? They still loved me, though, because they sent me an X-160 Rockabilly to review.

Well that's very curious.

 

[Bill Ashton]

Bob's review is in the October 2022 issue of Vintage Guitar, page 80.

I think...

 

[DrumBob]

What happens if you write something unflattering?

You will never see an unflattering review in a gear magazine. It's business. The magazine wants guitar companies to advertise, and you won't attract and keep advertisers by saying their product sucks.

The way you handle something negative is to phrase it tactfully, like, "A twelve saddle bridge would have been a better choice instead of six saddles." Or, "Fender would have been wise to offer a third pickup on this model."

On the Surfliner, I said it screams for a whammy bar, in so many words. It was more like a suggestion than a criticism.

The Surfliner review is in the October issue, by the way. The Starfire I-12 is coming soon.

 

[GAD]

You will never see an unflattering review in a gear magazine. It's business. The magazine wants guitar companies to advertise, and you won't attract and keep advertisers by saying their product sucks.

The way you handle something negative is to phrase it tactfully, like, "A twelve saddle bridge would have been a better choice instead of six saddles." Or, "Fender would have been wise to offer a third pickup on this model."

On the Surfliner, I said it screams for a whammy bar, in so many words. It was more like a suggestion than a criticism.

The Surfliner review is in the October issue, by the way. The Starfire I-12 is coming soon.

That certainly makes sense and matches what I expected. I'm curious what would happen if someone wrote something more negative, but I'm guessing the simple fact is that it just wouldn't be approved or they wouldn't have gotten the gig in the first place or wouldn't be asked back.

 

[DrumBob]

That certainly makes sense and matches what I expected. I'm curious what would happen if someone wrote something more negative, but I'm guessing the simple fact is that it just wouldn't be approved or they wouldn't have gotten the gig in the first place or wouldn't be asked back.

If a writer submitted something overtly negative to a gear magazine, the editor would either kick it back and ask for a rewrite, or he/she would take it upon themselves to rewrite it. The fate of the writer would depend upon his or her status with the publication. You'd either be asked not to trash the gear on future reviews, or you'd be let go.

 

[fronobulax]

<semiveer>

When I was reviewing (primarily board) games, I wanted to believe I was factual and objective. I also tried hard to review the game as published and not the game I had hoped for. That pretty much meant my reviews were at least neutral and the reader could usually figure out my opinion and ignore it or not. I don't recall any significant editing to change the tone.

The most interesting experience was when I reviewed a computer game. I liked it and said so. The game was featured on the magazine's cover. Then it comes out that the publisher had sold the cover as advertising. I was accused of tailoring my review to support the advertising, which was not true and annoyed me. But it is true that I had written enough that the publisher could have predicted the tone of my review before I wrote it and so there wasn't much risk in selling the cover and assigning me.

</semiveer>

 

[GAD]

If a writer submitted something overtly negative to a gear magazine, the editor would either kick it back and ask for a rewrite, or he/she would take it upon themselves to rewrite it. The fate of the writer would depend upon his or her status with the publication. You'd either be asked not to trash the gear on future reviews, or you'd be let go.

Thanks for the insight!

 

[FNG]

So the review is a sham, basically...