Starfire III Trouble shooting

[Jeff]

I suspect my new Starfire has either a bum selector switch or it is not wired correctly. Or, just as likely, I is a dummy.

Selector switch set in the middle (both?) the neck pick up volume seems to run both PU's, turning neck PU volume off shuts both PU's down & no volume available from the bridge PU on it's own.

:roll: Mebbe the neck PU volume reverts to Master Volume with the selector switch in the Middle Position ??? :roll:

Lemme see if Guild has an operators manual on their site.

 

[matsickma]

Re: Stsarfire III Trouble shooting

Jeff,

That wiring scheme is pretty common on Guilds.

M

 

[capnjuan]

Re: Stsarfire III Trouble shooting

Hi Jeff: you might try some contact cleaner including little plastic nozzle extender. You can clean the p/u selector switch and the vol/tone pots through the F-holes. On the pots, try to hit the little gap between the 3 'legs' and the body of the control. On my model and in the 'blend' position, each vol pot independently controls the contribution from its p/u. It's also possible that the selector switch has corrosion on its contacts burfing up the blend. Might help, might not but clean controls work better. cj

 

[Default]

Re: Stsarfire III Trouble shooting

I think it might have been from that time Guild hired that ex-Gretsch worker. :?:

 

[guildzilla]

As Matsickma suggests, both reissue Starfires I've owned functioned as you described, Jeff. It took some getting used to and was a little strange.

BTW, Jeff, you did not share an acquisition story with this Starfire III. It just suddenly materialized.

We are left to wonder if, in addition to your ridiculous tractor beam, pulling Guilds of all ilks to the Seattle area craigslist, you now have worked out a special deal involving the Tooth Fairy and the discarded baby teeth of your grandchildren.

 

[Jeff]

As Matsickma suggests, both reissue Starfires I've owned functioned as you described, Jeff. It took some getting used to and was a little strange.

BTW, Jeff, you did not share an acquisition story with this Starfire III. It just suddenly materialized.

We are left to wonder if, in addition to your ridiculous tractor beam, pulling Guilds of all ilks to the Seattle area craigslist, you now have worked out a special deal involving the Tooth Fairy and the discarded baby teeth of your grandchildren.

Thanks Mat & Zilla.

The Git ain't broke, a good thing.

Zilla the Tooth Fairy tale is all here. Local deals on vintage archtops been runnin bit thin here lately. This reissue came up, with a Bigsby, Red's out of town, I felt good Karma, , , so..,.

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5563&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=starfire

I experimented with the bridge adjustment to lower the action. lowered the bridge till the strings started to rattle on the PU's & backed it off till it played clean. A guy's gotta figure all those PU pole adjusting screws are there for a reason ???

Taking the Starfire to my lesson tomorrow morning. Thanks to you guys I have one less dumb question to ask.

Gonna take it in to the local Setup Guru tomorrow as well, reckon if he suggests replacing the bridge I'll take his advice.

 

[capnjuan]

I suspect my new Starfire has either a bum selector switch or it is not wired correctly. Or, just as likely, I is a dummy. Selector switch set in the middle (both?) the neck pick up volume seems to run both PU's, turning neck PU volume off shuts both PU's down & no volume available from the bridge PU on it's own.

Hi Jeff; my SF3 is a 2000 model; when selector switch is in the middle/blend position, spin down either pot, vol goes down by grounding the signal from that p/u; same for up; left with less but still have volume. Turning down one/either pot doesn't kill the volume completely - assuming pots in the same position - turning one cuts volume by 50%. What year model again?

Also, the selector switch can have dirty contacts; every time it's switched back and forth, current 'jumps' across the contacts just as they close. This jumping leads to pitting and corrosion on the contacts and crackly, noisy, or no operation. The easiest thing to rule out; besides, no telling when it was done last. Might not be part of this deal at all but you won't know that until you clean it. cj

 

[hideglue]

Re: Stsarfire III Trouble shooting

I think it might have been from that time Guild hired that ex-Gretsch worker. :?:

Hey Default,

that 'ex-Gretsch worker' had long departed by '97 ; >)

 

[Jeff]

CJ,

This Starfire is a 98, don't think it had enough time on it to wear out anything. I suspect I've already played it more than the previous owner. Pots are silent, zero scratch or noise of any kind, no dead spots.

Now that I better understand how it's set up seems to work flawlessly.

Best description I can come up with is the neck volume is a "Master Volume" gotta have the neck volume up before you can blend in the bridge PU.

Amazing variety of tones, some a lot better n others

Bigsby is the coolest gizmo, interesting to tweak while watching a tuner dial. I think it's gonna be a fine asset for developing my tin ear.

 

[Default]

Re: Stsarfire III Trouble shooting

I think it might have been from that time Guild hired that ex-Gretsch worker. :?:

Hey Default,

that 'ex-Gretsch worker' had long departed by '97 ; >)

Hey, he could have walked from Arkansas...

 

[teleharmonium]

If putting the switch in the middle position and turning down the bridge pickup does not also kill the output from both pickups, it sounds like you have the neck pickup volume pot wired from the wrong lug.

 

[capnjuan]

If putting the switch in the middle position and turning down the bridge pickup does not also kill the output from both pickups, it sounds like you have the neck pickup volume pot wired from the wrong lug.

Hi TeleH: do-over here w/ 2000 model; w/ switch in middle and both vol pots set equally, turning down either pot turns down volume. My mis-statement earlier I gotta get out more...cj

 

[Jeff]

If putting the switch in the middle position and turning down the bridge pickup does not also kill the output from both pickups, it sounds like you have the neck pickup volume pot wired from the wrong lug.

Yep, both volume controls kill both PU's.

Even more understanding. :lol: Thanks.

 

[dklsplace]

So you've figured out this it's wired the way it's supposed to be. Here's another thread dealing with this same thing when I did my SF project last year.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2016

 

[capnjuan]

So you've figured out this it's wired the way it's supposed to be. Here's another thread dealing with this same thing when I did my SF project last year. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2016

Hi Don; like the SF better now / wired like a Bluesbird? cj

 

[hideglue]

I experimented with the bridge adjustment to lower the action....

Hi Jeff
Factory spec ('98) at the 12th fret would have been: Bass Side..........3/32" . Treble Side.......5/64"

A guy's gotta figure all those PU pole adjusting screws are there for a reason ???

Yeah, but unless someone actually adjusted them properly after it left Westerly, they're more than likely just following the fingerboard radius.

 

[dklsplace]

So you've figured out this it's wired the way it's supposed to be. Here's another thread dealing with this same thing when I did my SF project last year. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2016

Hi Don; like the SF better now / wired like a Bluesbird? cj

Yep. It's more familiar territory.

 

[Jeff]

Hi Jeff
Factory spec ('98) at the 12th fret would have been: Bass Side..........3/32" . Treble Side.......5/64"

Thanks for the stats.

Would seem the neck angle is ok, it plays clean & buzz free with the action set pretty low. Don't have to hit it very hard to get loud.

The bridge moves around pretty easy, takes very little to move it quite a ways side to side.

I'd sooner have the strings centered better over the pick up poles. PU's maybe not aligned just right, & Seems the bridge & Bigsby want to settle with the strings hanging a bit toward the treble side of the fretboard.

We just had a pretty good wind storm blow thru here, 60 mph gusts. Power is out over at the luthier's place so I'll have to wait till aother day to have him look it over.

 

[Default]

You may have to put a wee shim on the bass side of the Bigs. On my SF, the ground wire is under the treble side and that's just enough to throw the alignment off.

 

[capnjuan]

The bridge moves around pretty easy, takes very little to move it quite a ways side to side. I'd sooner have the strings centered better over the pick up poles. PU's maybe not aligned just right, & Seems the bridge & Bigsby want to settle with the strings hanging a bit toward the treble side of the fretboard. We just had a pretty good wind storm blow thru here, 60 mph gusts. Power is out over at the luthier's place so I'll have to wait till aother day to have him look it over.

Insanely clear pics Jeff. IMO if the nut / fingerboard / bridge / Bigs are aligned, any 'misalignment' between the strings and pole pieces is a function of the location of the p/u's or small manufacturing difs in the gaps between the pole pieces.

I note in the pics that the high E string on the neck p/u is on the bass side of its pole piece whereas the high E is on the treble side of its pole piece on the bridge p/u. Not really sure if this makes much of a difference however I haven't played Shea Stadium in quite some time.... :wink: If you lower the bridge to promote lower action, it reduces the break angle of the string somewhat crossing the bridge reducing the amount of downward pressure on the bridge; string gauge and tension might make a difference too. With garden variety strings tuned to concert pitch, my bridge doesn't move around. Hope the weather there doesn't screw things up too much. cj