Starfire III update

[donald1956]

Thanks to all who replied to my earlier post about strings and bridges. I know some like the 11's on their SF but they seem a bit heavy to me. I use tens on practically everything else I play. Yeah, I use 12s on my acoustic flattops, but its just not the same. I have settled on D'Addario 110W as having the best combination of sound and playability for me. I was able to confirm that my bridge is compensated for a wound G, and that's what those have. I sanded the base of the aluminum Bigsby bridge with sandpaper contoured to the top to remove rough spots from the parts that contact the top. I have concluded the contour isn't necessarily designed to fit the top perfectly, but it is sufficient that the "feet" make good contact, much like a rosewood bridge base that has feet but no middle contact. I really feel that good bridge contact contributes to the sound, much like it does on a violin. I don't agree with the theory that it's only the pickups that affect the sound. If that were true, guitars with identical pickups would sound exactly alike, and we all know that's not true. Anyways, I believe my problems are solved and I am happy!
Does anybody have any specs for my 1997 Starfire III other than the obvious? What is the nut made from? What kind of humbuckers does it have? Who actually made the pickups? What is the fingerboard radius? Any info would be appreciated! I will try to get a photo up as soon as I figure out how to do it!

 

[danerectal]

I'm not sure if you would have the actual Guild HB-1 humbuckers, or if it would be given the Fender equivalent of the latter years. Would this not be a transition-era guitar? As far as the nut material, it's some composite "plastic" which I believe was named "Micarta". I think that the saddle radius on the bridges used was 12in., so that should be the same as the fretboard radius.

I agree with you that the sustain has a great impact on the guitar's amplified tone, not to say that pickups have none. Ask Eric Johnson about the effects of sustain on tone. He'll go so far as sanding the finish off beneath the pickguard and tremelo bridge on top of removing the back plate from his strat. Premier guitar had an article on his micro-mods by which he swears.