In my continuing search for a Starfire double cut, I came across a custom shop model, which I didn't even know they made. I then looked online but all I can find is some interesting looking 3 pickup Starfire, which looks like the 3 P90 Riviera. But the custom shop one I found has just the 2 humbuckers. What is the deal on the custom shop? Where they really custom one offs, or was this a marketing thing or more of a limited edition thing rather than truly custom? I doubt I will but the guitar as he wants a lot for it. But thinking of at least driving there to try it. Maybe I fall in love and lose my mind and pay the price. But I wanted to know more about custom shop models first.
What's the deal with custom shop Starfires?
- Thread starter Guilblues
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Another possibility is that this is a New Hartford-era (2009-2014) “GSR” model. I believe those were two-horned Starfire Vs, but I could be remembering wrong. Many/most of the GSR models had the New Hartford custom shop label on them. And, yes, they would be relatively expensive compared to other Starfires.
I believe Brad is referring to the Westerly-era timeframe, where the custom shop was actually in Nashville. Those guitars would be about 10-15 years older.
In either case, “limited edition” would be a proper description for those guitars, although it’s possible there might’ve been some one-offs.
As Brad said, we’ll need more information (or pictures) to help you identify the Starfire.
I believe Brad is referring to the Westerly-era timeframe, where the custom shop was actually in Nashville. Those guitars would be about 10-15 years older.
In either case, “limited edition” would be a proper description for those guitars, although it’s possible there might’ve been some one-offs.
As Brad said, we’ll need more information (or pictures) to help you identify the Starfire.
BradHK
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Here is a recent post on the GSR model Chazmo mentions above
letstalkguild.com
GSR Starfire VI (Finally)
I searched years for one of these. I'm shocked not only did I find one, but it was actually much cheaper than I thought it would be. Has Seth Lover pickups in place of the stock ones, and of course the custom LeRoy Aiello pickguard I replace all my stock Guild pickguards with. Slim C neck with...
letstalkguild.com
BradHK
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You are correct! Thanks for clarifying
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I have a couple of Nashville CS Guilds. Very nice guitars.
Thanks guys. It is definitely not the GSR. It doesn't have the 335 shape as the GSR. Unfortunately I have no photos. It was one of those things. Sitting in a bar with some friends, conversation starts, one of them has a buddy who has it, and might sell/is selling/would sell. Call him up. Guy sends a couple of photos to my friend's phone and I look at the photos on his phone. Guy says it's custom shop, says custom shop on it, looks like the classic Guild starfire shape. Not like the GSR. 2 humbuckers and not the 3 pickups one.
So there were 2 custom shops, Nashville and New Hartford? So not real custom but just limited editions? What is special about them then? Price is just based on rarity or are you getting something more over a normal production starfire? If they were at least real custom shop one offs, at least not having 2 alike would be somehow cool. But if it's only a bit more rare, but a series with a few of them, not sure I will overpay. For example I just read that the 3 pickups custom shop one is actually a series, with different colors etc. Not a one off at all or even just 3 or 5. For that i would rather just go with a normal starfire and save. Unless of course the neck is perfect and it plays like butter and I fall in love.
I have the guy's number. But don't want to call till I know enough to either negotiate or at least know what I might be buying. Also he is on vacation now anyhow. So a have a bit of time. The guitar is not listed anywhere for sale either. So I don't think I have to hurry.
My main questions are, were there other custom shop starfires apart from the 3 pickups and GSR? Were there any one offs? Will it definitely be either from Nashville or New Hartford?
So there were 2 custom shops, Nashville and New Hartford? So not real custom but just limited editions? What is special about them then? Price is just based on rarity or are you getting something more over a normal production starfire? If they were at least real custom shop one offs, at least not having 2 alike would be somehow cool. But if it's only a bit more rare, but a series with a few of them, not sure I will overpay. For example I just read that the 3 pickups custom shop one is actually a series, with different colors etc. Not a one off at all or even just 3 or 5. For that i would rather just go with a normal starfire and save. Unless of course the neck is perfect and it plays like butter and I fall in love.
I have the guy's number. But don't want to call till I know enough to either negotiate or at least know what I might be buying. Also he is on vacation now anyhow. So a have a bit of time. The guitar is not listed anywhere for sale either. So I don't think I have to hurry.
My main questions are, were there other custom shop starfires apart from the 3 pickups and GSR? Were there any one offs? Will it definitely be either from Nashville or New Hartford?
SFIV1967
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Nashville was a true Custom Shop. One could order his dream Guild. But they also made small series of catalog models there.
New Hartford GSR models were not custom shop but special limited releases. (Guild Special Run).
The New Hartford Custom Shop under Ren Ferguson made the Orpheum models and the American Patriarch models and the Reno Star models.
Nashville Starfires (here a Starfire VI) would have had such a label style:
Ralf
I exchanged a couple of messages with Hans and it seems this one will be hard to pin down till I get a serial.
But if Nashville was the only custom shop, then it has to be a Nashville I guess. Nashville is Fender era right? So Guild had no custom shop before that, like in the 60s, 70s or 80s, like Gibson and Fender?
It's definitely not a GSR. It has the master volume and trapeze harp tail and doesn't have the 335 shape. As far as I know all GSR looked the same and none had that?
But if Nashville was the only custom shop, then it has to be a Nashville I guess. Nashville is Fender era right? So Guild had no custom shop before that, like in the 60s, 70s or 80s, like Gibson and Fender?
It's definitely not a GSR. It has the master volume and trapeze harp tail and doesn't have the 335 shape. As far as I know all GSR looked the same and none had that?
I would not discount the GSR models from the New Hartford Custom Shop. A lot of great things happened there.
Well, here is a custom shop starfire which is not a GSR or has 3 pickups:Nashville was a true Custom Shop. One could order his dream Guild. But they also made small series of catalog models there.
New Hartford GSR models were not custom shop but special limited releases. (Guild Special Run).
The New Hartford Custom Shop under Ren Ferguson made the Orpheum models and the American Patriarch models and the Reno Star models.
Nashville Starfires (here a Starfire VI) would have had such a label style:
Ralf
It came from this thread: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/starfire-vi-custom-shop.220823/ . I see the label you posted is also posted there. This is interesting as it's not a GSR and not the 3 pickups custom shop. Being just a normal looking starfire, it's much closer to the guitar I'm talking about. And it has gold hardware as well. So they are indeed out there. But this is the only one I was able to find.
Hi Guilblues,Well, here is a custom shop starfire which is not a GSR or has 3 pickups:
It came from this thread: https://letstalkguild.com/ltg/index.php?threads/starfire-vi-custom-shop.220823/ . I see the label you posted is also posted there. This is interesting as it's not a GSR and not the 3 pickups custom shop. Being just a normal looking starfire, it's much closer to the guitar I'm talking about. And it has gold hardware as well. So they are indeed out there. But this is the only one I was able to find.
The picture of that Bigsby-equipped (non-Guildsby) custom shop Starfire is, according to Hans Moust, shows a 1999 model that was ordered by Washington Music.
I’m not sure if this addresses your question, but Hans said later: "This guitar was custom ordered in that configuration, so it's a one-off. There may be other ones that could be similar, but it was not part of a series."
As I mentioned earlier, I think we’d have to see a picture or some more details about the guitar you are talking about to give you more details. Presumably, some type of customization must have been requested by dealer of that guitar. Also, forget about my mention of GSRs as that has nothing to do with this timeframe.
I guess what makes that guitar a one off is the Bigsby instead of the Guild unit? Apart from that, at least on the surface it looks like any starfire VI?
The only different thing which stands out on the guitar I'm talking about is that it seems to have 2 switches. It has the switch up on the ear with the master volume and another switch by the volume and tone knobs. Like a 335 would have. This second switch seems to be smaller though. Apart from that it looks like any starfire, I would guess IV.
hansmoust
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I can (sort of) understand why you would say that, but that's not really the case. Guild had not been making the Starfire VI as a production model since the late '70s although they did a few custom order ones after that and most of those did not have a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece. The only production model with a B-9 was the Starfire V, but that guitar had chrome hardware. When this guitar was ordered, Guild did not make a Starfire VI and consequently they did not stock a gold plated B-9 Bigsby, so they decided to use a regular gold plated B-7.
So the reason why it's a one-off is because Guild was not making them. The Custom shop did several other one-off Starfires, but so far I have not come across one with the specs that you provided.
Sincerely,
Hans Moust
www.guitarsgalore.nl
I see. I didn't know that. I thought the VI was always part of the line, as they offer it new as well, I think. This could explain why this guitar has the trapeze harp. If it is indeed Nashville custom shop, it would 90s right and be after they had stopped putting the trapeze on starfires? By late 90s only the solid tail right? But if it was custom, then it could explain it, like this starfire VI. I'm just wondering what could the second switch be?
SFIV1967
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Yeah a ‘90s Starfire could have 3-wire HB1s (if they’re HB1s) which can be split or parallel/serial or any number of cool things.
I see. Was that a common feature or custom one off type of thing only? I never seen another with that little switch.
Does it mean this guitar will most likely have the undesirable Fender pickups? Although if it's a phase switch you don't need any special humbuckers. 2 wire ones can be wired out phase. If it is coil split then yes, but I never found coil splitting that useful. So phase would probably be more fun.