Bluesbird vs Starfire III pros and cons? Opinions please

Ooops I put this in the wrong forum. Mods can you please move it. Sorry...

I don't know why but I've somehow I picked up a case of electric GAS. Not serious yet, I'm thinking about it. I don't really play electric anymore, and may or may not ever play with a band again (too much drama). However, for some reason I feel the need for a decent electric. I primarily played a Les Paul clone decades ago and later an ES-347. I have an Epi ES-339 that just ain't doing it for me quality wise.

I've been reading articles on each and have kind of narrowed down the Guilds to a mid-late 90's/early 00's Starfire III and Bluesbird to stay in my $1000+- range. I think I'm leaning more towards the Starfire III. Very different animals I know, but I would like to get opinions on both with the following assumptions:

1) Versatility: This would be my only electric so it needs to be versatile. I'm not a "lead" player per se - I ain't got the chops and, well... arthritis. Mostly rhythm and occasional light lead. Classic rock, blues rock, southern rock, new wave/punk, grunge... I like it all when done well. No death metal.

2) Playability: Comfort, weight, neck profile is also very important to me these days. No 1-5/8 skinny necks! 1-11/16 is fine. I prefer 1-3/4 on acoustics.

3) Tone: I can tell when something sounds good, but am not anal about chasing perfection. Variation in pickups isn't a deal killer as long as they are not something I would have to change out (like the mediocre pups in my Epi).

4) Components. Quality and versatility of components. Could either be modified easily for coil tapping? Something I loved in my 347.

Thanks folks!

Moving to Misc

Here are my thoughts:

1) Versatility: They're both 2-humbucker electric guitars, but a SFIII has a Guildsby. If you've never strung a Bidgsby, I might not recommend it as a first electric unless you have a lot of patience. It's easy enough to master, but it can be frustrating at first. Unless weight is a consideration, don't dismiss the Starfire IV or V. I consider them more versatile than either the SFIII or Bluesbird.

2) Playability: Don't dismiss the Corona Guilds, especially if you like big necks. As said I think the SF4/5 is more versatile than the SFIII, but I see you list weight as a factor and the SFIII is crazy light. Note that SFIIIs are feedback machines so if you're going to play at volume you'll need to learn to tame that. It's not rocket science, but it's something to consider.

3) Tone: The Bluesbirds from the '90s have PAF-like pickups ('59s) and the Starfires will likely have SD1s. If you go into the '00 or Corona era then Fender HB1s may be involved.

4) If you want to modify for coil splitting and you want to do the work yourself, the Bluesbird wins hands down. Working on hollow or semi-hollow body guitars is a frustrating endeavor if you've never done it before. There are all sorts of tricks to make it easier, but it's not for the feint of heart. As for quality, if import parts are a problem then you're out of luck because there are WD500 pots in my '98 Starfire and when I got them they were all sorts of gunked up (see my review) but worked fine after a cleaning. Caps are all generic off-the-shelf parts so if you're looking for Lux or Bumblebees or Orange Drops you're out of luck.

Believe it or not, Fender HB1 are easy to coil split because they were designed that way. Likewise SD1s, but the '59s in my '97 Bluesbird '59 pickups were 2-wire so could not be split.

Something not stated in your OP: What kind of amp do you have?

Thanks Gary. I'm not afraid of the Guildsby stringing. I will be able to figure it out.

Weight (and size) is definitely a factor, which is why I got rid of the ES-347 at 9.5 lbs. I think the SF 4/5s would be similar. Lighter rather than heavier is good these days. That's why a real Gibby ES-339 is also in the running, and it acts more like a solid body feedback wise but does have some airiness to it. Used prices are typically a bit higher than I want to spend however. I'm not in a hurry though.

If I did modify it for coil splitting, I'd most likely have someone more skilled do it, and upgrade the pots and/or caps only if needed. Maybe as master for the SF III. My soldering skills are mediocre so paying a pro might be worth it. Without rear access I would not attempt it. That is a very good thing to keep in mind about the SD1's and Fender HB1s having the 4-wires. I'll stay away from the '59's.

I sold my electric amps years ago. I only have a crappy sounding Fender practice amp that is not suitable for gigs. I have a Fishman Artist for acoustics. I haven't started going down the amp rabbit hole yet but tend to like the older Fenders most. I would probably be looking at a low watt amp under $500. Any suggestions? I do still have a Rimrock Mythical Overdrive that gets me a nice variety of distorted tones.

So I taked to a guy in northern Delaware about this one that I really like. It looks like a beauty but he doesn't want to open up the pickups, and thinks the neck is closer to 1-5/8. From the s/n AG300316 it could be an earlier one (1997?) with '59's? I can't tell. Unfortunately its way too far for me to check out in person.

https://delaware.craigslist.org/msg/d/odessa-guild-starfire-iii-electric/7043014255.html

I would consider the differences between a stop tail and Guildsby equipped guitar. The floating bridges can be pretty finicky and easy to get out of tune and intonation.

If they haven’t been changed, those are SD1s. ‘59s were only in Bluesbirds.

Yep. I got a closer look. They have black phillips screws. Just read your pup comparison. Great stuff!!!

https://www.gad.net/Blog/2011/11/25/guild-full-sized-hb1-and-sd1-pickup-variations/

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FNG said:

I would consider the differences between a stop tail and Guildsby equipped guitar. The floating bridges can be pretty finicky and easy to get out of tune and intonation.

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So then the SF 2 would be similar but with a stop tail?

Mikey,

I had a '66 SFIII with a re-set neck. It was a great guitar, but it was easy to knock out of tune. And it wasn't versatile, more of a one trick pony.

Let me point you in another direction:

First off, I'm all about arthritis, bad rotator cuffs, etc. That's where I live. If you want something that's light, get an Epiphone Casino Coupe! Mine weighs 6lbs. The pickups have a very good sound, although they don't sound like vintage P90s.

In fact, I just A/B'd the Coupe yesterday with a friend's ES-330 Vintage Reissue. We played both guitars through a BadCat head/2x12 cab, and a Dr. Z with a 1x12 cab. Both guitars sounded great in either amp.

Pickup-wise, I liked the Gibson P90s better. They were louder and cut better. That said, I've played several gigs with my Coupe's slightly quieter pickups and they have worked out fine. You can get close to the Gibson P90 sound with a clean boost pedal and not spend $250 for boutique pickups. I usually play my Coupe (and Tele and Strat) through a '68 Princeton Reverb. It sounds great through that amp.

Those guitars sell from Sweetwater-type shops for $500 shipped. If you have the official Epi case for the ES-339 model, it will fit the Coupe perfectly. If you just have your 339 in a gig-bag, you can buy the 'perfect-fit' Epi 339 case for $119 shipped.

I know it ain't a Guild, but again it's 6 lbs!!!!

HeyMikey said:

Yep. I got a closer look. They have black phillips screws. Just read your pup comparison. Great stuff!!!

https://www.gad.net/Blog/2011/11/25/guild-full-sized-hb1-and-sd1-pickup-variations/

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So then the SF 2 would be similar but with a stop tail?

Click to expand...

Thanks!

The SF2 is just like a SFIII but with a harp tailpiece. Stop tails require a block to bolt into which is what the NS SFII with a stop tail is an abomination.

FWIW:

My NS SFIII: 6 lbs 3.6 oz
My '97 SFIII: 7 lbs 2 oz
My '66 SFIII: 6 lbs 5 oz

None of them are heavy. The '97s are a bit beefier, though. A SFII would be lighter due to the lack of the Guildsby.

Do you have a budget? If you like the Bluesbird you'll LOVE the Nightbird. More tonal options, too, since most of them come with coil splits and phase switches.

Just a heads-up on the Gibson ES-339. I had one but eventually the neck binding bothered me too much and I sold it. Do a search on the issue, you will see a lot of comments about it. The plastic binding Gibson put along the length of the fretboard edge did not agree with me. The high E string was very prone to slipping off the fretboard because of it.

walrus

HeyMikey said:

Yep. I got a closer look. They have black phillips screws. Just read your pup comparison. Great stuff!!!

https://www.gad.net/Blog/2011/11/25/guild-full-sized-hb1-and-sd1-pickup-variations/

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So then the SF 2 would be similar but with a stop tail?

Click to expand...

i had one of these from the same year, 1997, it was a SF-2 no Guildsby. basically the best tones ive ever heard out of a guitar. however, that floating bridge drove me nuts. neck was on the thinner side. sold it.

have played a 1977 Guild archtop w floating bridge that i liked much better (but neck was also skinny on that)

Thanks everyone. After reading the comments I think the SF series isn’t what I need for my electric. Maybe a secondary one down the road but not for now. I’m liking the Bluesbird more now, they are pretty darn sexy. The weight is still a little high though.

I’m still very much in the ES-339 profile camp. The size and weight are perfect. Very versatile, and more feedback resistant than the larger 335s. I may try upgrading some components on my Epi 339 since I got it used for cheap money. Maybe with better pickups and pots it will be good enough. Who knows. Mike