Guild Starfire II - Does this Classic Bass work in Today's Modern World? - LowEndLobster Review

[@deankastran1556]

I put LaBella Flexible Flats on mine and it sounds and plays amazing. Add a suede backed 3” strap (e.g. Franklin) and the neck dive is gone for the most part. For those of us that grew up in the 60’s playing less than 19mm string spacing (e.g. EKO, Guild, Hofner, Framus), adapting to 16mm is second nature. It’s really a great little bass!

[@Sanetry]

This was great. It's nice to find people who are so honest about their opinions and not only trying to find positive stuff to say. Would be amazing to see a modern semi-hollow bass comparison with, for example, this Guild, Epiphone Jack Casady and/or Rumblekat, Fender Coronado and/or Starcaster and a Höfner.

[@Chris.Wiley.]

I really like the tone of this bass along with the appearance. The neck-dive is a complete deal-breaker for me though, and that bridge just needs help.

[@book3100]

I agree, neck dive is a hard 'no.'

[@thierry18]

I don't understand why any brand would continue to make a bridge like that. The standard, Fender-style bridges work just fine and should be the minimum for any bridge.

[@devlintaylor9520]

@@thierry18 It would look goofy with a fender bridge, But I don't understand why they don't replace the material with something stronger like metal

[@anotherrandombassguitarcha9482]

The only reason I can think of why the wooden saddles were used is so that the bass would not have so much high end tone. Gibson did this with many of their hollow-bodied guitars in the 40', 50's. and '60's. I owned a Gibson ES-120T guitar once that had a wooden bridge,.....and it was unmounted,...meaning that the whole bridge was only held in place on the body with just it's own string tension.

[@Vykk_Draygo]

@@anotherrandombassguitarcha9482 That's called a floating bridge. Common on archtops.

[@timroth296]

I own a green Guild Starfire II and I absolutely love it. I have no neck dive problems. If you can get one I would really advise it. Everywhere I play it people love it. But indeed for as versatile it is...Its still a hollowbody so It wont do well in every genre/style.

[@OneManMutiny]

I don’t think they are worth it new, but definitely used they are generally pretty good deals! I got an Emerald Green one and I really enjoy it. I highly recommend string it up with some DR Black Beauties, it really shines with those strings, clear, warm and woody!

[@BassPlayerNcl]

Fab demo as always, Lobster. To play devils advocate, if the bass had perfectly adjustable hardware, the perfect contour for slap and could play everything from Reggae to Djent, it would probably be called ‘inauthentic’ and people would clamour for original models from the 60’s (which make this look like a Tesla in comparison!). Sometimes the imperfections are what give the instrument character. Most of the classic recordings were made without perfect instruments (Jamerson’s bass had a neck that looked like a banana with an action you could park a bus under, Geezer Butler used a broken speaker cabinet on Sabbath’s debut and most double bass is not 100% in tune). In fact, Paul McCartney still plays Hofner (not a world away from this in terms of build quality) and Sting plays a ‘55 P bass with a two saddle bridge and a very noisy single coil pick up (check out the Tiny Desk concert he and Shaggy played for the perpetual ‘hum’ in the background!). I’d argue that most of us who look for basses such as this know that they’re far from versatile or optimal in terms of performance. However, sometimes that authenticity is the only thing that will satisfy. Peace and love 😊🎶🎵❤️✌️

[@robertmudrow8034]

Nah, it just sounds thin and weak v the excellent and cheaper Starfire 1. That's the reason to forget it.

[@michaelpiercey2160]

@@robertmudrow8034Gotta disagree with ya, I have a starfire II with pyramid flats. Run a 350 watt hartke into two separate JBL 1x15s and it nails that 60’s tone. It’s def hard to dial it in so that the G string is nice n phat and the E isn’t just mud but when it’s dialed in it can do a lot!

[@BassPlayerNcl]

@@robertmudrow8034 Hollowbody basses strung with round wounds tend to sound thinner. Coupled with what I suspect to be a straight DI (as opposed to amp) sound will make it quite unforgiving. That’s why I like flats or tapes on mine 😊

[@raddud6748]

Your video on the Starfire I convinced me to go for it for my first bass. It does not disappoint! Great sound, super fun to play. Amazing value for the price.

[@MisbehavingChild]

You forgot to mention that this bass comes with a case, which is very nice because it wont be damaged in shipping like the Gretsch G5442BDC... This is also not technically a shortie but a medium scale bass, I belive that they also require medium scale strings (they need an absolute minimum of 33.25" winding). I've heared about Hipshot Supertone bridge being used to replace the stock one which I must agree with you.. it sucks! Personally this sounds great to my ears

[@JoseDW7000]

Man I love your videos, even if from the start I’m not that interested in a particular bass I can’t help it but watch the whole thing because it’s so entertaining!

[@BasstabsbyJason]

Owned this bass for over 9 years and never had an issue with the bridge breaking.

[@MrWhit30]

Same, had mine 10 yrs+/- except mine is the single pickup model. I put some Labella low tension flats on it when I got it and I hope I never have to change them. It sound wonderful, plays like butter, and Ive never knocked a string out of its slot, lol. Also, Ive never noticed a neck dive problem, mine hangs perfectly.

[@adambidas9425]

If you want your mind blown go check out Phil Lesh’s guild starfire aka “big brown” It was heavily modified by alembic with 14 control knobs on the bass. There is a detailed diagram explaining what each knob does. It’s far from a stock starfire.

[@scotthutchens1203]

Jack Casady had his modified by Alembic too, but maybe with less controls.

[@kevinmcilvaine5847]

I bought a '66 at Gruhn's in Nashville for $375, thirty years ago.. They also had the single pickup model. The salesman said nobody wanted them. I should have bought them both. I sold it for $600 twenty years ago. My new one is a sentimental favorite.

[@DoktorRS66]

the current price point definitely seems a little steep, I got a slightly older Starfire II used for just under 1k. it's been the perfect bass for me since I have no problems with neck dive personally and it's so incredibly comfortable for me. Flatwounds or tapewounds sound fantastic on it if you wanna try those out.

[@gerryk9]

I had the Jack Cassidy for a week and really liked it. Then i found this at Corner Music in Nashville. After playing it for an hour i returned my JC to Gibson Garage and bought this. It had become my go to bass, replacing my P and J basses as well as my fretless and acoustic. It is amazing. Neck dive isnt as big an issue as lobster makes it. Bridge is awesome. Corner Music did great setup. String height and intonation are perfect. Saddles make for a great tone. Yes more money than JC, but natural finish model is reduced price now. AND it comes with HS case. JC does not.

[@40rpt]

Great review! I'm really interested now in the hollow body sound, and will check out the options discussed.

[@KordTaylor]

Thanks for the great review! 👏🏻 Nice to hear the pros and cons.

[@lathamyoung1624]

I bought one of these basses about a year ago. I found that the string tension was a little low with the strings I am used to playing with. I would definitely suggest a light gauge flat-wound string for this bass. I use the Labella Beatle Bass strings and they fit perfectly and sound incredible, they also increased the string tension and overall tone clarity. Great review and video as always!

[@bassmasta9117]

That scale length and string spacing looks comfortable. I'd love to see those measurements on more modern basses

[@joermnyc]

Wonder how easy it would be to take a set of the saddles to a machine shop and have them make some replicas out of brass. Though for $1500 Guild should have been the ones to do this!

[@unduloid]

That bass doesn't cost $1500. But yeah, those bridge saddles are just ridiculous.

[@NLBassist]

Those saddles make the bass sound mellow. I love 'm

[@cuellar23]

I have one and LOVE it. It sounds great and the saddles have never given me any trouble and the neck dive isn't any worse than my Jack Casady. Its beautifully built and plays smooth.

[@simonbowkett124]

I love mine strung with nylon tapewounds. Never knocked a string off the bridge. Probably my favorite bass to use a pick on.

[@simoninhyogo]

Me too. GHS black nylons and have had no issues with the bridge. The only problem is the pickup selector

[@gazpacho6346]

Hey man great video! Speaking of the bs-1 bisonic we need another lobster and Serek collab!

[@Marten69]

I absolutely LOVED the sound of this - so warm and rich. But: this bridge? An absolute dealbreaker. I am going to look elsewhere - Star Bass maybe? Or Jack Casady? But there's another atrocious bride-design waiting ... maybe Ibanez or Hagström ... we'll see. Nevertheless here a few general thoughts I wanted to share: What a great review - again. Lobster, you are doing such a good job. Just wanted to say thank you for your hard work. I enjoy your videos - fun to watch, unbiased, honest and you truly are a great host. Thanks and cheers from Germany and please keep up the good work :)

[@ingo8957]

Thanks for the review, as always, although I have a hard time believing that these are wired in series. A friend of mine recently had to replace the switch on his and it was a normal parallel switch. Granted, his was from the previous generation, before they started adding the fretboard binding. In any case, the vintage ones that the NS series is supposed to be based on were wired parallel, as well as every other instrument in the Guild NS line. Unless they really started sourcing a whole different 3-way selector switch (on-off-on like Danelectros have) and retraining their factory workers accordingly, this should by all accounts be a normal parallel switch and wiring. Sorry to hear about the low quality saddles and the neck dive. I own two vintage Starfires and have had several others over the years, none of which had issues with those aspects. It sounds like they sourced low quality ebony for the saddles and the grooves obviously are not being filed properly if the strings are pulling off the saddles. That really is too bad on a $1500 instrument and does a disservice to the originals.

[@LowEndLobster]

I was wrong on the series bit, thank you! Removing that bit and adding something to the description

[@J.C...]

BERRY OAKLEY! He played one and that's also where he got the pickups for his Tractor bass, the modded J bass with a Bisonic pickup in the neck and the J neck pickup moved next to the bridge pickup. One of the greatest basses ever built!

[@icorn25]

I own one and definitely prefer this bass with flats. I also hate the bridge and had to replace the saddles. I hate the strap button position and wish there was a way to fix that. 2 things I am surprised that you didn’t mention: 1. This semi hollow with single coils is SUPER noisy. My sound men are not a big fan of this and I am currently working with a local guitar tech to try and shield some of the wiring. 2. The tone controls do almost nothing until you turn down to 1 or 2. Very strange, almost like Guild installed linear pots. Also working with a guitar tech to fix this. All in all I agree with you assessment. I’m just choosing to put a little love into this bass because it looks so darn cool and with flats it really nails that old school semi hollow vibe. Even with its quirks it has started to grow on me.

[@danielbjrkholm6943]

Hey Ethan - What kind of shielding have you found to be the most effective with this one?

[@icorn25]

@@danielbjrkholm6943 we are looking into different shielded wire options. Also tidying up the wiring inside the body so that it isn’t so haphazardly flopping around we think should help. We are still working on it, but I’ll update you if we find a good solution.

[@nikrazman8968]

That’s odd, mine is almost dead silent when a pup is singled. Waaaay quieter than my other J basses at least

[@egroegmcdonald9870]

Lobster, thanks for the review. I was looking at this model bass on Sweetwater, this past week. As a possible replacement for the Alpine white JC bass that was stolen from me some years back. I was wondering, Do you think you could do a review of the Harley Benton HB-60 WB Semi-hollowbody bass? At it's current $222 (US) price, I'd love to see your opinion of how it stacks up against either the Guild or Epiphone semi-hollowbodies, and if that might not be a better place for my money.

[@LowEndLobster]

Thank you! I plan on snagging the HB at some point soon

[@egroegmcdonald9870]

@@LowEndLobster My thing is that I rarely feel like I need a semi-hollowbody. However, it would be nice to have one that is a decent sounding well-made playing bass. Being that it wouldn't get much time out of the case, or off the wall. I'd like to keep the expense down.

[@doug5yuiop]

Nice. Thanks for mentioning that the pickups are wired in series. How do you know that? I always wondered why my Starfire didn’t have that scooped sound my Jazz bass has. Absolutely love mine last several years. La Bella LTF strings (medium scale) or “short scale” Pyramid Gold flats. Nice Phil Lesh or Jack Casady sounds, or good for folk etc. It’s brighter and more articulate due to single coils vs. Gibson humbuckers. $1500, gone up. They really deluxe. I haven’t had trouble with neck dive or bridge really, but a quirky vintage design oh well.

[@LowEndLobster]

I was mistaken! It's just regular LP wiring. My bad! Not wired in series. I've added a blurb in the description and cut that bit out. Sorry!

[@doug5yuiop]

@@LowEndLobster Ah, okay. Parallel wiring then. It doesn’t really have the characteristic scoop though of the Jazz bass with both pickups on full. I guess just due to the relative positioning of the pickups.

[@jkf9167]

You can't argue with the way that thing sounds. Strictly speaking, very few expensive vintage-style basses are "worth it," but I'd spend $1500 for it if I had $1500 to spend. tyle basses are "worth it." I'd spend $1500 for it if I had $1500 to spend.

[@flipper2gv]

Man that bridge pickup sounds so good.

[@jonlavigne3270]

I can’t stand neck dive and my favorite of my basses is a 73 P with a wide nut. I probably wouldn’t play this bass for more than a few seconds in a shop before putting it back and trying something else. That said, it doesn’t sound bad at all.

[@DrTomoculus]

Thank you for the review of this. I quickly checked the Guild Starfire I to make sure it didn't have this same kind of bridge, cuz that would have made me stop saving to get it. I really love the sound of the Starfire II, but that bridge and the trouble it brings ain't worth it. It's a shame really, I associate Guild with a lot of good things.

[@richardrachell21]

Hey Lobster you need to try the Ibanez AGB 200 semi hollow body bass. I love mine, it does have a little neck dive but the price is right. I’ve had mine for about 10 years now and I use la Bella tape wound strings on it. It comes in a natural finish now mine is a brown. Runs around $600.00

[@nikrazman8968]

I've bought one a few months ago despite your review, which to be honest was almost a deal breaker. After playing and gigging on it I feel confident enough to give my honest opinion: -I find the sounds I can get out of it (with GHS PWs) very versatile and some of the best I've heard. My main basses up to now were a FGN EMJ and a Fender JB and this Guild, I gotta say, it's like a JB on steroids. Right now I have to admit this might be the best sounding bass I've had so far. The short scale really helps with extra low end on higher notes, plus the "tubby" sound is something I always loved, so it's really what I was going for when I decided to get it. - As for playability it's almost too comfy, you really need to restrain yourself from overplaying. It's like a little slightly fatter JB neck and the narrower string spacing feels really nice. - The neck dive is completely terrible, I have to admit it, but I got around it with a carabine hook and a wide suede strap. It's a bit of a pain to hook the carabine to the strap and my jeans everytime I play standing up, but if I replaced the tuning gear I am confident that the carabine wouldn't be necessary anymore. -The bridge may look stupid, but for how simple it is I am loving it. Plus it's a little closer to the neck and if you want to play with a thumb and mute the strings, which I love to do, it's way more comfortable than doing on my JB. Oh and the wooden saddles are not cold like the metal ones on a regular bass, so to me that's a plus I guess? To me at least it is. I don't know guys, if you are not sure about getting one, try it and see if you like it, don't just dismiss it. I am glad I got one even though after watching this review I was frankly bummed out. Nonetheless, thanks Lobster for your honest and well made reviews :)

[@LowEndLobster]

Great comment! Thank you for sharing :) I just got another Starfire I in blue. I always try to encourage people to form their own opinions and not take mine as gospel and it makes me really happy to see folks like you share their experiences! Enjoy the bass, friend :)

[@nikrazman8968]

@@LowEndLobster no, thank you! and I gotta say I got some serious gas after seeing the episodes with the SF I and the Sire P5. I am fighting the urge to get a P, you see 😅. Which is a better bang for the buck in your opinion?

[@samuelleuck2880]

Love your channel! I'd really like to see you get your hands on a Gibson SG Standard bass!

[@riogrande163]

Great video, these basses are interesting! Though a more contemporary bridge really should be standard- Also, once again, we must be thankful that Hipshot exists, do you plan on putting ultralites on this bass?

[@LowEndLobster]

I goofed and didn't mention I borrowed this from a friend. No mods here! I do plan on snagging the Starfire I LE in blue to revisit that bass, and I plan some mods!

[@riogrande163]

@@LowEndLobster Nice, will be looking forward to it!

[@iaingillaney7875]

I was considering trading my music man stingray in for one of these but I’m glad I watched this first!

[@MmM-gw3lc]

Thanks for your videos, very informative! Would love to hear you review Höfners Verythin bass 500/7!

[@jimpowell6964]

I really like this bass but I'm surprised how the price has increased! I got mine new for under $1k brand new with nice hardshell case. Yes, I want to replace the bridge and the right strap should take care of the neck dive but again, the prices at my time of purchase was reasonable.

[@ifbridges]

Great review - as usual! I have the Newark St. Starfire I with the single pickup, like those here, and love it. I've been thinking about getting a Starfire II, but I think I'll pass now. Fun Fact: The Newark St. Collection is named from when Guild was in the old Neumann Leather building in Hoboken, NJ, which is on Newark St. (I've been using a practice space in that building for years and it was the reason I bough the Starfire in the first place!)

[@johngeddes7894]

Big words. Ad campaign. Much ado about profit margin. Wink! The stuff that came from Hoboken was highest quality; not this offshore knockoff merch. Just my opinion.

[@FreddyAron]

Been gigging it for a while and have to say I love it...couple things on the neck dive: I use the fender coiled "Hendrix" cable, and a strap with a suede underside...the two combined I have never had an issue with the neck dive. I also cannot stress enough how dumb it is to sell it with round wounds. I was going for the Phil Lesh early tone and it can really get close with the right strings and technique. I will say if you have big mits it might be a bit cramped to play.

[@paperclihp3588]

Would you ever consider taking a look at the Schecter research stiletto stealth 4 or 5? I think they are a really good bass for the price, and you don’t really see p mm pickup configurations these days.

[@bnutz3k]

I looooove the picking tone on that. Didn't realize was $1500, though.

[@wegriz5570]

I think you should check out the Harley Benton hollow body HB-60, it has 2 pickups, and it looks just like the Eastwood hollow body bass with a floating bridge

[@JasonTrtan]

I bought mine used for half the price. Had to fix the bridge as one string was not lined up over the pick up. I must say though, overall the bass sounds fantastic, especially when strung with flats. These pickups work well with pedals and, depending upon the track, fit well into a mix.

[@chuckblaisdell990]

ALSO.........if you hop around and read owner reviews almost all love the bass .

[@nikrazman8968]

I totally agree. It gets more playtime than my Fender J for a reason

[@marklongshore4860]

I had a 1960s Guild Starfire. Bassiest bass I ever heard. Traded it off like a fool.

[@justsomedude5727]

I actually got one of these for a good deal (500$) awhile ago, definitely recommend playing it with flats, better tension and more full/bassy tone.

[@rickrolli7091]

Hey Lobster. Cool looking bass. Mahogany would be a little warmer. The Jack Casady is much better. The neck pickup really doesn't do much except take away from the bridge pickup. imo. A hootenanny button will be required to fix that neck dive. But why?!? I agree with you Lobster. Just build it better. Don't pull a Fender. Until we groove again ✌️😎👍🥕🦀🎸🦞

[@Fredzeppelin15]

I put this in the Discord chat but I just picked up a Harley Benton HB-60. Would love to see how it compares to the other semi-hollow basses you’ve reviewed, and to look at potential mod ideas for it. I was looking forward to this Guild review and I’m a bit disappointed by how it turned out. I thought it sounded great but the price compared to the issues with the bridge are just too much to get over.

[@egroegmcdonald9870]

I'd love to hear your take on the HB-60. Is it a decent, out of the box, bass @ 222$? Or will it need another 200-300 in pickups, electronics & fretwork and the like to make it playable?

[@Fredzeppelin15]

@@egroegmcdonald9870 it is absolutely playable out of the box. It did need a set up because of some free buzz, which is fine because I get all my basses checked by my luthier when I get them regardless. The tuners aren’t great, and the pickup selector switch is a little flimsy. But I think the the bass itself is well constructed and the pickups are actually very good. So for me, some minor adjustments are needed but the meat and potatoes make for a very nice bass for the money. I’d say it’s worth it.

[@egroegmcdonald9870]

@@Fredzeppelin15 Thank you.

[@grooveattitude06]

Very nice tone!

[@martinheath5947]

If they made one with an extended upper horn with strap button attached I'd really like one! Sounds nice especially on the neck pickup 😊

[@bensloan20]

Pickups are not wired in series. They are wired in parallel. Pretty much the standard LP wiring. These basses play and sound beautifully.

[@LowEndLobster]

Thank you! My mistake, thanks for the correction

[@MooreBass]

Yeah that bridge needs a replacement! The tone is not too bad. But, not a bass for my wish list. A bass I'm looking at a lot is the Xotic XP-1T. I've been listening to Jorgen Carlson with Gov't Mule, and he has a really nice tone. Looks like a high quality bass. Also, I'm liking the SIT Foundation strings, I'm trying a set and they have a nice tone, very smooth feel, good price, and they really do stay in tune! Thanks!

[@johncandido2241]

I like the tone of this bass but for 1500 bones you'd think they would give you a better quality bridge. I also never understood why some guitar manufacturers put he strap button near the heel of the neck as opposed to putting it on the upper horn of the guitar. I often wrestle with this problem on my Epiphone EB-3. Just does not make any sense. If i play standing i will just put my right arm on top of the end of the bass when not playing so it won't neck dive.

[@Vykk_Draygo]

In this case, hollow body construction. It's doable to put the strap on the horn, but it puts more stress on the body (usually the sides), which has less structural integrity (so it requires a reinforcing wood block at the least). Puting it in the heel means you have a solid mounting point with zero extra work. I agree though.

[@johngeddes7894]

Good bones. The dual pickup configuration is just a cheap excuse to double the price. There’s a yt vid of a guy who put the Guild Bs-1 in his Ibanez Artcore, single conf. , and it had beaucoux girth. Barry Oakly had a single BS-1 in his Jazz bass for the early legendary AB records. Jack Casady added an extra alnici 5 magnet under each of his BS-1s , and added a microphone preamp insind the bass; not to mention extensive amp mods. Check out Hot Tuna’s 1969 performance of Mann’s Fate, with his Guild bass. He wanted some cello up high and he got it! He likes natural distortion as well. A real tone seeker that man. Curtis novak claims the new Guild BS-1s are under wired, and now I agree. It would be great to hear a modded Starfire 2 with maybe a rack mount preamp. One other thing, Jack wasn’t too impressed with 15” bass speakers. He would opt for the 12/10 combination in his Versatone Panoflex accordion amp; Utah ceramic 80 watt speakers, not bass speakers. That’s all I know about that so far.

[@johngeddes7894]

One other big thing I forgot was Jack’s strings: Octava Nickel wound flats. Big open slippery ginormous sound, whatever the ingredients were. I like the Bisonics over Jack’s Alembic bass. Just my opinion.

[@nathanminert3119]

I like the Ibanez AGB200. It's well balanced, has two pickups, the pickups are actual humbuckers, it sounds amazing, it feels great, and it only costs about $600 new. It's not a Guild, but that's about the only downside.

[@JRM112]

Maybe not $1500 fun, but I just scored a demo model for a bit less than half of that! Complete with HSC. Now THAT'S fun!!!

[@LowEndLobster]

Score!

[@lk63]

This bass is perfect if you want a Chris Hillman Byrds sound especially if you put flatwound strings on it.

[@johngeddes7894]

You must mean a Wrecking Crew sound from Mr. Tambourine Man. Joe Osborn. Chris is a bit of a poser and loving all the nostalgia attention. Living in the past. Even if his foot mostly went in his mouth, at least Crosby kept pushing the musical envelope.

[@lk63]

@@johngeddes7894 I know Chris did not play on the song Mr. Tambourine Man, but he played a Fender on the rest of the tracks on that LP; he then played the Guild on the TURN TURN TURN, Fifth Dimension LPS. He had a great sound and played some excellent basslines on those albums. He is far from being a poser; he is a musical treasure and pioneer.

[@budizen3104]

@@johngeddes7894 Mostly I thought Chris played with a pick on his JB, which you can see on the Reunion LP cover. Chris was a guitar and mandolin player who had never played bass before the Byrds. When he fronted his own band, he went back to guitar and mandolin. I loved the Byrds, but although he had his moments (Everybody's Been Burned, for example) mostly he was just average. I saw them live a bunch of times. It always took them forever to get in tune, and never sounded as good live as on their LPs. Oh well.

[@johngeddes7894]

He was also in Manassas, but I suspect it was mostly for the mando part on Fallen Eagle, and some background vocals. Not so much a standout player to me. He didn’t do anything atrocious, that I know of.

[@lk63]

@@johngeddes7894 He also was a founding member of the Flying Burrito Bros, the first country -rock band; he played some nice bass in that group. After he left the Burritos he joined Manassas he played guitar and sang with Steve Stills; there is a good performance of them on Germany's Beat club in 1972.

[@victorbauguess8237]

there is a reason why most companies ditched the old school hardware like wooden saddles why couldn't guild have just went with a vintage vibe that didn't suck (like a hipshot super tone considering the price this thing is at they could have done it)

[@robertstrickland5164]

Bought one recently because it was in mint condition and only $800. Even at that price, didn't like it, primarily due to the ergonomics of playing it, along with some of the points that you made here. Sold it to a friend for the same price. He had it for a week or two and sold it for $950 and we split the profits. His problems with the bass were similar to mine and those you mention.

[@eephour7221]

Even the bridges on the original 60's SF's were kinda flimsy. If you really want to upgrade to the next level, an Alembic brass block bridge and tailpiece, along with a brass nut will give you great sustain and tone for days. Yes, it means routing, but it's totally worth it for the tone, playability, and easier adjustment factors.

[@garymerrill4244]

Allow me to suggest that you review the Höfner HCT 500/8 Verythin long scale bass. In my opinion, it's a much better sounding bass at half the price! The Chinese factory really outdid themselves on that one. Give it a try, I think you'll be impressed.

[@charliebigred]

Having played several original Guild Starfires, this is a nice bass for someone who wants to play a bass like the original and not spend vintage money (though used they are an even better value.) That said, it’s crazy how inaccessible a bass this is compared to other short scales. My recommendation is find a Dearmond Starfire from the 90’s or go with the current Starfire I, which is such wonderful bass for the money.

[@budizen3104]

I found a Dearmond/Guild 5 string. Could never get it to sound right.

[@yperia]

if I hadn't had my Fender Starcaster semi hollow I d love this one or a Hagstrom Viking

[@budizen3104]

This is the first bass with individual volume controls AND a master vol. I think that's a great idea. I like master volumes, but I always end up using a blend control which does NOT give the same results as two volumes AND a master volume. Food for thought. Great review. Something I will never understand - Jack Casady played a Guild Starfire (among others) but how and why did he go from Guild to Epiphone to have his signature bass made there - why not stay with Guild?

[@jameswood3977]

He went from Guild to a Gibson Les Paul Signature bass from the 1970’s, it was the Gibson LP Signature that he had modified which developed into the Epiphone JC Signature bass as Gibson weren’t interested in developing it

[@budizen3104]

@@jameswood3977 Thanks! That certainly explains it.

[@richardinmaryland6197]

Jack Casady says in an interview that he liked the hollow body of the Starfire bass but he wanted a long scale. His Epiphone signature bass is hollow with a 34" scale.

[@aoldatabase]

you are so awesome low end lobster

[@christocr]

It does sound good... not sure $1500 good, but good just the same. Nice clear note articulation. Not muddy at all. If it had a better bridge, I wouldn't mind having one. The neck dive would drive me crazy, I'm sure, though.

[@BassisBoss]

I got lucky it was on sale for 850$ mines does a little bit of a neck dive but nothing like this one in this video. This one dove like an SG Bass does mines dives like half ways.. Also after about 2 years the wood bridge for the G string broke in half but it’s still usable and still holds in place, will be ordering a new set though. Not ideal for slapping but has been used for slapping on occasion which is how I suspect the wooden bridge snapped. Absolutely love the bass though sits in the mix very well still has the rounds it came with. Eventually will change to flats.

[@rafbass]

I have one and it’s perfect.

[@rafbass]

I bought it used in perfect condition for $1000 though. Wouldn’t pay 1,500

[@anotherrandombassguitarcha9482]

I've never been a fan of hollowbody basses, though, I am quite aware that past bass guitar generations were developed from their history going back to the upright bass. Hollybody basses are also,....more delicate than solid body models. I really don't see much of a market for them in today's economy and I've never seen hardly any of them used in a live gig setting, except for the late, Allen Woody of Gov't Mule. None of them draw any interest for me. However, the Jack Casady models are probably the one exception I would make.

[@chuckblaisdell990]

I have one and love it . After playing a bass for 58 yrs my hands have problems that really appreciate a short scale . sad to say , but what is . the beauty of this bass is that its a beauty and with the size of the body you can sneak by a few bass snobs who look down on a s.s. It has a killer tone for Blues and at $1500 is a steal , as opposed to chasing a 60\s Starfire 2 . I literally love mine ........neck dive with a wide leather strap is not that much of a problem . I also have a Reverend Dub King which is a better bass , all things considered but is god awful ugly and never leaves the house . I love your reviews but think you have missed the upside of this bass for old bass players such as myself . It is a respectable short scale . thanks for your reviews buddy !!

[@jazzman1954]

There are subtle differences between the the Starfire 1 and 2. They are actually built slightly different apart from the different pickups and bridges. The price difference is excessive nevertheless. Probably trying to profit from the ‘it has to be a vintage replica’ brigade.

[@AffenEitrheim]

This bass sounds amazing with flatwounds and tapewounds. An old school bass shouldn't be reviewed with modern roundwound string. I have the Starfire bass with one BiSonic pickup that came before these and was discontinued some years ago.

[@BranlandadventuresGaming]

The guitars worth every penny there's not a flaw in mine a nice Plush case.

[@kitsapbass9348]

I’m curious if a different strap would help. My P bass is a boat anchor neck wise but I found a strap in a music store which had almost a “ridged” back side that now basically locks the bass in place. Sounds like that would definitely work but still 1500 is a bit steep. I’d be looking for a used one. The Casady still has that annoying issue (same with most Fenders to be fair) but this one at least doesn’t have that issue.

[@restojon1]

Are those individual tone controls completely independent of one another? It sounds like they're affecting the other pickup and I seem to recall that when I wired up my last single coil/single coil bass (vol/vol/tone/tone), the two tone controls could affect either pickup depending upon what position the volume pots were in.

[@brianjenks1]

Looks and sounds real nice. Too bad the bridge, head stock and balance are wonky. A case of form over function

[@MmM-gw3lc]

How big is the risk of a semi hollow bass picking up noise and producing feedback? I play in between two quite loud electric guitars in a small studio (there's also a loud drum kit)

[@Vykk_Draygo]

I understand why the strap button is located there (hollowbody), but man that sucks. Like the sound though.

[@Hazy_Tones]

@lowendlobster where did you buy the replacement saddles from?

[@southerndandy4910]

HOLY DIVER

[@randygomez9595]

That bridge alone is a complete deal breaker for me. Wooden saddles???? Who's dumb idea was that?!?!?!?!

[@GhoulieTunes]

Really wasn't sold on this bass until I heard how it sounded. Still. price is way too rich for my blood.

[@braddietzmusic2429]

Like an SG, the neck dive is a deal breaker. I’d rather have a bass that is heavier, and more properly balanced. Always.

[@iREALmedia]

The arc top is an amazing bass until you mistreat the thing. A solid piece of wood with tone chambers is more solid.

[@newbiebass]

Nice looking, cool dream tone, but price too high

[@okazeta]

What Bass is the the sparkle orange one on the right?

[@monoscopes]

If Thom Yorke's using it so often it mustn't be that bad. It might get two claws, but it probably gets five Smiles.

[@platypuspracticus2]

1500 for a bass with fragile saddles that will likely need replacing a time or two or more? Eeeeeee. Sounds nice but that bridge needs to be way better. Don't care about neck dive personally but those bridge issues are a deal breaker. Especially in a world of so many bridges both affordable and expensive that won't shatter or move out of the saddle.

[@jazzman1954]

So this bass is supposed to be an accurate reproduction of the desirable expensive original vintage Guild bass. That’s why the bridge is how it is. If they changed the bridge of the reissue everyone would be moaning about that! No pleasing the guitar playing public!

[@57precision]

These are neat but they are simply way too expensive for what amounts to a "conversation" bass and not a serious instrument. A fair price point would be around $800. I get why it's so expensive though, it is labor-intensive to build. Even the pickups are intricate and expensive to make. I can't even imagine what a nightmare any electronic work would be on this thing. Overall, this bass is overall complicated with dubious benefits to it being so.

[@ramshaar2597]

Warm sound deserve more claws real lovely red bass lady

[@TheCrusader1099]

I find it too expensive....there are better semi hollow basses for that amount of money, that got none of this issues....i like the Hagstrom Viking...

[@job1778]

I own a Hofner Very Thin. I think the Hof sounds better.

[@robertmudrow8034]

Great when the up spec model is all ways worse than the much cheaper version!

[@the1trueporkchop]

If it were a better bridge, I’d understand the $1500. That’s becoming a typical price for a Korean made instrument, from my observation.

[@carpediemarts705]

So double the price of what they were a couple years ago and still has a bad bridge? Bs

[@the1trueporkchop]

@@carpediemarts705 reread my comment, I didn’t excuse the bridge. Korean instruments are almost all starting at $1000 with many around $1500 across the industry. No where did I say I liked it or agree with it, I said I understand it… ASIDE from the bridge

[@campfiresedge9395]

Sounds great. Way too glossy. Looks like a cheap Epi.

[@michaelblaney4461]

Everything is getting too expensive in bass world

[@DolemiteSammich]

Toan is great. Sucks the hardware is junk