Guild Rekindles the Starfire I Bass
Guild has unveiled their new offerings for 2021 and it includes a modern adaptation of the Starfire I Bass. With an attainable price point of $599, the bass looks to be a great option for fans of hollowbody designs.
“Featuring a slimmed down, 2.4” body thickness, inward-shifted neck, short 30 ¾” scale length, and a 1 ½” nut width, the Starfire I Bass is a compact and accessible option for younger players, or those who want more freedom on stage,” the company writes. “Stable tuning and easy adjustability are provided by the Tune-o-matic bass bridge, and the harp tailpiece adds a touch of Guild’s classic aesthetic, likening the bass to its upright ancestors.”
The new Starfire I is fitted with Guild’s BC-1 BiCoil pickups with hum-resistant nickel covers. With a simple volume and tone control layout, the company says the bass offers everything from “modern, cutting bass tones to wooly, round, vintage tones,” but it has another trick up its sleeve. Pulling up on the volume knob engages a vintage voicing that adds presence with rolled down low frequencies.
The 2021 Guild Starfire I Bass will come in two versions: one with a maple body in a Vintage Walnut finish and one with a Mahogany body in Cherry Red.
Guild Starfire I 2021 Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 30.5 |
| Body: | Mahogany or Maple |
| Neck: | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard: | Rosewood |
| Frets: | 21 |
| Nut Width: | 1.5″ |
| Pickups: | Guild BC-1 BiCoil |
| Controls: | Push/Pull Volume for Vintage Switch, Tone |
| Bridge: | Tune-o-Matic with harp Tailpiece |
| Tuners: | Guild Vintage Style |
| Finish: | Vintage Walnut (Maple), Cherry Red (Mahogany) |
| Available Left-Handed: | Yes |
Why for God’s sake do these companies insist on ruining otherwise great basses and guitars for that matter by using one of the most despised and outdated pieces’ of hardware ever conceived?
I am of course talking about perhaps the universally hated Tune’o’matic bridge.