Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Dreaming... for now => Topic started by: Mike Addyman Sr. (dadabass2001) on June 11, 2002, 11:45:20 AM

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: Mike Addyman Sr. (dadabass2001) on June 11, 2002, 11:45:20 AM

Does Alembic still make activators that will fit my 1973 Guild Starfire bass? It kind of looks like a Gibson humbucker shape might  work.
Thanks,
Mike

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: mica on June 12, 2002, 01:58:36 PM

Can you post a pitcure of the front your bass? If you can get a shot of the electronics cavity it would be a bonus! I need to see how much room we have to work with to see if a standard set will fit.
 
For humbucker shaped pickups the stadard control layouts are:
 
3 controls: volume, pan, filter
4 controls: volume, pan, bass, treble
 
Either system is $400 retail.

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: Mike Addyman Sr. (dadabass2001) on June 12, 2002, 05:10:42 PM

The Guild Starfire bass is a thin hollow body, kind of like a Gibson ES-335. Phil Lesh is pictured playing a stock one on page 17 of the So Many Roads companion editorial booklet, and he is shown playing a heavily modified (by Alembic) Starfire in the photo spreads accompanying the Europe 72 album and CD and the Ladies & Gentlemen - The Grateful Dead: Fillmore East April 71 CD.  
 
Mine has a 3 position toggle switch for pickup selection and a master volume knob, both located on the lower cutaway. Additionally there are individual volume and tone knobs for each pickup and one bass-cut switch, roughly under the bridge and bridge pickup. Therefore I have a total of 5 knobs and 2 switches on my Guild. The pickups are each 1 7/8 by 3 and are held in place with black plastic collars which are 2 5/16 by 3 15/16.
 
I oredered this Guild stereo wired from the factory in 1973. It has a TRS 1/4 jack mounted on the lower side of the body. I almost never used the stereo feature (who had 2 amps in the 70s? - not me So stereo is not a priority at this point. I had it converted to lined fretless when I bought my Epic in '99. The pickups and pots have gotten very bad (intermittant and scratchy).  
 
I am planning to use a local luthier and assume the Guild will need some body mods to accomodate the electronics (wouldn't want them just flopping around inside the hollow body

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: Mike Addyman Sr. (dadabass2001) on October 15, 2002, 05:53:53 AM

Here's some shots of my Guild Starfire (thanks for use of your camera, Gary) A few more will follow in a day or two.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/2005.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/2006.jpg)
  I would like to keep stereo RTS output if possible
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/2007.jpg)
  Here's an audio cassette next to the pickups, for size comparison.
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/2008.jpg)

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: Mike Addyman Sr. (dadabass2001) on October 16, 2002, 04:57:47 AM

Here are a couple more pictures  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/2024.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/402/2025.jpg)

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: Mike Addyman Sr. (dadabass2001) on January 06, 2003, 03:47:12 PM

Hi Mica et al,
A question regarding activator dimensions and naming: The HB is a Gibson humbucker shape, The RK is a pair of Rickenbacker shapes, What is the SB shape and what are the dimensions of these styles?
 
Thanks,
Mike
 
P.S. A belated Happy New Year to all at Alembic

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: mica on January 06, 2003, 04:01:29 PM

The SB is the name for the assembly of HB pickups that fits a Steinberger bass (with the extra long wiring harness) the pickups are the same as the HB.  
 
Confusin', huh?

Title: Activators for Guild Starfire bass?
Post by: Edwin Hurwitz (edwin) on February 20, 2003, 08:52:21 PM

Mica, or anyone else who can answer this, what would it cost to get an Alembic bridge setup (with sustain block) for my Starfire?
 
Thanks,
Edwin