Here's Something Cool From the Early Days

[lbpesq]

Check this out!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alembic-Modified-1967-Guild-Starfire-Bass-ll-Restore-Rebuild-Neck-Project-Rare/253740128679?hash=item3b141719a7:g:sEMAAOSwUqBbQ4JR
Bill, tgo

[edwardofhuncote]

Now there's something you don't see much! It'll need some fixin' up, but it's mostly there. 

[David Houck]

Would like to see this one restored.

[pauldo]

Oooh!

[moonliner]

Oh dear..... I .... I ..... want this......

[edwin]

I'm in. Hope the bidding doesn't get too astronomical.

[lbpesq]

Edwin, I've been thinking about it, but if you're bidding, I'll stay on the sidelines.  It would be nice to see this go to someone who can really appreciate it.  Good luck.

Bill, tgo

[moonliner]

As stated earlier, in a daze of joy..... I would like this too

[sonicus]

I started two Guild Starfire projects in the 1970s. I sold the one with the  translucent trapezoidal pickups in 1978  however I spoke  with the current owner recently about the instrument.  The work was done by Alembic, George Mundy and Doug Irwin . I still own the mahogany instrument with the Alembic bridge  and tailpiece. __I am considering getting the new Alembic replacement pickups and electronics for the mahogany instrument if it can be done without cutting an access panel in the back .  I would opt for an external power source as well on that instrument.

[edwin]

Wolf, why no back door? Seems like an eminently reasonable way to go, especially in the aid of shielding everything.

[moonliner]

Those are beautiful instruments.
It will be interesting to see how this auction goes. I would dearly love it, but it may get too dear

[sonicus]

Edwin , I have owned this bass since I was about 16 . It was a gift from my Mother at the time . I will not cut access panels in this one . At this time it has very early HI-A pickups ( Bartolini) installed  .  At one time it had the original Guild / Hagstrom Bi Sonics  but the previous owner over hot rodded them.  I sold those back around 1978 as well when I sold the maple top Starfire , The Potentiometers inside are the very large old Allen Bradley type that were common hi end such units in the 1970s. Those huge units fit through the F-holes .If by chance Alembic Activator electronics can be fitted in through the F- Holes  then that would be swell . If not I will settle with just a small buffer preamp circuit that will fit to accommodate the new Alembic Starfire replacement pickups . I will settle with a passive tone circuit / capacitor type. I have an Alembic Super Filter in a rack format anyway . For power to the interior electronics / buffer preamp I would consider a TRS cable with one hot wire for the 9VDC to the buffer preamp , a single mono output from the second positive wire and a common ground wire . I have read about that working in some cases with some active electronics .   . This is all just  my brain storming at this time anyway . I actually have been able to obtain 2 full sets of the Guild Starfire reissue pickups  along with the router templates . They are not quite the same as the original Bisonics or the Fred Hammon Dark Stars or even the Curtis Novak units . They might be interesting experimental units  for direct attachment of a buffer preamp however. Like Mr.Lesh had on his  modified  Gibson EB0 .

[edwin]

That all sounds great! My first bass was a Gibson EB-2D that I put Bartolinis in along with a Rex Bogue Ballz Deluxe. It was crazy getting it all through the f-holes, along with 2 batteries. When it worked, it sounded great.

[edwin]

Well, I've been knocked out of the running. I don't know whether to be dismayed or relieved. $1600 seems like a lot for an instrument that essentially needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. My fantasy was to send it back to Santa Rosa for a completely new neck and fingerboard, bridge, and rebuild of the electronics.

Oh well, it's far more responsible not to spend the money.

[Zut8083]

I'm sorry, Edwin.  I was rooting for you to win.  There will certainly be another opportunity to snag a different cool bass.

Don't fret.