1970 Alembicized (?) Starfire

[flavofive]

Cool looking Starfire/Alembic:

https://reverb.com/item/67230027-guild-starfire-ii-bass-1970-sunburst-alembic-pickups

It's not clear from the listing if Alembic did the work, or by others.  I love the headstock re-shaped into a perfect Alembic crown style though.

The biggest mystery to me, though, is how they managed to get a full set of Series(?) electronics installed with apparently no added access panels.  Seems like a ship in a bottle. 

[jazzyvee]

Nice looking bass, probably got the electronics in through the pickup cavities before installing the pickups. That would be my guess. The switches aren't alembic and the fact there is no humcancellor pickup nor access access for preamp-trim pots or humcancelling adjustment, leads me to think the electronics are signature or anniversary and not series electronics.

[StephenR]

Definitely not Series electronics. Having it wired in stereo for use with the external power supply was a great touch. Not a fan of pan-pots so I like the added master volume and other Alembicized touches. Whoever did the work seems to have done a nice job assuming everything works as intended.

[rv_bass]

Nice looking bass.  I think a neck and headstock replacement was made and installed by Michael Dolan, who also apparently made and installed the bridge, and installed the Alembic pickups the owner provided him with. Not Series electronics, more like Anniversary, but installed by the seller.  From what I’ve seen the seller makes some nice custom cabs used by players in The Garcia Project and possibly Dark Star Orchestra.  The electronics and bass are probably well put together.

[lbpesq]

Impressive that all the work was done without cutting a control cavity opening and matching cover.   Like building a ship in a bottle.  The little Stealie on the back of the headstock is cool.

Bill, tgo

[edwardofhuncote]

I wonder if it might be this Starfire we discussed a couple years ago... it needed a headstock graft and restoration. Study the scars and screw holes. https://reverb.com/item/16857248-guild-starfire-ii-bass-1970-needs-full-restoration-bad-headstock-break-repair-for-parts-repair


I'd guess the electronics were installed while the back was off.

[lbpesq]

Good eye, Greg!   I believe you are correct.  They both have the same little dings in the same places on the top.  Looks like someone did a nice job on the restoration.

Bill, tgo

[flavofive]

Impressive detective work!
And yes, that was quite a restoration.

Thanks for the notes about the electronics - gotcha.  I was thrown off by the 5-pin jack and master volume (and assumed the humcanceller was just in the cavity), but I now see that some Anniversary-type electronics do have the 5-pin as an option.  Nice - I'd want it if I had an Anniversary package!

And it makes sense for this bass.  Doesn't look like there's anywhere to access batteries, since there are no cavity openings, so powering via 5-pin jack would be the way to go.