Guild is revisiting its semi-hollow history with an updated lineup of Starfire guitars and basses as part of the Newark St. Collection. The new range draws from the Starfire instruments introduced throughout the 1960s while adding updated pickups, hardware, finishes, and appointments.
At the top of the range are the Starfire Custom guitars, which come loaded with DeArmond Dynasonic single-coil pickups. The Custom trim package includes Ebony fingerboards, extensive binding and purfling, mother-of-pearl inlays, tortoise pickguards, and other upgraded appointments, with gold hardware available on GH models.
The Starfire Deluxe lineup offers both single- and double-cutaway models equipped with Guild HB-2+ humbuckers featuring Alnico V magnets. Deluxe models also feature Rosewood fingerboards with pearloid block inlays, ivory binding, Guild Peak and Chesterfield headstock inlays, multi-ply body purfling, black pickguards, and Rosewood bridge bases.
Guild has also introduced the Starfire Deluxe Bass, a modern take on the classic Starfire Bass II. The semi-hollow bass is equipped with BS-1 BiSonic single-coil pickups and comes in Sweet Tea and Teal the Deal gloss finishes.
The Starfire I range consists of 10 guitars spanning single- and double-cutaway designs. Depending on the model, they’re equipped with either two HB-2 humbuckers or three Franz P-90 single-coils, both using Alnico II magnets. Select models also feature Guild Vibrato tailpieces, while the lineup includes a Cherry Red 12-string and a left-handed Starfire I DC.
Rounding things out is the Starfire I Bass, featuring Guild BC-1 BiCoil pickups with Alnico V magnets and a short-scale design. A left-handed Cherry Red version is also available.
The Starfire has been part of Guild’s catalog since the 1960s, with guitars played by John Lennon, Dave Davies, Buddy Guy, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Tom Fogerty, while Phil Lesh and Jack Casady were among the notable Starfire bass players.
Shop the entire collection here, which ranges from $849.99 to $1,299.99.
