Guild Starfire III Cherry (1964)

Guild electrics of the 50s and 60s do more than hold their own against the Gibson and Fender counterparts of the era, bringing something a little different than both of those heavyweight brands to the table. Popular amongst jazz and blues players, they often have a leaner, cleaner, and brighter tonality that excels at clean tones.

The Starfire lineup is arguably Guild's most popular collection of electrics ever made, with variations on thinline hollowbodies and semi-hollowbodies that went toe-to-toe with Gibsons of the period. This 1964 Starfire III in its original Cherry finish is a fabulous example of the single-cut hollowbody variant. The original mini humbuckers offer sweet and chimey tone that's reminiscent of some DeArmond Dynasonics but in a hum-cancelling format.

The factory Bigsby outfit - known affectionately as "Guildsby" for the exclusive 'Guild' stamping on the tailpiece, functions wonderfully, with a silky smooth action that's perfect for country jazz, western swing, and rockabilly. The thin, lightweight body combined with a fantastic playing Full C profile neck make it a very inviting guitar to play, and is as enjoyable strummed unplugged as it is into your favorite amp. Coupled with its original Ess & Ess Croc hardshell case, it's the perfect package!

The guitar shows fairly typical wear for its age via light scuffs, pick scratches, small dings, etc. There's a small impression on the back of the headstock and light shrinkage of the headstock veneer, but it's overall very healthy.

Interesting note: The guitar's label shows a 'Made In USA' stamp, likely indicating this was an import build for the Canadian market.