The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: Droombolus on November 22, 2010, 01:11:34 AM
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Picked up a 2nd Starfire yesterday. Had to rail all the way down to Dordrecht where I met with the seller who came up to Dordrecht to cut down my travel time. Took me a little under 3 hours to get there, that's about the limit for me where puplic transportation is concerned ..... ;)
(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1395/dearmondstarfireblack00.jpg)
(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1395/dearmondstarfireblack00.jpg)
(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1395/dearmondstarfireblack00.jpg)
She'll be on the rails again to Gouda this friday. PeterB's gonna fit her with ChiSonics and give her the standard CTS pots & Switchcraft jack-out upgrade.
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Nice!
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Nice score!
I do think putting Chi-Sonics in this bass is going to involve some routing...
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Not if you use their special PUPs for the Lakland hollow-body ..... ;) Peter's done it before ....
(http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/2323/dearmondstarfirecssunbu.jpg)
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What a (black) beauty... 8)
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Picked up a 2nd Starfire yesterday. Had to rail all the way down to Dordrecht where I met with the seller who came up to Dordrecht to cut down my travel time. Took me a little under 3 hours to get there, that's about the limit for me where puplic transportation is concerned ..... ;)
She'll be on the rails again to Gouda this friday. PeterB's gonna fit her with ChiSonics and give her the standard CTS pots & Switchcraft jack-out upgrade.
Lovely looking guitar sir
I also have a Starfire in sunburst, and am wondering about what you mentioned above? Are you able to provide more info on ChiSonic's and what the upgrades were in reference to?
I was considering selling my guitar as it doesn't get played often enough, but now I'm intrigued!
Thanks in advance
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The sunburst was just as an example with regards to the ChiSonics. Mine is the black one on the top of this topic. PeterB's still busy fitting her with the CSs but I trust they will sound lots better than the standard GoldTone RIs, which don't really cut it IMO ......
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Nice grab!
I still need to work on my 67 starfire II. I was fortunate to get a pair of dark stars . A couple place have said Hammond has not been active lately . I hope all is well he makes a nice pip.M
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Lovely bass, congrats!
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The sunburst was just as an example with regards to the ChiSonics. Mine is the black one on the top of this topic. PeterB's still busy fitting her with the CSs but I trust they will sound lots better than the standard GoldTone RIs, which don't really cut it IMO ......
the single coils or HB's?? Hanson not selling the HB right now....
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Watcha gonna do with the pickups that come out? Ought to fetch $$ on Ebay.
If I didn't have a set of Gretsch Filtertrons to go in my Univox hollowbody, I'd already have PM'd you about them.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Univoxbodyangledoutside.jpg)
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the reiisue guild pups are not very good. I have a SB Dearmond starfire that i was going to Darkstar but that looks like it will not happen so i am thinking about the chisonics. These guild/dearmond pups show up on ebay for about $50 each from time to time. IMHO the are better than the univox ones (at least the 4 univoxes i have - but they are all the black ones - single coils) but not sure they are worth replacing them with....
the guy from Eastwood guitars is always selling the single coil hiflyer type for about 20-25 each.
I have the same gretsch pups from ebay you have. i haven't used them yet. Mine are on the weak side and i think they are actually guitar pups...
You should do a comparison of the ebay pups and the new orange thing pups. (i still haven't gone to GC to try and get one) my guess is they are very different....
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the single coils or HB's??
They're singles .........
the reiisue guild pups are not very good.
the guy from Eastwood guitars is always selling the single coil hiflyer type for about 20-25 each.
The GoldTone RI PUPs are way too weak IMO. The Eastwood P-90s are great ! A guy on the Dutch Bas Forum has put a pair in an Eastwood Classic and the reviews from other bass-players are borderline ecstatic ;D. Those PUPs are the main attraction on the Hi-Flyer IMO .... I did own a long-scale 1st series version .......
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I have the same gretsch pups from ebay you have. i haven't used them yet. Mine are on the weak side and i think they are actually guitar pups...
You should do a comparison of the ebay pups and the new orange thing pups. (i still haven't gone to GC to try and get one) my guess is they are very different....
I thought those Ebay Filtertrons were the same pickup as the ones Dr. Bassman has used. I could easily be wrong!
I'm working on a way to mount the Filtertrons in the pickup rings on the Univox to give them a test drive...probably won't get to it any time soon, though.
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I thought those Ebay Filtertrons were the same pickup as the ones Dr. Bassman has used. I could easily be wrong!
I think they are the same ones he's using. They're not guitar pickups.
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I have found a De Armond Starfire that I could buy.
What is a reasonable price for this bass? Do you suggest to Dark Star it with the Hammon pickups or Chisonic are preferrable?
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They're singles .........
I did own a long-scale 1st series version .......
I have a white one.
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I have a white one.
If you can find DS i would go that direction as they are the "correct" pups for the starfires. The chisonics sound pretty similar imho
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I was thinking to order two DS reproductions at Hammon Engineering, has anybody any info on these pickups? Do you think that 700$ is a good price for a De Armond?
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Fred Hammon KA Darkstars has gone silent for about 5 months. no one seems to know why/what etc...
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Recent post from Andrew's leftybassist forum: http://leftybassist.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2266
No idea what issues Basshappi is referring to in that thread. Maybe he can elaborate.
Whatever the reasons, looks to me like Fred is out of business.
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Do you think that 700$ is a good price for a De Armond?
EUR 700 is the going price on mainland EU so I'd say yes. You might get one cheaper in the UK though ...
Guess I was lucky and got a pair of Dark Stars just before Fred did get off the radar, they're well worth their money .....
Work in progress on Starfire # 2 .....
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c305/Jazzboer/zervamelmapje/Mart/240120113680.jpg)
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c305/Jazzboer/zervamelmapje/Mart/240120113681.jpg)
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EUR 700 is the going price on mainland EU so I'd say yes. You might get one cheaper in the UK though ...
Guess I was lucky and got a pair of Dark Stars just before Fred did get off the radar, they're well worth their money .....
GBP 350-400 in the UK, depending on condition.
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Well unfortunately I have no firsthand info and do not know Fred personally or professionally. I range fairly wide across the internet and I have picked up from several places word of problems getting Darkstar pups and that Fred has been unreachable for quite a while now.
On the Forum that Dave referred to, Rod at RGW, who featured Darkstars in one of his models stated that he has been unable to obtain product or information/contact from Fred to the point of not offering them any longer.
Hopefully Fred will surface a some point.
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Reminds me of the way Lane Poor dropped out of sight for personal reasons about 10-11 years ago even though there was high demand for his pickups.
I was never a fan of the Dark Stars but I hope he comes back.
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Lane Poor's are like EMG's done right. ;)
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Lane Poor's are like EMG's done right. ;)
I heard great things about them. He disappeared before I could order one.
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I guess I am lucky to have bought 3 sets of DS's from Fred. Come to think about it, it has been some years since hearing from him. I have put the DS's on My '96 Black Guild Starfire, my '74 M-85 and on my Epi JC. I was in correspondence with him several years ago and he had actually had a request from Jack Casady himself to put a Dark Star on an Epiphone EB-0. He sent me the email that Jack sent him back saying how pleasantly surprised he was and he was going to order a few more for some other projects. Now that was a compliment. I do remember the time when Lakland made the transition from using his pups to what I guess became the chisonics. Fred was (is) such a great and pleasant fellow, I'll have to make some enquiries here on what he's up to.
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Picked up a 2nd Starfire yesterday. Had to rail all the way down to Dordrecht where I met with the seller who came up to Dordrecht to cut down my travel time. Took me a little under 3 hours to get there, that's about the limit for me where puplic transportation is concerned ..... ;)
(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1395/dearmondstarfireblack00.jpg)
(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1395/dearmondstarfireblack00.jpg)
(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1395/dearmondstarfireblack00.jpg)
She'll be on the rails again to Gouda this friday. PeterB's gonna fit her with ChiSonics and give her the standard CTS pots & Switchcraft jack-out upgrade.
Congrats again! You've been buyong a lotta basses!!!! Didja win the lottery or what? ;D
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Nope.I've been selling a lot of basses too..... ;D
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Arrived wednesday eve ...... :thumbsup: Me happy camper ..... ;D
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/5104/dearmondstarfireblackcs.jpg) (http://img822.imageshack.us/i/dearmondstarfireblackcs.jpg/)
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I hate this thread...I want one of these soooo bad.
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Nice work by PeterB!
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Very nice. Pickups look good on the black too.
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Arrived wednesday eve ...... :thumbsup: Me happy camper ..... ;D
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/5104/dearmondstarfireblackcs.jpg) (http://img822.imageshack.us/i/dearmondstarfireblackcs.jpg/)
single coils or hb
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Nice work by PeterB!
Thanks! 8)
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I hate this thread...I want one of these soooo bad.
Me 2 :rolleyes: :mrgreen:
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single coils or hb
Singles
Me 2 :rolleyes: :mrgreen:
#1's not half bad either ......... ;D
(http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/6260/starfireds012c.jpg) (http://img831.imageshack.us/i/starfireds012c.jpg/)
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so now you are the taste tester for the ds versus the chi's. almost identical basses. Same strings??? we await your comments....
ps i love the red....
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Both are stringed with Fender Stainless Steel rounds. I do a comparison test with band rehearsal when our drummer's recovered from his surgeory, so please stay tuned ;) .......... And yes, the red with DSs looks scrumptious ........
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Well, since a few hours I am a lucky owner of a Starfire. A beatiful sunburst DeArmond proudly shows itself between my Precision and the TB IV
The only pity is that tomorrow I have to leave to Poland for my work and now, 11.50 pm in Italy, I cannot plug in my amp and let him growl!! Pictures next week.
If any of you guy has two spare Dark Star pickups, please let me know., but actually the DeArmond USA pickups look gorgeous.
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The DeArmond pickups deserve better than their reputation, IMHO. They're low output but they sound good.
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They'll probably work OK on a solid body, but I've tried both the red and the black with the original PUPs and they just don't do it for me on a semi solid. When I make a slide on my E string I want the low-end to give me a kick in the ass. The DA PUPs just can't do that, they sound more like a wet fart with the same exercise ......
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When I make a slide on my E string I want the low-end to give me a kick in the ass.
You need a long scale bass for that! :P :)
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Wrong. You need a heavy gauge E string for that. ;D
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Well, since a few hours I am a lucky owner of a Starfire. A beatiful sunburst DeArmond proudly shows itself between my Precision and the TB IV
The only pity is that tomorrow I have to leave to Poland for my work and now, 11.50 pm in Italy, I cannot plug in my amp and let him growl!! Pictures next week.
If ant of you guy has two spare Dark Star pickups, please let me know., but actually the DeArmond USA pickups look gorgeous.
sounds just like mine.....
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Yes, also the knobs are the same. I will post a picture when I come back to Italy
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The DeArmond pickups deserve better than their reputation, IMHO. They're low output but they sound good.
+1 Just need to turn the amp up a little bit more ;)
(http://i554.photobucket.com/albums/jj401/stiles72/Ampeg%20BT-15C/starfire013.jpg)
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Well maybe they work just fine with flats ? I wouldn't know because I'm addicted to rounds ...... ;)
Anyway, Tore congrats with your new SF !! Those gold monogrammed knobs are way cool ! They play like butter and can be set to an idiotic low action without any string-buzz. I really love mine, both of 'em ........ ;D
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And here few pictures of my Starfire. Really good bass, with very very low action. Plays like butter, yeah not as loud as other basses but I like its tone
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/tore00/SANY0013.jpg)
By the way, just after that I bought mine this thing popped up on ebay. Unluckily my marriage will be at risk if I buy two basses of same model in less than one month... but I am really tempted...
http://cgi.ebay.it/E-Bass-DeArmond-Guild-Fender-Starfire-Halbakustik-rot-/330536947632?pt=Gitarren&hash=item4cf5898fb0
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red is sweet
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My wife is sweet too, unless I tell her that another bass is coming home! I am trying to convince her, but I am lacking arguments! Any help?
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Tell her you are an altogether happier person when involved with bass playing and that like golfers we need different basses for different applications. Works for me......unless my wife reads this thread ;) ;D
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buy her some jewelry.....
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My wife is sweet too, unless I tell her that another bass is coming home! I am trying to convince her, but I am lacking arguments! Any help?
This is adapted from a post I saw at another forum, use at your own risk. 8)
Tell her the thought of holding it against your chest as you pluck the strings reminds you of when you were dating and you would hold her as you danced, feeling her amazing hair against your face.... that the tone brings back those soft whispers as you would plan your future together.... tell her it's all about memories of your lives together.
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:bored:
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tell her you're sorry, but the bass is on the way. plead guilty as charged, express remorse and promise to be a good boy from now on. then take her shopping. good luck!
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Thanks for your help guys, but it is really difficult to justify the second DeArmond Starfire in two weeks. The only possibility is, as some of you suggested, is buying some expensive gift and jewelry, and this is reserved to when I will have a Guild Starfire at hand ;)
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Sweet bass Tore!
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http://cgi.ebay.it/E-Bass-DeArmond-Guild-Fender-Starfire-Halbakustik-rot-/330536947632?pt=Gitarren&hash=item4cf5898fb0
The hammer fell on EUR 563, a steal IMO ....... anyone here the lucky "winner" ?
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Not me. Luckily I got mine at enough less
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The hammer fell on EUR 563, a steal IMO ....... anyone here the lucky "winner" ?
Seems like a fair price, allowing for the case. Not really a bargain.
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Last year I regularly saw them go for EUR 650 / 700 on mainland Europe .... sans case that is .....
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I remember you saying that before. Never seen them beat 450gbp here though, more usually 400. Uk only shipping may have something to do with it.
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I'm sure it has had it's effect. I tried to persuade a lot of UK sellers to ship a SF ( or Rivoli for that matter ) to Holland but succeeded only once ......
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I've never understood that. Once you've arranged for a courier to come and pick the thing up, what difference does it make where they take it to? If it was Russia maybe I could understand.
But an increasing number of auctions seem to be collection only. Usually with the seller in the toe end of Cornwall or the wilds of Lincolnshire. Because it's too heavy, too expensive and/or I don't have a box. ??? :rolleyes:
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The Guild MIA RI (http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-Starfire-Bass-II-Semi-hollow-SF-2-/330544354390?pt=Guitar&hash=item4cf5fa9456) on the Bay ..... !
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The Guild MIA RI (http://cgi.ebay.com/Guild-Starfire-Bass-II-Semi-hollow-SF-2-/330544354390?pt=Guitar&hash=item4cf5fa9456) on the Bay ..... !
It will be interesting to see how high that goes. They were sales duds. I could have bought one new for $1100, and about a year after they were discontinued, I saw one locally in near mint condition for $750.
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same pups as the dearmond???
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same pups as the dearmond???
No, they were made by Seymour Duncan just for this model, they weren't available otherwise.
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if thats the case 750 is a great price considering where the dearmond basses sell at
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if thats the case 750 is a great price considering where the dearmond basses sell at
That was a long time ago. Maybe 1997-98. I thought it was a great price then. I wouldn't expect to find one at that price now.
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http://cgi.ebay.com/1970s-GUILD-STARFIRE-BASS-EX-JOHN-ENTWISTLE-/260759355672?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cb6780118
Here is one for you to drool over :mrgreen: Might be priced a bit on the high side tho.
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http://cgi.ebay.com/1970s-GUILD-STARFIRE-BASS-EX-JOHN-ENTWISTLE-/260759355672?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cb6780118
Here is one for you to drool over :mrgreen: Might be priced a bit on the high side tho.
I wouldn't buy anything from them regardless of price. I've read a few stories about people who got fakes. One or two complaints might be the occasional disgruntled customer. Too much smoke tells me there might be a fire somewhere.
Then there's this: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/father_and_son_guitar_theft_charges_1_3017049. No idea if the charges are true, but I wouldn't want to risk doing business with them.
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Dave the two defendants in question are none other than Richard and Justin Harrison.
From Wiki:
In 1997, Richard and Justin Harrison, then owners of Hiwatt amplification UK and Music Ground Ltd, purchased the "JMI" trademark. The pair then set about reviving the superb work of Tom Jennings and Dick Denney who earned the Vox brand name its reputation and place in history. They decided to use the name JMI because the Vox brand was owned by Korg, and unlike the Korg Vox amplifiers being manufactured at the time, the Harrisons wanted to make amplifiers that were exact reproductions of the original Jennings-Denney designs.
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Interesting. I had no idea.
My impression of the store's reputation comes from specifics I've seen posted elsewhere, such as reworking guitars or amps to make them look like they're something else, or from an earlier date. Not just some vague claim of a ripoff. Someone's claim of fraud doesn't necessarily mean it's true, of course, and you only have one side of the story. But after reading the details of different claims from different people over the years, it has made me decide I wouldn't risk dealing with them.