DeArmond Starfire #2

[tore00]

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?

[jumbodbassman]

They're singles .........

I did own a long-scale 1st series version .......

I have a white one.

[jumbodbassman]

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

[tore00]

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?

[jumbodbassman]

Fred Hammon KA Darkstars has gone silent for about 5 months.  no one seems to know why/what etc...

[Dave W]

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.

[Droombolus]

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 .....

[PhilT]

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.

[Basshappi]

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.

[Dave W]

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.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Lane Poor's are like EMG's done right. 

[Dave W]

Lane Poor's are like EMG's done right. 

I heard great things about them. He disappeared before I could order one.

[copacetic]

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.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

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.

Congrats again! You've been buyong a lotta basses!!!! Didja win the lottery or what? 

[Droombolus]

Nope.I've been selling a lot of basses too.....