New Guild Starfire with singe DS-style pickyp?!?

[hieronymous]

Interesting that they're calling the pickup "Guild Bi-Sonic Bass" - what is it really?

[Chris P.]

I think the sound of the bass in the vid is very usable... But it's so hard to judge a bass sound on youtube. Very compresses. Which amp, which settings, which cab, which mic, how is it mic'd, how is it recorded and EQ'd...

[4stringer77]

another demo, this bass seems like kind of a tease to me. Calling thunderbucker ranch! make us some real bisonics please. The people demand it and Fred Hammon is MIA.

[vates]

sounds soooo sixties

I like it. that bass is tempting

[Dave W]

another demo, this bass seems like kind of a tease to me. Calling thunderbucker ranch! make us some real bisonics please. The people demand it and Fred Hammon is MIA.

Now why would you think the bass in this video doesn't sound like a "real" Bi-sonic? It does to me. And it's an official Guild video.

Also, there's a big sonic difference between a Bi-sonic and Fred Hammon's Dark Star. I never cared for the Dark Star's tone, I do like the original Hagstrom Bi-sonic. In any case, maybe people are demanding the Dark Stars since Fred built up a demand and then disappeared, but I can't see Guild being interested in putting out a close-to-vintage-correct reissue and then putting in a hotrodded pickup that doesn't sound like the original.

[4stringer77]

I'm skeptical that Fender, the parent company, would actually take a pair of Bisonics and reverse engineer them with the correct bobin, wire gauge and magnets etc. just to throw them in an import bass. I really hope I'm wrong but the sound in the demos just seems like nothing special to me. Could be the strings, playing technique, the amp or the way it was recorded. I just think there is still missing info as to the design of these pickups and will remain skeptical until proven otherwise. I am aware that darkstars and bisonics aren't the same exact pickup but do have similarities. Sorry if i bursted anyone's bubble.

[Dave W]

I'm skeptical that Fender, the parent company, would actually take a pair of Bisonics and reverse engineer them with the correct bobin, wire gauge and magnets etc. just to throw them in an import bass. I really hope I'm wrong but the sound in the demos just seems like nothing special to me. Could be the strings, playing technique, the amp or the way it was recorded. I just think there is still missing info as to the design of these pickups and will remain skeptical until proven otherwise. I am aware that darkstars and bisonics aren't the same exact pickup but do have similarities. Sorry if i bursted anyone's bubble.

We won't know the design of these pickups until someone takes one apart.

I doubt if Fender had to reverse engineer anything. My understanding is that the Bi-sonic was a Guild design made for them by Hagstrom, rather than an existing Hagstrom pickup that Guild bought. I could be wrong, though. In any case, it's not rocket science.

As to whether they would reverse engineer something only to put it into an import bass, that's simple: they want to actually sell them. I don't know how many Starfire basses they'll sell at about $1000 but I'm confident it will be at least ten times as many as they would sell at $2500. Probably much more than 10x. That's just the way the market is. People want quality at a reasonable price and very few bassists will pay what a USA Starfire would have to bring. It was never that popular a bass.

[Rob]

We won't know the design of these pickups until someone takes one apart.

I doubt if Fender had to reverse engineer anything. My understanding is that the Bi-sonic was a Guild design made for them by Hagstrom, rather than an existing Hagstrom pickup that Guild bought. I could be wrong, though. In any case, it's not rocket science.

As to whether they would reverse engineer something only to put it into an import bass, that's simple: they want to actually sell them. I don't know how many Starfire basses they'll sell at about $1000 but I'm confident it will be at least ten times as many as they would sell at $2500. Probably much more than 10x. That's just the way the market is. People want quality at a reasonable price and very few bassists will pay what a USA Starfire would have to bring. It was never that popular a bass.

I think one problem Fred had was that the originals had over 30 parts to them.  If you can sound the same for less it only makes sense.

[Dave W]

I think one problem Fred had was that the originals had over 30 parts to them.  If you can sound the same for less it only makes sense.

Also keep in mind that Fred was a one-man low-production shop. He had to charge an appropriate price, and people were apparently willing to pay it. There are plenty of pickups with a lot of parts being made overseas at a much lower price. This new Bi-sonic may be more complex and more expensive to make than average, but it will still be a lot less expensive that what a small USA shop would have to charge.

[patman]

The position of the thumbrests would not work for me...other than that, I would bet it sounds pretty good.

[4stringer77]

The whole Hagstrom bisonic history is fascinating. It's the platform Jack Casady, Phil Lesh and the intrepid folks at Alembic chose to support their forays into the electric bass sound of the future. Then there's the whole Darkstar renaissance it spawned and it's associated subsequent drama. Isn't Lakland's Chi sonic just an attempted solution to the fact Fred couldn't supply enough Darkstars for them? There's a Guild forum which claims Guild will offer the bisonics as an aftermarket part. I have a feeling there's going to be a whole bunch of bi-(sonic) curious bass players soon.  

[Pilgrim]

I like the sound - and I note that Fender, as the parent, surely made certain that the amps used in the demo were vintage Fenders.

[Chris P.]

If I get a review example I will screw out the pick up. There's a French company now making Bi-Sonic kinda pickups.

[Pilgrim]

If I get a review example I will screw out the pick up. There's a French company now making Bi-Sonic kinda pickups.

Our motto:  'Bo-Sonic, Kinda"

[Dave W]

The whole Hagstrom bisonic history is fascinating. It's the platform Jack Casady, Phil Lesh and the intrepid folks at Alembic chose to support their forays into the electric bass sound of the future. Then there's the whole Darkstar renaissance it spawned and it's associated subsequent drama. Isn't Lakland's Chi sonic just an attempted solution to the fact Fred couldn't supply enough Darkstars for them? There's a Guild forum which claims Guild will offer the bisonics as an aftermarket part. I have a feeling there's going to be a whole bunch of bi-(sonic) curious bass players soon.  

I agree that the Chi-sonic was meant to be a DS replacement.

Again, not a DS fan, but it's a shame Fred didn't just license the design to a company that could meet demand. Royalties from someone else's product sales has got to be better than shutting off production (for whatever reason) and no sales.

FMIC would be smart to offer the new Bi-sonic separately.