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

Mungi · January 28, 2013, 09:12:48 AM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on January 28, 2013, 09:06:58 AM
I found a couple other aftermarket bi-sonic copies. These NuSonics

http://www.lhnborn.com/page7.htm

and Curtis Novak makes a bi-sonic in mudbucker clothing

http://curtisnovak.com/pickups/EB-BS.shtml

Curtis is rumored to be working on a standard looking replica bi-sonic as well.
So even if the new Guild bi-sonic blows, there's other options. Have to admit some of those other Newark st. guitar models sounded sweet.

My friend was planning on making bisonics. I don't know if this put a hold on those plans. I got help from people who has worked at Hagström.

Yes, the guitars sound fantastic. I might get me a Starfire III or a IV later on.

Dave W · January 28, 2013, 09:26:38 AM

Mungi, thanks for the link to Urban Pickups.

I don't see any reason for them to stress that it's not a Darkstar. I can't imagine why anyone would think so to begin with, since they clearly call it a Bi-sonic. Fans of the Dark Star seem to be hung up on the sound of the pickup, not on Guild basses.

As for promotion, what you're seeing at NAMM is a lot more than Fender has ever done for Guild. Back in the day, Guilds never sold nearly as well as the Gibsons most of them were patterned after. Their appeal today will be limited compared to solid body Fenders. If it weren't for Fender, the brand would be long extinct. I'm excited about these, the bass and the guitars sound great to me. OTOH the best that can be hoped for is that they sell moderately well.

Mungi · January 28, 2013, 09:58:45 AM

I think the bass will sell reasonably well (genuine bisonic or not). It is a legendary model for sure. The JC Sig is one of Epiphone's best seller and it has been in production for a long time. This bass will appeal to the same people (and in a couple of years might be in the same price range). It might even sell better than the Jackbass only because it says Guild and not Epiphone on the headstock.

The guitars make a fine budget alternative for a Gibson hollowbody, just like in the old days. And they do sound sweet!

drbassman · January 28, 2013, 11:45:35 AM

Sounds nice in the video.

4stringer77 · January 28, 2013, 12:47:02 PM

Would be nice if the bass sounded kinda like this.

but I'm sure Jack's technique and all those knobs might have something to do with the sound.

copacetic · January 28, 2013, 02:35:29 PM

That is the understatement of the day.

Dave W · January 28, 2013, 05:28:35 PM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on January 28, 2013, 12:47:02 PM
...
but I'm sure Jack's technique and all those knobs might have something to do with the sound.

Not to mention the modified pickup.

Funny how Jack and Phil moved past those basses after a short time, yet people are still looking for the sound they gave up. NTTAWWT.

Pilgrim · January 28, 2013, 07:24:23 PM

I have a Hagstrom HB-4 but its sound has rather metallic overtones which I haven't gotten rid of, and the pots were crackly and problematic from the factory. I'm thinking it's headed to Ebay soon.

Mungi · January 29, 2013, 05:13:15 AM

Quote from: Dave W on January 28, 2013, 05:28:35 PM
Not to mention the modified pickup.

Funny how Jack and Phil moved past those basses after a short time, yet people are still looking for the sound they gave up. NTTAWWT.

The only thing he did to modify the pickups was to add another magnet. Bisonics usually have two magnets in the bridge position and only one for the neck pickup. So there is an empty slot there where he put a magnet. I did that myself. It gives a little higher output but does not change the sound much.

What they did was that they put in electronics that lowered the impedance, but the left the pickup untouched. There is a guy that came on talkbass that told me about this. Jack got it wrong in that flyguitar interview where he says the pickups were low-z. They're not in themselves but the lowered the impedance. Check out the Club Darkstar thread on talkbass to read all about it.

Mungi · January 29, 2013, 05:14:27 AM

Btw, has anyone who has owned a bisonic measured the kOhm on it? I got four bisonic. One is broken, one measures around 6 kOhm, one around 14 and one is above 16. Huge difference there.

Mungi · January 29, 2013, 05:16:22 AM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on January 28, 2013, 12:47:02 PM
Would be nice if the bass sounded kinda like this.

but I'm sure Jack's technique and all those knobs might have something to do with the sound.

I think the guy you posted earlier comes pretty close to this sound. He doesn't nail it but it's close enough. A lot closer than the promo clip with the reissue.

4stringer77 · January 29, 2013, 07:24:08 AM

Casady played his Starfire on the Hot Tuna Live album from the New Orleans house at Berkeley right? That's one of my all time favorite bass tones and album. I'm guessing the bass was modified by then also. Seems like the pickups can vary greatly. Maybe there was no set amount of windings? This guy has a nice one.

And the same guy has another vid that makes it sound like an EB0

Mungi · January 29, 2013, 07:38:46 AM

Quote from: 4stringer77 on January 29, 2013, 07:24:08 AM
Casady played his Starfire on the Hot Tuna Live album from the New Orleans house at Berkeley right? That's one of my all time favorite bass tones and album. I'm guessing the bass was modified by then also. Seems like the pickups can vary greatly. Maybe there was no set amount of windings? This guy has a nice one.

And the same guy has another vid that makes it sound like an EB0

Oh yes, the tone on that album is the best bass tone ever! It's his second SF (same as in the video you posted) played through a Versatone Pan-O-Flex. The bass had low-pass, hi-pass and band-pass filter for each pickup I think.

Strings will of coarse do a lot with the sound. I just tried Chromes on my SF. Didn't like it at all. TI-flats gives a good sound but the are so floppy. I will try DR Legends (HiBeams flats) next. And then there is Jack's right hand technique. The way he tends to hit the strings rather than pluck them is crucial I think.

Dave W · January 29, 2013, 09:16:41 AM

Quote from: Mungi on January 29, 2013, 05:13:15 AM
The only thing he did to modify the pickups was to add another magnet. Bisonics usually have two magnets in the bridge position and only one for the neck pickup. So there is an empty slot there where he put a magnet. I did that myself. It gives a little higher output but does not change the sound much.

What they did was that they put in electronics that lowered the impedance, but the left the pickup untouched. There is a guy that came on talkbass that told me about this. Jack got it wrong in that flyguitar interview where he says the pickups were low-z. They're not in themselves but the lowered the impedance. Check out the Club Darkstar thread on talkbass to read all about it.

I thought Rick Turner said they did much more than just put a magnet in, but it's been a long time and I no longer have the article.

Mungi · January 29, 2013, 09:28:18 AM

Quote from: Dave W on January 29, 2013, 09:16:41 AM
I thought Rick Turner said they did much more than just put a magnet in, but it's been a long time and I no longer have the article.

Yes, I thought so too. I was very surprised to hear otherwise (and I looked like a fool since I insisted Jack had low-z pups). But that guy on talkbass said he knows Jack and that Jack had said that he probably knows Jack's basses better than Jack himself does. So I guess it's true. Phil's bass had low-z though.

Here is the thread on TB: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/club-dark-star-731040/index31.html#post13445950