NGD *BONUS* Guild

[Debaser]

Well the Starfire threads continue...

Been bitten by the Guild bug after many years of Gretsch, mainly due to my good friend who had a vintage Manhattan. I don’t need another hollowbody either, so I was looking for something that could be a Country Gent in feel but thinner with more gain-friendly construction. Everything is great on these Newark Streets, just edging out the newest Gretsch Electro line in features (hard case, bone nut, Grovers). The bridge was not pinned as claimed, but rather it was ‘secured’—I ended up floating and pinning it when I dressed the base and installed an ABM roller TOM.

[offsets4life]

Nice looking guitar.

[MrFingers]

Those V's are nice guitars! What do you mean by "not pinned, but secured?"

[rbrcbr]

Looking amazing! Even though I just got the '62, I still would love to get into one of these newer Vs. I'm surprised you went with Cherry instead of Black or Green though!

How's it sounding? And how's the weight?

[Debaser]

Those V's are nice guitars! What do you mean by "not pinned, but secured?"

On a pinned bridge, the downward string pressure will still transfer through the base. The pins fit the holes on the top and base but don't usually bottom out. They just keep the bridge from sliding side-to-side. "Secured" bridges have bridge posts that are threaded through the base but also threaded directly into the guitar top or bracing. All or most of the down pressure goes through the bridge post to top, just like a ABR-1 style post. The difference makes a minor (tiny) tonal change on a true hollowbody IME, and not significant on a semi-hollow or solid body guitar.

I had to convert mine to pinned because I ripped just one thread in the top hole (oops) and could not get the bridge assembly to match again. The rosewood wants to move away from the top creating a gap, because the post screw can't 'find' the original factory-installed thread, if that makes sense. Even keeping steady pressure on the base, I could not keep the base from moving up leaving a huge gap.

Why did I pull the bridge base? Uh, it needed some oil of course, dry as a bone!

[Debaser]

Looking amazing! Even though I just got the '62, I still would love to get into one of these newer Vs. I'm surprised you went with Cherry instead of Black or Green though!

How's it sounding? And how's the weight?

Thanks man, I love that '62. There was one locally in black with DeArmonds but I already had my mind set on a DC. Plus no more black guitars for me but the green one was enticing. I got a great discount on this one, and it had a lighter weight at 7.4 lbs. Some of them get up to 9 lbs.

Sound is different from what I usually play--bright, kerrangy. It's more subdued in the upper highs, and very loud. But that was the point, something for gain with more warmth. The only HBs that I like are Filtertrons. These LBs are darker than those but I adjusted them for best twang.

[kingmedicine]

Great looking guitar! The Newark Streets have always looked pretty good I think, but I never see them in stores around me. What's the neck profile like?

[rbrcbr]

Looking amazing! Even though I just got the '62, I still would love to get into one of these newer Vs. I'm surprised you went with Cherry instead of Black or Green though!

How's it sounding? And how's the weight?

Thanks man, I love that '62. There was one locally in black with DeArmonds but I already had my mind set on a DC. Plus no more black guitars for me but the green one was enticing. I got a great discount on this one, and it had a lighter weight at 7.4 lbs. Some of them get up to 9 lbs.

Sound is different from what I usually play--bright, kerrangy. It's more subdued in the upper highs, and very loud. But that was the point, something for gain with more warmth. The only HBs that I like are Filtertrons. These LBs are darker than those but I adjusted them for best twang.

Ah man, I'd have loved to get my hands on a black one. I'm totally cool with the red one though. A Starfire V is on my list for sure. That's nice to hear about the weight - I'd heard they're pretty heavy guitars. I'm with you on the filtertron thing, I'm not much a fan of humbuckers either. Sounds like you're really enjoying it so far!

[Debaser]

Great looking guitar! The Newark Streets have always looked pretty good I think, but I never see them in stores around me. What's the neck profile like?

Neck is not thick, but not thin either. Average at the first 5 frets, then chunkier after that. The U shape isn’t hard either, just little more shoulder than a C.