FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Starfire IV was offered in the Guild catalog from 1964 until it went on hiatus in 1987 and then resurrected in 1990. There were quite a few changes made to the model during this long run of production and some key features have been documented for the 1970-94 period. And to the answer to the most frequently asked question -- yes, the strap button was moved from the neck heel to the body in 1980. When the Starfire IV was re-introduced in late 1990, it resumed with the all-maple body and neck, ebony fingerboard with dot inlays and Muller bridge and stop tail. Grover Rotomatics and Guild HB-1 pickups were standard. This would be the final configuration until FMIC took over the company in 1995. Starfire IV production was low during the first few years after the model's reboot. Except for 1991, fewer than 50 were made per year until FMIC's injection of capital and marketing power raised production to nearly 200 units in 1996 alone. One interesting feature about the 1990-94 Starfire IVs is most, if not all, seem to have been fitted with gold hardware instead of chrome hardware. The guitar shown here is one such example.

  Body:  Semi-hollow; laminated 1-piece flame maple top, back, and sides; 3-ply bound top and back

  Finish:  Natural,  nitrocellulose lacquer

  Neck:  3-piece flame maple/mahogany, set-in; black plastic headstock overlay with pearloid logo and Chesterfield inlay

  Fingerboard:  Ebony, single bound; pearloid dot markers

  Number of Frets:  22

  Pickguard:  5-ply black/white plastic

  Bridge:  Muller AdjustoMatic with SP-6 stop tailpiece, gold

  Nut:  Micarta

  Tuners:  Grover Rotomatic, gold

  Pickups:  Two, Guild HB-1 with adjustable pole pieces, gold

  Controls:  Tone and volume controls for each pickup, 3-way pickup selector

  Scale Length:  24 3/4 inches

  Neck Width at Nut:  1 5/8 inches

  Body Width at Lower Bout:  16 5/8 inches

  Body Depth:  1 1/2 inches

  Weight:  8.5 lb