Has anyone played Guild DC-1 and SC-1 yet?

[FingahPickah]

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/g...rfire-i-sc-gvt

Intrigued by both of these but haven't had one in hand yet. Has anyone played either or both? What's your review?

[Steve DeRosa]

Haven't played any of the -1 Series Guilds yet - stock's way down at the local stores - but for the extra $150 or so I've heard this one's a better deal in the grand scheme:



https://guildguitars.com/g/starfire-...0-satin-white/

[FingahPickah]

Great demo ! Love the triple P90s config

[FrankHudson]

I have the Jetstar I P90 with the three "Franz" P90 types.

Not fastidiously finished and I'm sure the matte finishes will not please some for whom guitars are viewed as fine furniture you can play. Nice feeling satin finish middle of the road neck, and mine is a nicely balanced and weight guitar.

The pickups are in the P90 continuum, but they have their own thing. Not easily height adjustable, and some positions seem louder than others, and if you're sensitive to that, that may bother you. The click-around with small indicator dots pickup selector is not the easiest thing to use "in the heat of battle."

That said: yes, there are a lot of sounds in this model. The two pickups at once sounds are not Strat-quacky, but powerful, and every position has a valid sound profile (even if the volume levels aren't equal). The pickups seem to pick up vibrations more than the typical "335 type" semi-hollow, and may be a little on the microphonic side. If one is a high volume/high gain player this could be an issue, but it's not been an issue for me -- and I'm often pleased/surprised at how "acoustic" mine sounds into a clean amp. I'm using a standard electric .010 set on mine, but I can only imagine that strung like Steve would string it, that that "acoustic" factor might even increase.

[FingahPickah]

I'm more interested in playing the DC and SC.

I have an American Standard Tele (standard config) as well as a Thin-Line Tele (style) with two P90s. Both sound awesome through my new Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb.

I don't expect these Guilds to be equivalents to the iconic USA made Starfires, but I like the idea of the semi-hollows with coil tapped humbuckers. I've owned 335 style guitars in the past but never an SC style design... Looking forward to playing both models.

Would be very interested to hear any AGF-ers' reviews.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

...I've owned 335 style guitars in the past but never an SC style design...Would be very interested to hear any AGF-ers' reviews.

Not to muddy the waters, but since you're looking for an SC Starfire I/II-type design you might also find this (recently discontinued) model - which I have played - of interest:





https://guildguitars.com/g/starfire-...n-royal-brown/

Maybe it's because I'm an old Gretsch guy, but I find the Starfire body and Dynasonic pickup visual/sonic combination extremely appealing - if I didn't already have three Gretsch hollowbodies and a Godin CW II covering much the same tonal ground I'd be looking for a NOS piece as we speak - and while it's not a humbucker-with-coil-tap configuration I can attest first-hand to its versatility with a blackface Twin (albeit the tube reissue): everything from mellow '50s jazz tones (with a bit of tone-control rolloff) to near-acoustic fingerstyle clarity to rockabilly twang to screaming blues-rock, with a load of dynamic range and string-to-string definition - and the gold-hardware-on-mahogany cosmetics give it a bit of Country Gent-style class...

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Not to muddy the waters, but since you're looking for an SC Starfire I/II-type design you might also find this (recently discontinued) model - which I have played - of interest:





https://guildguitars.com/g/starfire-...n-royal-brown/

Maybe it's because I'm an old Gretsch guy, but I find the Starfire body and Dynasonic pickup visual/sonic combination extremely appealing - if I didn't already have three Gretsch hollowbodies and a Godin CW II covering much the same tonal ground I'd be looking for a NOS piece as we speak - and while it's not a humbucker-with-coil-tap configuration I can attest first-hand to its versatility with a blackface Twin (albeit the tube reissue): everything from mellow '50s jazz tones (with a bit of tone-control rolloff) to near-acoustic fingerstyle clarity to rockabilly twang to screaming blues-rock, with a load of dynamic range and string-to-string definition - and the gold-hardware-on-mahogany cosmetics give it a bit of Country Gent-style class...

Great suggestion... Thanks... Too bad it's discontinued...
I'm not in a hurry.. I'm going to try and track one down ...

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Not to muddy the waters, but since you're looking for an SC Starfire I/II-type design you might also find this (recently discontinued) model - which I have played - of interest:



...but I find the Starfire body and Dynasonic pickup visual/sonic combination extremely appealing -...- and while it's not a humbucker-with-coil-tap configuration I can attest first-hand to its versatility with a blackface Twin (albeit the tube reissue): everything from mellow '50s jazz tones (with a bit of tone-control rolloff) to near-acoustic fingerstyle clarity to rockabilly twang to screaming blues-rock, with a load of dynamic range and string-to-string definition

Steve -
Thanks again for your input... I have a Tone Master Twin Reverb (No blackface.. but close to tube sound w/ a 6 way attenuator - in a 33lb package). My Teles sound great through it.

That Guild is a classy guitar for sure. IYO Does the thinner body depth (no center block semi-hollow) help mitigate feedback at Rock n' Roll / Blues stage volume?

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

...IYO does the thinner body depth (no center block semi-hollow) help mitigate feedback at Rock n' Roll/Blues stage volume?

Not quite as much as a solidbody or full center-block semi, but the block under the bridge/tailpiece assembly on the current SF II (not the old ones BTW) - similar in principle to Gretsch's "59-style trestle bracing" still used on certain models (including my own White Falcon) - goes a long way in cutting down the nasties you'd get from a full-hollow; I wouldn't be too concerned - sometimes just turning your amp and/or your body a couple degrees (as I used to do with my full-hollow Gretsch Double Annie) eliminates the problem, and if Ted Nugent can rock the house with a Byrdland....

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

Not quite as much as a solidbody or full center-block semi, but the block under the bridge/tailpiece assembly on the current SF II (not the old ones BTW) - similar in principle to Gretsch's "59-style trestle bracing" still used on certain models (including my own White Falcon) - goes a long way in cutting down the nasties you'd get from a full-hollow; I wouldn't be too concerned - sometimes just turning your amp and/or your body a couple degrees (as I used to do with my full-hollow Gretsch Double Annie) eliminates the problem, and if Ted Nugent can tock the house with a Byrdland....

I'm gettin' Cat Scratch Fever for that Guild as we speak...

Thanks

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

I'm gettin' Cat Scratch Fever for that Guild as we speak...

Thanks

My pleasure, but I'd suggest you get a head start on your search as soon as possible since it seems they've been belatedly discovered: the only NOS/excellent-condition examples are located overseas and selling at inflated prices, and it'll cost you more than triple the original $1100 asking price to buy a DeArmond Dynasonic-equipped Gretsch hollowbody...

[FingahPickah]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

My pleasure, but I'd suggest you get a head start on your search as soon as possible since it seems they've been belatedly discovered: the only NOS/excellent-condition examples are located overseas and selling at inflated prices, and it'll cost you more than triple the original $1100 asking price to buy a DeArmond Dynasonic-equipped Gretsch hollowbody...

Found a used one @ Musicans Friend.... arrived today..... First impressions.. Wow! Almost new condition... Pickups sound great .... plan to spend time tomorrow - new strings and tweak action....

So far so good ! Thanks again for the tip...

[Steve DeRosa]

Use it well, often, and LOUD...