Guild Starfire II Electric Bass Black

A 50 Year Heritage

This dual-pickup, semi-hollow bass guitar adds both legendary style and a modern range of sonic options to Guild’s iconic Starfire Bass. Originally debuting in 1967, shortly after the single-pickup version, the Starfire Bass II quickly garnered a following that included Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane), Chris Hillman (The Byrds) and Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead). The recent addition of the BiSonic BS-1 neck pickup has expanded tonal options, giving bassists a warm, smooth sound for added flexibility and the fat, warm hollowbody bass tones not typically found in solidbody basses.

Guild BiSonic Pickups

The Guild BS-1 BiSonic pickup was originally found in many of the solid and hollow bodied Guild basses in the 1960s and 70s. The BS-1 has developed a cult following resulting in several reissue versions and designs, including the famous Darkstar by Fred Hammon and BS-DS by Curtis Novak. Wound to 6.4K Ohms, similar in specification to a Hammon Darkstar, the Guild BS-1 utilizes Alnico 2 magnets and provides a refined modern tone in a classic package.

All Mahogany Body Design and Short Scale Neck

With a thinline semi-hollowbody design, the Starfire Bass II is comfortable to play and delivers the organic, resonant sound and lush overtones of a hollowbody instrument. A short (30.75″) scale length makes navigating the fretboard a breeze, and is perfect for all types of players, including beginners and players with smaller hands.

Premium Features

Premium materials include a Ebony fingerboard and Mother of Pearl Guild “Peak” and Chesterfield inlay on the neck. Other features include Grover Sta-tite tuners, 500K individual volume, tone, and master volume knobs, and a hardshell case. Starfire Basses come with D’Addario EXL165 Nickel Wound Bass strings in Custom Light (.045 – .105), and some players enjoy with flatwounds for a smooth and unique playing experience.

Finishes

The Guild Starfire II comes standard with a transparent high gloss finish in natural. *New for 2023, Guild has re-released and limited run in all black gloss. An Emerald Green gloss finish is available on a maple bodied model, and the Starfire Bass II Flamed Maple is an elevated option with an eye-catching body wood and clear finish.