DeArmond Starfire Custom

Thinline Semi-hollow, Natural with gloss finish- very nice looking, and five ply cream/black binding. Tune-o-matic bridge and harp-style trapeze tailpiece, just like Guild version. No name Grover copy tuners that work all right, pretty thin (but not too thin) maple neck w/ rosewood fingerboard, 22 frets. Got the store to include a DeArmond case for a full hollowbody and padded it to fit- nice TKL case but it weighs 1000 pounds. Made in Korea, probably late 90's or early 2000's. Two wonderful pickups (DeArmond Goldtone Humbuckers), 2 vol. 2 tone, 3 way switch. Volumes are too far away for swells, and switch on lower horn can sometimes be hit when sitting down, but it's not too bad.
Nice abalone inlay on black headstock, simple version of Guild "Chesterfield" design.

Very good sounds, for any style of music, and I like to play them all. Probably best for Jazz, Blues, Rock, Jangly Pop, and any weird or alternative stuff. I play it through a Roland GC-408 (best solid state amp ever), sometimes with a crybaby or a Korg Pandora for weird sounds. Can really do anything. The neck pickup is perfect for jazz and smooth rounded blues/rock. Both together does fine rhythym chords, and can be blended with the pots for more edge or warmth. Bridge pickup rips solos and sounds really cool palm-muted (Reggae!) really an incredible guitar, and not just for the value- at least as good as a 335.
That said, this guitar does seem to have some off days, when considerable knob tweaking is needed to get something going. Also it buzzes-slightly- sometimes when your hand is off the hardware, probably a simple grounding problem I just don't know how to fix. But you don't hear it when you play, and it doesn't stop me from loving it!

They had stopped making these by the time I got it, but the guys at the store had it well set up. It was missing a strap button and a volume knob was loose, but they fixed these no problem. Pickups and hardware were and still are fine. Well set and rounded nut, god intonation. Finish is beautiful, and wood is extremely high quality for a relatively cheap guitar. The vintage looking natural finish is exquisite, completed well by mostly perfect binding (a few tiny flaws). The look is probably the best part of this guitar behind the sound, more character than an Es-335 or similar copy. I even think the pickups are cooler looking than the Guild ones. Plays fine with a very low action and no fret buzz. Sometimes I'll see this guitar across the room and just stare at it it looks so good. Very unique but not odd.

Will definitely withstand playing live. Not as indestructible as a solidbody of course, but for a semi it's strong. Hardware is excellent- except for the jack which occasionally comes loose but can be easily twisted tight again. Finish is durable. It would be nice to have straplocks, but these are nice.
Might still want a backup for a broken string, but this guitar is tough. Even the cheap tuners work okay, though they would be the one thing I might replace.

Company is sadly gone, as Fender discontinued the line. But they have a website with some information about wiring and things, so they must have been good.

I've been playing since I was little, got serious 6-7 years ago. I own a tiny classical that I learned on, a freakish Fernandes strat copy that I like the more I play it, a superb Blueridge BR-63, my great Roland amp, and this. Next will be a resonator, unless this is taken, in which case I would get another quickly, or if I had the money get a Guild T-100. This is a truly good guitar, the pickups are probably the best part. It destroys my Fernandes, although they are very different. I wanted a Hagstrom Viking reissue, but they were taking too long to come out. Now I prefer this guitar. Get one if you can, but don't take mine.

I bought my Starfire in a music store in Caracas, Venezuela, in august,2001. The year of construcion of this Korean one is unknown. It has 2 humbuckers, 4 control knobs(2 volume, 2 tone)and 3 way selector.The body style is like a 335. The tuners are similar to Grovers. the 22 frets size medium and the rosewood neck are very nice to play.

I play a variety of styles, and this guitar sounds greatly. Starting from a clear setting and finishing in a high-distorted-pandaemonium, the Starfire gives me a huge rich response, big personality and a wide variety of nuances.

The only one i disagree is the difficult to get the E-octave through a bending on the 22th fret. The adjustments are goody.

It's a great deal. In studio or on stage, this guitar works very well.

I am playing since 1980, and play also drums, bass guitar and keyboards. I had played with lots of guitars, including some Fenders, and i have not intend of being a victim of stole. In case, I run to find a new one anywhere.

2000 model
22 frets, dot inlay
semi-hollow body, archtop, natural finish(beautiful guitar
2 volume/2 tone/3-way selector switch
2 De Armond USA Humbuckers (very nice)
Maple Body, rosewood neck
body style is similar to ES335

Man this thing sounds great. I mainly play blues, rock, jazz, and this guitar plays them all very well. Great tones and a wide array of tones through the stock pickups. I will not be changing the pickups. Intonation, sustain, all superb.

The action is great, nice and hugging the board without any buzzing or humming. I haven't examined the routing, I have no reason to do so. There are no flaws on the guitar anywhere that I can see. I bought it from the original owner who had less than 20 hours on it. No oxidation, loose pegs, noisy selector, etc.

Withstand live playing? Heck yes, this is a solid and strong semi hollow body. I would not hesitate to take it anywhere.
Harware - The hardware is way better than average, no problems there either. I can't believe they put such nice hardware on this guitar as stock. I will not be changing any of the hardware either.
Strap buttons are solid, not loose, nice and wide.
Depend on it? Nearly with my life. I can't believe the quality of this guitar in the $500-$1000 range.
Gig it without a backup? Easily, but I always like to take a backup because you simply never know.

I absolutely love this guitar. I have been playing for 15 years, five of them for about 3-6 hours per day. If it were stolen or lost, I would surely grab another somewhere, though they don't make them anymore.

Simply a great guitar, they probably stopped making them because the price was too low, and decided to cancel the line overall. Guild, Fender, De Armond, whatever or whoever, this guitar will remain in my collection. I have had offers on it at $800, thats more than it retailed for and I am keeping it. Find one if you don't have one!

Mine is a Korean Model, nit sure of the year, but since the Truss Cover says Guild on it I would place it in the 2001 frame. Two DeArmond USA Hubuckers, All Maple Construction, beautiful Hollowbody. I got it with a like new Ibanez Case. Stock Tuners that seem to be ok. Semi Hollowbody.

This thing sounds incredible for the price. If Fender had continued this model with this contruction and sound, they would still be making it today. To bad the cheapened them and eventually made them under the Squire brand. This tones are excellnt. I will absolutley nail the Classic 60's jangle of the Beatles and the Byrds. Put my WoodCross Boutique amp into the Brown Sound mode, add some Drive and you are off into the Animals House of the Rising Sun. A little overdirve and you are nailing 70's classic rock, or kicking in a little Blues. Clean can be very jazzy. I love this thing. The best inexpensive investment I have made.

I bought this used and the guy before it does his own custom setups. He did a super job in this. With some GHS Nickel strings (9's) it plays like a champ. Nice low. smooth action. No majot flaws. I am sure if you look hard there may be a small one, but most guitars have one if you really look hard.

Seems real reliable. 2001 or so model and still in perfect shape. I can depend on it without a doubt. Strap buttons are Schallers. Real nice.

Dunno here. DeArmond is not around (I believe Fender discontinued the whole line though not positive). I imagine Fender would still support them though

I have been playing a couple years now. We play mostly Contemporary Christian music. It is killer for almost any type, but the cleans are awesome for this. If it were lost or stolen I would really be hurt since these are not made. I would scour EBAY for another and might have to settle for a real Guild version. I heard that this particular model struck a little too close to home in its emulation of the high end guilds so they were later changed. It is a Shame. If you find one, grab it.

late 90's Korean Double cutaway Starfire, semihollow body with volume and tone knobs for both American humbucker pickups and 3 way pickup switch. Blonde Maple body and neck with dot inlay and chrome tuners. It comes with the standard Starfire tailpiece and a hardshell case. I bought mine from someone who barely touched it so its practically brand new.

I'm playing out of a Marshall practice amp pending the repair of my Marshall JTM30. Its a warm tone with that acoustic hint. Add a little distortion and it purrs like a happy little pussycat. We play a lot of rock and blues in this house, so far it sounds great through a solid state amp!

When it arrived, the strings were a little oxidized as well as some of the hardware. I polished it up and gave it new strings and its as beautiful as the day it rolled off the assembly line. The action is excellent, but the B strings buzzes a little on the second fret. I may have the truss adjusted professionally. Otherwise everything seems to be fine.

I think this guitar will stand the test of time. I've only owned it for a few weeks now, so I really can't say for sure.

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I really like the way this guitar looks and feels. Good weight and big too. I feel like a rockstar! I play with digital delay, tremolo, wah and overdrive. These effects compliment my sound very well. I mostly play bass and own a Fender Jazzbass. I guess it would be redundant to compare and contrast the two guitars. If I lost this guitar I would probably another. So there.

This Starfire Custom was made in 1999. Natural finish w/ two DeArmond USA pickups. 2 tone and 2 volume knods. 'D' tailpiece. Semi-hollow, similar to a 335. Rosewood neck w/ dot inlays. Got it at a pawn shop. Like new condition.

I play rock, blues and jazz. Nice guitar for any style. I had to change the strings when I first got it. Did little adjustment to bridge. As I said before, similar to a 335.

Used. Got it from a pawnshop. Wood matches great. Looks like the top of the line Guild. Great finish on natural wood w/ cream binding. Looks more expensive then what I paid.

The only down fall to this guitar is the chiming of the strings from the tail to the bridge when I'm playing it. I placed a piece of cloth under the strings to stop the noise. Help quit a bit.

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I've been playing for several years and have used several guitars. I still have and play this copy. It is one of the better copies I've owned and played. I find it better then the Epiphones, but it's not like owning the original Guild Strafire or Gibson 335.