Guild Starfire Deluxe Bass Teal The Deal Bas electric

Guild Starfire Deluxe Bass Teal the Deal — Vintage Semi-Hollow 4-String Reissue

The Guild Starfire Deluxe Bass Teal the Deal is a faithful reissue of the Starfire Bass II, one of the most celebrated short-scale semi-hollow basses of the 1960s. Part of the Newark St. Collection, this 4-string honors Guild's legacy of full, rich, articulate low end while adding contemporary touches that suit today's working bassists. The Guild Starfire Deluxe Bass Teal the Deal is the right choice for players chasing that classic semi-hollow thump without sacrificing modern playability.

Built around a double-cutaway semi-hollow body with an arched maple top and back plus maple sides, the instrument produces the bright attack and natural resonance that made the original a staple of psych-rock rhythm sections. A set mahogany neck with the Vintage Soft U profile fills the palm for a substantial yet commanding grip, while the 30.75-inch scale length keeps every note within easy reach across the 22-fret rosewood fingerboard.

Standout Features: BS-1 BiSonic Pickups and Semi-Hollow Voice

Two Guild BS-1 BiSonic single-coil pickups anchor the tone for the rich, refined, thumpy character heard on countless classic recordings. A 3-way pickup selector, per-pickup Volume and Tone controls, and a Master Volume give the player an unusually wide palette of vintage-inspired voicings from a single instrument. The semi-hollow construction adds the woody resonance and breath that defines the Starfire sound, while the arched maple top and back reinforce sustain and projection.

Body, Neck and Scale — Built for Comfort and Resonance

The semi-hollow body shape and short scale work together to make this bass unusually approachable, especially for players with smaller hands or anyone moving from a long-scale instrument. The arched maple top, back and sides give the bass its bright, resonant voice, while the mahogany set neck adds warmth and structural integrity. The bound rosewood fingerboard with pearloid block inlays and ivory binding ties the look and feel together.

• Body Type: Semi-hollow, double-cutaway Starfire DC — full-bodied resonance with comfortable upper-body access
• Top, Back and Sides: Arched maple top, arched maple back, maple sides — bright attack and natural sustain
• Scale Length: 781 mm (30.75") — short-scale feel for effortless navigation across the fingerboard
• Neck Profile: Vintage Soft U mahogany set neck — substantial grip with classic vintage character
• Fingerboard: Bound rosewood with pearloid block inlays, 305 mm (12") radius — smooth playing surface with unmistakable vintage aesthetic

Electronics — BS-1 BiSonic Pickups and Flexible Controls

The dual BS-1 BiSonic single-coils are the heart of the Starfire Deluxe sound, delivering the rich, refined thump that powered the low end of 1960s psych-rock recordings. Per-pickup Volume and Tone knobs let the player dial in bridge bite and neck warmth independently, while the Master Volume trims overall level without disturbing the individual pickup settings. A 3-way toggle selects bridge, both, or neck pickup for instant tonal shifts between cutting leads and round, honky bass lines.

• Pickup Configuration: SS — two Guild BS-1 BiSonic single-coils
• Controls: Neck Volume and Tone, Bridge Volume and Tone, Master Volume, 3-way pickup toggle

Hardware and Finish — Vintage Appointments, Modern Reliability

Grover 142C vintage open-gear bass tuners keep tuning stable through long sets, while a bone nut supports enduring sustain and a natural open-string response. The Guild adjustable bass bridge with rosewood saddles adds a warm, dry, mellow character to the attack, and the metallic Teal the Deal gloss polyurethane finish gives the bass a striking stage presence. Full ivory body, F-hole, and fingerboard binding, plus pearloid Guild Peak and Chesterfield headstock inlays, complete the Deluxe trim package.

• Tuning Machines: Grover 142C vintage open-gear bass, nickel plating — stable tuning with period-correct look
• Bridge: Guild adjustable bass bridge with rosewood saddles, 52 mm string spacing
• Nut: Bone, 38 mm (1.5") width — natural sustain and consistent string feel
• Finish: Metallic Teal the Deal gloss polyurethane — striking stage-ready appearance
• Factory Strings: D'Addario EXL165 nickel-wound, custom light .045–.105

Who Is It For — Players Who Want Classic Semi-Hollow Tone

The Starfire Deluxe Bass Teal the Deal is the right choice for working bassists, gigging players, and tone seekers who want the warm, woody thump of a 1960s semi-hollow bass in a modern, road-ready package. Its short 30.75-inch scale and Vintage Soft U neck profile make it especially appealing to players with smaller hands or anyone looking for a more relaxed playing feel than a typical 34-inch scale offers. The flexible BS-1 BiSonic electronics cover everything from round, honky neck-pickup bass lines to cutting bridge-pickup leads, fitting comfortably into rock, blues, indie, country, and vintage-inspired soul settings.

Style-conscious players will appreciate the metallic Teal the Deal finish, full ivory binding, pearloid block inlays, and Chesterfield headstock inlays that give this bass a strong visual identity on stage. Whether the goal is authentic psych-rock thump, Motown-style roundness, or a versatile short-scale workhorse, the Starfire Deluxe Bass delivers period-correct character with the reliability of a brand-new instrument.

Brand and Product Story — Guild's Newark St. Collection

Guild semi-hollow body basses were popularized in the 1960s by rock players such as Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane's Jack Casady, who both crafted full and rich tones with exceptional articulation aided by the BS-1 BiSonic single-coil pickups. The Starfire Deluxe Bass Teal the Deal is a reissue of the Starfire Bass II, one of Guild's most iconic semi-hollow instruments, faithfully honoring that '60s-era legacy of exceptional quality and vibe while adding contemporary touches that make it more relevant to today's players. As part of the Newark St. Collection of vintage-inspired guitars and basses, it sits alongside other reissues that put classic Guild electrics back into the hands of working musicians.