SC or DC ? Looking at the Guild Starfire VI

[Valvelust]

People are saying a lot of good things about this guitar.

Trying to decide between the SC or DC version.
I'm not real familiar what differences I should expect? Either specific or in general.

I love my old 1976 D25M Guild acoustic.

 

[RLW59]

Only the Indonesian semi-hollow Starfire I is available in both SC and DC versions. (The SC version has a partial center block under the bridge and tailpiece, the DC has a full length center block.)

Korean Starfire III is a SC full-hollow.

Korean Starfire IV, V, and VI are DC semi-hollows. The IV has the bridge mounted to the top, dot inlays, stop bar tailpiece. The V and VI have Bigsby-style trems and floating bridges with the neck set higher above the body (to accommodate the higher floating bridge); the V has plain block inlays while the VI has fancier blocks with inset abalone triangles.

Top and back on the Starfire I SC are thicker than the DC's, so the SF I SC is generally the heaviest of the bunch. (Not sure if the full- hollow SF III has the thick top/back or the thinner top/back.)

Upper fret access is obviously better on the DC's.

 

[AlvisX]

This is kinda dumb reasoning ...but ,Ive always felt like a Single Cut Starfire lent itself better to fingerpicked stuff. Like I'd love one for my solo blues trip
The doubles , Ive always associated more with "lead guitar" type of playing . i loved when Buddy Guy was playin a Starfire in the 70s & 80s

 

[Valvelust]

Only the Indonesian semi-hollow Starfire I is available in both SC and DC versions. (The SC version has a partial center block under the bridge and tailpiece, the DC has a full length center block.)

Korean Starfire III is a SC full-hollow.

Korean Starfire IV, V, and VI are DC semi-hollows. The IV has the bridge mounted to the top, dot inlays, stop bar tailpiece. The V and VI have Bigsby-style trems and floating bridges with the neck set higher above the body (to accommodate the higher floating bridge); the V has plain block inlays while the VI has fancier blocks with inset abalone triangles.

Top and back on the Starfire I SC are thicker than the DC's, so the SF I SC is generally the heaviest of the bunch. (Not sure if the full- hollow SF III has the thick top/back or the thinner top/back.)

Upper fret access is obviously better on the DC's.

Starfire VI are in both SC &DC
I do see the SC VI with rosewwood/dot

Electric Guitars | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

 

[RLW59]

Guild Starfire VI Snowcrest White - B-Stock | Reverb

Guild Starfire VI Snowcrest White Guild Starfire VI Snowcrest White; thinline semi hollow body archtop guitar, body laminated flamed maple body depth 44,45mm,3 pcs maple/walnut/maple neck, rosewood fretboard (Dalbergia Latifolia), nut width 42mm, 22 frets, scale 628mm, pearloid/abalone V-block in...

reverb.com

That dealer is wrong and asking $500-800 too much for a Starfire I. (Or they're actually selling SF VI's but put the wrong pic in the ads.)

I, IV, V, VI are indications of trim level, with the VI being the blingiest.

There's never been a single cut dot inlay VI.

Check Guild's site. Check all those other Reverb listings. Proaudiostar is the only seller that claims a I is a VI (odd that they're asking more for a B-stock than their regulars -- more indication that they've screwed up their listings).

 

[RLW59]

Note proaudiostar's description:

"Guild Starfire VI Snowcrest White; thinline semi hollow body archtop guitar, body laminated flamed maple body depth 44,45mm,3 pcs maple/walnut/maple neck, rosewood fretboard (Dalbergia Latifolia), nut width 42mm, 22 frets, scale 628mm, pearloid/abalone V-block inlays, 2x guild LB-1 dual-coil humbucker pickups, guild adjusto.matic bridge, bigsby tremolo, grover Sta-Tite tuners, gold plated hardware, finish snowcrest white."

The description says " pearloid/abalone V-block inlays" and "gold plated hardware".

Somehow they got the pictures wrong in those 3 ads.

 

[Valvelust]

Back to the actual real question.

Is there a major tone difference between a sc and dc semi hollow?

 

[RLW59]

The sc has a 20 fret neck -- both the neck pickup and bridge pickups are farther away from the bridge than the 22 fret dc. So the sc is a little darker, fatter, less bright sounding.

 

[Valvelust]

Any 20 fret sc would be a deal killer for me