Hi, need info on my custom shop Starfield Cabriolet

[peavey_impact]

Hey everyone; long-time lurker, first-time poster.

Anyways, I recently picked up this guitar which I was told was a 1991 LA custom shop Starfield Cabriolet. I've wanted a Starfield since I was young so I jumped on it. Its a killer guitar and plays and sounds awesome. The back of the neck does indeed bear the LA Custom Shop logo with Mace Bailey's name. Under the Starfield logo there is the name "Pete Wood". I have no idea who that is and can only assume its the name of the person who originally ordered the guitar.

The neck is beautiful lightly flamed maple with a jet-black ebony fretboard. Noiseless Seymour Duncan single coils (not sure which models).

I'm curious as to how I could find out what the body wood is, and any details about the mysterious "hardtail wilkinson" bridge it has (which I've never seen before nor heard of). Is there anything I can learn from the serial number? Pics below:

[jono]

Mike Lipe designed the Cabriolet body shape and currently manufactures them under the name "Twisted Soldato". If you google for Lipe custom guitars and get in touch he may be able to help you out.

I adore this guitar so congrats to you for getting a custom shop one off

Do you mind me asking how much it set you back?

[peavey_impact]

Originally Posted by jono

Mike Lipe designed the Cabriolet body shape and currently manufactures them under the name "Twisted Soldato". If you google for Lipe custom guitars and get in touch he may be able to help you out.

I adore this guitar so congrats to you for getting a custom shop one off

Do you mind me asking how much it set you back?

Yes I was aware about Mike and the new Lipe guitars. Good call, I'll see if i can get in touch with him.

I paid $1200 for this with a new but non-original case. Some people may think thats a bit high but this is one of my dream guitars; I had to have it!

By the way, isn't Mace Bailey the same guy who built some of Steve Vai's custom axes?

[jono]

$1200 isn't so high when you consider who built the guitar and how rare the Cabrios are anyway let alone a custom shop model, and yep, Mace built Steve's JEM prototype.

[nuno]

Originally Posted by peavey_impact

the mysterious "hardtail wilkinson" bridge (which I've never seen before nor heard of).

i think they just pulled the saddles from a Wilkinson VS100 and put them on a custom built baseplate. hence the different colors. just my guessing. nice guitar

[peavey_impact]

Originally Posted by nuno

i think they just pulled the saddles from a Wilkinson VS100 and put them on a custom built baseplate. hence the different colors. just my guessing. nice guitar

Thanks man. I just found an old Starfield catalog and they call it the "Wilkinson USA WK5 Bridge"

I'm hoping they are the same as the tremolo saddles - the appear to be - because I need to replace them; the screws are rusty and I'm afraid they will strip.

[Drew]

Those are definitely Wilkinson saddles. I believe you can buy the saddles seperately from Wilkinson, or if you want to color-match Graph-tech offers Wilkinson replacements.

[peavey_impact]

Originally Posted by Drew

Those are definitely Wilkinson saddles. I believe you can buy the saddles seperately from Wilkinson, or if you want to color-match Graph-tech offers Wilkinson replacements.

I've had no luck locating seperate steel Wilkinson saddles. I think I'll end up getting the graphtech ones - do they change the tone any?

[bulletbass man]

Mace also built his triple neck heart guitar.

[nuno]

Originally Posted by peavey_impact

I'll end up getting the graphtech ones - do they change the tone any?

yes, quite a bit. steel is very influent on tone, it enhances mids and mid-trebles a lot and every other material would sound very different. pretty much like an OFR compared to any other licensed Floyd.

Originally Posted by bulletbass man

Mace also built his triple neck heart guitar.

here's the man back in the days (cool sweatshirt)

[rty13ibz98]

Originally Posted by nuno

yes, quite a bit. steel is very influent on tone, it enhances mids and mid-trebles a lot and every other material would sound very different. pretty much like an OFR compared to any other licensed Floyd.





here's the man back in the days (cool sweatshirt)

haha, nuno, you said cool and sweatshirt in the same sentence.


awesome axe, btw. starfields are super rare. i'd love to find a semi hollow cabriolet.

rich

[Ibanez-Mag]

Great catch, man!
I would love to get my hands on that one.

The Starfields are awesome guitars, lovely stuff.

Congrats.

/Magnus

[peavey_impact]

Originally Posted by Ibanez-Mag

Great catch, man!
I would love to get my hands on that one.

The Starfields are awesome guitars, lovely stuff.

Congrats.

/Magnus

Thanks man. Its quickly becoming one of my favorite guitars, and I'm primarily a Hamer USA player

[peavey_impact]

Replaced the saddles with Graphtecs.....damn I love this guitar!

[RCB]

Amazing guitar. Ive had 2 Starfield Cabriolet and they are very unique instruments. That was an incredible catch, and U$S1200 doesnt sound expensive at all.