What was the thinking behind the Starla design?

[Blutone]

I have an S2 Starla - when I was in the hunt for a Starla I was looking for either Core or S2, it didn't matter to me which (SE wasn't out yet), because I didn't think the core offered "much" different from the S2 - they have slightly different Bigsbys, but not being a Bigsby expert I knew it wouldn't matter to me. Pickups are supposedly a bit different too (the S2 are "import" pups, but still very different from the usual import HBs of course), but the S2's pups are gnarly enough.

I like mine, though I do occasionally wonder why Bigsbys have that hard counter-clockwise stop right there that isn't quite where I normally hold a trem bar.

I have a Bigsby on an Epiphone Swingster and I find it really comfortable to use, but I think that is because 1) it has the wired handle and 2) it's a deep body guitar and to the angle is different to when installed on a solid body (in terms of the arm using it...) I would love to compare the Core with the S2 and then the SE just to see what tonal differences there are...

 

[Blutone]

Well, that is a combo I would like to try; chieftain and starla.

Love my "core" 2009 starla. It sounds like a "grown up" guitar. It is a little unstable, tuning wise, and am working on that. But otherwise, the short scale, PUs, neck and bigsby are a very cool combination, especially in my "scene": church

I have had some tuning issues with mine from the start but then I have never had a stoptail (LP like) guitar before. Some string stretching and a slight adjustment to the truss rod seems to have fixed it mostly. I heard that the ones with Bigsby's had tuning issues but mine doesn't have one given that it is an SE.

 

[Oscar]

I had a core Starla and it’s the one that got away. Should’ve kept it. Great guitar.

 

[Rhythmisking]

Just for the eye candy, here's my core Starla. I'll never sell it:

This was the seller's photo, I put a Duane handle on the Bigsby 'cause they just feel better to me, otherwise it's perfect as it is.

 

[Rhythmisking]

The Starla would seem to be the kissing cousin of my Gretsch CVT, but it actually sounds quite a bit different. Of course I've changed all the hardware and electronics (pups are TV Jones Supertron and Duotron). But the Starla is heavier, thicker sounding and actually more brash too, so the aforementioned Teisco genetics of it's pickups makes sense.

 

[dogrocketp]

For me, the S2 Studio is both unique and kick booty. It's exactly what you'd want it to be.