Fender Starcaster?

[guitar_randy]

What is a Fender Starcaster?Is that something new Fender recently put out or has it been around a while.I saw a couple for sale in a pawn shop the other day and I never have seen or heard of it before.

[flyingarmadillo]

Very low end, below Squire. They sell them at Target and WalMart.

[ChanMan]

...and non-MI Best Buys.

Gibson has a similar brand and sells a low end SG as well.

[Big Bill]

I wonder how much they pawned for?

[craigh]

Back in the 70's Fender has a Starcaster hollow body guitar of course shaped like a strat.

 

Craig

[Corrosion of conformity]

Back in the 70's Fender has a Starcaster hollow body guitar of course shaped like a strat.

 

Craig

 

That's the one I was thinking of. I thought the Starcaster was an older model, and a decent one. I don't know anything about the new low end ones.

[milod]

I've seen Starcaster (low end strat-styled instruments) recently in "packages" at Musicians Friend, too.

 

The pricing indicated something lower than a Squire.

 

OTOH, as with the discount "department store" Gibson, I figure better one of our major guitar companies than some faceless outfit in China...

 

m

[FirstMeasure]

Badly painted Squier Bullet Strats. I don't see why Fender would want to compete with itself on entry level packages. The Squiers are actually good starters, the Store-caster would turn a decent beginner off to Fenders.

[flyingarmadillo]

That's the one I was thinking of. I thought the Starcaster was an older model' date=' and a decent one. I don't know anything about the new low end ones.[/quote']

 

 

Forgot about those - it was Fenders attempt in the mid-70's to get into the hollow body market. If it's one of those they're nice guitars. Humbuckers, bolt on neck, volume and tone for each pickup plus master volume.

[rockstar232007]

Badly painted Squier Bullet Strats. I don't see why Fender would want to compete with itself on entry level packages. The Squiers are actually good starters' date=' the Store-caster would turn a decent beginner off to Fenders.[/quote']Not if they know what they're getting for their money. These guitars aren't marketed as "high-end collectible instruments", they're for beginners...early beginners. Plus, EVERYONE knows who the Starcasters are aimed at, KIDS! Just like Gibson Maestro Series.

 

So anyone (adult) who buys these guitars expecting to get an AWESOME, quality, work of art deserves to be dissapointed. But I can't honestly see very many people believeing that, just based on looks alone.

[Bender 4 Life]

Starcaster = what a poor musician smashes, and or douses w/fluid & burns on stage.

[NeoConMan]

If it says Starcaster on it, you paid too much - end of story.

Doesn't matter which one it is.

 

 

The original Starcasters were kinda cool, just too far off the mark for Fender buyers.

I considered buying a few of them I found on Ebay, but the prices went higher than I would have paid.

 

A few guys who owned them previously decribed them as something way less than a Gibson 335.

Made it very clear that paying big money for one would be a mistake.

 

A cool novelty from a bygone era, but not a pricey collectible.

If you find one for a few hundred bucks - grab it because it's cool and odd.

But don't pay $2,500 for a guitar that cost 1/10th that when new, they aren't worth it.

[KL]

The original Fender Starcaster was designed to be a quality hollow body electric at a time when Fender were not really making quality guitars. They were not particularly popular at the time. They had an unusual assymetrical headstock with a painted edge.

 

Recently they have become popular again because of a few famous musicians playing them (like Chris Walle of Death Cab For Cutie etc). I think they have re-issued them.

 

Also there is a low end solid body Fender sharing the same name. Don't know anything about them.

[NeoConMan]

I'm not aware of any reissue of the original.

Maybe overseas, but not here in the states.

 

If you search the web, you can find a pic of Elvis playing one.

Really.

[Dom_JEM]

 

 

It even smells cheap

[KL]

I'm not aware of any reissue of the original.

 

I think I may have been mistaken. I've done a search and I can't find any reissues, but I could have sworn I'd seen them somewhere recently.

 

Maybe it was a custom shop issue, as they have gained a bit of popularity with a few high profile guitarists using them recently? (and hence the inflated prices of the originals).

[FirstMeasure]

This thread needs a pic. Personally I think it would have caught on if it weren't for the headstock

[FoonkySteve]

Morning Gents! well its morning here in scotland anyway. Im New, 1st Post!

 

I have to say the original starcaster was the beez knees! I personally like the headstock, but hey, each to their own. There is no re-issue available anywhere or planned for this guitar, although i have a petitiion going to get them re-issued. If anyone would like to see these babies back in production, please click the link below, and show your support by signing the petition. (it takes less than a minute).

 

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fender70sstarcaster/

 

Thanking you in advance for anyone kind enough to sign,

 

Steve

[NeoConMan]

Bravo Steve!

Welcome to the forum.

 

I was in your fair country for a few weeks in March 2000, lotsa time in the Highlands and islands.

Loved it.

 

 

Anyhow, we all know how this works.

Fender has to believe the demand is there for this guitar to tool up for it.

And if they do, will it be better than the original?

It's tough to make a GOOD semi-hollow and keep the cost down.

What price would it carry?

 

(Can't be much, or Fender buyers will ignore it and Gibson buyers will laugh at it - just like the first time.)

 

If it's cheaply made, it will sell for about two months and die.

 

 

Hope it works out, and the guitar hits the market with a splash.

 

[FoonkySteve]

Thankyou for the warm welcome! The biggest issue is with the Fender WideRange humbuckers, which apparently are impossible to replicate now due to some discontinued magnet or something?? Then there is the issue of Fender now using the Starcaster name for their low-end line of products. I have a price range of around £850 - £1500 (ill get back to you on what that is in U.S dollars) if you read the full article of the petition ive got all the details there. Would be great if anyone could sign it! Although the ipetitions site is down at the moment!! DOH!

[Blackie]

Welcome to the forum also...........but I am sorry but I have my own petition to prevent that model from ever being replicated...........................................j/k

[NeoConMan]

Fender WideRange humbuckers' date='

which apparently are impossible to replicate now due to some discontinued magnet or something?? [/quote']

I have them in a Strat I built;

 

 

 

The '72 Tele Deluxe reissue uses them, the ones I got were made in the USA.

 

I don't know how different they are from the originals, but I'm sure a magnet could be made pretty close.

[FoonkySteve]

Very Nice! That is one Nifty strat you got there! One of the most original I've seen in a long time! Good job sir, very good job! .....and yes i am jealous!

 

The natural one is cool too!

 

And I agree, i have brought this up on some other forums, and a lot of pessimists are like, 'oh they'll never get the pickups right' or 'oh, just leave it fender will only ruin it' and so on...... but i think surely if fender were to take this on, with the advances in tech since the 70s they could reproduce something as good as, or even better!?

 

That only leaves the name 'Starcaster' what would they call it now? Now that Fender are using the Starcaster name for thier low end electrics, acoustics and even drums!

 

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fender70sstarcaster/