70s FENDER STARCASTER REISSUE!!

[FoonkySteve]

Howdy Folks,

 

Im a Noob to these forums here, Im just on because i heard that there is a lot of love for the original 70s Starcaster here! True??

 

I hope so!

 

So, i have an online petiton going for the re-issue of the original 70s Fender Starcaster semi-hollow

Here is the Link: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fender70sstarcaster/

Please be sure to sign it and show your support, it takes less than a minute, no spam, and its free!!

 

Just in case you think im a total no hope tool, i should mention, the petition is currently at 331 signatures, Since my letter to 'Guitarist' Magazine, there has ben a 2page spread on the guitar in the 'used gear' column March issue, and my letter published in the Mag in the 'April' issue, since then signatures have doubled, the petition has also been featured on 'iheartguitar' news, and Guitarworld magazine offshoot website news!

 

There is also an extensive thread on the growth of the petition on the Harmony Central Electric Guitar forums, along with threads on theGearpage, musicradar, Fender.com forums, ultimateguitar offsetguitar, tdpri, geekchat and guitarscanada. On the Harmony Central thread i have been in contact with 'Mike Eldred! of the Fender Custom Shop' the word is out! Its really happening this time!

 

 

I heard there was Starcaster love here, please dont let me down

 

Hopefully i'll see some of your names on the signatures page!

 

If i'm in the wrong place, please let me know.

 

Cheers

 

'Foonky'Steve Cassidy

[jimmiJAMM]

More of a Gibson man, myself.

[RichCI]

I think you heard wrong; lots of Tele fans and some Strat fans here though. I love Fender guitars but the Starcaster isn't one of them.

[zombiebear]

I think this is the wrong place my friend.

 

Honestly, i doubt you'll reach it.

 

If you do, let's see what they price it at.

[RichCI]

I just did a little research on it and, apparently, the guitar wasn't commercially successful during the time that Fender made it so I wouldn't count on a reissue.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

The Starcaster was commercially unsuccessful' date=' perhaps because of a public notion that Fender was a "solidbody, single coil brand" and Gibson was the "semi-hollow, humbucker brand". As a result, Starcasters are very rare, but are worth less in today's vintage market than many other semi-hollow guitars from the same period to collectors because of their unpopularity and lack of name endorsers at their time of manufacture. Despite (or possibly because of) their modest vintage investment value, several modern high profile guitarists use the Starcaster as a preferred instrument.[/quote']

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Starcaster#Popularity

 

Perhaps FoonkySteve can find a used original one for a nice price, probably for less than what Fender would charge for a new reissue.

[FoonkySteve]

Sorry folks, my bad.

 

You're dead right RichCI, the starcaster flopped 1st time round through lack of sales in direct competition with the likes of the 335. However in recent years, there has been a huge resurgence of usage of these guitars from some big named acts. Radiohead, the Killers, Death cab for Cutie, and Artic Monkeys to name a few..........

 

Well its out there, if anyones interested.:)

 

Sorry for any trouble guys, rock on!

[MojoRedFoot]

I'd like too get an original. Although I have only ever seen maple fret boards. I'd like an ebony option. And maybe a Bigsby trem.

[RichCI]

Sorry for any trouble guys' date=' rock on![/quote']

 

No trouble, man; it was more interesting than the usual threads about effects order.

[djroge1]

I've never seen one in person and I will pass on a petition.

 

I love fender, but not that model.

[pohatu771]

Not being commercially successful isn't necessarily a reason not to reissue - the Flying V and Explorer were reissued, after all.

[NeoConMan]

Steve,

I coulda swore there was another attempt at this here just last year.

An online petiton going for the re-issue of the original 70s Fender Starcaster semi-hollow....

 

I remember posting then that I kinda liked the guitar myself, and flirted with buying one several years ago.

Having never played one, I searched out all the info I could find on them - a tough job...

Found a couple on Ebay for less than a thousand dollars.

Even found a pic of Elvis playing one.

I asked around in various forums, since I had never played one myself.

 

Those in the know were universal in their derision.

Anybody who had owned one laughed at the thought of ever buying another.

Especially for what the cost would have to be with new production.

 

If you don't mind a guitar built in Asia along the same lines as the Squire, there's your $1,000 price point.

If it's built in the USA, it would have to retail for twice that - or nearly so.

 

Now we're talking 335 money.

 

And from what I know, that guitar would never fly against such market competition.

 

Good luck with your crusade - hope you prove me wrong and it turns out a winner.

 

[MojoRedFoot]

I coulda swore there was another attempt at this here just last year.

An online petiton going for the re-issue of the original 70s Fender Starcaster semi-hollow....

 

This petition is currently on the Fender forum.

[deepblue]

I had the MIM 70's Strat. The guitar was amazing except for the electronics. Total crap.

I gutted it and put Texas Specials inside and she was as good as any Strat I have ever played.

( excluding the one I have now) lol

[NeoConMan]

Starcaster DB - not Stratocaster.

 

Whole 'nuther animal.

[NeoConMan]

From Wiki -

The Fender Starcaster was a semi-hollowbody electric guitar made by the Fender company.

The Starcaster was part of Fender's attempt to enter the semi-hollowbody market, which

was dominated by Gibson's ES-335 and similar designs.

 

The Starcaster was designed by Gene Fields to be a high quality instrument, although it was

manufactured at a time when Fender's standards had lowered considerably. Unlike most

semi-hollow guitars which had their necks set in the bodies in the traditional style,

the Starcaster retained Fender's bolt-on neck design, which at the time, used a three-bolt joint.

 

The Starcaster was in production from 1976 or 1977 to 1980 or 1982, depending on sources.

An advertisement from 1977 states that the Starcaster's first creation was in 1975.

 

The Starcaster was commercially unsuccessful, perhaps because of a public notion that Fender

was a "solidbody, single coil brand" and Gibson was the "semi-hollow, humbucker brand".

As a result, Starcasters are very rare, but are worth less in today's vintage market than many

other semi-hollow guitars from the same period to collectors because of their unpopularity and

lack of name endorsers at their time of manufacture.

 

Despite (or possibly because of) their modest vintage investment value, several modern high profile

guitarists use the Starcaster as a preferred instrument.

Jonny Greenwood guitarist of Radiohead can frequently be seen playing a Starcaster on stage.

Sammy James Jr. guitarist and front man of the Mooney Suzuki uses a natural finished one and

appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien with it June 21, 2007.

 

The guitar can also be seen in the music video to Morrissey's single "You Have Killed Me".

Dave Keuning of The Killers also started using one shortly before the release of the album Sam's Town.

He could be seen playing his Starcaster during The Killers headline slot at Glastonbury Festival 2007,

on 'Later with Jools Holland' for Read My Mind and in the videos for For Reasons Unknown and

Human (The Killers song).

Trey Anastasio of Phish plays a custom Languedoc guitar that was originally designed after the

vintage Fender Starcaster.

Arctic Monkeys guitarist Jamie Cook can also be seen playing one at the 2009 Reading Festival.

 

The Starcaster had a unique headstock design, with a painted bottom curve matching the color

of the guitar body, that no other Fender guitar has had before or since.

It was also unusual for a semi-hollow guitar in having an asymmetrical ("offset") body, a maple fretboard,

a bolt-on neck, a novel control configuration consisting of a volume and tone control for each pickup,

a master volume control, and Fender's traditional six-on-a-side tuning pegs.

 

The "Fender Wide Range" humbucking pickups were designed by Seth Lover and appeared first

on various Telecaster Custom and Telecaster Thinline models in the early '70s.

They are still available as reissues, although the construction of the reissued Pickups has significantly changed. Regardless, they are still labeled "Wide Range".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fender advertisement (1977)

 

The Hard-Charging Sharp-Toothed Starcaster

1977

 

First heard emerging from the spectral depths of creation in 1976, Starcaster abandons the

great, grey-green, greasy Limpopo and and relentlessly climbs the charts.

It’s attack is heightened by a unique semi-hollow body and jaw-popping vocal range which

makes it a prized trophy among animusicologists.

When domesticated, Starcaster exhibits the most deceptive, chameleon-like vocal qualities.

It not only bellows forth it’s own unique call but may emit musical tones associated with

members of the species Guitar Electrical as well.

A prolific mate, Starcaster couples boisterously in proximity to the Super Reverb and others

of the family Amplifier Fender. Its excited cries when so engaged have been recorded voluminously.

[NeoConMan]

Here's one offered for sale at $5,995, now marked as sold. Think it fetched that much?

 

[FoonkySteve]

Steve' date='

I coulda swore there was another attempt at this here just last year.

An online petiton going for the re-issue of the original 70s Fender Starcaster semi-hollow....

 

Good luck with your crusade - hope you prove me wrong and it turns out a winner.

 

 

Thanks NeoConMan:)

 

I posted on a starcaster related thread here early february, with a view to drum up some support for the petition. The thread eventualy fizzled to an end, and since then, i have gained more exposure in the media, and on various other forums, so i thought the petition deserved a thread of its own over here.

 

You may be surprised that this Gibson lounge has been equally as enthusiastic as the forumites over at the fender lounge. ;)

 

As for the guitar above, it wouldn't surprise me if it did go for around the $5000+ price. The prices are rediculous just now. Thats my whole point regarding the reissue, i wouldnt be happy spending that kind of money on a 35 year old guitar, that you cant try before buying, which could have all kinds of problems, and with no current line, replacement parts would be very rare.

 

I think a reissue would be a bit cheaper than an original even a USA model, say...... $2500???

[NeoConMan]

Yeah, I can appreciate your enthusiasm.

Hell, I might consider going close to $2k for a new one - if it was badass and Made In USA.

 

The market just seems to be the problem.

 

If Fender spent a bunch of money on a splashy campaign to get the word out, and kept them sorta

rare by limiting initial production, I could see an initial sales rush by folks like you and me.

 

After that, it would have survive on its own in the marketplace - that means attracting new buyers.

And any new buyers would be looking at EVERY brand in a wide range of prices.

 

As long as we're talking bolt-on neck, here's the one I think would pose the biggest threat.

Can't beat Taylor build quality, especially for the price.

 

[deepblue]

Starcaster DB - not Stratocaster.

 

Whole 'nuther animal.

 

Wow!...I was asleep at the switch. Sorry guys......nevermind.

[FoonkySteve]

Now THAT is a nice Taylor!!!!!!

 

You're right, every brand would be considered.

 

The thing with the Starcaster is it is a unique guitar on so many different levels. I read a lot of posts that say, 'if your going to spend that kind of money just get a 335.' or 'the starcaster is just a **** 335'. By no means would i ever compare the two or bash the 335 for that matter. Personally, i have played a 335 and it was amazing!!!! I absolutely love 335's.

 

The ONLY similarities the Starcaster has with the 335 is they are both semi-hollow, and both have two humbuckers. That is where the similarities end. They are two completely different animals.

 

The starcaster features, 1. Semi-Hollow, 2. Bolt-on Neck. 3. 6 a side Headstock. 4. Side input. 5. 6 saddle 'strat type' bridge. 6. Off-set body shape. 7. Maple fretboard (thats the winner for me) 8. Master volume control.

 

The Martin, would probably kick the Starcasters *** in terms of bolt on neck guitars. but the Starcaster is not in direct competition, with 335s, the Martin, thinline tele, etc etc......

 

It is a true original. And God knows i love it!!!!!!

[NeoConMan]

2. Bolt-on Neck.

That alone limits the price.

People are only gonna pay so much money for a bolt-on neck, no matter what else it has going for it.

 

Means Fender has to keep the price down, or it's dead on arrival.

And we ALL know what cost-cutting looks like from the Norlin/CBS years, eh?

 

Hey, it could happen.

And Fender could damned sure do it if anybody can.

 

Ya know they bought Hamer, right?

And there's some damned nice Hamer semi-hollows being made in Connecticut....

[FoonkySteve]

NeoConMan, thanks a bunch for taking the time to talk, and thanks even more so for the point to Hamer. Ive just been on thier site, and your right, they have some crackin semi hollows! Im off to peruse some more!

 

Thanks again:D

[MojoRedFoot]

Ya know they bought Hamer' date=' right?

And there's some damned nice Hamer semi-hollows being made in Connecticut....

[/quote']

When did that happen???

[NeoConMan]

Coupla years I guess.

 

I just found out recently, talking to a guy at Fender here in Scottsdale.

 

Kaman (Ovation) owned Hamer, Fender bought the whole thing.

[MojoRedFoot]

I guess I have 6 Fenders now