The Fender Starcaster (1976-80)

[Mik]

About a month ago, on another forum, a guy showed pictures of an Antigua Starcaster he picked up from Craigslist. That could be a real shock to some of the naysayers who think the Starcaster is ugly - sorry, just jabbing, always happy to agree to disagree

No shock, just another log for the bonfire!

Mik

 

[getbent]

The total number of original Starcasters currently for sale on Ebay is : zero
The total number of original Starcasters currently for sale on Gbase is : zero



Good thing I got one in time...

Well it was a cold winter in many places last year... that may have done them in! Just kidding!

 

[tiktok]

About a month ago, on another forum, a guy showed pictures of an Antigua Starcaster he picked up from Craigslist. That could be a real shock to some of the naysayers who think the Starcaster is ugly - sorry, just jabbing, always happy to agree to disagree

You're suggesting that the way to pretty up a Starcaster is to have it in...Antigua? I must ask--did Fender *ever* make an ugly guitar in your opinion?

 

[do not be afraid]

You're suggesting that the way to pretty up a Starcaster is to have it in...Antigua? I must ask--did Fender *ever* make an ugly guitar in your opinion?

believe it or not, but i do believe he's correct. antigua looks like crap on everything, but makes fender's big hollowbodies look incredible, as unlikely as that might sound! for proof, look at this clip of charlie pride and his. i'd love to get a coranado someday, particularly in antigua. to each his own, though, i suppose

the starcaster, though, doesn't appeal to me one bit. the sounds i've heard out of them just seem really generic and bland.

 

[undafonk]

You're suggesting that the way to pretty up a Starcaster is to have it in...Antigua? I must ask--did Fender *ever* make an ugly guitar in your opinion?

Not suggesting anything, just poking a little fun - Antigua doesn't get much love generally ... And yes, IMHO Fender did make some ugly guitars - but that's beside the point ...

the starcaster, though, doesn't appeal to me one bit. the sounds i've heard out of them just seem really generic and bland.

Again, IMHO, the strongest quality of the Starcaster lies in the pickups, the Wide Range HumBucker, a brilliant (and indeed bright sounding) design by Seth Lover. It soumds very good on the Telecaster Custom and Deluxe, but even better on the Starcaster. Like I said, it's the only electric I play besides Tele's ...

 

[hegn]

Absolutely Undafonk, I'm with you!
The statement the the sound of a Starcaster is "generic and bland" must come from someone, who hasn't plyed one himself?! For me the point is exactly that the Starcaster does not sound generic and bland, but to my ears most Gibson 335/345/355s do...!

I'll try to record a short sample of the sound of my Starcaster and post a link to it, so everyone can judge for themselves if a produces a "bland and generic" sound...!

 

[do not be afraid]

Absolutely Undafonk, I'm with you!
The statement the the sound of a Starcaster is "generic and bland" must come from someone, who hasn't plyed one himself?! For me the point is exactly that the Starcaster does not sound generic and bland, but to my ears most Gibson 335/345/355s do...!

I'll try to record a short sample of the sound of my Starcaster and post a link to it, so everyone can judge for themselves if a produces a "bland and generic" sound...!

perhaps it was a bit harsh, as nearly every guitar has a "unique" tone.

however, everytime i've heard anyone play a starcaster, or any guitar with wide range humbuckers, vintage, modern, or modified, their tone always bores me, regardless of how great they sound on other guitars, or what other gear they have in the signal chain.

i will admit to not having played one in person, because there are none near me to play (that i know of!), and perhaps if i do it will change my mind, but, for now, i'm thinking not.

i would love to hear your sound clips, though, especially if they do prove me wrong!

 

[popthree]

last night on MTV Music Awards, the Killers performed. Their guitarist was playing a tobacco burst Starcaster. It looked pretty good to me.

 

[eire122]

I saw that, looked pretty cool and sounded nice. Also did you see Billy Gibbon's Tele with Buck Owens image on it? Cudo's to Jack White for getting Lou Reed, Billy and whoever that other dude was to play with them.

 

[hegn]

A Quick recording of my Starcaster...

i would love to hear your sound clips, though, especially if they do prove me wrong!

I finally got around to recording a small sample using my Starcaster; I just recorded a chorus on the neck pickup into my looper pedal and then jammed 3-4 verses on top while recording it straight into my Mac with a touch of reverb added for good measure...
The first chorus is done on the neck pickup clean, the second is the neck pickup with an overdrive kicked in (a Vox ValveTone) and a delay, the 3rd and 4th is the front pickup (with overdrive and delay)...
It's just a quick recording with lots of mistakes, but hopefully it shows that the Starcaster is capable of some good sounds...

(link removed)

 

[getbent]

Somebody has listened to Larry Carlton... sounds like the tones on Rm 335...

The best thing about this thread is that it has a great name for a band

Generic & Bland! That should get some chicks!

 

[hegn]

Somebody has listened to Larry Carlton... sounds like the tones on Rm 335...

I take that as a compliment...as far as I can remember Larry Carlton sounded quite good when I heard him last (Which I think was about 1983... )

 

[sunkidd]

That was really sweet! I Love the StarCaster.... If anyone has one of those Bland piece of crap guitars that sound so generic for sale.... email me with a fair price please!

 

[hegn]

Wow, they really ARE expensive now, Chicago Music Exchange has two for sale for...a sunburst for $4,295 and a white one (beautiful!) for $4,595
http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/store_detail.cfm?&startrow=111

 

[undafonk]

Hey hegn, cool recording, that 'Generic & Bland' tune ...

Truth be told, I bet hegn would make a real generic and bland guitar still sound good - he is a very accomplished musician.

What really stands out to me is that the Starcaster's neck humbucker is capable of a fuzzy, but at the same time clear, almost compressed sound, all by itself, without any help from effects. That's were it really excels over the Gibson semi-acoustics, at least in my opinion ...

 

[hegn]

Thanx for your kind words Undafonk! And your description is very perceptive: the way the pickups of a Starcaster can sound almost compressed is quite unique in comparion to say a 335..! My measurement for a good guitar sound is always to listen to the guitar completely clean with no effects, if it has character and soul it will be apparent, but many instruments will indeed sound "bland and generic" (oops, here we go again.. when they are played completely clean.
I find that Fenders in general has that quality of character and soul soundwise much more often then eg. Gibsons, though there are exceptions to that rule: I've got a couple of old (70-71) Gibson Les Paul DeLuxes that oozes character when played completely clean...!

 

[teleman65]

I kinda like the original Starcaster with the Wide Range 'buckers. The new one is a complete abomination.

 

[do not be afraid]

I finally got around to recording a small sample using my Starcaster; I just recorded a chorus on the neck pickup into my looper pedal and then jammed 3-4 verses on top while recording it straight into my Mac with a touch of reverb added for good measure...
The first chorus is done on the neck pickup clean, the second is the neck pickup with an overdrive kicked in (a Vox ValveTone) and a delay, the 3rd and 4th is the front pickup (with overdrive and delay)...
It's just a quick recording with lots of mistakes, but hopefully it shows that the Starcaster is capable of some good sounds...

(link removed)

sorry, but, to me, your tone there is bland, and doesn't appeal to me at all. i guess i'll just have to keep on not liking the starcaster! oh well.

 

[Roli]

Hey, it's the DI tone of an electric, so what do we want? But hegn's playing is pretty good IMHO.

To me, electric guitar+amp together is an instrument.

 

[sra2467]

...top of the Fender line in those years at a retail price of $ 999.- in '76, an increase to $ 1,099.- somewhat later.

I'm guessing a 335 would have been a better buy than that in '76.

I vote for ugly - I never cared for Gibson bolt-ons trying to grab some of Fender's market, and I don't care for Fender's attemps at trying to grab some of Gibson's market.