Probe Extraterrestrial Tone with Tom DeLonge’s Starcaster
Blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves front man Tom DeLonge is an unconventional player, a point exemplified when he defied contemporary wisdom (and his past) by strutting onstage with Fender’s semi-hollowbody Starcaster. Players can now tread a similar path with the Tom DeLonge Starcaster semi-hollowbody electric. A thin, lightweight laminate maple construction makes this the ideal semi-hollowbody for contemporary rock and a welcoming choice for solidbody players who are eager to explore new sonic ground. A roasted maple neck provides quintessential Fender playability and comfort, while a medium-output ceramic humbucker from Seymour Duncan USA makes for seamless transitions between cleans and crunch tones. Fire up those tractor beams and get ready to reel in Fender’s latest signature invader: the Tom DeLonge Starcaster semi-hollowbody electric guitar.
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Lightweight laminate maple provides vibrant tone
The Tom DeLonge Starcaster semi-hollowbody electric guitar is made up almost entirely of laminate maple. This time-tested tonewood gives semi-hollowbody guitars like the Tom DeLonge Starcaster smooth tone, balanced sustain, and a mellow attack that’s well-suited to power chords and prolonged open-chord strums. These characteristics help the Tom DeLonge Starcaster quickly slot into dense mixes with other instruments, which is why DeLonge favors Starcasters when channeling Angels & Airwaves’ uplifting bombast as well as Blink-182’s mellower numbers.
High-performance hardware and comfortable support
With its bolt-on neck and Modern “C” profile, the Tom DeLonge Starcaster rivals the playability and comfort of any solidbody electric guitar you’ve ever owned! The neck’s roasted maple material lightens the wood and virtually eliminates neck dive. Moreover, roasted maple is incredibly stable and less susceptible to warps or shifts caused by humidity, heat, and other climate factors. The neck is topped with a rosewood fingerboard and paired with premium hardware that supports each string. Locking tuners and adjustable saddles make short work of string changes while allowing for spot-on intonation that’s sure to wow audiences.
No-fuss electronics by Seymour Duncan
Tone tweakers, beware! This guitar’s single-pickup configuration challenges you to do more with less, just like Tom DeLonge has done for decades! The onboard Duncan Custom SH-5 humbucker is carefully voiced for sparkling cleans and robust crunch tones. The SH-5 takes inspiration from vintage PAF architecture and then supercharges that foundation with a hot ceramic magnet that quickly achieves overdrive. The lows are tight, the midrange is heightened for crunchy punch, and the highs are kept airy with an elevated tone that rises above thick distortion. Each SH-5 humbucker is handbuilt in Santa Barbara, California, and features vacuum-wax-potted internals to prevent feedback and hum. A single speed knob provides fuss-free range and usable tones in a jiffy. And while this control scheme is simplified, Fender sweetens its performance with a treble bleed circuit that eliminates high-frequency loss at lower levels. Sweetwater guitarists found the treble bleed extends the dynamic range and usable sweep of this lone pickup configuration without complicating surface controls whatsoever.
Fender Tom DeLonge Starcaster Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Features:
- Semi-hollowbody electric guitar, complete with Tom DeLonge’s signature Starcaster specs
- Gloss-finished laminate maple body that supplies smooth attack and mix-ready tone
- Bolt-on Modern “C” roasted maple neck that performs like maple but with enhanced long-term stability and strong resistance to neck dive
- Inviting rosewood fingerboard with a 12-inch radius and standard 25.5-inch scale length
- Lone Seymour Duncan SH-5 Duncan Custom bridge humbucker that facilitates thick, warm cleans and snappy crunch tones
- Single master volume speed knob, plus a treble-bleed circuit to preserve tone at lower levels
- Signature Tom DeLonge aesthetics, including a bug-eyed invader stamped on the back of the headstock
- Deluxe locking Fender tuning machines with a staggered setup for optimal string breaks
- Chrome bridge with adjustable saddles that fuels accurate intonation hardware
