Tom Delonge Signature Starcaster

[sugarandopium]

Never heard this guys name until this thread.

It wouldn’t be too bad if it had a neck pickup and a sub 2k price point.

I love the starcaster headstock as much as everyone else but kinda like the regular headstock on the semihollow body, it looks clean.

The TOM I don’t even mind so much, you can throw a bigsby and roller bridge on it.

[smalahove]

i've got a friend who's a blink 182 mega fan but my understanding is he started off with a lot of the ramonescore punk bands (the queers, screeching weasel) which inspired him to start his own punk band and in the early days of blink, they played a few shows with some of the other san diego punk bands at the time (drive like jehu being the big one) and apparently one of the dudes from jehu got him to look into bands like fugazi. apparently tom is a big fan of Walter Schreifels and all of his projects.

p.s. ya'll dunno what blink superfans are like. they're willing to spend $1200 to see tom in blink.

Can’t deny I bought tickets (though I sure as hell didn’t and wouldn’t spend €1200; holy shit).

Also:

I like the looks of those, I have to admit. However, given Fender's relatively aggressive pricing on MiM Fender sig models, it's going to be a hard sell, given the idiosyncrasy of the guitar, being a single hum on a semi-acoustic. But then again, maybe I'm underestimating the # of Blink182 fans willing to buy this at a $1500+ price tag or the possibility of a Squier version. They did after all make the Musuar sig model, which required a lot of custom made tooling aso. for what was a very small run.

[Sanguine]

That open humbucker together with regular headstock scream Squier Affinity line.

[Stephen_42]

As it hasn't been mentioned yet, can we take a minute to appreciate how bad the Blink-182 logo inlays are? It's made even worse by the fact that they revert to standard dots (presumably for size reasons) after 12th fret.

The best signature models are the ones that don't scream "I'm _____'s guitar". I think the mark of a good signature guitar is one that you'd be happy to play even if you disliked the artist in question.

[Jonesie]

Figured everyone would hate these here.

Yes, it's not a traditional Starcaster. Yes, it's likely an overwound pickup. Yes, it'll probably be an overpriced signature model.

Does it work for what he uses it for? Yes. Will buying the signature model make fans of the band happy? Yes.

I don't know if anyone has seen with the TD signature Strats / Epiphones / Gibsons go for, but it's fucking silly these days, so this'll likely be a deal in comparison.

This is just the definition of gatekeeping. Let people enjoy the shit that they enjoy.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I'm not a huge fan but I've listened to the Blink182 and AvA stuff over the years and you can't deny Tom is a very talented songwriter. I'm not crazy about his vocal style, but man can that guy write vocal and guitar melodies and hooks.

I'm just surprised at how many signature guitars some of these punk/pop punk artists have. Tom's in particular seem to be a variation on a theme: single pickup bridge humbucker.

[manwithtitties]

not surprised by the stickers and simple wiring scheme, its just lame that he took off the one unique thing about these guitars imo

[Embenny]

I mean, it's clearly not for me, but it'll make somebody happy which is nice.

I'm just happy to hear that Blink 182 is back together. Not because I want to listen to them, but because I heard Mark Hoppus had cancer a little while ago. If the band is getting back together, he must be doing well. That's great.

[fever606]

As it hasn't been mentioned yet, can we take a minute to appreciate how bad the Blink-182 logo inlays are? It's made even worse by the fact that they revert to standard dots (presumably for size reasons) after 12th fret.

I kept thinking they were stickers as well...

[scole]

Mark’s doing well and was cancer free in his last follow up. Apparently next week pre-orders open up for a Mark Hoppus Fender Bass in Daphne Blue. There are some preview photos on Mark’s business brand IG page (himynameismark).

I’ve come to really appreciate Tom’s work during the last few years, and particularly with his Angels & Airwaves project. I never have it a fair shake back in the day and now have to admit that Tom has an amazing gift with writing books and catchy choruses.

As for this specific artist model, it doesn’t really interest me this time around but I will say that Blink fans who are musicians are going nuts over it. I do prefer his strat signature model but apparently his back issues had him go into this direction with semi-hollow guitars.

[Dr Tony Balls]

As it hasn't been mentioned yet, can we take a minute to appreciate how bad the Blink-182 logo inlays are?

This is maybe the *only* thing that really makes this guitar gross for me. I like the normal Fender headstock on it...looks kinda Coronado-caster. The humbucker looks awful but it's just a humbucker-sized hole that one could fill with something good. And the one knob is awful, but also that could be changed.

[Steadyriot.]

Not feeling the inlays either, but I like the colors!

[Britfingersisback]

Out of this world!, as Tom himself would say!

[s_mcsleazy]

I'm not crazy about his vocal style, but man can that guy write vocal and guitar melodies and hooks.

i feel the fact this verse has been memed to death consistently over a 15+ year period (even by himself) shows how good a hook it is.
my favorite version of the meme
i've been told this one violates the Geneva convention

[seenoevil II]

So, to expand the scope a little. This guitar's existence implies that Fender is either importing or making Starcaster bodies to the US.

This is the revised body profile from China. You can tell not only by the ToM bridge routing, but by the f-holes and the cutaway contours. On vintage ones, the lower horn ends a little below the end of the neck, where on the new ones it's much higher.

This, IMHO, is a bummer as there has been no retooling to produce the OG design- even in the custom shop. What are the odds this is an off the rack Squier body?

Maybe maybe, fender shipped some more premium veneer stock for these. But honestly, it's probably a bog standard Squier with extra clean up in a nitro finish.

I doubt fender lost the OG molds, but they probably don't have any veneer laminating presses these days.