The Blink-182 guitarists signature is a semi-hollow guitar that features a streamlined control setup, modern "C" neck, and Fender locking tuners for tuning stability.
Initially released in the ‘70s to offer versatile sounds for players, DeLonge was drawn to the Starcaster only recently, with him first using it on stage in 2022. Its infamy was quick and fast, with die-hard fans of this punk icon rushing to modify their own Squier Starcaster guitars at home into makeshift replicas of the instrument, unable to wait until this official signature release.
“I love this guitar, I really do. It’s the coolest guitar ever made. Firstly, it is called a Starcaster—that’s the most important thing. It goes to space and expands your mind,” exclaimed DeLonge. “I made some changes to the original Starcaster; I’ve streamlined the electronics, added the 70s headstock to round out the weight, and chose the matte finish with black hardware, so its look matches its modern feel. This guitar shows my evolution as a player but also has the hallmarks of where I came from and what I'm about.”
Fender first worked with DeLonge in 2002 on the release of the Tom DeLonge Stratocaster guitar. This guitar embodied the spirit of Tom’s playing in the early 2000s with streamlined features and bright colourways, and due to the fanfare around the Blink-182 2022 reunion, was re-released to unprecedented demand. Today's release, however, honors DeLonge's guitar evolutions as a player, from skate punk to space rock, back to skate punk and to accomplished musician and idol.
“We are happy to unveil the Tom DeLonge Starcaster, our latest collaboration with this music icon we consider family. This guitar is a testament to Tom's distinctive style and the third act in his instrument lineage, from the Strat to bigger semi-hollows and back to Fender with a unique semi-hollow that’s just for him. Fender is proud to continue our legacy of honouring legendary artists through instruments that inspire players worldwide,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at FMIC.
The Tom Delonge Starcaster features an offset semi-hollow body and boasts a Seymour Duncan SH-5 Duncan Custom humbucker for a turbo-charged tone, with a simplified control setup consisting of a single master volume combined with a treble bleed circuit preserves the guitar's natural high-end, ensuring sparkly cleans and chime-y edge-of-breakup tones. The comfy modern "C" neck features medium jumbo frets on a 12"-radius rosewood fingerboard for a contemporary feel with superior playability. Other highlights include Fender locking tuners for rock-solid tuning stability, a fully adjustable bridge with a stop tailpiece for classic looks, superior setup adjustment, and enhanced tuning stability. DeLonge's original signature artwork and a custom-crafted neck plate are featured on the back of the headstock. This guitar is offered in Satin Shoreline Gold, Satin Surf Green Satin Olympic White and Satin Shell Pink.
Price: $1,199.99.
For more information, please visit fender.com.
Exploring the Tom DeLonge Starcaster | Artist Signature Series | Fender
Dedicated educators across the U.S. are bringing mariachi to young musicians, and creating an exciting future for music.
Once again, my travels have put you, the reader, in my thoughts, and my recent trip to Texas inspired me to share more about a sound that has been a big part of my life—one that many musicians and guitarists appreciate for its musical stylings. I’m speaking of one of the more popular ensembles of Mexico, mariachi!
I could write an article on each of the instruments used in a mariachi ensemble, but for now, I want to briefly mention them before focusing more on the impact of this music, with a look at some of the amazing educators bringing it to young musicians.
Although a mariachi ensemble (not a mariachi “band”—you wouldn’t say orchestra “band”) can have variations of the instruments used to make up the grouping, the following configuration is most common. In the armonía or rhythm section, you will have any or all of the following: a nylon-string guitar, Mexican vihuela, guitarra de golpe, guitarrón, and Jalisciense harp. The melodies are played by a violin section, and a trumpet plays countermelodies. I’ll circle back on the armonía instruments in later articles, but right now, I want to talk about music education.
I have the privilege and honor of working alongside some of the most devoted teachers around the United States: music educators. Whether for band, orchestra, choir, or mariachi, these are the people who are bonding with our children, staying late for rehearsals, and going to competitions or performances through weekends and summers. Their long hours and dedication are truly unmatched—one could argue sports coaches do the same, but unlike most sports, music has no season. It continues all year long.
“Their long hours and dedication are truly unmatched … Music has no season. It continues all year long.”
I could highlight dozens of educators who have helped mariachi grow in schools, from Richard Carranza, former chancellor of New York City Schools; to Albuquerque Public Schools’ fine arts director Gina Rasinski; to Katie Dudley, who is growing a program on a shoestring budget in Waukegan, Illinois’ public schools. But in Fort Worth, Texas, there are two leaders who are infectious in their ability to impact students from middle school to post-secondary: Ramon Niño and Wendy Martinez.
Often having had to fight battles to succeed, Niño and Martinez managed to find great support from their high school’s principal and the school’s director of fine arts. Niño and Martinez’s ensemble, Mariachi Espuelas de Plata, has performed across the country, from Carnegie Hall to Nashville to Hershey, Pennsylvania, as well as with top professional mariachi ensembles. Last year, legendary jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval joined them on stage for a performance in San Antonio. I’ve been proud to help them introduce new programs at universities like Texas Christian University and Texas Wesleyan University’s Mariachi Oro Azul, through my budget-friendly La Tradición string-instrument line. To see the eager response of college students, many of whom have never played in a mariachi, is truly amazing.
I asked Ricardo E. Rodriguez, dean of Texas Wesleyan’s School of Arts and Sciences, for his thoughts on their mariachi program. “The presence of Ramon Niño and Wendy Martinez has not only provided a basic music foundation for the Mariachi Oro Azul, but they have established a culture of family and inclusiveness as well as the recognition that music crosses all boundaries,” Rodriguez says.
While we have seen hints of mariachi in popular music in the past with songs like Blondie’s “The Tide Is High” and its mariachi trumpet stylings, the wave is larger and stronger than ever now. More and more, I’m noticing that labels are signing Black and Latino artists to genres like country music, a genre where their presences on main stages have been relatively rare. I get calls from artists looking for mariachi musicians to play on their tracks, and hybrid versions of mariachi are popping up on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry with acts like Stephanie Urbina Jones & the Honky Tonk Mariachi. I see these as the knock-on effects of the programs and teachers that have helped introduce mariachi into learning spaces.
The roots and influences that help shape music’s future start at home and in the classroom. Opening students up to forms of music from other cultures helps enrich not just their lives, but ours, too. Thank god for our music teachers, and those who support them.
Precision machined from solid brass, these saddles offer enhanced density and tonal qualities, delivering a sharper attack, extended sustain, and a warmer tone compared to stock thin pressed-steel or zinc block-style saddles.
Moreover, the roller mechanisms significantly minimize friction and binding, allowing the strings to effortlessly glide over the saddle surface. Not only does this advancement ensure a more precise string return during bends, but it also effectively minimizes the occurrence of string breakage on tremolo-equipped instruments.
The String Surfer kits come with brass roller saddles, height adjustment set screws, intonation screws, and intonation springs. Available now at AxLabsHardware.com and other online outlets!
Street price: $96 - $103
For more information, please visit axlabshardware.com.