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
“After playing the Silver Sky designed for the 2023 Dead & Company summer tour, I realized the guitar was special. It quickly became apparent this wasn’t just a tool for one particular job but could be extremely versatile in other players’ hands. I’m excited to hear the music that’s made on these guitars,” said John Mayer.
The foundation of the “Dead Spec” Silver Sky is a lightweight Swamp Ash body (rather than alder) finished in Moc Sand satin nitro that is thin and strikingly sinks into the ash wood grain. The bridge is a modified PRS patented Gen III Tremolo that has been screwed to the body, effectively rendering it a string-through hardtail bridge. Keeping the tremolo’s brass block in the equation adds a musical warmth to guitar. At the other end of the strings are a brass nut and string retainer bar, which also contribute to the guitar’s resonance and tone.
Notably, the Dead Spec Silver Sky’s jack plate has been swapped out for a brass-plate Alembic Blaster preamp. This preamp can be used as a straight boost but has an internal pot that allows players to add between 3 - 14 dB of gain to the guitar when turned on. This not only gives the Dead Spec Silver Sky added punch while maintaining definitive note separation, but it compensates for the capacitance that comes with long stage cables as well. The circuit is bypassed when in the off position.
“When I heard John wanted the tone of Garcia’s old guitar for this tour, I called him and said, ‘I think I can have a prototype to you in five days.’ It was that quick and painless of a conversation. So, we made this non-tremolo guitar with a lot of brass, which gave the guitar beautiful warm midrange, and the Alembic Blaster switch that cleared everything up and gave the guitar some courage. The first time I played it, I was smiling – I really like it,” said Paul Reed Smith. “The other thing I love about this guitar is that the finish sinks into the wood. It’s part of the guitar, so the guitar feels alive in your hands. That’s really cool.”
Paul Reed Smith Explains the "Dead Spec" Silver Sky | PRS Guitars
PRS Silver Sky "Dead Spec" Limited Electric Guitar
For more information, prsguitars.com. Only 1,000 “Dead Spec” Silver Sky Limited Edition instruments will be sold worldwide.
Loomis’ relationship with the Jackson brand has spanned over two decades and reached an exciting milestone in 2020 with the release of his signature Kelly and followed up two years later by the release of a robust signature seven-string Soloist.
“It’s a seriously metal-looking guitar,” said Jeff Loomis. “My favorite feature is the heel mount truss rod wheel. As a touring musician, it’s perfect if I need to adjust the neck on the fly. The playability is truly superior and the single volume and pickup toggle switches make it simple yet effective. I’ve played Jackson’s from an early age so working with them again to create this signature model has been incredibly fulfilling. I just really love how this guitar turned out and I know fans will too.”
The through-body, graphite-reinforced neck with 12”-16” compound radius bound ebony fingerboard makes for a light and agile playing experience. The Seymour Duncan Jeff Loomis Signature Blackouts pickups give this metal monolith its roar of clear and articulate tones, even when under the heaviest distortion. A Hipshot HardTail Bridge will handle the rigors and ravages of the road, while a heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel makes for quick and painless neck relief tweaks. Luminlay side dots on the neck allow for playing on the darkest of metal stages and the black sandblasted ash top finish with white binding gives the Loomis Signature Kelly a distressed and menacing look.
Jeff Loomis Unleashes His Signature Kelly HT | Jackson Guitars
“The Jackson team has delivered a guitar that perfectly encapsulates Jeff's identity as a musician: the intersection of technical mastery and raw power," said Jon Romanowski, Vice President of Product at Jackson. "Following the success of the last two Jeff Loomis signature models, it was clear that fans would be ecstatic to see his unique take on the Kelly model that embodies his preferences and specifications that set an industry standard.”
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.
