ARTIST SIGNATURE SPECS: TOM DELONGE STARCASTER

As co-founder of the legendary punk icons Blink-182, songwriter and guitarist Tom DeLonge has been providing subversive thrills and timeless singalongs since the band’s incendiary first release, 1995's Cheshire Cat. With a highly caffeinated roar and a sense of humor to match, they were descendants of the Descendants and other Cali-punk heroes like the Minutemen. Even as DeLonge and his merry crew became runaway mainstream hitmakers on huge selling LPs like 1999's Enema of the State and 2001's Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, their underdog ethos never wavered and DeLonge's voice and guitar consistently brought listeners to stratospheric heights.

While one of DeLonge’s off-stage preoccupations includes studying U.F.O.s and the infinite possibilities the universe holds, his approach to playing is surprisingly down-to-earth. So when Fender partnered with him to create a signature model, DeLonge was drawn to the Starcaster for its celestial name, but also because it fit the bill for his efficient and powerfully effective style. Let’s check out the specs of this incredible guitar and all of the artist-chosen details that make it as unique as DeLonge himself.

BODY:

Long a fan of hollow-body guitars, DeLonge’s Starcaster features a center block semi-hollow body design that enhances attack and articulation, while the open-air cavities in the body’s f hole “wings” increase resonance and depth. Constructed from laminated maple and finished in a selection of satin urethane finishes including Shoreline Gold, Surf Green, Olympic White and Shell Pink, these offbeat offsets are loaded with otherworldly style.

NECK:

The gloss finished roasted maple neck features a modern “C” shape that is supremely comfortable, as well as a 12” radius slab rosewood fingerboard with medium jumbo frets for superior playability.

ELECTRONICS:

Achieve the pure pop punk of DeLonge’s turbo-charged sound courtesy of the Seymour Duncan® SH-5 Duncan Custom™ medium output humbucking pickup. Hand-built in California, the SH-5 allows for tight lows, a bump in the upper midrange for added character and crunch, plus an airy high end that cuts through heavy distortion but can also achieve crystal-clear tones. This Starcaster also comes equipped with a lone master volume control combined with a treble bleed circuit that preserves the guitar’s natural high-end, honoring Tom’s commitment to maximum versatility with minimal fuss.

HARDWARE:

Depending on the finish, the Tom DeLonge Starcaster comes with either black or chrome hardware, including Fender locking tuners and a fully adjustable bridge with stop tailpiece for classic looks, superior setup adjustment and rock-solid tuning stability. The locking tuning machines also make changing strings on the fly a breeze.

OTHER FEATURES:

This refreshing update of the original Starcaster from the 70s includes a late 60s-style large headstock and a custom-crafted neck plate, both of which feature original artwork created especially by Tom DeLonge for this model.

Learn more about the Tom DeLonge Signature Starcaster (and get one for yourself) here.