Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge confirms release date for his new signature Fender Starcaster – and you could win one for free
It's official, after a quick tease and a flash of a Shell Pink finish, DeLonge's Seymour Duncan-loaded Starcaster drops on 16 April – and Fender is giving one away
Fender is officially about to expand its Tom DeLonge signature guitar range with a Shell Pink Starcaster that drops on Tuesday 16 April – and the Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist took to his Instagram account to give us a sneak preview, and offer fans the chance to win one for free.
That’s right, you can win it for free, zilch, because Fender are giving one away. Simply head over to Fender, sign up for news alerts, and your name will be in the draw.
As for the details of what you could win, well, we can speculate a little. Delonge teased the new Starcaster just the other day, so it is no surprise to see the semi-hollow in Shell Pink. As per DeLonge’s preferences, his new six-string will be a single pickup affair, with a Seymour Duncan humbucker at the bridge position.
The newly reissued DeLonge Stratocaster – available in Daphne Blue, Surf Green, Black and Graffiti Yellow, all with pearloid pickguards – has a solitary Seymour Duncan Invader. His signature lines ES line with Gibson/Epiphone have had Gibson US-made Dirty Fingers humbuckers at the bridge.
So it’s no surprise that this Starcaster will follow suit. That’s just how he likes his signature instruments.
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The Starcaster is one of Fender’s more oddball designs, but that semi-hollow build with the offset waist makes for an ergonomic ride. DeLonge’s new Starcaster will have black hardware, with a tune-o-matic style bridge, and what looks like a pau ferro fingerboard – but it could be rosewood.
The word around the campfire is that it could be Indonesian made. It will be 100 per cent designed for fast tempo power chords at high volume, and like his signature Stratocasters, it has his own artwork on the custom neck plate.
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But without the graphics of his own extensive collection of custom-built Starcasters, this is the sort of electric guitar that anyone could play. Shell Pink with black trim not your colour? Well, Fender says entrants to the competition will be able to choose one in the colour of their choice. So expect at least one finish option, or perhaps four like the Strats.
For more details, and to put your name into the draw, head over to Fender.
Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.