Fender Starcaster

This isn't a review so much as a point of clarity I noticed in some earlier posts. The Starcaster is not rare in the sense that there were so few made (like original V's, the mythical original Moderne etc..) However, they are rare in the sense that they were only produced for 4 years (1976 to 1980) I don't have the production numbers sitting right here in front of me, but it seems like a pretty fair number of them were made in that time span. The reason that you don't see them very often is simply that they are really good guitars. It really just boils down to the fact that not that many people want to part with them. Interestingly, I have read in a couple of different books that many people thought the Starcaster was ugly. I certainly don't see that. I think the headstock is kind of wack, but otherwise, its probably second only to the Strat as far as pure looks go for me....

I sold my 1976 Starcaster in natural finish last week To Hillguitar and $$teana$$ through Ebay.com. They bid it for $1525. Today 7/26/2004 they are reselling it and the bid is up to $1858 so far last time I looked. I'll miss this Starcaster but the outsourcing of jobs and age discrimination have made it very difficult to find work.

I saw a black Fender Starcaster on the internet at some vintage guitar site but they did not post the price so I assume it must be very expensive. This guitar was really nice looking.I would buy it if the job market had improved for me.

Yeh the sounds that I will not here anymore after giving it up!

This guitar was a used vintage with some lacquer problems other wise it was preetyy great.

This guitar is ready to rock and who ever winds up with the winning bib on Ebay will think it is Christmas morning.

I hadn't had to deal with 5them so far so I don't know.

I already posted my collection now minus one Starcaster and who knows what else.

I will say that my 1986 Fender Stratocaster 62 Vintage Reissue is rarer then I first thought as it was built for the 1987 Namm show at the Fender Custom Shop before 1987 when they made the shop official!I bought a three tone Sunburst also a few months after I had bought the fiesta red. I had ordered the first Stratocaster in Fiesta Red in June of 1986 but for 7 months there was no delivery. So I went to complian as it was a Christmas present for 1986 to myself! Finally after the saleman argued with Fender over the phone they offered the spare Feista Red 62 Vintage Reissue from the NAMM Show in January 1987. They told the salemen it had some paint flaws and that it was not going to get the low numbers for the first custom models as they were reserved for some other people like Bill Shultz who got the more perfect Feista Red Stratocaster 62 Vintage Reissue and the serial# V000001. They gave me V022789. Probably mine was the first made but it had paint flaws so they gave MR Shultz the first # and the distinction of having the first made. All I know is mine was made for the NAMM Show and it was not supposed to be sold to the general public but Fender had no more paint mixed in Fiesta Red. Beside this paint looks more orange tham red if you ask me more like Tangerine Red ect. I am pretty sure the neck was stamped 1985 so I ll' have to go look for signatures or initials under the pick guard. I bet this Stratocaster still new as the both of these I own from the Custom Shop in Corona are some of the first ever made after Fender executives bought the company back from CBS in March 1985. If anybody can estimate this still new rare Stratocasters worth please email me at Iselin007@aol.com Who knows I sell a few more Guitars I might be able to get another Starcaster!

My Starcaster is from 1976, serial 563562, and is finished in Vintage White (cream). The neck is stamped with "Herb G" which apparently means it was crafted by Herb Gastelum - with Fender since 1961.

Produced from 1976 to 1980 (1982 according to some), the Starcaster has a mythical quality to some players. I have never seen any production numbers, but apparently they are rare. Certainly there are few for sale at any given time. It took me ages to find mine for a decent price. Features are well documented; this is an all maple semi-hollow guitar with a center block. It has 22 frets on a neck with 1 5/8" nut and relatively chunky for a Fender, but less so than a Gibson. Unique headstock with a bar string retainer for the first 4 strings. Pickups are Seth Lover designed split pole humbuckers, same as found on the Telecaster Custom and the newer '72 RI Tele with ash body and two HB's. Finish appears to be polyurethane and is quite tough. Bridge is unique for Fender but nonetheless fairly traditional, with individually adjustable saddles and string-through design. Controls are standard 2x Volume, 2x Tone, with an extra knob for master volume.

This is a great instrument, with a flexible tonal palette. Yet it is very traditional while still retaining a unique voice. It is a jazzy Fender that can have a Tele bite or a funky spank. It is absolutely capable of jazz tones yet it can scream with overdrive applied or do the Motown soul thing in spades. The master volume is great; I love Gibsons but dislike the control arrangement for adjusting volume in a performance setting. The Starcaster fixes that. The treble gets a bit attenuated in standard Fender fashion, but this is a good thing and can be used to your advantage as an add'l toneshaping tool.

The Starcaster is like a '335 with the midrange band tuned slightly higher, and a top end that is sharper yet still rounded off. It sounds like Fender's version of a semi-hollowbody. Duh, that's exactly what it is! Imagine that.

I purchased the guitar used via Ebay, and the setup was dreadful. I actually used the micro-tilt adjuster to get the neck angle correct, and tweaked everything else. Now the guitar plays very nicely. The finish from the factory is great, and has held up since 1976. The guitar is deluxe, but still somewhat plain - it has no Gibsonian inlays or gold hardware. Still it exudes a very unique and groovy vibe, and you will be noticed for this guitar by all people who notice such things.

Finish is very durable. The 3 bolt neck is not so great, and to my hands the slightly reduced stability is perceptible in the degree of play it has when gently moved for vibrato effects (I do this a lot). I think one of the screws may be closed to stripped, as I can't seem to tighten it perfectly. Also, the screw adjustments on the saddles were a tad corroded, but I mostly cleaned them out. The rest of the hardware, including the chrome on the bridge, is perfect with no blemishes. Using without a backup is not really a question, since you will have a tough time finding and sucking up the cash for more than one of these babies!

Not relevant. However I would love to see Fender's production numbers for the Starcaster...

Terrific guitar that could be the only guitar I owned if I ever considered owning just one, which isn't likely to happen. However the versatility and unique vibe of the Starcaster make it a candidate for this if the need ever arose. I own 16 guitars at this writing, so I enjoy my variety. The Starcaster gets pulled off the wall very often!

A '76, first year Starcaster. Has the old solid state Fender amp knobs with the chrome - later ones had typical strat knobs. Natrual finish with some flame in there! Love the string through. All original. I like the master vol - don't like the look of the extra knob, but I like the idea.

Kills. After having a Telecaster Deluxe with the 2 similar humbuckers I was skeptical about the sound of this. Just wonderful. The bridge p/u on the Tele Deluxe was all but useless (very, very bright), relegating the Tele to a both-on, or neck only p/u selection. The Starcaster, however, is a jewel in all. Those still finding the bridge p/u too bright, try rolling off the vol or tone, or adjusting the p/u height down a pinch. Warm and round is this guitar. Not a Les Paul or 335 per se in sound, I would say it's has it's own thing going. Almost Jazzmaster plunkiness, but rounder and warmer - with gobs more sustain.

Neck pocket is good for the era. Love the neck, which I can't say too often about 70's Fenders. Love the flame in the maple body.

My frets are wearing down, lots of wear which is good for originals, the switch finally gave up the ghost, pots are getting scritchy a bit. - I give all that over to natural 28 year wear and tear. The tuners are hanging in there as is everything else. The case handle was just replaced.

Love this guitar and I gig it often. Nice to have a quality Fender that differentiates itself from the herd of Teles and Strats out there. (Which is probably why I have a '66 Jazzmaster and '65 Jaguar now that I think about it.) This amp loves 10" speakers for some reason, a good Bassman RI or Vibrolux Reverb is magic with this guitar. Not to say that 12's are problematic at all - just smoother and tighter w/ 10's (could just be me). Feedback has never been a problem either which many would suspect with an f-hole guitar. What else? Great sustain. I like the shape, and I even like the headstock which some complain about. ha. A bandmate of mine fell in love with this guitar and borrowed it for about 2 years forsaking all others and playing it exlusively. He looked in vain for his own. Surprisingly comfortable being a bigger guitar, and not neck heavy which is the case of many f-hole guitars.

hallo ik kocht mijn gitaar in 1976 bij Musicstore Servaas in den Haag
aan de riviervismarkt.
hij is gemaakt bij musical instruments 1300 E Valencia Fullerton
California 92631 USA serial number 768879 manual no 012218(J/GE
ik heb betaald hfl.2550 color is sunburst en zit nog steeds in het originele Fender koffer met rood pluche bekleed. ik maak al sinds
1962 muziek en mijn Starcaster gaat nog elke week mee.

de sound is afhankelijk van de versterker op een vox ac 30 vind ik de sound niet goed maar op een fender versterker is hij met geen ander
te vergelijken, momenteel speel ik op een line 6, fantastische sounds

alle dingen aan deze gitaar zijn klasse

no comment

ik heb vorig mijn Starcaster een beetje laten tunen
alleen de fretten latten vlakken dat is perfect gebeurt
door ene Peter jan Eleveld te Tegelen Limburg

I have a 1976 Fender Starcaster in natural finish. It is in decent shape. I bought it used back in the eighties. I bought it because Fender had stopped making Guitars in the US at one point. This Guitar was bought in Red bank NJ at Guitar Trader. I played it a few times only to keep from putting wear on it. I give it a 10 for sound. My idea was to buy any Made in US Fenders I could find before they were all gone. Seeing this Guitar in the store caused me to purchase it on the spot as I had known of the Starcasters rarity. The only wear is a little varnish off on the neck.

This guitar gives the telecaster sound and a very bright sound in hollow body form because of the two humbugging pickups.

A little vanish is off by the machine head on the neck but its in good condition otherwise.

This guitar's condition is good. A repair of the missing varnish by a proffessional would put it back into mint condition.

I did not get a warranty from the vintage guitar store so any costs would be out of pocket.

I have several Fenders because of the fear of its demise back in the Eighties. I use to play a little rhythm guitar but found i just had to have every Fender insight!

Heres my inventory:

76 Starcaster maple neck natural finish body paid $750 used
85 new (62)reissue Stratocasters 1 Fiesta Red and 1 three tone sunburst
80 The Strat blue paid $1,000 worth more.
83 Red Gumball American Standard Stratocaster/ maple neck.This is one of the 108 produced in red! Gumballs in worst condition have been sold for $2300 and up! I paid $650 off the rack in 1985. The guitar had sat in the shop 2 years! Yes this guitar is like new!
83 Telecaster Elite Black/ Rosewood fret board/white knobs
72 Telecaster Deluxe two humbuggers/ maple neck/ black restored bought new in 1974 for $465.Called the Keith Richards special!
1983 (62) reissue natural Telecaster/maple neck "Bruce Springteen type"
1983 bought new (62) reissue Telacaster with binding 1 Red and 1 Sunburst both are from Japan
1983 (62) reissue Paisley Telecaster used Japan assembled out of American parts excellant finish rosewood fret board paid $650 but it must be worth more! I saw an original US made with a checked surface that was being restored they said it was worth$1500
1984 black telecaster maple neck Japan. It was not expensive

Okay, this is a Might-have-been/oboy-was-I-stupid mea culpa. I bought a NOS 1975 Starcaster in 1981---the thing had sat on the racks for 6 years because nobody trusted a Fender hollowbody guitar. Here's the oucher: I paid $250 for it! Let me tell you, I could NOT believe this axe. A lovely cherry sunburst, immaculate fretwork and a not-quite-Fender feel to the neck that had me bending like a 24 and 3/4 scale even with small frets. I was never quite happy with the 3/3 staggered HB pickups when they first put 'em on Tele Thinlines, but on THIS guitar they were a revelation. Being a bit brighter than Gibson HBs, they sang, screamed, quacked and belled on this axe like single-coils from Hell with a big bottom and amazing attitude--very quiet yet bigger than all outdoors. I could do a creditable Tele imitation with a little added hi-end on clean tones, play "Misty" like an L-5 backing off the tone pot about 2/3, crank on overdrive and crunch or woman-tone with huge success--and without that goinky tone that 335s sometimes give you on the lower strings.
And the neck? OMG---as fast and slinky as I've ever felt. I've been indifferent to maple fingerboards as a rule, but on this neck I had complete control, and it seemed warmer than I would have expected. The Master Voulume? Useless. Did I care? Not a bit. The sustain of the string-thru-body bridge was WAY better than I could have dreamed, and the guitar was light and marvelously balanced. My students were in awe of the tone and nimbleness of this guitar, and people were constantly approaching me at gigs in disbelief--they'd never heard of the Starcaster, much less heard what it could accomplish.
Now let's bring the pain: I had a major bug up the wazoo about getting a double-neck (the old prog-rock fetish), and one of my students offered a direct trade on a custom-made 6/12-str. he had spent beaucoups bux on. Since I had several other fine guitars---well, for my sins....and ever since, I've regretted it.
Anyone know where I might find a decent sunburst Starcaster?

see above---nuff said?

I kept looking for flaws---I've seen hi-end Gibsons that were less perfect.

How can I know? It never gave me a moment's grief while I had it for 4 years

Never had to.

I've been playing for 38 years---and I've always regretted one of the BEST--that got away. My dumb ass....

I have the pleasure to own a white 1976 starcaster, in what I would call about as close to mint condition as you could get. I got it from somebody who had bought it in '76 put it in a closet and never I mean never touched it. When I got it, it might as well been brand new. the case didnt have a scratch, it had all the hanging tags add booklet for fender amps and effects, polishing cloth still unopened, fender strap, and gey patch cord. This was such a find. It has all the original features as any other of the reviewed starcaster, but literaly look brand new.

I found that this guitar has a great sound. the neck pickup is warm and thick, while the bridge pickup is thin and biting, togeather they offer a great range in possible tones. The only source I know of to hear the starcaster tone, is the band the "Meters" and they make it funky.

I have to say my starcaster is pristine. not a scratch. perfect action, I LOVE the size of the neck, nice and round easy to hold onto yet not to big that you must struggle to play it.

I cant say b/c mine might as well be new and I avoid finding out the hard way if it'll stand up to the abuse, but its built like a brick somthing or other and from other reviews it sounds like they're built to last

I dont really know.

I own a bunch of nice guitars, all of them sound different as they should but, none get the attention when they come out of their case like the starcaster, its a amazing guitar made even better by the fact that its so rare.

My Starcaster was made in 76'. Two humbuckers each with thier own tone and volume control, plus a master volume knob. All maple, bolt-on neck. Mine is sunburst. This guitar is really strange looking. Like a 335 that got warped, the body is offset which looks really cool. Rather thick nect for a fender, but It's my favorite neck I've played. I bought the guitar used but it's in really good shape. Very few dings, no wearing in the finish, and the frets are fine. Came with a OHSC. This thing looks alot like trey's guitar from Phish

This Guitar definitly sounds unique. Like one reviewer said before, It's like a cross between a thinline tele with humbuckers and a 335. The neck pickup setting in nice and warm with a nice sharp bite on the top strings. The middle position sounds like a 335 but a bit brighter. The neck pickup is just too bright for me. A use a pre CBS Twin Reverb so those really sharp notes can hurt. I play everything from Jazz to blues to rock fusion to free improve stuff. This thing can't do the true jazz sound, but only a true big box can. For everything else it sounds good. The pickups overdrive nicely and pinch harmonics just fly out of this thing with compression and two tube screamers. That's a sound I really like. I do think the pickups are a little bland sounding and I'm considering swithing them with fralins or something. But I'm used to playing strats that sound great so maybe that's it. I just don't know much about humbuckers. But overall it sounds really good.

Once I got it set up it was perfect. The neck is fantastic with nice big frets. My only beef was the sloppy neck joint but it's rock solid. oh, and the bridge was a bit crooked but that was fixed. The control knobs are a bit flimsy (and kinda ugly) but they work fine for now. The head stock is crazy looking and really big so the guitar is slightly top heavy but it's really not a problem.

As far as I can tell this thing a tough. I always use a backup but I switch guitars alot on stage anyways. The finish kinda chipped off when I removed the pick guard but thats kinda my fault. Seems quite reliable

I've been playing for about ten years, seriously for the last five. I own this guitar and my beautiful strat, both played through my old twin. I really do like this guitar. I kinda begs you to play it cause the neck is so nice. It's a really unique looking and sound instrument that will definitly turn heads. Like I said I'm gonna experiment with different pickups but for now they're fine. nice guitar

I traded a Tele for my '76 Bi-Centennial series Starcaster. Those who stated that it was made from '77-'80 are mistaken. It was made for 6 years. Mine is tobacco brown finish and the only one in that finish I've ever seen. Of all the guitars I've had since I started playing in '65, this is my favorite. Great action, great sound. I replaced the bridge pickup with a Dimarzio about 20 years ago but will put it back to original this year. It's the only guitar I've owned that I'll never get rid of.

I've played everything from jazz to country and my '76 has what I want for all of them. Full, rich tones that meet every need. Not too bright, just what I need.

The action is as good as anything I've ever owned and better than most. Most serious players who try it want to buy it. Pickups are well adjusted and the workmanship is very good.

This has been my main gig guitar for over 20 years and has never let me down. All hardware is original and has required no service. Tough finish that has held up through countless live and studio gigs.

The only contact I've had with Fender was an attempt to get more information on the guitar. They never responded. No repair or other customer support ever needed.

I've been playing since '65 and have owned everything from Mosrite (2) to Ovation (4), Fender (4), Ibenaz (1) among others. I wouldn't trade this instrument for all the others combined. If it were stolen, I'd be seriously bummed...would look for another one just like it.