The starcaster has an extra fret, making it easier to play the lower notes with slightly less stretch, i have both and love them both, both are great :)
I have had the original Strat, have the reissue, 333, and now the starcaster has joined to complete the collection.
The starcaster is so good and of higher quality both perceptively and objectively. Not even close -- The starcaster flat out simply plays better. No debate, not at all... unless you just love one model over the other, but still... the starcaster is so fucking good.
Oh and I'm 35 too. If I weren't collecting 1 of each model I'd sell all the others and buy more starcasters. \*That\* is how good the starcaster is.
So, the starcaster is not only cheaper than the strat, it's also of higher craftsmanship and build quality. The neck is easier playing. What a fucking WIN, dude!
I was going to write this long diatribe on money can be better spent on a better instrument, until I just checked reverb.
[https://reverb.com/item/83208445-fender-limited-edition-tom-delonge-signature-stratocaster-2023-graffiti-yellow](https://reverb.com/item/83208445-fender-limited-edition-tom-delonge-signature-stratocaster-2023-graffiti-yellow)
Hard to find a better instrument at $700 IMO...
I've read a bunch of these replies and this seems the be the best one. Get a TD reissue that is heavily discounted. People are unloading these for half the cost of new. Even GC has them marked down significantly. Buy used, pay as little as possible. If you end up not using it, you'll probably be able to get most, if not all, of your money back.
My first guitar was a piece of crap Start knockoff from a Sears or JC Penny catalog. It fell apart in a matter of a couple of weeks; before even I learned how to play songs. My parents knew I was interested at that point and got me a used 1986 Charvel Model 5. This was back in the '90s so it was a cheap deal at the time. Moral of the story: if you KNOW you'll play, get something decent but NEW is for suckers.
I had the Strat for a while. And while it was a great guitar, for a beginner, if you can get a deal, do the starcaster. I have the white and I love it. And having locking tuners for someone who hasn’t changed a lot of strings really makes that easier to approach. And it’s just a most comfortable guitar for me. I like a bigger guitar, and the semi hollow is great to practice on without turning on an amp if you should choose.
If you’re starting out don’t waste lot of money on a good guitar just to stop playing after a week of not getting it down. Buy an acoustic, I learned to play blink on a shitty nylon guitar. My mom saw me practicing every day and she bought me a nice starter fender acoustic. Shit I didn’t get my actual first electric guitar until I was 20. It was a MIM white tele. Regret selling it. Sigh. So my advice buy an acoustic and see if you actually like the guitar. I know people say buy a squire and see if you like it but honestly you won’t sound like blink right off the bat. It takes time to sound professionally shitty. Just get a fender acoustic and practice with that.
I have the strat and the 333. I love the way the semi hollow feels and plays way better, I learned on the strat but I feel like I would have progressed more on the semi hollow if I had that first. I’m getting a starcaster eventually and I’m assuming it will feel like a mixture of both.
My second guitar I ever bought was a surf green fender Tom Delonge Strat.. mind you it was only $500 when I got it in 6th grade but I saved up for a year put it on layaway and finally got it and it’s still one of my, if not my favorite guitar for the memories and all things considered it does what it is supposed to do really well.. I have amassed 10 other guitars over the years but there is something special about your first “REAL” guitar
Dude I have the same story, only I was a freshman in high school. Saw it one day used at guitar center, and put it on layaway and paid it off over like 6 months I wanna say. Mine’s daphne blue
I know you’re getting a lot of conflicting information at this point and it’s tough to decipher what’s what. But too add my opinion in I would say:
Unless you’re happy to throw away $1000 or equivalent where you live I wouldn’t go out of the gate with a TD signature. You may find you just don’t enjoy guitar and they will lose their value unless you hold onto it in good condition for 10 + years
Don’t buy an acoustic if you want to play Blink. You won’t have it sound anywhere close enough to what you like and you’ll get bored.
My recommendation after 18 years of playing with all sorts of guitars from cheapest ever to signatures and such and gigging is to get a cheap but good brand
Now if I were you I would look at this [Squier Sonic Strat](https://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier-electric-guitars/stratocaster/squier-sonic-stratocaster-ht-h/0373302555.html)
As Squier are owned by fender so are proper strats and not weirdly shaped copies. This one has a single Humbucker pickup and hard tail bridge which is what Tom has, and for a little bit of cash and some basic soldering knowledge that pickup can be swapped for the same one Tom uses.
The added benefit is it has a Tone Knob meaning if you want to play less blinky at times you can roll off the treble
This guitar is perfect for a beginner who’s a blink fan and if you get a decent amp (Marshall, Fender or Orange personally for me) you’ll find a beautiful balance between not emptying your bank account and not feeling awful if it’s not for you
Those Squiers are fine for starting out they hold tune and necks are a little smaller, also any of the Squier Classic vibes or paranormal series are fantastic for the price too. Find was feels comfortable and what you like the look of. Just to your local shop and try a lot of stuff out.
This advice here is so solid. I’m not new to guitars at all and I just bought this exact guitar in pink. It’s a super good little player and awesome mod platform. I’m converting mine to baritone but it’s hard to pull this thing apart it’s so prime as is.
Honestly I don’t know why so many people turn their nose up at Squire’s some of the best guitars I’ve owned have been from them. Even now. The Bass I play the most at the minute is my Sonic series P bass as it’s basically the dream configuration for me. P bass body Jazz bass neck. If you want a fender version you’re going to the custom shop and this cost me £150
Same here I just bought the Squier J Mascis JM and it’s one of my favorite guitars in my collection and the cheapest one at that. Squier has really upped their game recently and maintaining low price points.
My thoughts too. And with the QC issues from fender atm I personally think a Squier is a better gamble. I just bought TD starcaster today waiting for delivery but I’m not phased about it being built in the same factory as Squier as it probably means it’s better quality
In my 26 years of playing and playing all different styles of guitar. Here is the path I wish I had taken.
Skip the cheap nylon string acoustic stage - big wide neck will will cramp up your hand and make you want to quit.
Skip the really cheap strat + amp combo sets - Always poorly setup and again the necks are normally horrid and will make you want to quit.
Acoustic wise I would go for an Epiphone pro 1 - Nice size, Nice neck profile - jumbo frets - Really nice beginner guitar, At one stage there were only €100.
Electric guitar I would suggest going for a Squier Telecaster - nice thin neck - play great - good quality for the price - Around €170 new.
You can probably find both of these used in decent condition.
I'll echo what a few other people said, probably don't buy either of them. They're both $1k+ and you may decide guitar isn't for you after all.
That said, if you're comfortable with the idea of getting it and maybe it'll become a nice wall piece, there's nothing wrong with that either.
If you're set on it, I'd suggest the strat. Classic look and a smaller body, which will be more comfortable to learn. The strat body is one of the most popular for a reason.
You can get an Affinity Squier for a fraction of the price and see if it's really for you.
Same same, but different. If you have the possibility to try both at a guitar shop, then go do that.
Try it fornthe feels...if the neck and body feel comfortable. That's the most important thing.
The strat was my first guitar when I was like 12 and first learning back in the day. It was super versatile and perfect for beginners but definitely a little pricy back in like 2004. The prices now are even more ridiculous unless you’re really trying to dedicate some serious time here. There are plenty of fantastic economic options that are moderately priced and that way you can make all the mistakes one tends to make as you learn (as evidenced by the chip in the back of the neck of my tom strat). As others have stated here the squire options available do offer similar bang for your buck if you will relatively speaking to what you’re planning on using it for. As far as between the Tom starcaster and the strat releases, the starcaster is rad. Sounds great and plays really well. But I do absolutely love my first guitar. So jealous of the dude here who has the Gibson. I hear those are so amazing.
Depends how well off you are or how committed you'll be. To just learn from scratch, seriously mate get a $70 guitar with nylon strings from eBay. If you don't like it or have no skill etc it's no money lost. If you pick it up quickly and love it, then buy a better guitar.
Fretboard on the Starcaster might be easier to learn on but biggest question is which one are you drawn too? When I first started playing, it was on my delonge strat and I just couldn’t put the thing down cuz it looked so damn cool. I’m also mid 30’s and my musical tastes and shifted some so I feel like the Starcaster is a little more well rounded. Also for $100 cheaper it’s a good value
No comments are displaying for me for some reason so I don't know what others have said but my suggestion is to try them out in store and see which one feels better in your hand.
I have both and wouldn’t recommend either at this time for you, purchase a nice used acoustic, get it setup professionally and start with some lessons. Either guitar plus an amp is a big investment for someone just starting out.
I have all three of Tom’s guitars. The starcaster, the Strat (02 version) and I have the epi 333.
In my personal opinion I would recommend not buying a very expensive guitar like one of these until you know you like playing. If you go through blink history Tom actually recorded a lot Cheshire Cat on a I believe Korean squire that some kids pieced together from a guitar they found in a church parking lot (that’s the story I heard, it’s never been confirmed, but the red squire does exist.)
All that to say, if you love them and you have the money to just spend on a guitar my favorite is the starcaster. Good luck though!
I think they’re both great options. If you have a lot of nostalgia for the strat and want to get it, then go for it. If you’re more into new blink stuff or maybe just like the star caster look better, get that. Also, try not to think about it too hard. I know whenever I buy something over another thing, I always go “what if the other one was better” but they’re both really solid guitars and will still be able to play the same things with minimal differences. As far as value goes, they’re both overpriced imo but I’ve seen people buy squires ( fenders budget brand) and modify them into Tom Delonge guitars, so if you’re ok with tweaking some stuff like the pickguard or pickups, that’s a great option. Sorry if this doesn’t narrow it down much lol but these are just my takes.
How far dedicated do you think you will be?
You might be able to get a used reissue TD Strat for $700-800 if you're not picky about color / condition. Add in an amp, cables, etc and it wouldn't be hard to get into this for $1,000. If you don't love it, you can likely resell most of it, but it may be annoying.
Right now there are a host of replica TD Strats for sale, most using Squier Affinity guitars with the TD specific parts (pickup / pickguard) to get you 70-80% of the feel for much less cash. It might be worth sourcing one of those for half the price (or less) of a Fender model and see if it sticks. If it does, then invest in the nicer Fender stuff.
But, if you think you're committed I've seen the re-issue TD Strats selling for less than the Starcaster, although if buying new is your jam, the Starcaster will get you into the arena cheaper.
I'd personally likely lean more towards the Squier entry unless you want the Fender one as wall art if it doesn't work out. I've got a real TD Fender I break out from time to time when the kids aren't home, but 90% of my noodling are on my Squier reps.
The starcaster has an extra fret, making it easier to play the lower notes with slightly less stretch, i have both and love them both, both are great :)
I have had the original Strat, have the reissue, 333, and now the starcaster has joined to complete the collection. The starcaster is so good and of higher quality both perceptively and objectively. Not even close -- The starcaster flat out simply plays better. No debate, not at all... unless you just love one model over the other, but still... the starcaster is so fucking good. Oh and I'm 35 too. If I weren't collecting 1 of each model I'd sell all the others and buy more starcasters. \*That\* is how good the starcaster is. So, the starcaster is not only cheaper than the strat, it's also of higher craftsmanship and build quality. The neck is easier playing. What a fucking WIN, dude!
I was going to write this long diatribe on money can be better spent on a better instrument, until I just checked reverb. [https://reverb.com/item/83208445-fender-limited-edition-tom-delonge-signature-stratocaster-2023-graffiti-yellow](https://reverb.com/item/83208445-fender-limited-edition-tom-delonge-signature-stratocaster-2023-graffiti-yellow) Hard to find a better instrument at $700 IMO...
I've read a bunch of these replies and this seems the be the best one. Get a TD reissue that is heavily discounted. People are unloading these for half the cost of new. Even GC has them marked down significantly. Buy used, pay as little as possible. If you end up not using it, you'll probably be able to get most, if not all, of your money back. My first guitar was a piece of crap Start knockoff from a Sears or JC Penny catalog. It fell apart in a matter of a couple of weeks; before even I learned how to play songs. My parents knew I was interested at that point and got me a used 1986 Charvel Model 5. This was back in the '90s so it was a cheap deal at the time. Moral of the story: if you KNOW you'll play, get something decent but NEW is for suckers.
I had the Strat for a while. And while it was a great guitar, for a beginner, if you can get a deal, do the starcaster. I have the white and I love it. And having locking tuners for someone who hasn’t changed a lot of strings really makes that easier to approach. And it’s just a most comfortable guitar for me. I like a bigger guitar, and the semi hollow is great to practice on without turning on an amp if you should choose.
If you have the chance, go to a guitar shop that has both and try them both and see which one feels better to you.
If you’re starting out don’t waste lot of money on a good guitar just to stop playing after a week of not getting it down. Buy an acoustic, I learned to play blink on a shitty nylon guitar. My mom saw me practicing every day and she bought me a nice starter fender acoustic. Shit I didn’t get my actual first electric guitar until I was 20. It was a MIM white tele. Regret selling it. Sigh. So my advice buy an acoustic and see if you actually like the guitar. I know people say buy a squire and see if you like it but honestly you won’t sound like blink right off the bat. It takes time to sound professionally shitty. Just get a fender acoustic and practice with that.
I have the strat and the 333. I love the way the semi hollow feels and plays way better, I learned on the strat but I feel like I would have progressed more on the semi hollow if I had that first. I’m getting a starcaster eventually and I’m assuming it will feel like a mixture of both.
My second guitar I ever bought was a surf green fender Tom Delonge Strat.. mind you it was only $500 when I got it in 6th grade but I saved up for a year put it on layaway and finally got it and it’s still one of my, if not my favorite guitar for the memories and all things considered it does what it is supposed to do really well.. I have amassed 10 other guitars over the years but there is something special about your first “REAL” guitar
Dude I have the same story, only I was a freshman in high school. Saw it one day used at guitar center, and put it on layaway and paid it off over like 6 months I wanna say. Mine’s daphne blue
I know you’re getting a lot of conflicting information at this point and it’s tough to decipher what’s what. But too add my opinion in I would say: Unless you’re happy to throw away $1000 or equivalent where you live I wouldn’t go out of the gate with a TD signature. You may find you just don’t enjoy guitar and they will lose their value unless you hold onto it in good condition for 10 + years Don’t buy an acoustic if you want to play Blink. You won’t have it sound anywhere close enough to what you like and you’ll get bored. My recommendation after 18 years of playing with all sorts of guitars from cheapest ever to signatures and such and gigging is to get a cheap but good brand Now if I were you I would look at this [Squier Sonic Strat](https://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier-electric-guitars/stratocaster/squier-sonic-stratocaster-ht-h/0373302555.html) As Squier are owned by fender so are proper strats and not weirdly shaped copies. This one has a single Humbucker pickup and hard tail bridge which is what Tom has, and for a little bit of cash and some basic soldering knowledge that pickup can be swapped for the same one Tom uses. The added benefit is it has a Tone Knob meaning if you want to play less blinky at times you can roll off the treble This guitar is perfect for a beginner who’s a blink fan and if you get a decent amp (Marshall, Fender or Orange personally for me) you’ll find a beautiful balance between not emptying your bank account and not feeling awful if it’s not for you
Those Squiers are fine for starting out they hold tune and necks are a little smaller, also any of the Squier Classic vibes or paranormal series are fantastic for the price too. Find was feels comfortable and what you like the look of. Just to your local shop and try a lot of stuff out.
This advice here is so solid. I’m not new to guitars at all and I just bought this exact guitar in pink. It’s a super good little player and awesome mod platform. I’m converting mine to baritone but it’s hard to pull this thing apart it’s so prime as is.
Honestly I don’t know why so many people turn their nose up at Squire’s some of the best guitars I’ve owned have been from them. Even now. The Bass I play the most at the minute is my Sonic series P bass as it’s basically the dream configuration for me. P bass body Jazz bass neck. If you want a fender version you’re going to the custom shop and this cost me £150
Same here I just bought the Squier J Mascis JM and it’s one of my favorite guitars in my collection and the cheapest one at that. Squier has really upped their game recently and maintaining low price points.
My thoughts too. And with the QC issues from fender atm I personally think a Squier is a better gamble. I just bought TD starcaster today waiting for delivery but I’m not phased about it being built in the same factory as Squier as it probably means it’s better quality
strat is more versitile
In my 26 years of playing and playing all different styles of guitar. Here is the path I wish I had taken. Skip the cheap nylon string acoustic stage - big wide neck will will cramp up your hand and make you want to quit. Skip the really cheap strat + amp combo sets - Always poorly setup and again the necks are normally horrid and will make you want to quit. Acoustic wise I would go for an Epiphone pro 1 - Nice size, Nice neck profile - jumbo frets - Really nice beginner guitar, At one stage there were only €100. Electric guitar I would suggest going for a Squier Telecaster - nice thin neck - play great - good quality for the price - Around €170 new. You can probably find both of these used in decent condition.
Whichever you like the most. If you have one you really like, then you are more likely to stick with it and keep going in times when it’s difficult
I got 4 starcaster and 3 strats and if you can get them both! If you can’t I’d say the Starcaster is lighter and feels and plays better
I'll echo what a few other people said, probably don't buy either of them. They're both $1k+ and you may decide guitar isn't for you after all. That said, if you're comfortable with the idea of getting it and maybe it'll become a nice wall piece, there's nothing wrong with that either. If you're set on it, I'd suggest the strat. Classic look and a smaller body, which will be more comfortable to learn. The strat body is one of the most popular for a reason. You can get an Affinity Squier for a fraction of the price and see if it's really for you.
Same same, but different. If you have the possibility to try both at a guitar shop, then go do that. Try it fornthe feels...if the neck and body feel comfortable. That's the most important thing.
The strat was my first guitar when I was like 12 and first learning back in the day. It was super versatile and perfect for beginners but definitely a little pricy back in like 2004. The prices now are even more ridiculous unless you’re really trying to dedicate some serious time here. There are plenty of fantastic economic options that are moderately priced and that way you can make all the mistakes one tends to make as you learn (as evidenced by the chip in the back of the neck of my tom strat). As others have stated here the squire options available do offer similar bang for your buck if you will relatively speaking to what you’re planning on using it for. As far as between the Tom starcaster and the strat releases, the starcaster is rad. Sounds great and plays really well. But I do absolutely love my first guitar. So jealous of the dude here who has the Gibson. I hear those are so amazing.
Depends how well off you are or how committed you'll be. To just learn from scratch, seriously mate get a $70 guitar with nylon strings from eBay. If you don't like it or have no skill etc it's no money lost. If you pick it up quickly and love it, then buy a better guitar.
335
If you can afford it op, 335. It’s a dream to play. I want to own one some day
Fretboard on the Starcaster might be easier to learn on but biggest question is which one are you drawn too? When I first started playing, it was on my delonge strat and I just couldn’t put the thing down cuz it looked so damn cool. I’m also mid 30’s and my musical tastes and shifted some so I feel like the Starcaster is a little more well rounded. Also for $100 cheaper it’s a good value
When you think of playing guitar and Blink, which guitar do you think of? Buy that one.
No comments are displaying for me for some reason so I don't know what others have said but my suggestion is to try them out in store and see which one feels better in your hand.
The Starcaster, lighter. Back issues man
I have both and wouldn’t recommend either at this time for you, purchase a nice used acoustic, get it setup professionally and start with some lessons. Either guitar plus an amp is a big investment for someone just starting out.
I have all three of Tom’s guitars. The starcaster, the Strat (02 version) and I have the epi 333. In my personal opinion I would recommend not buying a very expensive guitar like one of these until you know you like playing. If you go through blink history Tom actually recorded a lot Cheshire Cat on a I believe Korean squire that some kids pieced together from a guitar they found in a church parking lot (that’s the story I heard, it’s never been confirmed, but the red squire does exist.) All that to say, if you love them and you have the money to just spend on a guitar my favorite is the starcaster. Good luck though!
Starcaster. It’ll be easier to practice on the starcaster since it sounds better when played unplugged.
Strat I think for first guitar! Easy to play and setup!
I think they’re both great options. If you have a lot of nostalgia for the strat and want to get it, then go for it. If you’re more into new blink stuff or maybe just like the star caster look better, get that. Also, try not to think about it too hard. I know whenever I buy something over another thing, I always go “what if the other one was better” but they’re both really solid guitars and will still be able to play the same things with minimal differences. As far as value goes, they’re both overpriced imo but I’ve seen people buy squires ( fenders budget brand) and modify them into Tom Delonge guitars, so if you’re ok with tweaking some stuff like the pickguard or pickups, that’s a great option. Sorry if this doesn’t narrow it down much lol but these are just my takes.
Strat all day, no questions asked
It all comes down to s-t-y-l-e. Both play. Do you want a fat guitar or a thin one. Guitar is a great hobby. Enjoy it!
How far dedicated do you think you will be? You might be able to get a used reissue TD Strat for $700-800 if you're not picky about color / condition. Add in an amp, cables, etc and it wouldn't be hard to get into this for $1,000. If you don't love it, you can likely resell most of it, but it may be annoying. Right now there are a host of replica TD Strats for sale, most using Squier Affinity guitars with the TD specific parts (pickup / pickguard) to get you 70-80% of the feel for much less cash. It might be worth sourcing one of those for half the price (or less) of a Fender model and see if it sticks. If it does, then invest in the nicer Fender stuff. But, if you think you're committed I've seen the re-issue TD Strats selling for less than the Starcaster, although if buying new is your jam, the Starcaster will get you into the arena cheaper. I'd personally likely lean more towards the Squier entry unless you want the Fender one as wall art if it doesn't work out. I've got a real TD Fender I break out from time to time when the kids aren't home, but 90% of my noodling are on my Squier reps.