Starcaster By Fender

[OrenG]

I was wondering what do you guys think about the Chinese manufactured 170 dollar Starcaster by Fender. (No not the jazz hollow body)

EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention is, why do you guys think that Fender bothered to put a humbucker in the bridge if its a 170 dollar guitar, when the American Deluxe Strat (which has a 1,000 price tag) Has the exact same setup?

-Thanks,

OrenG

Edited November 24, 2007 by OrenG

[~davie]

i haven't tried them. but it's probably a "cheaper version of squier" LOL

the humbucker is there just to market it to the kids that like playing rock and metal stuff

just because its a humbucker doesn't necessarily mean its good

[DougK]

I was wondering what do you guys think about the Chinese manufactured 170 dollar Starcaster by Fender. (No not the jazz hollow body)

EDIT: One thing I forgot to mention is, why do you guys think that Fender bothered to put a humbucker in the bridge if its a 170 dollar guitar, when the American Deluxe Strat (which has a 1,000 price tag) Has the exact same setup?

-Thanks,

OrenG

Its probably made of plywood http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=33206

[Mickguard]

i haven't tried them. but it's probably a "cheaper version of squier" LOL

The Starcaster is a way for Fender to get into alternative distribution channels (i.e., Wal-Mart). Hard to believe, but the quality of the Starcasters is probably even lower than the Squier Affinity (and all of the Affinitys I've seen were terrible). But the Starcaster is meant for your average Wal-Mart shopper--pop the box in next to the megasize Cheese Doodle bag and the 12-pack of 2-liter Cokes.

[Jon]

But I'm sure they'll be more like $168.46.. and be in every aisle of the store, like everything else.

[Geo]

I've played a Starcaster. It had a fast low action. I played it through a crappy amp, so I can't comment on the tone. I wouldn't want one, but that's just cuz I could make a cooler guitar for $170.

[crafty]

The things you really gotta watch out for on those cheap guitars are the plywood bodies, bad truss rods, cheap bridges, and poor fretwork. Go slide your fingers down the side of the neck and see how many small cuts you wind up with. Pickups are cheap ceramic and steel affairs with little attention to tone. Tuners are usually cheap pot metal units that will bind or loosen over time.

The big reason why Fender and Gibson are using the different names for the big-box guitars are so they don't devalue the brands sold through regular music stores. The Affinity brand is probably no better, but if you get it through a real music store you'll at least have some kind of support system if it's set up poorly or the neck goes wonky on you.