The Fender Starcaster Guitar stands as a fascinating anomaly in Fender’s storied history. Introduced in 1976, it was a bold departure for a company synonymous with solid-body classics, marking their first new electric guitar design in three years. Despite its initial lukewarm reception and subsequent discontinuation in 1980, the Starcaster’s distinctive offset semi-hollow body, unique headstock, and powerful sound have cultivated a dedicated following over time. This resurgence in popularity led Fender to reissue the Starcaster in 2013, alongside the Starcaster bass, Fender’s only offset semi-hollow bass guitar.
The Anatomy of a Starcaster
The original Fender Starcaster boasted a construction designed for rich, resonant tones. Its foundation was an arched, laminated maple top paired with maple back and sides, punctuated by twin f-holes that contribute to its semi-hollow character. Electronically, it was equipped with two Fender Wide Range humbucker pickups, complete with chrome covers, delivering a full and warm sound. A three-way toggle switch and five silver-skirted black control knobs offered comprehensive tonal shaping: individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, plus a master volume.
The 2013 reissue Starcaster maintained the core specifications of the original, including the maple build, f-holes, and Wide Range humbuckers. Subtle modern refinements were introduced, such as a slightly more player-friendly 9.5-inch neck radius, as opposed to the vintage 10-inch radius, while retaining 22 medium jumbo frets. Other updates included simplifying the controls by removing the master volume and incorporating an Adjusto-Matic bridge with an anchored tailpiece for enhanced tuning stability and sustain.
Starcaster Players: From Cult Following to Mainstream Recognition
While the Starcaster may not have graced the stages of many prominent guitarists during its initial run in the 1970s—Leo Nocentelli of The Meters being a notable exception—today, it’s embraced by a diverse array of influential musicians across genres.
Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead famously utilized his Starcaster on critically acclaimed albums such as OK Computer, Kid A, and Amnesiac. He has also employed it extensively in live performances for iconic tracks like “The Tourist,” “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”, “Optimistic,” and “Pyramid Song,” often using a cello bow to coax unique textures from the instrument. The Starcaster’s appeal extends to other notable players including Dave Keuning of The Killers, Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, Jesse Tobias of Morrissey, Jamie Cook of Arctic Monkeys, Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie, Sammy James Jr. of The Mooney Suzuki, and Steve Mazur of Our Lady Peace, demonstrating its versatility and resonance with diverse musical styles.
The Starcaster Story: A Tale of Timing and Vision
The Starcaster’s journey from its 1976 debut to its 1980 discontinuation is a story of unfortunate timing and perhaps, a slightly misjudged market. Despite being a well-constructed and sonically versatile instrument, it failed to capture widespread player enthusiasm upon its release.
Looking back, the Starcaster’s initial struggles can be attributed to the challenging climate within Fender during the mid-to-late 1970s. Under CBS ownership, which began in 1965, Fender experienced increasing sales but also declining quality control. This era fostered a growing perception among musicians that pre-CBS Fender instruments represented a superior standard. Consequently, a new, unconventional Fender design arriving during this period faced an uphill battle for acceptance.
Furthermore, the Starcaster was undeniably Fender’s most assertive foray into the semi-hollow, humbucker-equipped guitar market, a territory long dominated by Gibson and their ES series. While Fender had previously experimented with thinline guitars like the Coronado in the 1960s, those models met with limited success and were discontinued by 1972.
The Starcaster project emerged from a desire to utilize surplus Coronado components. Fender designer Gene Fields, who had contributed to instruments like the Mustang Bass and Musicmaster Bass, was tasked with this endeavor. However, as Tony Bacon recounts in 50 Years of Fender, early prototypes were deemed too derivative of existing parts. CBS then charged Fields with creating an entirely original design, resulting in the Starcaster – a semi-hollow guitar that uniquely blended Fender’s design DNA with a departure into new sonic and aesthetic territory.
The Starcaster’s offset waist was a direct nod to classic Fender solid-body designs like the Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass. This distinctive double-cutaway body featured binding on both the front and back, and incorporated a solid maple center block. This center block was a crucial element, providing enhanced stability and sustain compared to the fully hollow Coronado models. The arched laminated maple top, f-holes, and maple back and sides further contributed to its unique tonal character. The Starcaster was offered in a range of “thick-skin” high-gloss finishes, including Blonde, White, Black, Natural, Walnut, Antigua, Wine, and Tobacco Sunburst.
True to Fender tradition, the Starcaster featured a bolt-on maple neck, equipped with a “bullet” truss rod and Micro-Tilt adjustment. Its headstock was particularly striking – a six-in-line design with a dark, fin-like curve below the logo, a concept Fields had originally conceived for the unreleased 1966 Marauder. The fingerboard, crafted from maple with a 10-inch radius, held 22 medium jumbo frets and black dot inlays.
By the mid-1970s, Fender had been exploring humbucking pickups, and the Starcaster was fitted with two Fender Wide Range humbuckers. These pickups featured chrome covers and individually adjustable pole pieces. The control layout was more complex than typical Fender guitars, featuring a three-way toggle switch and five knobs: volume and tone for each pickup, plus a master volume. Additional features included a three-ply pickguard, a six-saddle adjustable bridge, Grover Rotomatic tuners, and stainless steel flatwound strings. Prototype Starcaster basses were also produced, but remained unreleased at the time.
Despite its innovative design and quality construction, the Starcaster struggled to resonate with guitarists of the era. As Tony Bacon noted, “It was a much better instrument than some of the previous (Fender) hollow-body models, but still failed to excite players.” Ultimately, the Starcaster was discontinued in 1980, its initial journey cut short.
Interestingly, Fender revived the Starcaster name in the early 2000s for a line of budget-friendly, entry-level instruments. However, these “Starcaster by Fender” guitars and drums bore no relation to the original Starcaster guitar. The original Starcaster, however, experienced a significant reappraisal. Driven by increasing demand, Fender officially reintroduced the Starcaster in 2013, alongside the Coronado, and finally put the Starcaster bass into production, cementing its legacy as a unique and sought-after instrument in Fender history.