Are you wondering if the Fender Tom DeLonge Starcaster is worth the price tag? Let's find out! Get a Starcaster at Sweetwater (US) sweetwater.sjv.io/baY06b Get a Starcaster at Thomann (EU) thmn.to/thocf/zjchvvtlrs Get a Starcaster at Andertons (UK) - elkqr.link/ Get the Fretlook Stickers here - fretlook.com/de/?wpam_id=3
@@TheGuitarGeek Yeah it’s just weird that way. I sat in a store once and tried multiple “identical” Strats from the same series. One of them just felt “right.” The next guy might well pick another. It’s like choosing a samurai sword. Lol. 😀
Kind of a moot point eh? "if at all possible" being the key component in your comment. It's only possible unless you live local/travel (ex: to sweetwater or a factory), or it happens to be sold at a local music store.
They have just changed the neck & headstock on the squire to match the Tom Delonge, so if you’re on a budget you could basically have a clone with the addition of another humbucker for tonal opportunity!
Yellow Strat was the best. Then the Squier. Then Fender 2 & 1. Fender 1 had some intonation issues even on the F power chord on ATST which was surprising. To me the Squier is the winner of the starcasters because of what you get for the price. It's gorgeous and sounds very good in a mix. Plus you didn't even use the middle position or neck pickup! I saw someone had a black one with maple board and it was stunning! I sadly couldn't find it anywhere though. 250 making me think I need a starcaster. I need that dual rectifier first though. GREAT video!!
I think it's important to note that the DeLonge Starcaster comes stock with a Duncan Custom SH-5, a great pickup that is voiced differently and has less output (14.1K) than Tom's former go-to, a Duncan Invader (16.6k). As a Tom fan on a budget, I'd probably buy Squier Sonic Strat H (or a Fender Japan Strat H if you have a bit more of a budget) and an Invader and call it a day.
Good honest review that I found really helpful! Very good blend of getting straight to the point but also providing a solid level of detail, thanks a lot man!
The Affinity with some tuners and the SD pickup will get you pretty close inexpensively. In the Squier line the CV and Contemporary have a better feel to them.
I built a Tom Delonge-style Strat out of Squier parts - Classic Vibe 70s neck, Sonic Strat HT body, and then the new pick guard, knobs, and SD Invader from the Fender, and I agree. That CV neck is outstanding.
Bassist here. Love hollow body guitars and basses. Also love blink 182. I like punk and pop punk. I think if you are starting out the squire you will not go wrong with at all. Cover it in stickers youve got yourself a pop punk machine!! If you’ve got the money then the fender is the clear choice. I like the sound of fender 2 from the first play through.
".....tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak. Somewhere in this town. Tonight there's gonna be trouble. So don't ya be around......" love it. Bass guy here. One of my fav songs to play bass to. Wow, on the cheap the Squire stuff is pretty darn good as far as fit and finish. A few easily doable hardware swaps and you've got a heck of a player there. The Fender stuff is nice (and my Fender J bass is the single best instrument I've ever owned) but, with the price of everything gone insane, it's nice to know you can get into a decent instrument for less money and improve it over time. cheers.
One of the differences with the Squire is that it has a tone cap in the circuit. I like the sound without a tone circuit. A cap bleeds high frequencies to ground. Treble bleed circuits are good as they can keep it from sounding muddy when you roll off of full volume.
@@CAllenBlack well, i've just started watching, but i would assume it's a matter or price point: compare the most expensive Starcaster-style guitar to the least expensive in the lineup. personally, if it doesn't have the funky headstock and wide range pickups, it's not worth it to me... and i'm not a blink 192 fan, anyway.
4:32 I’ve a 2020 Squier Affinity Strat HSS bought it as a project guitar after watching the Scottish git do his Iron Maiden mod. My Squier is so good that all I’ve done is change the strings. The guitar came directly from the shops warehouse they hadn’t even unboxed it or set it up. It is so good i used it live without hesitation
Fender number 2 for me. Both the Fenders sound fuller than the Squier to my ear but number two seems to have a bit of extra clarity and chime to the top end. Would like to see what the Squier sounds like with a set of Duncans in it (or just the same one in the bridge) to see how close it could get though I think the difference between the two Fenders is the reason why, if you can, you should still probably go to a store and "try-before-you-buy. Even two guitars of the same make and model can feel and sound quite different. Wood is a natural material and sometimes you get a piece of it that's just "better", is more resonant and makes for a nicer guitar
It will be a pain to install it though since it’s a hollowbody. So you would probably have someone do it for you. And while you’re at I would change the pot and perhaps the output jack as well. So that’s going to add some extra costs. But still it probably is half of what the Fender would cost you.
Before choosing my Squire Classic Vibe Starcaster, I really spent a lot of time deciding between the three versions. I actually liked the Affinity in sunburst because the black binding made it look thicker, and while I wasn’t thrilled about the pickups, hey, they’re humbuckers and I knew GFS would have something I like. I really liked the roasted maple neck on the Contemporary Active, and thought I might like trying something with active pickups, but I ultimately ruled it out because it looked like installing my mandatory ‘varitone’ switch would difficult because of the tight cavity and absence of f-holes. So, I would up with the Modern Player variety. I was a bit hesitant about those oddball pickups, but once I found that there were replacements available, I took the chance. As it turns out, I love those pickups. I really didn’t need yet another guitar with dual humbuckers anyway, and these have a character all their own. The tuners aren’t the best, but I would probably keep them if I didn’t have a spare set of Fender locking tuners in need of a new home, but it’s been 6 months and I haven’t changed them yet, so obviously they’re not that bad. Quality (from Sweetwater) was perfect out of the box. The only flaw I found was that the output jack was loose, but hadn’t yet fallen inside. Fretwork was exemplary. I have the blonde variety, and after playing it, my wife went out and bought one in sunburst, which I might actually like better. Oh yeah, these do have bound f-holes, two pickups, and four controls. Not sure how superior the quality of the signature model might be, but I’ll be damned if I pay 4X the price for less. Oh yeah, I hate the strat headstock on the Fender model. Makes it look too much like a Coronado, which I have loathed since they came out (and yes, I was around then.) I like Gregg Kotch’s assessment of that odd headstock: “Looks like an elfin tool of war…”.
Of course it is. It's made in the same factory in Indonesia. They're the only one with the mold. I'm sure the "Fender" has a few nicer specs, but it's a defacto Squier.
Great comparison! I think that most importantly it highlights that we kind of forgotten that when you buy a guitar there are almost always individual differences. It's like picking a wand in Harry Potter. You instantly know if it's right or wrong. Also, there's a guitar that my friend traded and it sucked, so he traded it again. It pops up in FB marketplace every year or so, and it's kind of our hobby to see who tries to pass it on - some guitars will forever be bad, even if usually the brand is OK
Regarding your comments at 6:56 about Fender vs Squier: People that write off a whole country of manufacture don't understand how manufacturing works. You can high-quality guitars (or anything else) anywhere. The difference is what corporate decisions are made as far as budget and specification. Does the specification allow for good materials and the time to get things right or does the specification allow for the bare minimum to make noise and get as many pallets of them out of the factory in as little time as possible? I think the Tom Delonge is a great example that if you take the same employees and give them better materials and let them spend more time getting things right you'll get something better. Heck, I think if they let the builders spend more time on the Squier the differences would probably be smaller. Another great example is the Adam Jones Epiphones. I've recently compared the version with the artwork on the back of the body versus the new version with the Gibson headstock shape. The older version is a good guitar. The new version is a whole different thing. Honestly, if I hadn't tried them back to back with my own hands I would have maybe given more credence to the Internet scuttlebutt, but experience leads me to believe otherwise.
The Seymore Duncan is almost certainly a better pickup than the Squire humbucker by any metric. But then that was Tom's pick, for those who want to imitate his tone. 70s style Strat headstock/neck made out of roasted maple is probably a selling point to some, and is presumably given more shop time at the factory resulting in a more playable, higher quality fretboard, which is kind of where the money is. But you're also paying for a "Fender" not a "Squier" decal, and the signature model fee. Still a unique product, and hey; it's a Fender in name, even if it is coming from the same factory in Indonesia (100% confirmed; it's the only factory currently tooled to produce Starcaster bodies) that makes Squiers.
9:29 the second Fender looks the best imo given the darker fretboard however id buy the Squier in a heartbeat if it had the same fretboard. Maple fretboard? I’ve only ever owned one and that was in the 1980s
I have the Olympic white affinity starcaster and I modded it to perfection. I agree on the bridge placement. It's intonated properly but I maxed out the low e. I noticed the TD starcaster has an abr1 style and the affinity has a Nashville bridge. Those Nashville bridges are a little wider so there's more room for intonation. Might be an idea for the TD starcaster 🎉
I bought a Fame guitar for 300€ from Music Store and when I picked it up I was blown away positively by the body work, the strings where setup in the store for me, where they saved money was obviously in the tuning keys which which were terrible but I replaced them for 12€ and a half-hour work. And the pots are of the smaller variation, but I'm fine with that and I'm impressed with the sound, and as a hobbyist I'm really happy with it.
What a great comparison Andy, thank you! I definitely preferred the sound of Fender number two but all three were more than capable of rocking and/or rolling! Incidentally, I hope you keep the blue tape on II, it looks really cool! The fact that the Squier and Fenders are made in the same factory doesn’t bother me personally but guitar marketing has made “country of origin” synonymous with level of quality which we all know isn’t really the case. Does putting Fender on a guitar that’s not made in the USA devalue the brand? Would it be more acceptable if it were made in Mexico? Or Japan? It doesn’t botherme but I can understand why eyebrows have been raised in some quarters. All I’d say to anyone upset over it is that if we cast our minds back to the 50s and 60s a Les Paul Custom, Standard, Special and Junior for example were all made in the same factory, on the same production line and by the same people but the different components and level of finishing meant the price was different. And this similar to what’s happening here really.
Even if the Tom Delonge signature is over priced it will hold its value better and if either of these were to increase in value over the years it would be his. So is it worth it? In the most literal sense , yes.
I was at Sweetwater last summer and there was a neglected squire hanging in the back of the used room, covered in dust, for a good price. I took it out to a practice room and no matter what i did the pickups were just 'icepick in the ear' or 'not much at all'..... i figure someone put something crappy in, there's no way they were the original. Having to replace the pickups made it a not great deal and I didn't get it, AND I THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. I should have bought it. Weird thing is it wasn't on their website then and it still hasn't been there when I've looked over the last year. I wonder if they're not entirely sure they know/knew they have/had it. Anyone from Sweetwater reads this and responds to me I'll come back and get it if it's still there lol. Only a 4-5 hour drive
For $200 more than the Affinity, Sqiuer has a Classic Vibe version of the Starcaster. That would probably be a little closer to the quality of the one with the Fender name on it. The store I teach in had one of the Affinity Starcasters and it was pretty nice. Like you said, with some sprucing up it could be a really great guitar. It definitely is the gem of the Affinity line.
This was such a GREAT video! Love the idea of trying out two different examples of the same guitars. Goes to show that two different guitars of the same model can make or break one's impression of the model/company. Really jiving with the Dual Rec btw! Loved that little produced track in the middle.
Andy paused on the YT AppleTV app at 0:50 did you keep the Guild Polara ? Unfortunately my health status has taken a turn and i need a biopsy, but TBH that black Kim Thaille Guild is still no 1 on my GAS list. Positive thoughts and all that - i'll be fine. Cheers from NZ
Great review. I agree with you on the 2nd Fender. The tone was a smidge better. Got to demo a Shoreline Gold when they first came out. Such an awesome guitar. Saving up for a White or Pink one!
This video was definitely a good idea Andy! Blimey, comping two of the same guitars - genius! And one clearly spoke to you... I think Fender / Squier continue to come up with the goods, and I'm going to stop typing now as my fingers are sore from playing the Paranormal XII all day! Cheers 😎
Good comparo and kinda what I expected. Better pickups in the Fender equal a bigger sound. That saddle issue is a deal breaker though. No way I would keep a guitar that couldn't be intonated. Glad you're sending that one back.
I bought the white one. There seems to be some variance on the color of the neck tint on some of the guitars. Mine is SUPER dark (very happy with that), but other's that I've seen are much lighter in hue. Even between those two examples, one looks darker than the other. Killer guitar btw. Totally worth the money to me.
I’ve got both the TDL strat (2023 issue) and the TDL Starcaster…. The Strat is the better guitar. Playability better, pick-up is better and more aggressive. Hits harder.
The EVH SA126 should have the same or similar construction and is MIM by Fender and they have a USA custom shop run coming. I don't think they couldn't make them, but they would be like $2k for a MiM. I am not sure I would even want one MiM if they are like the Jackson or EVH. The Indonesian ones are great
What's interesting to me is that on my speakers, it sounded like the Squier had a bit more bass than either Fender, which was contrary to what was said. All sounded good. All were interesting. But yeah, I'd want Fender 2 for sure.
Fenders sound more like blink-182, but the squire sounds great. I have both fenders and squires telecasters and strats and I do appreciate the quality of the switching, tuners, knobs, and input jacks. The bridges are also better plated. But my daily driver is a squire strat. I just like the satin maple neck and I never have to worry about damaging the thing.
From watching the entire video, seems the Strat is the safest bet. You could just tell half way through. Maybe look at the DG335 Epihone? I’d love a video on that compared to the Starcaster. As far as new HB artist series comparisons.
I could never play the Squier (or even original Fender) Starcaster because of THAT headstock! But all of a sudden with the CBS strat headstock... it looks like a guitar that I'd love to play!
I quite like the starcasters. Especially the cheap Squier makes it an affordable piece and you can easily swap out the neck which should compensate for any playability issues and potentially the pickup if you really want to.
Clean sound on the Squier seemed to have a fuller tone. By "fuller" I mean better balance between low and high frequencies. The Fenders seemed a little tinny by comparison. It's not a dramatic difference, but there you go. I do think the difference in the two "identical" Fenders should be concerning to anyone planning to buy one online.
i wonder how much of the weight difference is from the 2nd pickup. Fender 2 sounded like it was better to play, but the audible difference was minimal.
As an avid fan of my squire CV starcaster, I am also 100% certain that the fender would FEEL lush to play - I can certainly feel the difference when I play my fender meteora or acoustasonic jazzmaster (which are different guitars I know but as far as feel and fit and finish goes,) it just feels more premium However, as much as I’m sure I would fall in love with the fender version, given the price point I can’t recommend the CV more. Loved it out the box, got it professionally set up and it’s just lush for so many things and looks the absolute t*ts!
My wife has the same Squire - hers is also a tobacco burst. She bought it from a local guitar store after trying out multiple guitars. The setup, intonation, and action are all perfect. I prefer the Affinity to the Classic Vibe because the latter has fake wide-range humbuckers. You can't upgrade them easily. If you had the budget to spend an additional 900$, you could buy nice pickups, locking tuners, tusq nut, and have a luthier give it a very good setup. You will still save a whole lot of money - probably enough to buy another Squire as a backup and upgrade the tuners & the nut but keep the pickups stock. I love the thicker body of the Squire. It feels substantial - like a semi-hollow body guitar ought to be, in my opinion. But then again, I might be VERY biased. I see the Squire Affinity everyday, and it's owned by a person I'm madly in love with. Also, I live in India; luthiers aren't that expensive here.
I absolutely love what you did here so I'm gonna ask a real question. ... Do you think the intonation is off on the Fenders because Tom always puts 27" necks on all the guitars he actually plays? ... Or maybe that stopped when he came back from Gibson, but that was the undisclosed issue with his previous signature models.
If the Classic Vibe or Affinity sound a little muddy, swap out the stock pots for 1meg pots before you buy new pickups . 1meg pots should really wake up the high end on the stock p’ups.
Great comparison! I waited for this video since you announced it after the Starcaster TD release. Thanks! However, of topic, I noticed these fretlook stickers in the end, ordered them immediately.. and they suck. I was not able to apply them and was forced to remove, as they sticked only partially 😢 Have no idea how you applied them so perfectly, I followed all the instructions. Anyway, they looked nothing like inlays whatsoever… Nothing against you! Only my 5 cents on stickers specifically. Cheers!
Also with the TDL starcaster, the positioning of the strap bolt is horrible. It’s right at the back of the guitar, on the neck plate, rather than on the side of the body. Makes it hang down at a really weird angle when you stand up and play it.
Squire has been crushing it with the CV guitars, the last couple years. Regarding your video, I find the shiny burst finished Squire with Starcaster headstock to be far superior to those flat pink Fenders. I don’t like pink guitars and I don’t get Delong’s choice to put a flat finish on his signature bodies, with a gloss finish on his necks. I get punk rock and all - hell my favorite band has been The Clash (since 1980!) - but his guitars look dumb to me. Regarding their sound, I can’t really tell a measurable difference between the two.
The real thing I learned in this video, is that since I already have a Delonge Strat, there's no need for me to keep considering a Starcaster...... We know who the real winner was in this video.
@@pads-zr9ln I am in the UK, so importing shouldn't be too bad 😂😂 Thanks for the tips my friend, I need to save some pennies first and rather oddly didn't consider a Strat as being a potential next purchase 😂
It’s depends on the Squier(which era and which factory) it depends on which Fender(which era decade, which factory) The other aspect is which guitar tech has really gone through each guitar. Phil McKnight had a term called Quality Assurance. This means how many Squiers and How many Fenders did you play. Your mileage will vary. On the whole you were right but when you get specific Epiphones can be better than Gibbies but not OFTEN AND THE SAME GOES for relationships between Fender and Squier!
F- holes have had many different shapes throughout history. The painting in the F-holes is done intentionally to increase contrast and the appearance of depth. Always check your neck for being level before assuming the Bridge is at fault. Check the contact of your low E w/ dental friction paper to make sure it isn't high centered, as many intonation issues happen at the nut and are harder to see.
I just got a mim vintera 2 mustang. I can take the neck plate off completey, and hold the guitar by the headstock as if hanging on a wall, and the body doesnt come off. I just did this yesterday, as im busy complaining through email. The vinrato plate and cigar are scratched. There are holes on the fret ends, where the gloss seemed to bubble out. Its just a sloppier guitar than bullet squiers i have. More processes take place than on the squier, but fender are seemingly rushing those processes.and on the squiers there are less steps taken, but theyre usually done with the same amount of care. Tho on this vintera....ive never had a neck that squeaks when you jam it into the pocket or take the neck off. Sounds like Styrofoam. It isnt good. Its sloppy af. Fender is sliding
Aesthetically I definitely prefer the Squire to the Fenders although I don’t like the contrast between the colour of the body and the neck. I also don’t really understand why the Fenders have strat headstocks rather than Starcaster ones. Odd choice that.
The TD model has a much more expensive pickup and better quality pots (well, a pot...). It would be nice to see you swap out the squire pickups and electronics for something similar and redo the comparison:)
Pot quality doesn't matter. The only thing that matters when it comes to pot quality is whether or not the pot is scratchy when turned (which doesn't happen here) and how long will it stay not scratchy. But the quality of the pot won't affect the sound, just the value of the pot. Which is one thing that's always good to keep in mind when comparing how electric guitars sound - pots have a fairly large tolerance when it comes to their value. Standard pots can have as much as 20% tolerance, which can be pretty significant with 500k pots (meaning the actual value of any single pot might be anywhere from 400k to 600k), and even the "better" ones still have around 10% tolerance. That *will* affect the sound of the guitar. And another thing to remember is that the Tom DeLonge models don't have a tone pot at all - again, this will somewhat affect the tone, because even with tone on 10, the tone control circuit does affect the tone unless the pot is a no load pot (which it normally isn't).
Are you wondering if the Fender Tom DeLonge Starcaster is worth the price tag? Let's find out!
Get a Starcaster at Sweetwater (US) sweetwater.sjv.io/baY06b
Get a Starcaster at Thomann (EU) thmn.to/thocf/zjchvvtlrs
Get a Starcaster at Andertons (UK) - elkqr.link/
Get the Fretlook Stickers here - fretlook.com/de/?wpam_id=3
Cheers Andy. Enjoy owning the pinky. 🤜🏼🤛🏼
That Andertons link isn't right... clipboard failure? :)
I think we've learned that we should request Bantz do the final inspection on all guitars in that factory.
Slight correction, it's Bamz
If the Squier came with the Fender paint job, I'd immediately buy it.
For that price, you can afford to have it painted in any color you want.
@@Great-Documentaries was going to reply with the same thing word for word lol
Thanks Bantz.
set-up and assembly signatures are also all the same
I instantly heard the difference with the yellow strat...sounded the best in the mix!
Moral of the story, if at all possible, go and try a guitar in person before buying.
As far as videos will take you, yes. I could not agree more
@@TheGuitarGeek Yeah it’s just weird that way. I sat in a store once and tried multiple “identical” Strats from the same series. One of them just felt “right.” The next guy might well pick another. It’s like choosing a samurai sword. Lol. 😀
@@lostinpa-dadenduro7555Or you could say, like choosing a Katana…
Ok… I'm out 😅
Kind of a moot point eh? "if at all possible" being the key component in your comment. It's only possible unless you live local/travel (ex: to sweetwater or a factory), or it happens to be sold at a local music store.
They have just changed the neck & headstock on the squire to match the Tom Delonge, so if you’re on a budget you could basically have a clone with the addition of another humbucker for tonal opportunity!
Yellow Strat was the best.
Then the Squier. Then Fender 2 & 1. Fender 1 had some intonation issues even on the F power chord on ATST which was surprising. To me the Squier is the winner of the starcasters because of what you get for the price. It's gorgeous and sounds very good in a mix. Plus you didn't even use the middle position or neck pickup! I saw someone had a black one with maple board and it was stunning! I sadly couldn't find it anywhere though. 250 making me think I need a starcaster. I need that dual rectifier first though.
GREAT video!!
I think it's important to note that the DeLonge Starcaster comes stock with a Duncan Custom SH-5, a great pickup that is voiced differently and has less output (14.1K) than Tom's former go-to, a Duncan Invader (16.6k). As a Tom fan on a budget, I'd probably buy Squier Sonic Strat H (or a Fender Japan Strat H if you have a bit more of a budget) and an Invader and call it a day.
Strat sounded great.....and I can tell by your smile you knew it :)
And the winner... The Strat lol
Good honest review that I found really helpful! Very good blend of getting straight to the point but also providing a solid level of detail, thanks a lot man!
The Affinity with some tuners and the SD pickup will get you pretty close inexpensively. In the Squier line the CV and Contemporary have a better feel to them.
I built a Tom Delonge-style Strat out of Squier parts - Classic Vibe 70s neck, Sonic Strat HT body, and then the new pick guard, knobs, and SD Invader from the Fender, and I agree. That CV neck is outstanding.
To me the strat sounded the most like blink-182
That's a shame
Bassist here. Love hollow body guitars and basses. Also love blink 182. I like punk and pop punk. I think if you are starting out the squire you will not go wrong with at all. Cover it in stickers youve got yourself a pop punk machine!! If you’ve got the money then the fender is the clear choice. I like the sound of fender 2 from the first play through.
".....tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak. Somewhere in this town. Tonight there's gonna be trouble. So don't ya be around......"
love it. Bass guy here. One of my fav songs to play bass to.
Wow, on the cheap the Squire stuff is pretty darn good as far as fit and finish. A few easily doable hardware swaps and you've got a heck of a player there. The Fender stuff is nice (and my Fender J bass is the single best instrument I've ever owned) but, with the price of everything gone insane, it's nice to know you can get into a decent instrument for less money and improve it over time.
cheers.
One of the differences with the Squire is that it has a tone cap in the circuit. I like the sound without a tone circuit. A cap bleeds high frequencies to ground. Treble bleed circuits are good as they can keep it from sounding muddy when you roll off of full volume.
I am curious how the classic vibe squier starcaster compares?
Just came here to say the same thing
Better. It sounds a little thinner than the real one.
Was thinking the same thing, why not compare the Fender’s to the classic vibe version?
@@CAllenBlack well, i've just started watching, but i would assume it's a matter or price point: compare the most expensive Starcaster-style guitar to the least expensive in the lineup.
personally, if it doesn't have the funky headstock and wide range pickups, it's not worth it to me... and i'm not a blink 192 fan, anyway.
@@ChristopherStandardTimesame. I actually like the weird cog shoe shaped headstock rather than the cbs Strat headstock
4:32 I’ve a 2020 Squier Affinity Strat HSS bought it as a project guitar after watching the Scottish git do his Iron Maiden mod. My Squier is so good that all I’ve done is change the strings.
The guitar came directly from the shops warehouse they hadn’t even unboxed it or set it up. It is so good i used it live without hesitation
Fender number 2 for me. Both the Fenders sound fuller than the Squier to my ear but number two seems to have a bit of extra clarity and chime to the top end. Would like to see what the Squier sounds like with a set of Duncans in it (or just the same one in the bridge) to see how close it could get though
I think the difference between the two Fenders is the reason why, if you can, you should still probably go to a store and "try-before-you-buy. Even two guitars of the same make and model can feel and sound quite different. Wood is a natural material and sometimes you get a piece of it that's just "better", is more resonant and makes for a nicer guitar
Now for putting the Duncan pickup in the Squier?
Its a $100 pickup I can see where I would be going
It will be a pain to install it though since it’s a hollowbody. So you would probably have someone do it for you. And while you’re at I would change the pot and perhaps the output jack as well. So that’s going to add some extra costs. But still it probably is half of what the Fender would cost you.
Thanks. I got the CV SQUIRE Starcaster from the Mrs. I love it. But I was wondering how the three squires did against the fenders.
Before choosing my Squire Classic Vibe Starcaster, I really spent a lot of time deciding between the three versions. I actually liked the Affinity in sunburst because the black binding made it look thicker, and while I wasn’t thrilled about the pickups, hey, they’re humbuckers and I knew GFS would have something I like. I really liked the roasted maple neck on the Contemporary Active, and thought I might like trying something with active pickups, but I ultimately ruled it out because it looked like installing my mandatory ‘varitone’ switch would difficult because of the tight cavity and absence of f-holes. So, I would up with the Modern Player variety. I was a bit hesitant about those oddball pickups, but once I found that there were replacements available, I took the chance. As it turns out, I love those pickups. I really didn’t need yet another guitar with dual humbuckers anyway, and these have a character all their own. The tuners aren’t the best, but I would probably keep them if I didn’t have a spare set of Fender locking tuners in need of a new home, but it’s been 6 months and I haven’t changed them yet, so obviously they’re not that bad. Quality (from Sweetwater) was perfect out of the box. The only flaw I found was that the output jack was loose, but hadn’t yet fallen inside. Fretwork was exemplary. I have the blonde variety, and after playing it, my wife went out and bought one in sunburst, which I might actually like better. Oh yeah, these do have bound f-holes, two pickups, and four controls. Not sure how superior the quality of the signature model might be, but I’ll be damned if I pay 4X the price for less. Oh yeah, I hate the strat headstock on the Fender model. Makes it look too much like a Coronado, which I have loathed since they came out (and yes, I was around then.) I like Gregg Kotch’s assessment of that odd headstock: “Looks like an elfin tool of war…”.
Great video. I would love to see you do a Tom DeLong Stratocaster and a Tom Delong starcaster comparison as well.
I’ve got both. The Strat is way better in my opinion.
Of course it is. It's made in the same factory in Indonesia. They're the only one with the mold. I'm sure the "Fender" has a few nicer specs, but it's a defacto Squier.
Fender 2 had the most blink sound - the yellow one seemed like it had it too.
Fender 2 sounded best to me, apart from the start which sounded even better.
Great comparison! I think that most importantly it highlights that we kind of forgotten that when you buy a guitar there are almost always individual differences. It's like picking a wand in Harry Potter. You instantly know if it's right or wrong.
Also, there's a guitar that my friend traded and it sucked, so he traded it again. It pops up in FB marketplace every year or so, and it's kind of our hobby to see who tries to pass it on - some guitars will forever be bad, even if usually the brand is OK
Short answer is YES for me. Gotta love the newer Squiers.
Regarding your comments at 6:56 about Fender vs Squier: People that write off a whole country of manufacture don't understand how manufacturing works. You can high-quality guitars (or anything else) anywhere. The difference is what corporate decisions are made as far as budget and specification. Does the specification allow for good materials and the time to get things right or does the specification allow for the bare minimum to make noise and get as many pallets of them out of the factory in as little time as possible?
I think the Tom Delonge is a great example that if you take the same employees and give them better materials and let them spend more time getting things right you'll get something better. Heck, I think if they let the builders spend more time on the Squier the differences would probably be smaller.
Another great example is the Adam Jones Epiphones. I've recently compared the version with the artwork on the back of the body versus the new version with the Gibson headstock shape. The older version is a good guitar. The new version is a whole different thing. Honestly, if I hadn't tried them back to back with my own hands I would have maybe given more credence to the Internet scuttlebutt, but experience leads me to believe otherwise.
The Strat sounded the best, followed by the Fender #2! Perhaps needed a clean comparison as well with the Strat?
The Seymore Duncan is almost certainly a better pickup than the Squire humbucker by any metric. But then that was Tom's pick, for those who want to imitate his tone. 70s style Strat headstock/neck made out of roasted maple is probably a selling point to some, and is presumably given more shop time at the factory resulting in a more playable, higher quality fretboard, which is kind of where the money is.
But you're also paying for a "Fender" not a "Squier" decal, and the signature model fee. Still a unique product, and hey; it's a Fender in name, even if it is coming from the same factory in Indonesia (100% confirmed; it's the only factory currently tooled to produce Starcaster bodies) that makes Squiers.
I love that you featured the graffiti yellow guitar. That’s the one I got Christmas of 2001! ❤
9:29 the second Fender looks the best imo given the darker fretboard however id buy the Squier in a heartbeat if it had the same fretboard. Maple fretboard? I’ve only ever owned one and that was in the 1980s
I have a Guild Starfire from the same factory and it is wonderful. It even has the same flat finish as the DeLonge.
1:18 i like it except for the price i want two humbuckers and split/tap coil options. Cheers 😎🎸🤘
I have the Olympic white affinity starcaster and I modded it to perfection. I agree on the bridge placement. It's intonated properly but I maxed out the low e. I noticed the TD starcaster has an abr1 style and the affinity has a Nashville bridge. Those Nashville bridges are a little wider so there's more room for intonation. Might be an idea for the TD starcaster 🎉
I bought a Fame guitar for 300€ from Music Store and when I picked it up I was blown away positively by the body work, the strings where setup in the store for me, where they saved money was obviously in the tuning keys which which were terrible but I replaced them for 12€ and a half-hour work. And the pots are of the smaller variation, but I'm fine with that and I'm impressed with the sound, and as a hobbyist I'm really happy with it.
I remember that Mayones used to make those Fames (same as Flame guitars in Poland), those really punched way above their price range
What a great comparison Andy, thank you! I definitely preferred the sound of Fender number two but all three were more than capable of rocking and/or rolling! Incidentally, I hope you keep the blue tape on II, it looks really cool!
The fact that the Squier and Fenders are made in the same factory doesn’t bother me personally but guitar marketing has made “country of origin” synonymous with level of quality which we all know isn’t really the case. Does putting Fender on a guitar that’s not made in the USA devalue the brand? Would it be more acceptable if it were made in Mexico? Or Japan? It doesn’t botherme but I can understand why eyebrows have been raised in some quarters.
All I’d say to anyone upset over it is that if we cast our minds back to the 50s and 60s a Les Paul Custom, Standard, Special and Junior for example were all made in the same factory, on the same production line and by the same people but the different components and level of finishing meant the price was different. And this similar to what’s happening here really.
Even if the Tom Delonge signature is over priced it will hold its value better and if either of these were to increase in value over the years it would be his. So is it worth it? In the most literal sense , yes.
Entertaining and informative, as always. I'm glad you (or your editor) kept in the shot of you taking the tag off.
"This is mine now!" 😊
I was at Sweetwater last summer and there was a neglected squire hanging in the back of the used room, covered in dust, for a good price.
I took it out to a practice room and no matter what i did the pickups were just 'icepick in the ear' or 'not much at all'.....
i figure someone put something crappy in, there's no way they were the original.
Having to replace the pickups made it a not great deal and I didn't get it, AND I THINK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
I should have bought it. Weird thing is it wasn't on their website then and it still hasn't been there when I've looked over the last year. I wonder if they're not entirely sure they know/knew they have/had it.
Anyone from Sweetwater reads this and responds to me I'll come back and get it if it's still there lol. Only a 4-5 hour drive
call them and ask. go get your guitar.
was just thinking about this comparison earlier today... pleased to see this from you, great stuff!
Great news! Glad you found it. Always feel free to reach out with video ideas
@@TheGuitarGeek I'd love to see what a new set of pickups would do for the Affinity Starcaster's tone.
Not only are the inspector initials the same, but the assembly and setup initials are the same too. Definitely done put together in the same factory.
Love what you're doing Andy!
Thank you!
For $200 more than the Affinity, Sqiuer has a Classic Vibe version of the Starcaster. That would probably be a little closer to the quality of the one with the Fender name on it. The store I teach in had one of the Affinity Starcasters and it was pretty nice. Like you said, with some sprucing up it could be a really great guitar. It definitely is the gem of the Affinity line.
This was such a GREAT video! Love the idea of trying out two different examples of the same guitars. Goes to show that two different guitars of the same model can make or break one's impression of the model/company. Really jiving with the Dual Rec btw! Loved that little produced track in the middle.
No problem! Thank you dude. Yeah, I figured two of the Fenders would be a good idea but two Squiers would be greedy :-D
Andy paused on the YT AppleTV app at 0:50 did you keep the Guild Polara ? Unfortunately my health status has taken a turn and i need a biopsy, but TBH that black Kim Thaille Guild is still no 1 on my GAS list. Positive thoughts and all that - i'll be fine.
Cheers from NZ
Think the one with the tape sounds best
Great review. I agree with you on the 2nd Fender. The tone was a smidge better.
Got to demo a Shoreline Gold when they first came out. Such an awesome guitar. Saving up for a White or Pink one!
This video was definitely a good idea Andy!
Blimey, comping two of the same guitars - genius! And one clearly spoke to you...
I think Fender / Squier continue to come up with the goods, and I'm going to stop typing now as my fingers are sore from playing the Paranormal XII all day!
Cheers 😎
Good comparo and kinda what I expected. Better pickups in the Fender equal a bigger sound. That saddle issue is a deal breaker though. No way I would keep a guitar that couldn't be intonated. Glad you're sending that one back.
Yessss, yesss yess yesssssssss. Finallyyy. Just yesssss!!!!!! Waited for this video so fucking long!🎉😂❤
Hahahaah, enjoy!
Great vid 👌 And bonus points for throwing some stereophonics in there. Starcaster #2 ftw
Could you do a review/ comparison of the Tom Delonge signature strat and the starcaster? I would love to see your take on it.
Oh I posted too soon above. 3:25 what a gorgeous guitar!!
Say what you want, but you DID get a pretty great grin when talking about the Squier. 😃
I bought the white one. There seems to be some variance on the color of the neck tint on some of the guitars. Mine is SUPER dark (very happy with that), but other's that I've seen are much lighter in hue. Even between those two examples, one looks darker than the other.
Killer guitar btw. Totally worth the money to me.
My question is: What if you drop a set of those Seymour Duncans into the Squire?
Thank you, kind sir, for yet again another great vid!
You read my mind somehow. Thanks for doing this!
My pleasure
I wonder how the Squier Classic Vibe Starcaster version compares?
8:16 does anybody know this riff? or is it just a improv
sounds familiar
It's Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy!
I’ve got both the TDL strat (2023 issue) and the TDL Starcaster….
The Strat is the better guitar. Playability better, pick-up is better and more aggressive. Hits harder.
Great vid Andy, good comparison thank you
Fender II had more top end (I think.) I always like to look at a graphic eq when I'm comparing guitars.
The EVH SA126 should have the same or similar construction and is MIM by Fender and they have a USA custom shop run coming. I don't think they couldn't make them, but they would be like $2k for a MiM. I am not sure I would even want one MiM if they are like the Jackson or EVH. The Indonesian ones are great
What's interesting to me is that on my speakers, it sounded like the Squier had a bit more bass than either Fender, which was contrary to what was said. All sounded good. All were interesting. But yeah, I'd want Fender 2 for sure.
Fenders sound more like blink-182, but the squire sounds great.
I have both fenders and squires telecasters and strats and I do appreciate the quality of the switching, tuners, knobs, and input jacks. The bridges are also better plated.
But my daily driver is a squire strat. I just like the satin maple neck and I never have to worry about damaging the thing.
From watching the entire video, seems the Strat is the safest bet. You could just tell half way through. Maybe look at the DG335 Epihone? I’d love a video on that compared to the Starcaster. As far as new HB artist series comparisons.
I could never play the Squier (or even original Fender) Starcaster because of THAT headstock! But all of a sudden with the CBS strat headstock... it looks like a guitar that I'd love to play!
I have a fond love for the starcaster headstock!
I quite like the starcasters. Especially the cheap Squier makes it an affordable piece and you can easily swap out the neck which should compensate for any playability issues and potentially the pickup if you really want to.
Clean sound on the Squier seemed to have a fuller tone. By "fuller" I mean better balance between low and high frequencies. The Fenders seemed a little tinny by comparison. It's not a dramatic difference, but there you go.
I do think the difference in the two "identical" Fenders should be concerning to anyone planning to buy one online.
i wonder how much of the weight difference is from the 2nd pickup.
Fender 2 sounded like it was better to play, but the audible difference was minimal.
As an avid fan of my squire CV starcaster, I am also 100% certain that the fender would FEEL lush to play - I can certainly feel the difference when I play my fender meteora or acoustasonic jazzmaster (which are different guitars I know but as far as feel and fit and finish goes,) it just feels more premium
However, as much as I’m sure I would fall in love with the fender version, given the price point I can’t recommend the CV more. Loved it out the box, got it professionally set up and it’s just lush for so many things and looks the absolute t*ts!
Money no object always buy the better quality.
But man, you're not gonna go wrong with the Squire.
My wife has the same Squire - hers is also a tobacco burst. She bought it from a local guitar store after trying out multiple guitars. The setup, intonation, and action are all perfect. I prefer the Affinity to the Classic Vibe because the latter has fake wide-range humbuckers. You can't upgrade them easily. If you had the budget to spend an additional 900$, you could buy nice pickups, locking tuners, tusq nut, and have a luthier give it a very good setup. You will still save a whole lot of money - probably enough to buy another Squire as a backup and upgrade the tuners & the nut but keep the pickups stock. I love the thicker body of the Squire. It feels substantial - like a semi-hollow body guitar ought to be, in my opinion.
But then again, I might be VERY biased. I see the Squire Affinity everyday, and it's owned by a person I'm madly in love with. Also, I live in India; luthiers aren't that expensive here.
the Indonesian intonesian?
Love your reviews, they're completely honest.
The Squier head is a great morph of the same ole Fender knob head.
I really like my Squier Starcaster, new tuners and nut was all that was required.
The affinity is a GREAT guitar
The difference in sound most likely comes from there being basically no electronics in the TD version.
That Squier is on my GAS list now. Damn you Andy !!!!
I absolutely love what you did here so I'm gonna ask a real question. ... Do you think the intonation is off on the Fenders because Tom always puts 27" necks on all the guitars he actually plays? ... Or maybe that stopped when he came back from Gibson, but that was the undisclosed issue with his previous signature models.
If the Classic Vibe or Affinity sound a little muddy, swap out the stock pots for 1meg pots before you buy new pickups . 1meg pots should really wake up the high end on the stock p’ups.
Great comparison! I waited for this video since you announced it after the Starcaster TD release. Thanks!
However, of topic, I noticed these fretlook stickers in the end, ordered them immediately.. and they suck. I was not able to apply them and was forced to remove, as they sticked only partially 😢 Have no idea how you applied them so perfectly, I followed all the instructions. Anyway, they looked nothing like inlays whatsoever…
Nothing against you! Only my 5 cents on stickers specifically.
Cheers!
Also with the TDL starcaster, the positioning of the strap bolt is horrible. It’s right at the back of the guitar, on the neck plate, rather than on the side of the body. Makes it hang down at a really weird angle when you stand up and play it.
Squire has been crushing it with the CV guitars, the last couple years.
Regarding your video, I find the shiny burst finished Squire with Starcaster headstock to be far superior to those flat pink Fenders. I don’t like pink guitars and I don’t get Delong’s choice to put a flat finish on his signature bodies, with a gloss finish on his necks. I get punk rock and all - hell my favorite band has been The Clash (since 1980!) - but his guitars look dumb to me.
Regarding their sound, I can’t really tell a measurable difference between the two.
Thanks for your input
The real thing I learned in this video, is that since I already have a Delonge Strat, there's no need for me to keep considering a Starcaster...... We know who the real winner was in this video.
Excellent work!
Strat sounded best of all
Made me wish I picked one up a few years ago.
@@Paul_Abbott_Landsraad_Project they're still available
@@pads-zr9lnahhhhhhhh might have to a look, it was definitely the better option of the 4 on show.
@@Paul_Abbott_Landsraad_Project Harley Benton are meant to be bringing out their own version, alternatively it's not a hard parts caster build
@@pads-zr9ln I am in the UK, so importing shouldn't be too bad 😂😂
Thanks for the tips my friend, I need to save some pennies first and rather oddly didn't consider a Strat as being a potential next purchase 😂
It’s depends on the Squier(which era and which factory) it depends on which Fender(which era decade, which factory) The other aspect is which guitar tech has really gone through each guitar. Phil McKnight had a term called Quality Assurance. This means how many Squiers and How many Fenders did you play. Your mileage will vary. On the whole you were right but when you get specific Epiphones can be better than Gibbies but not OFTEN AND THE SAME GOES for relationships between Fender and Squier!
F- holes have had many different shapes throughout history. The painting in the F-holes is done intentionally to increase contrast and the appearance of depth. Always check your neck for being level before assuming the Bridge is at fault. Check the contact of your low E w/ dental friction paper to make sure it isn't high centered, as many intonation issues happen at the nut and are harder to see.
thank you for doing this work!
My pleasure!
Can’t find one in stores…so I guess I just send it, order one online and hope for the best?
The price on the Tom Dellonge SC is just way too high for what it is
I just got a mim vintera 2 mustang. I can take the neck plate off completey, and hold the guitar by the headstock as if hanging on a wall, and the body doesnt come off. I just did this yesterday, as im busy complaining through email. The vinrato plate and cigar are scratched. There are holes on the fret ends, where the gloss seemed to bubble out. Its just a sloppier guitar than bullet squiers i have. More processes take place than on the squier, but fender are seemingly rushing those processes.and on the squiers there are less steps taken, but theyre usually done with the same amount of care. Tho on this vintera....ive never had a neck that squeaks when you jam it into the pocket or take the neck off. Sounds like Styrofoam. It isnt good. Its sloppy af. Fender is sliding
5:05 soz for another comment. It is rather thick Andy. What’s the weight like?
Fender 2 is definitely brighter and sounds a little hotter. Did you check pickup height?
Aesthetically I definitely prefer the Squire to the Fenders although I don’t like the contrast between the colour of the body and the neck. I also don’t really understand why the Fenders have strat headstocks rather than Starcaster ones. Odd choice that.
The TD model has a much more expensive pickup and better quality pots (well, a pot...). It would be nice to see you swap out the squire pickups and electronics for something similar and redo the comparison:)
Pot quality doesn't matter. The only thing that matters when it comes to pot quality is whether or not the pot is scratchy when turned (which doesn't happen here) and how long will it stay not scratchy. But the quality of the pot won't affect the sound, just the value of the pot. Which is one thing that's always good to keep in mind when comparing how electric guitars sound - pots have a fairly large tolerance when it comes to their value. Standard pots can have as much as 20% tolerance, which can be pretty significant with 500k pots (meaning the actual value of any single pot might be anywhere from 400k to 600k), and even the "better" ones still have around 10% tolerance. That *will* affect the sound of the guitar.
And another thing to remember is that the Tom DeLonge models don't have a tone pot at all - again, this will somewhat affect the tone, because even with tone on 10, the tone control circuit does affect the tone unless the pot is a no load pot (which it normally isn't).