BASICS: What Does a Fender Starcaster Sound Like? (Fender Modern Player Starcaster Demo)

[@eplivingston]

This was by far the best demo video of this guitar I've seen. Your style of playing is very similar to mine and I can tell you this video probably sealed the deal on me buying one for myself! Great job man! Love your tone!

[@NCskater96]

Eric Pardoe if you haven’t bought it yet, I definitely recommend it I just got mine a few days ago and it’s my favorite guitar I’ve ever played.

[@ericpardoe1791]

Who What , I got one! Thanks!

[@joshfirlotte]

that tone at 6:35 is so good

[@darksl1de]

lol xD

[@bartni]

actually sounds like crap, 7:35 is a bit better

[@MJPGuitar]

I agree. That tone is nuts

[@henriettasyndrome]

Okay that riff/tone at 6:35 is KILLER

[@AaronSternke]

graham sherwood thank you! I get a lot of great feedback on that exact part lol

[@henriettasyndrome]

@@AaronSternke No problem! Also just ordered one of these babies myself..watching reviews until it's on my door step is not making the wait any easier

[@henriettasyndrome]

@@AaronSternke i know this is random but remembereded about this riff and think I may have figured out what you were playing: Starts at: X X X X 13 11 11 11 0 0 X X Then: 0 0 11 9 11 0 X2 Then: 0 0 0 0 6 8/9 7 9 0 7 X 7 Then I THINK the second last chord is 0 0 4 2 2 0 Then It ends on 0 0 1 2 2 0 Am I right about the second last chord?

[@zeitzeugedergegenwart1382]

@@henriettasyndrome nice Tabs, but is there an answer? are those officialy the chords? :D

[@henriettasyndrome]

​@zeitzeugedergegenwart1382 I think he's just messing around. im not sure if there's an *official* tab for it, but I wish!

[@MJPGuitar]

That rock tone is nuts. Nice choice of chords

[@lonestarenglund7394]

Came here cos I just bought one! Very rare here in the UK and mine has a trem arm?! Definitely been used for ambience

[@nicholasmorris3786]

I’ve fallen in love with my starcaster so much I think I’m buying a second one in case something happens to mine on the road!

[@charlesthomas6748]

It sounds butternasty. Like a monster beast maestro 🔥

[@above-us-only-sky]

Son of god is to this day one if the best shoegaz-y songs I’ve ever heard. Hope you’re still making original music dude.

[@above-us-only-sky]

Holy shit. I remember you from rend the heavens. I actually played a gig with you guys... small world.

[@betav7363]

Glad i found this video. Great review and notice the Gretsch anniversary back there. I have both.

[@Monomonmamon]

The aesthetic of this guitar always makes me fall in love with it damn

[@simonandthelyricalpoets]

I don't need another guitar, but your video has made me have a re-think! Liked and subbed :)

[@jonathandenney7684]

AYYYYY!! He’s back!!

[@davemau5e]

Good to see you back Aaron. Always enjoy your pedalboard/gear vids! Hopefully it won't be another few months for another gear vid. Cheers!

[@AaronSternke]

Covers De Jubilo thanks! Going to try to post a lot more regularly. Thanks for coming back!

[@jonislow]

Thanks for all the info! I was thinking about getting this guitar but couldn't find out much about it. You've sealed the deal!

[@AaronSternke]

It's a great choice!

[@kennybluet5527]

For those who might not want to spend on a real Fender might want to check out the Squier Affinity Starcaster. Mine's well made with great tone. Lot of guitar for $ 300. It's the omly one they had so I don't know if there's a consistency issue among a number of these models .

[@matthewwester4672]

For the "epic rock thing" haha, what chord voicing(s) did you use? Sounded incredible 😏

[@henriettasyndrome]

I think I just figured it out.. I hope it keeps the format when I post Starts at: X X X X /12 13 11 11 11 0 0 X X Then: 0 0 11 9 11 0 (Then back to #1 then back to #2 again) Then for the ascending part: 0 0 0 0 6 8/9 7 9 0 7 X 7 Then I THINK the second last chord is 0 0 4 2 2 0 Then It ends on 0 0 1 2 2 0

[@theosolberg]

I have a black 1975 issue (so they were made earlier than 1976). Bought it in 1981, loved it ever since.

[@javierdespanjaard4384]

i bet this thing is good for a lot of foo fighters songs

[@worldwidemiz1224]

Great review! Finally straight up sounds.

[@TradesByBrandon]

Good review. Thanks man.

[@worldwidemiz1224]

I just bought one, the last "new" one I could find anywhere. I'd love to hear buyer's reviews / remorse from people that own one. Mine should arrive in a week or so. (Great review, dude.) Thoughts on this rare beast?

[@fredycorderoarriaza]

How are you feeling about it now that it's been 7 months? Are you enjoying the guitar at all?

[@worldwidemiz1224]

@@fredycorderoarriaza It is really a joy to play. It is solid, heavy, stays in tune, has sustain for days. The lacquered neck is surprisingly smooth (had never played one before). All around glad I got my hands on one before they were gone. Sounds phenomenal through a clean Champ 49 or Twin Reverb. Add a lil Tube Screamer or Vintage Delay... I can't put it down.

[@russcamp2607]

thanks so much for this demo , ive been searching for electric that i can use / get a good acoustic sound as well. im thinking one of these starcasters w a good acoustic ir loader is heading in the right direction. maybe a filtertron in the neck pu as well. i like the starcaster is cool cause you get a different hollowbody sound outta these , not a regular jazzbox kinda sound.

[@ryadchaoui]

Love your tone!

[@AaronSternke]

rchaoui thank you!

[@caseyhallman8787]

Geordie Walker tone from a Fender!! (6:30)

[@sigma5054]

perfect lush sound love it

[@Dogsrule777]

That guitar sounds absolutely bad ass!

[@johnmullarks3555]

Wasn't expecting 6:34

[@diegonapoles2469]

Pinkerton

[@DerNorrisChuck]

This Guitar seems to be perfect for Sounds like Elevation, Planetshakers, Jesus Culture, Bethel, Hillsong ect..: Praise and Worship , Indie and Funk as well. I Play in Church and this might be an Alternative to Telecasters, and Gretsches... Very good Demo for us Church Players out here! i Wonder how it compares to the already well known Squier 70`s Thinline Telecaster with assumingly the same Humbuckers...? That is almost the same Guitar exept for the body-Size and not beeing a Fully hollow Body.

[@SeemsLikeSomething]

Sounds like an SG with some of that fender jangle thrown in.

[@寶爺-r9f]

good review!!

[@thechickennuggetoffate9139]

Great review dude! Do you know if it's possible to install a bigsby tremolo on them? Thanks

[@AaronSternke]

The Chicken Nugget of Fate I’ve seen someone do it! I know it takes a bit of skill, as the body is curved. But definitely possible with a professional installation

[@stephenc2903]

Those chords at the beginning are really nice

[@AaronSternke]

Thank you!

[@Irkennalpha]

I want a Starcaster with Jazzmaster pickups and a baritone neck, am I crazy?

[@Deaf_Notes]

There's a company called Bilt guitars that can make you exactly that same body style and head stock shape.

[@spencermckay5662]

Awesome video, thinking of getting one these eventually. How much does it tend to feedback, especially with heavier distortion?

[@AaronSternke]

Spencer McKay o haven’t really had feedback issues, BUT I rarely play with the amp close to or in the same room with the guitar. I’d assume it’d be similar to a 335

[@spencermckay5662]

Aaron Sternke Ok cool, thanks for such a quick response.

[@steveprudell9976]

Well I gotta free guitar lesson great job Sir.

[@kaleidojess]

That’s beautiful.

[@thirdgearband]

What case fits it? 339 or 335 How does the Squire Starcaster Classic Vibe compare to it

[@tonywolfemusic5920]

Just got one. I'm in love.

[@AaronSternke]

TONY WOLFE MUSIC congrats! They are so fun!

[@TheDrewSmyther]

Your demos are always well done and when I’m looking for a pedal/guitar demo I hope you’ve got something!

[@AaronSternke]

TheDrewSmyther thank you so much!!

[@alvertskaunang4947]

Sir, where you buy this starcaster black..in my country the stock color just chery burst and natural :( ,please share the link for this black one

[@dayspro5516]

I have a Fender Starcaster too! What did you do specifically to the guitar?Thinking about doing the same thing

[@AaronSternke]

DaysPro a local guy Mike Lull put new pots in - I think they were 1k pots maybe? I know he had to rout out some of the body in order to fit them - they’re bigger than the stock pots. Then he just put in a nicer switch, and did a setup on it. All in all it cost about $400 😬. Spendy but worth it.

[@electoplater]

who the fret wear on yours and the bright work

[@ricardobermudez6229]

@@AaronSternke ok so you did the changes with the best... RIP Mike Lull...

[@AaronSternke]

Ricardo Bermudez yes, Rest In Peace. The best.

[@johnstephen7610]

Coming in three years later on this. Aaron Sternke, do you still have this guitar? Still like it?

[@AaronSternke]

Still have it, still love it, won’t ever sell it

[@johnstephen7610]

@@AaronSternke Thanks Aaron, that's encouraging to hear. I'm on the verge of buying one of these so I was interested in your long-term thoughts on it. I appreciate the quick response.

[@kentower]

Would a Starcaster be a viable guitar to play jazz? Serious question

[@AaronSternke]

kentower absolutely

[@ricardobermudez6229]

Hi Aaron, what are the pots you installed on the guitar?

[@paulhiggins4051]

Which are the best pots and replacement switches for one of these ?

[@tattooedsailor8666]

Hows the neck stock? Did it need a setup? Did the frets need to be dressed? I'm really thinking getting one. I never bonded with Gibsons due to scale on their necks.

[@AaronSternke]

Tattooedsailor neck is ... small-ish I’d say? It definitely improved with a setup, not sure how much they did. BUT all that said it was actually really great right out of the gate

[@tattooedsailor8666]

Thank you for prompt reply and excellent review! I have to buy all my gear on net. I live in remote part of country. These reviews are god send!

[@TheBryanDrummond]

Pickups sound great! Kinda hot or is it just me?

[@AaronSternke]

TheBryanDrummond they’re pretty hot, yeah. Not crazy tho. Standard for a humbucker output

[@TheBryanDrummond]

Aaron Sternke Oh nice. I’m considering getting one, throwing some flat wounds on it and using it as my jazz guitar. Alternative to a 335

[@AaronSternke]

@@TheBryanDrummond you will be very happy with that setup!

[@jacobbrown5336]

What do you think of the new squire starcaster coming out?

[@AaronSternke]

jacob brown I don’t know much about it! I will say I like my Starcaster, but even on it a lot of corners were cut, so my concern with the Squiers would be that even more would be cut! You never know until you try one tho!

[@H_Oscarsson]

@4:18 What kind of pots did you put in your Starcaster?

[@AaronSternke]

not 100% sure but I think they're CTS 1Meg pots

[@alvertskaunang4947]

Sir, are this guitar possible to instal Bigsby?

[@AaronSternke]

alverts kaunang I’ve seen someone do it! I know it takes a little creativity because of the contour of the body but it’s doable

[@alvertskaunang4947]

@Daniel H hmm great sugestion brohh,i can bu my that 😆🤘🙏

[@Thelukeswanson]

How heavy is the guitar, and what case do you use for it?

[@AaronSternke]

Luke Swanson it’s moderately heavy? I wouldn’t say it’s light ... but it’s not nearly as heavy as a Les Paul. I found a case online for it that fits well - the Silver Creek Archtop Hollowbody guitar case

[@realSeanMcMahon]

How would this fair on country and jazz? A lot of demos make it sound a bit “chunky” compared to other semis. Not a lot of clean demos

[@AaronSternke]

It’s dark, so you could definitely use it for jazzy stuff especially with the neck pickup. IMO it’s not bright or twangy enough for country

[@eplivingston]

Hey Aaron, what string gauges are you using on your Starcaster? I just got mine in and was wondering what’s par for the course on these.

[@AaronSternke]

Eric Pardoe I use 11s on all my guitars - I’m primarily a rhythm player and I like the tuning stability / longevity / tone of 11s best

[@eplivingston]

Aaron Sternke thanks! I’ll give them a shot my next go around!

[@tmlplus]

Are you going through software as your 'amp' there?

[@AaronSternke]

tmlplus nope, through my Jackson Newcastle 18 combo, mic’ed with a Royer R121 ribbon, into a Vintech X73i into Pro Tools :-)

[@hill-di2ui]

cool

[@bahiodj5566]

Hola, cual calibre de cuerdas? Hello, which one strings gauge?

[@AaronSternke]

¡Hola! Son 11s

[@bahiodj5566]

@@AaronSternke la guitarra no se dobla? La starcaster mia con 10 ya tiene hasta el máximo el torque del alma del mástil... 😯

[@AaronSternke]

@@bahiodj5566 No, ¡es genial con los 11! Solo recuerde configurarlo bien, y también siempre estire sus cuerdas correctamente cuando las cambie. ¡Buena suerte!

[@bahiodj5566]

👍👋🍻

[@jakereed7799]

I'm buying one even though they're 900+

[@ederescamilla3953]

José Madero’s Guitar

[@billallen3429]

Does anyone know if a strat neck fits these?

[@캉제키]

This guitar is made in China, I love sound of this guitar in this vedio but just wonder if the quality of the guitar is actually good or not. Could somebody advise me?

[@AaronSternke]

The quality is great! They cut corners a little on the electronics - I switched out my pots + wiring and also my switch with higher-quality components, and it's been really great ever since. But even right out of the box these are great guitars, especially for the money!

[@ricardobermudez6229]

​@@AaronSternke Hi, sorry to bother you. Could you please define which pots + wiring + switch did you changed them to?

[@AaronSternke]

Ricardo Bermudez I don’t actually know :-) I just know the stock electronics cut a few corners and Mike Lull upgraded them... I think we switched out the pots to 1meg pots?

[@ricardobermudez6229]

@@AaronSternke Thanks for replying, i found this page and it shows that they saw a big improvement using 1M pots, so this lines up with your asumptions. mmguitarbar.wordpress.com/2013/12/25/wiring-upgrade-for-a-fender-reissue-starcaster/

[@stockholm1752]

It *was* affordable. Hard to find now.

[@sfear6]

can you replace those pickups with EMGs?

[@AaronSternke]

sfear6 good question, probably? I’ve thought about switching them out but it’s too cost prohibitive

[@flyawayhorses]

Why were Starcasters so unpopular when they first came out?

[@AaronSternke]

R Ruttan I’m not sure... I suspect maybe Fender just didn’t have the marketing budget or a compelling reason to continue its production at the time, as Gibson continued to dominate the semi hollowbody market

[@davidbriggs9675]

Probably the wierd looking bridge unit put people off. These new ones have a more 'standard' stop tailpiece. Someone (guess who!) says that I already have too many guitars...so I won't be getting one...just yet...I'll have to work on that...;)

[@SurdeInglaterr]

i hear cafe tacvuba

[@josefelix9652]

First time I saw them was the first time I saw a Starcaster.

[@kaeldlr2018]

You look like Aaron Paul. Coincidentally your name is also Aaron

[@AaronSternke]

RldleaK haha second time I’ve got that recently

[@torekristian1936]

Is it made in China?

[@AaronSternke]

torekristian1936 yes made in China

[@eberbenites4792]

Made in???

[@AaronSternke]

Eber Arturo Benites Rivas China!

[@Iggytommy]

but the pickups are not what they purport to be. they aren't real wide field pickups., such a con.

[@AaronSternke]

Whatever they are, they sound good to me!