I have this guitar and love it. I can't say enough about the good things Squier (and Epiphone) are doing these days. Inexpensive does not mean 'cheap' anymore.
@@RAPTRx-xm7zb yeah i absolutely agree, i my self own and play a inexpensive pacifica the thing inexpensive and cheap does mean the same thing its only that the guitars nowadays doesnt feel cheaply made
I got one last month …… Held it and liked the feel Played it and loved it I’m actually thinking of getting a second one in the natural color It really caught and grabbed me !!!!
@@41knots20 Dude. BILT has been in business since 2009. The Starcaster got introduced in 1976 with an early few guitars dating 1975. So is it? Is it really?
Reminds me of the lady on that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer accidentally spilled a couple of silica gel packs into the salsa at the clothing store. "I feel all...dried out on the inside..!" Hahaha!
I play the Fender Modern Player Starcaster as my main guitar for close to 5 years now. I absolutely love that guitar. I played so many hours on that thing, it really feels like a part of my body. I played Private Stock PRS guitars for 10000€ and silently thought "This is really nice, but I'd rather play my Starcaster right now". I played Jazz gigs and Metal gigs with it and it just works. Really arrived there personally. 1 1/2 years ago I installed some locking tuners and I suddenly had an extra two seconds of sustain, which I absolutely didn't expect. Made me fall in love with it again. Tone-wise: Try giving it some highs. In my experience the "newer" Wide-Range Humbuckers don't get the typical Fender ice-pick quality, but rather the guitar starts breathing. Especially in the neck-position.
A £90 Vintage v100 seems to suit me very well, prefer it over some more expensiver guitars i have had. And a classic vibe semi hollow tele. No idea why but i am considering one of these.
@@getaloadofthisguy9285 It won't drive the amp as much as other guitars, but hey, you can just slap a booster in front and it works. And with modern metal amps/sims you have so much gain, that it isn't a problem to get it screaming :D
I felt the same way as soon as I picked it up. When you said, "there's something about the way it connects to my body". It's one of the most comfortable guitars I've ever played sitting down. It just sits in the most perfect spot. Most guitars make you slouch more.
"I regret not getting this sooner" is probably one of the best compliments for a guitar. I've been after a Starcaster as many of the originals you see listed are 76's (my birth year) and missed out on the Fender re-run a few years ago, but this will be my next guitar in a few weeks.
I absolutely love Squier. I think the correlation they have with Fender in terms of great guitars out of the box is much better than Epiphone is to Gibson. I think the guys building Squiers have something to prove. And they have consistently done it time after time after time for me. Good on Squier!!!!
Squier is really good! I have a Bullet Strat that I bought for 120 new as my first guitar and the finish on that is WAY better than on my Fender Tele that I got for 600 new recently. The Tele has a ton of fret sprout, the neck humbucker seems loose and the nut somehow moved while the Squier has none of these issues, not even a millimeter of fret sprout! The Fender of course sounds much, much better and it doesn't go out of tune every 10 minutes but it still feels like I paid a 500 premium just for better pickups, tuners and a Fender logo lmao
The guys building Squiers are definitely factory workers doing so for around or slightly above Korean/Chinese/Indonesian minimum wage. While I'm sure many of them are extremely competent at their jobs, the idea that they 'have something to prove' - or have any real reason to *care* about the quality of their work beyond it meeting whatever QA standards they're held to and more importantly hitting the quotas required of them - because of the reputation of their brand is about as absurd as thinking the same about the guy that made your Big Mac. That's not to say that they don't do great work, but it's important to have a realistic perspective about these things. Even the people building $3000 Made in America Gibsons aren't exactly artisans deeply committed to what people think about their employer, they're factory workers making the same amount as the guy that made my coffee this morning.
Karuna indeed, I love my bullet strat, I bought it 5 years ago and I just can’t say nothing bad about that guitar in terms of price-sound. I was thinking to sell it with other ones I have to get a squier classic vibes, since my bullet is 2 humbuckers and I’m playing more blues and neo soul stuff. Sorry for the long comment, but I had to agree with you on that take. Cheers!
Yeah the Squiers are absolutely amazing. I replaced my Fenders with made in China Squier Classic Vibes because I love them so much! Öp The problem is they were to good, there was almost no need for the Mexican instruments anymore.. So sadly they downgraded the Classic Vibe range quiet a bit when changing to made in Indonesia. Yes they reduced the price circa 50$ but that came with a „price“ itself.. My Two Tone Sunburst Classic Vibe 50s is such an amazing instrument. It has a two piece alder body with great looking grain, a rift sawn maple neck and the best thing are the pickups: unlabeled Tonerider Surfaris! I planned to replace the pickups with fender custom shop ones but I actually liked the Surfaris better! Now for 50 dollars less the made in Indonesia Strats have a 5 (or similar) piece nato body and cheap no name pickups which they call „fender designed“. The guitar sounds so much worse. Only thing I like more about the MII guitars is the darker tint of the maple fretboard, but that’s the least important thing..
I remember telling my bandmates how I wished I could get my hands on a Starcaster. Semi-hollow with Wide-range humbuckers, maple fretboard, strat-style neck, unique headstock, fancy bound/offset body... No-brainer.
I like how you play guitar from genres outside of the realm of vintage blues. It makes it easier for me to understand your videos hearing punky and dreamy sounds similar to what I currently play
Ryan! Buddy! I just bought myself one of these... and your recommendation in this video lent very heavily into that decision... and i gotta say: Not at all disappointed! What a fantastic guitar! If anyone else out there in youtube land is wondering "Should I?"... YES!!! YOU SHOULD! It is stunning, the finish is not just good for the price... it's good, period! And the neck is spectacular! Not a bit sticky, the fretwork is great!
@@alexionita5015 Yeah, the intonation was slightly off... and my pickup selector switch is a bit faulty... which is a disappointment... but the QC on mine is generally just like Ryan's here. It's a very comfortable guitar to play, the fretwork is great it has a nice warm tone... and it looks soooo much nicer than the price.
Just got one here in late mid 2022. QC must have improved in the last 2 years. Frets are perfectly level and the ends are nicely dressed. No sharp edges. Not a blemish on it. Do not hesitate if interested.
Man, thanks for that video. I was playing around a looooong time getting a starcaster and fought with a lot of doubts if this guitar for that money can satisfy me enough especially because it's no real Fender. At the end of the day you convinced me with your passion that it would be a great pick. Since then I follow your channel and say a huge THANK YOU from Berlin, Germany.
If you really have to get rid of one of your semi-hollows get rid of the Harley Benton. The Starcaster just has so much personality and there’s really not much else out there like it. Also if you change the strings light-gauge jazz flats sound great on these kind of guitars
Thank you for taking the time to review this amazing guitar. I sold my fender version years ago and have regretted it ever since. I just picked up the Squier and it sounds every bit as good!
Bought this exact guitar back in November after watching your summer namm video a couple of times. And I’ve wanted to try a starcaster for a long time, too. So thanks for both of these videos! Hope people will appreciate this beautiful instrument more.
Ive had the same exact model now for 6 months and I love it. Wait till you get the volume up and get feedback to start and the way it in particular feeds back. It can roar in your hands,.
I was shopping for my first electric when I watched that video. I ended up with a Gretsch Electromatic, and I don't regret it. But it's nice to see I would have been happy with the Starcaster. It's possible I'll get one still.
I also got a gretsch electromatic for my first electric lol, and I love the way it sounds and the bigsby as a bonus. This year I'm looking for a new guitar and I think I made my choice
Your new camera really shows this Starcaster to it's best advantage. When I have looked these over on Sweetwater, i always felt I would like the Walnut finish more but the way it shows up here is just, Wow! Might be the first traditional style burst I ever craved. Plus I gave away my Epi 335, so I'm needing a decent semi-hollow and like you said the p/u's have a truly unique and fun sound. Nice unboxing review. Let's see the full demo soon.
I just got one with Fender Days Sale and you’re right. Wish I got one sooner. I absolutely love it. This and the CV Jags are my fav from Squier so far.
I'm holding mine (Starcaster) while watching you love on this beauty. Unique standout. A delight to play. And yes, Fender owes you big as I bought it on your recommendation at Summer Namm.
I’ve had mine for two or three weeks and have played it exclusively in that time. I haven’t even it put it through pedals yet - just the onboard Katana reverb, and cant get enough. What a brilliant guitar. I did buy it partly on your recommendation from last year, so thanks for that! My new favourite guitar.
Great vid. The Squier Starcaster is on my list of "must owns." Great sound, feel, and looks, for a great price. The headstock is tied with the smaller 50s style as my favourite.
From Leo: There is nothing wrong with liking a low priced guitar. "prestige" does not always sound better or feel better in your hands. That Squier seems like a pretty good product. I also like the tones of those "Fake wide range" pickups, although my experience is with them in a Telecaster. When some self important snob starts about the pickups not being the same as original, I just tell him I am so glad they improved them because I hated the first ones.
People forget where eddie van Halen got his guitar. It was scrap he built. Too many snobs out here. I own Gibson and a ton a squiers I have hot rodded to my specs and I play them all. So many guitars out there to stick to name Big corporate brands.
Another great demo! I've just ordered one. I have got to stop watching your videos , as it is costing me a lot of money!! Seriously - love your honest views and comments. All the best, from England.
I’ve always liked the design of the Starcaster. I remember wanting one of the originals back in the ‘70s when they hit the market, and I couldn’t afford it-as I recall, they were something like $575 list; around $2000 in 2022 dollars. The originals had a strings-through bridge and a master volume control, neither of which are on these reissues-not a big deal for me. But a bigger deal would be the possible lack of a case-Fender’s been lax about offereng cases for bigger or longer-than-normal guitars lately. I have a 2019 Electric XII that came in a bass gigbag, and I can’t find a case to fit it; not a Jazzmaster case-they’re an inch or two short. Does Fender even offer a case for the Starcaster? And the pickups in the Starcaster don’t sound like the ‘70s ones. They sound pretty good, but they don’t seem to have the twang of the originals; they’re more like a decent Gibson-style humbucker. That’s not much of a problem, as apparently the newer Fender Wide Rangers sound better, and Lollar makes a good Wide Range replacement anyway. Back in 1981 I played for a short time with a guy who played nothing but original Starcasters-he had several of them, and I remember trying one of his and being quite impressed. He was a really good player too. Joey Portman from San Antonio, Texas. Hey, Joey, you still out there? Anyway, I’ve been keeping an eye out for a nice Starcaster ever since, but the originals are getting pretty pricey, and they’ve always been scarce. These reissues seem pretty nice, and for $400 plus the cost of a couple of replacement pickups-seems like a pretty good deal.
Welp, I'm convinced. I've wanted a Gretsch for a while to relieve my hollowbody GAS, but one of these with a Duesenberg Les Trem should do so nicely, and for quite a bit less money. I've realized that I don't have a single instrument with a "big name" on the headstock, and my Squier VM Bass VI has been my primary instrument since late 2013, so clearly I'm not bothered by playing a Squier on stage, even when playing venues on the Sunset Strip.
Nice video. Just got mine and I absolutely cannot believe that they can sell a guitar this good for this price. I called Sweetwater and got it for $380 with free shipping! Other than a few setup tweaks and my brand of strings, I love this thing!
I hated the look of this guitar when I first saw it, but it definitely grows on you. I'm fine with it's looks now, really surprised & impressed by how versatile it is, and may well get one. Thanks for the review.
I saw one of these in my local guitar store before the lockdown. It was beautiful. Id have thrown my card at them if i was a good enough guitarist to justify dropping the money on it
I did that once with a 90's era Ibanez Artstar. Beautiful guitar, felt good in my hands, and I had to sell it less than 6 months later to afford to get my own place. :p
I got one of these, same model and finish, six or eight moths ago. I love the looks. Neck is really good. The full gloss finish feels and plays great. But it does have some "staying in tune issues". It's not horrible, but it's not great in that respect. The other, bigger issue is those pickups. I knew they were going to be bright, so I wasn't surprised about that. But they have a very "hi-fi" sound to them that I can't quite get used to, and that fits in with my amp and pedal settings very differently than any other guitars I own. And I think there's a slight upper-mid frequency resonant peak that ends up being kind of ear fatiguing after a while. I've gotten plenty of good comments from people about the unique look of the instrument - on the other hand, no one's commented on it sounding great. I think it's a good value, and the sound of the pickups might be just what you're looking for … but I'd say try one out through your set up to make sure it sounds right.
I have the Fender one and got plenty of comments about the great sound on stage. Looks too. In my experience I can play through any amp I want and get it to sound good. But it's true that that sound doesn't work with other guitars too well. But I switched to a modelling rack unit on stage, so it's not longer my problem. I find, that the Starcaster needs a lot more highs to be able to breathe properly than any other guitar I played, but that may also just be preference.
Hi Ryan. Just subscribed. Great video, thank you. Love my Starcaster. Only problem with mine was the nut which took me about 20 minutes to sort out. By the way I dropped in a set of Fender CuFeNi WRH's (for a custom tele build) and a new wiring harness with 1 meg audio taper pots. The sound improved, but not as much as you would think. Certainly not $400 which is what the Fender pickups cost. Fender did such a fine job on reworking the Squier humbuckers and wiring harness (full size 500k volume pots and 250k tone pots) that if I had to do it again, I would have just kept it stock. Keep doing what you do. Kind Regards.
Bought one in walnut finish last week. Your video from NAMM kinda supported my will and so glad it did. What a great guitar. Edit: Fun thought. I also would rather ask for Squier stuff instead of Fender. More wacky options and mod project offsets.
I am also planing to get one of these with blonde neck. It's a very nicy sounding alternative to normal hollow body sounds. Twanging and shining highs..... Love it. 🔥👍
I'll take that HB off your hands lol. Hey I just want you to know I bought the HB DC mustard yellow guitar....and you convinced me and I have 0 regret and I plan on buying more of them
Just got my Starcaster today how long should I let it sit either the strings loose before I start playing ups left it on my door outside humidity was high what a great review can’t wait to play it in tune
awesome guitar! in what order would you upgrade things to really bring out this guitars potential? I'd love a bigsby on one of these to play some Cramp tunes
Have this in the walnut color and it's gorgeous. This is my third electric in my stable of guitars. One hollow body arch top (Dean 7 sound Palomino with 3 P90s), one solid body (Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar) and this semi-hollow body Squier Starcaster, which I've had for about 6 months. Only thing I have done to it since is tune it. The Starcaster is so much fun to play and is what I will pick up more often than not. Not the most expensive electric guitar I own, but absolutely the best value.
I just picked up the Squier Affinity Starcaster - Candy Apple Red at Sweetwater for $247.49 and with their Bucket of Bucks saved another $20.00. I will get mine next week. 😄
Gotta say I am with you, Ryan, really digging my Squire Telecaster, and looking forward to trying out a Squire Starcaster Classic. The new “wide range” humbuckers look interesting. Thanks again for the review.
Squier had some bad years to be sure, but they really stepped up their game in the 2000's I have a 2009 Squier 75 Vintage Modified Jass Bass, and I'm telling you...prior to deciding on it, I must have played over 50 basses of all different price ranges and brands over the course of that week, including of course Fender ' s current Standard line at the time, and it truly sounded, and played as well, and sounded right on part with many of the other much higher priced instruments..no joke...Between the maple body, the beautiful neck, to just the amazing snappy, yet rich tone, I was so happy, and still am...ayednd my bank account thanked me too...399.00 at the time, but performed right up there with some high buck basses
Jack Stang i really want a tele, but I’ve been waiting because Squier is about to come out with their paranormal series and they have an offset tele in it. Which I’d want more over a normal tele
This thing sounds great! I might buy one… and maybe gift one to my dad too…I’m a huge fan of squire and epiphone at the moment everything is so great for great prices too, well done to the aforementioned companies!
Compared to 335 style: Offset body - I like, maple fretboard - yes, bolt on neck - OK, Fender scale length - OK, the headstock - that's going to take some getting used to!
I listen to mostly metal (all subgenres) but have lately gotten super into blues, and recently inherited my grandpa's Epiphone S310 HSS. I started wanting to keep playing metalcore, but lately John Mayer, BB King and SRV have changed my thoughts. This guitar is going to be my next, and from what I can tell, it definitely checks all the boxes for me
My favs are Gretschs but whenever I see the high quality Squiers, I lust for them. I want one of these now and I still want the 70s classic vibe tele custom in pure black. Oh and the new Toronado.
@@orionking1061 good to hear; it’s a good one! I’m looking forward to mine arriving in the mail this Thursday! I’ve always wanted a hollow body electric guitar!
Looking at the Starcaster headstock I now realize where Ibanez got their inspiration from when they made the mid 80's Roadstar...I have a 1985 RG-440 and I always liked the headstock...Now I see why...
That Harley Benton semi-hollow is absolutely gorgeous...but I'm biased, because I have an ESP LTD EC-256 in Lemon Drop that looks like a cousin to that one...and I love how warm the tone on it is...I'm tempted to go buy that exact one, just to have my first semi-hollow...
well, i own this classic vibe one, and i am pretty happy after i set-up the pick-ups a little bit, and put 10-46 strings on it. The sound is kind of unic. The more i play it the more i like it.
Just got mine the natural version love it ,the only thing missing from my collection was a hollowbody at this price and a few mods she's gonna be a Rockabilly Mo'chine, don't care for the closed back tuners, I'll throw a set of sperzals on , I fully expected to switch out the pups right away ,but the the neck pup is solid , I'll use a guitarfetish filtertron or p90 in the bridge , I'll use a vibramate bigsby adapter kit and Shazam !! A Rockabilly Mo'chine for roughly $600, way better than a gretsch at that price
I lusted after a modern starcaster aged cherry burst. Beautiful. Got to try one. Way heavier than I expected, and I didn’t like the neck. So glad I got to try one. Bought an Ibanez RC 365h instead. Still love the look of these guitars, still tempted by the squier...
I had an original '76 Starcaster (neck date was '75, serial number started with 666!) and stupidly sold it 15 years ago. Two main differences are 1) the original was a string through body design with a big steel (or some metal) block bridge, and 2) on the headstock there was that steel bar you have to feed four of the strings through, which made changing strings a real pain in the ass due to the closeness of the bar's holes to the closest tuner posts. That said, it was an incredible guitar. Mine had a nice rounded neck, not a thin one. But I still might pick up one of these Squiers. They seem to get close.
Just been looking at one of these. Came to YT for reviews/sounds, saw your vid title '...I have strong feelings...', and I thought uh-oh. But no! It's all good! Thanks for the review.
This guys sucks at guitar wtf
that's not very christian of you to say, and you have a bible channel..
Yeah well you’re ugly soooo
You suck at guitar
No, he doesn't. You, however, suck as a human being.
@@donkeninitz4590 hey look, we’re the same!
I say he sucks
You say I suck
We’re both shit! Yay
Squier: Classic designs that have been forgotten, returning to the spotlight.
Fender: aLtErNaTe UnIvErSe
What about the paranormal universe?
Starcaster was actually as Fender until 2019. Its pretty much the same guitar, but it was Fender branded and it was priced as a 700 bucks guitar.
@@dasprucegoose Gotta say after the starcaster, the paranormal series has definitely got my interest.
@@henriquevalverde7179 I got one of those. I love that guitar. I paid a list price of 840€ tho.
Need to do a better baritone, like the Reverend Decent.
I have this guitar and love it. I can't say enough about the good things Squier (and Epiphone) are doing these days. Inexpensive does not mean 'cheap' anymore.
Inexpensive means cheap just doesn't feel that way
@@TECH3_ Does it play well, look nice, and hold up well? If so than the rest doesn’t really matter.
@@RAPTRx-xm7zb yeah i absolutely agree, i my self own and play a inexpensive pacifica the thing inexpensive and cheap does mean the same thing its only that the guitars nowadays doesnt feel cheaply made
Does it need any work out of the box ( except tuning of course ) ?
I got one last month ……
Held it and liked the feel
Played it and loved it
I’m actually thinking of getting a second one in the natural color
It really caught and grabbed me !!!!
the whole reason why i WOULD get this guitar IS the headstock lol yall be wildin
Seriously...it’s damn sexy
Yeah, it's really gorgeuos you're right.
That headstock is a rip off of a boutique guitar company called BILT.
@@41knots20 Dude. BILT has been in business since 2009. The Starcaster got introduced in 1976 with an early few guitars dating 1975. So is it? Is it really?
@@41knots20 no it's not.
If they don't want you to eat silica gel, then why do they make it taste so good?
Crackhouts I’m more into the the texture than the taste. But man, it is pretty tasty.
Do not eat!
Do not wet!
Do not open!
I'm glad you said you wouldn't because I'm pretty sure that's how you make Gremlins.
Reminds me of the lady on that episode of Seinfeld where Kramer accidentally spilled a couple of silica gel packs into the salsa at the clothing store. "I feel all...dried out on the inside..!" Hahaha!
Ketchup, mustard, mayo?
I play the Fender Modern Player Starcaster as my main guitar for close to 5 years now. I absolutely love that guitar. I played so many hours on that thing, it really feels like a part of my body. I played Private Stock PRS guitars for 10000€ and silently thought "This is really nice, but I'd rather play my Starcaster right now". I played Jazz gigs and Metal gigs with it and it just works. Really arrived there personally. 1 1/2 years ago I installed some locking tuners and I suddenly had an extra two seconds of sustain, which I absolutely didn't expect. Made me fall in love with it again.
Tone-wise: Try giving it some highs. In my experience the "newer" Wide-Range Humbuckers don't get the typical Fender ice-pick quality, but rather the guitar starts breathing. Especially in the neck-position.
A £90 Vintage v100 seems to suit me very well, prefer it over some more expensiver guitars i have had. And a classic vibe semi hollow tele. No idea why but i am considering one of these.
I agree totally, they got it right!
so this thing can do metal? sick
@@getaloadofthisguy9285 It won't drive the amp as much as other guitars, but hey, you can just slap a booster in front and it works. And with modern metal amps/sims you have so much gain, that it isn't a problem to get it screaming :D
This guitar player sucketh
I love the silica pouch eating joke... I make that same joke with every package. I always tell my wife, "Ooh! It came with a snack!"
I felt the same way as soon as I picked it up. When you said, "there's something about the way it connects to my body". It's one of the most comfortable guitars I've ever played sitting down. It just sits in the most perfect spot. Most guitars make you slouch more.
"I regret not getting this sooner" is probably one of the best compliments for a guitar. I've been after a Starcaster as many of the originals you see listed are 76's (my birth year) and missed out on the Fender re-run a few years ago, but this will be my next guitar in a few weeks.
I absolutely love Squier. I think the correlation they have with Fender in terms of great guitars out of the box is much better than Epiphone is to Gibson. I think the guys building Squiers have something to prove. And they have consistently done it time after time after time for me. Good on Squier!!!!
Agree!!
Squier is really good! I have a Bullet Strat that I bought for 120 new as my first guitar and the finish on that is WAY better than on my Fender Tele that I got for 600 new recently. The Tele has a ton of fret sprout, the neck humbucker seems loose and the nut somehow moved while the Squier has none of these issues, not even a millimeter of fret sprout!
The Fender of course sounds much, much better and it doesn't go out of tune every 10 minutes but it still feels like I paid a 500 premium just for better pickups, tuners and a Fender logo lmao
The guys building Squiers are definitely factory workers doing so for around or slightly above Korean/Chinese/Indonesian minimum wage. While I'm sure many of them are extremely competent at their jobs, the idea that they 'have something to prove' - or have any real reason to *care* about the quality of their work beyond it meeting whatever QA standards they're held to and more importantly hitting the quotas required of them - because of the reputation of their brand is about as absurd as thinking the same about the guy that made your Big Mac. That's not to say that they don't do great work, but it's important to have a realistic perspective about these things. Even the people building $3000 Made in America Gibsons aren't exactly artisans deeply committed to what people think about their employer, they're factory workers making the same amount as the guy that made my coffee this morning.
Karuna indeed, I love my bullet strat, I bought it 5 years ago and I just can’t say nothing bad about that guitar in terms of price-sound. I was thinking to sell it with other ones I have to get a squier classic vibes, since my bullet is 2 humbuckers and I’m playing more blues and neo soul stuff. Sorry for the long comment, but I had to agree with you on that take. Cheers!
Yeah the Squiers are absolutely amazing.
I replaced my Fenders with made in China Squier Classic Vibes because I love them so much!
Öp
The problem is they were to good, there was almost no need for the Mexican instruments anymore..
So sadly they downgraded the Classic Vibe range quiet a bit when changing to made in Indonesia.
Yes they reduced the price circa 50$ but that came with a „price“ itself..
My Two Tone Sunburst Classic Vibe 50s is such an amazing instrument.
It has a two piece alder body with great looking grain, a rift sawn maple neck and the best thing are the pickups: unlabeled Tonerider Surfaris!
I planned to replace the pickups with fender custom shop ones but I actually liked the Surfaris better!
Now for 50 dollars less the made in Indonesia Strats have a 5 (or similar) piece nato body and cheap no name pickups which they call „fender designed“.
The guitar sounds so much worse.
Only thing I like more about the MII guitars is the darker tint of the maple fretboard, but that’s the least important thing..
I remember telling my bandmates how I wished I could get my hands on a Starcaster. Semi-hollow with Wide-range humbuckers, maple fretboard, strat-style neck, unique headstock, fancy bound/offset body... No-brainer.
I like how you play guitar from genres outside of the realm of vintage blues. It makes it easier for me to understand your videos hearing punky and dreamy sounds similar to what I currently play
Starcaster > Harley. Love that guitar and the sound. Also love the headstock.
I despise the headstock but love the body. Also, it's hard to compare the starcaster to HBs since their guitar range is so wide.
The headstock is a copy of a guitar brand called BILT I don't like how Fenders copied the headstock.
@@41knots20 I replied to you above already, but again. The Starcaster dates back to 1975. BILT has been making guitars since 2009. So no.
You look like the kind of guy that people like to mess with at work because you have good hearted reactions
Ryan! Buddy! I just bought myself one of these... and your recommendation in this video lent very heavily into that decision... and i gotta say: Not at all disappointed! What a fantastic guitar! If anyone else out there in youtube land is wondering "Should I?"... YES!!! YOU SHOULD! It is stunning, the finish is not just good for the price... it's good, period! And the neck is spectacular! Not a bit sticky, the fretwork is great!
The necks are really fun on these, thin and fast.
Does it need any work out of the box ( besides tuning of course ) ?
@@alexionita5015 Yeah, the intonation was slightly off... and my pickup selector switch is a bit faulty... which is a disappointment... but the QC on mine is generally just like Ryan's here. It's a very comfortable guitar to play, the fretwork is great it has a nice warm tone... and it looks soooo much nicer than the price.
Just got one here in late mid 2022. QC must have improved in the last 2 years. Frets are perfectly level and the ends are nicely dressed. No sharp edges. Not a blemish on it. Do not hesitate if interested.
Man, thanks for that video. I was playing around a looooong time getting a starcaster and fought with a lot of doubts if this guitar for that money can satisfy me enough especially because it's no real Fender. At the end of the day you convinced me with your passion that it would be a great pick.
Since then I follow your channel and say a huge THANK YOU from Berlin, Germany.
I keep hearing you say "I fell in love with it at Summer Camp" and I think "aw how sweet"
I have this one for about a year and the versatility is why is bought it and it has become one of my favorite
If you really have to get rid of one of your semi-hollows get rid of the Harley Benton. The Starcaster just has so much personality and there’s really not much else out there like it. Also if you change the strings light-gauge jazz flats sound great on these kind of guitars
Leave the Harley Benton alone! They're great guitars also!
@@leonardszubinski4709 They suck.
@@jed1mindtricks857 cringe
Randy So does your Mama, still I’m not getting rid of her.
But on the other side, she’s definitely not semi-hollow considering her weight..
@@rolux4853 Good one!
I recently got a player series one, and I love the heck out of it. Always wanted one, so glad they're making them again
I didn’t even know they had these in PS- I might have to check one out. I have a PS Strat and Jazzmaster and they’re great!
@@GearGasms He's talking about the discontinued Modern Player series. I play one of those and I absolutely love that guitar.
Thank you for taking the time to review this amazing guitar. I sold my fender version years ago and have regretted it ever since. I just picked up the Squier and it sounds every bit as good!
Bought this exact guitar back in November after watching your summer namm video a couple of times. And I’ve wanted to try a starcaster for a long time, too. So thanks for both of these videos! Hope people will appreciate this beautiful instrument more.
Ive had the same exact model now for 6 months and I love it. Wait till you get the volume up and get feedback to start and the way it in particular feeds back. It can roar in your hands,.
I never cared for the guitar and now I want to buy it. That’s how good you sold it to me and how weak I notice I am 😄
Love this guitar. I just bought one. Cant wait to play it.
Like many people my first electric guitar was a squire Strat. It hangs next to my work PC and I still look at it and smile every day.
I was shopping for my first electric when I watched that video. I ended up with a Gretsch Electromatic, and I don't regret it. But it's nice to see I would have been happy with the Starcaster. It's possible I'll get one still.
I started playing 3 years ago when I retired. I have 10. Yeah it’s a great piece of guitar history
Future me checking in ... I did in fact buy one. Loving it. If possiblle, it's even more fun than Ryan makes it look here.
I also got a gretsch electromatic for my first electric lol, and I love the way it sounds and the bigsby as a bonus. This year I'm looking for a new guitar and I think I made my choice
Ordered one of these last week...coming June 8th! Can’t wait!!
Your new camera really shows this Starcaster to it's best advantage. When I have looked these over on Sweetwater, i always felt I would like the Walnut finish more but the way it shows up here is just, Wow! Might be the first traditional style burst I ever craved. Plus I gave away my Epi 335, so I'm needing a decent semi-hollow and like you said the p/u's have a truly unique and fun sound. Nice unboxing review. Let's see the full demo soon.
What was wrong with the epi 335 btw?
I have an old epi LP special lefty and I really like it.
I’ve got this guitar and I absolutely love it. It was my first electric guitar
I just got one with Fender Days Sale and you’re right. Wish I got one sooner. I absolutely love it. This and the CV Jags are my fav from Squier so far.
I'm holding mine (Starcaster) while watching you love on this beauty. Unique standout. A delight to play. And yes, Fender owes you big as I bought it on your recommendation at Summer Namm.
How is the weight? Is it lightweight?
Around 8 lbs.
Picked one up shortly after your NAMM video - love this guitar! Great to see you get your hands on one!
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one out there kissing guitars.
I’ve had mine for two or three weeks and have played it exclusively in that time. I haven’t even it put it through pedals yet - just the onboard Katana reverb, and cant get enough. What a brilliant guitar. I did buy it partly on your recommendation from last year, so thanks for that! My new favourite guitar.
Great vid. The Squier Starcaster is on my list of "must owns." Great sound, feel, and looks, for a great price. The headstock is tied with the smaller 50s style as my favourite.
I've got this exact model coming in a week. Can't wait to play it.
What a beautiful guitar, gonna be my second once I get my job back after this virus goes away. Super excited!
From Leo: There is nothing wrong with liking a low priced guitar. "prestige" does not always sound better or feel better in your hands. That Squier seems like a pretty good product. I also like the tones of those "Fake wide range" pickups, although my experience is with them in a Telecaster. When some self important snob starts about the pickups not being the same as original, I just tell him I am so glad they improved them because I hated the first ones.
People forget where eddie van Halen got his guitar. It was scrap he built. Too many snobs out here. I own Gibson and a ton a squiers I have hot rodded to my specs and I play them all. So many guitars out there to stick to name Big corporate brands.
Another great demo! I've just ordered one. I have got to stop watching your videos , as it is costing me a lot of money!! Seriously - love your honest views and comments. All the best, from England.
Sounds as good as it looks (and smells?)! I love the honesty and lack of pretence or snobbery in your reviews.
I’ve always liked the design of the Starcaster. I remember wanting one of the originals back in the ‘70s when they hit the market, and I couldn’t afford it-as I recall, they were something like $575 list; around $2000 in 2022 dollars. The originals had a strings-through bridge and a master volume control, neither of which are on these reissues-not a big deal for me. But a bigger deal would be the possible lack of a case-Fender’s been lax about offereng cases for bigger or longer-than-normal guitars lately. I have a 2019 Electric XII that came in a bass gigbag, and I can’t find a case to fit it; not a Jazzmaster case-they’re an inch or two short. Does Fender even offer a case for the Starcaster? And the pickups in the Starcaster don’t sound like the ‘70s ones. They sound pretty good, but they don’t seem to have the twang of the originals; they’re more like a decent Gibson-style humbucker. That’s not much of a problem, as apparently the newer Fender Wide Rangers sound better, and Lollar makes a good Wide Range replacement anyway. Back in 1981 I played for a short time with a guy who played nothing but original Starcasters-he had several of them, and I remember trying one of his and being quite impressed. He was a really good player too. Joey Portman from San Antonio, Texas. Hey, Joey, you still out there? Anyway, I’ve been keeping an eye out for a nice Starcaster ever since, but the originals are getting pretty pricey, and they’ve always been scarce. These reissues seem pretty nice, and for $400 plus the cost of a couple of replacement pickups-seems like a pretty good deal.
It has such just a beautiful retro vibe...love it.
I have always liked the star caster headstock design. It reminds me of the headstock on a Gibson Falcon. Nice guitar!
The Starcaster sounds so much more in tune and lively. There's really no contest.
Welp, I'm convinced. I've wanted a Gretsch for a while to relieve my hollowbody GAS, but one of these with a Duesenberg Les Trem should do so nicely, and for quite a bit less money. I've realized that I don't have a single instrument with a "big name" on the headstock, and my Squier VM Bass VI has been my primary instrument since late 2013, so clearly I'm not bothered by playing a Squier on stage, even when playing venues on the Sunset Strip.
Are none of us gonna make a joke about you relieving your hollow body gas
@@josephely58 Well played, Sir.
Nice video. Just got mine and I absolutely cannot believe that they can sell a guitar this good for this price. I called Sweetwater and got it for $380 with free shipping! Other than a few setup tweaks and my brand of strings, I love this thing!
Everyone who gets one loves it. It’s wild how good it is.
Enjoying your videos! The starcaster is growing on me. Just bought some Filtertrons. Would I be able to fit them in the classic vibe starcaster?
I hated the look of this guitar when I first saw it, but it definitely grows on you. I'm fine with it's looks now, really surprised & impressed by how versatile it is, and may well get one.
Thanks for the review.
I saw one of these in my local guitar store before the lockdown. It was beautiful. Id have thrown my card at them if i was a good enough guitarist to justify dropping the money on it
I did that once with a 90's era Ibanez Artstar. Beautiful guitar, felt good in my hands, and I had to sell it less than 6 months later to afford to get my own place. :p
Just buy it, you won't regret it, get some lessons and become a better guitarist, you only have one life, this is not a rehearsal, just do it!
I got one of these, same model and finish, six or eight moths ago. I love the looks. Neck is really good. The full gloss finish feels and plays great. But it does have some "staying in tune issues". It's not horrible, but it's not great in that respect. The other, bigger issue is those pickups. I knew they were going to be bright, so I wasn't surprised about that. But they have a very "hi-fi" sound to them that I can't quite get used to, and that fits in with my amp and pedal settings very differently than any other guitars I own. And I think there's a slight upper-mid frequency resonant peak that ends up being kind of ear fatiguing after a while. I've gotten plenty of good comments from people about the unique look of the instrument - on the other hand, no one's commented on it sounding great. I think it's a good value, and the sound of the pickups might be just what you're looking for … but I'd say try one out through your set up to make sure it sounds right.
I have the Fender one and got plenty of comments about the great sound on stage. Looks too. In my experience I can play through any amp I want and get it to sound good. But it's true that that sound doesn't work with other guitars too well. But I switched to a modelling rack unit on stage, so it's not longer my problem. I find, that the Starcaster needs a lot more highs to be able to breathe properly than any other guitar I played, but that may also just be preference.
You’ve reignited my love for this guitar. I really don’t have space for more at the moment, but I love everything about this. Dang it Ryan!
I also like the lack of snobbery and 'watch me shred'. The 'best guitar' is the one you like to play the most.
Had the same feelings when I got my starcaster! It's an amazing guitar for the money. I love the thing so much, upgrading to Curtis Novak wrhb's soon.
Hi Ryan. Just subscribed. Great video, thank you. Love my Starcaster. Only problem with mine was the nut which took me about 20 minutes to sort out. By the way I dropped in a set of Fender CuFeNi WRH's (for a custom tele build) and a new wiring harness with 1 meg audio taper pots. The sound improved, but not as much as you would think. Certainly not $400 which is what the Fender pickups cost. Fender did such a fine job on reworking the Squier humbuckers and wiring harness (full size 500k volume pots and 250k tone pots) that if I had to do it again, I would have just kept it stock. Keep doing what you do. Kind Regards.
Bought one in walnut finish last week. Your video from NAMM kinda supported my will and so glad it did. What a great guitar.
Edit: Fun thought. I also would rather ask for Squier stuff instead of Fender. More wacky options and mod project offsets.
I am also planing to get one of these with blonde neck.
It's a very nicy sounding alternative to normal hollow body sounds.
Twanging and shining highs..... Love it. 🔥👍
I'll take that HB off your hands lol. Hey I just want you to know I bought the HB DC mustard yellow guitar....and you convinced me and I have 0 regret and I plan on buying more of them
Just got my Starcaster today how long should I let it sit either the strings loose before I start playing ups left it on my door outside humidity was high what a great review can’t wait to play it in tune
I got one this weekend and loving it!!
awesome guitar! in what order would you upgrade things to really bring out this guitars potential? I'd love a bigsby on one of these to play some Cramp tunes
10:58 that look on your face! PRICELESS 🤩
That's the look of F°°k yeah!! Every player has that moment once in awhile trying new Guitars out!
That Starcaster is just so damn cool. Keep it, throw some wound G strings on it and watch your love for it grow.
That jam at the end tho 🤟🏻👍🏻Seems like that guitar really speaks to you, Man
Got mine as soon as they hit the market thanks to your video. Surf green & pretty much perfect out of the box. Best cheapie guitar I’ve ever bought.
I'm with ya on the cheap stuff. I Have an Oscar Schmidt Delta King that i love!
Have this in the walnut color and it's gorgeous. This is my third electric in my stable of guitars. One hollow body arch top (Dean 7 sound Palomino with 3 P90s), one solid body (Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar) and this semi-hollow body Squier Starcaster, which I've had for about 6 months. Only thing I have done to it since is tune it. The Starcaster is so much fun to play and is what I will pick up more often than not. Not the most expensive electric guitar I own, but absolutely the best value.
I just picked up the Squier Affinity Starcaster - Candy Apple Red at Sweetwater for $247.49 and with their Bucket of Bucks saved another $20.00. I will get mine next week. 😄
That is beautiful! I like the headstock a lot!
Well you convinced me, I just ordered myself a Starcaster!
Nice! Report back when you get it.
Gotta say I am with you, Ryan, really digging my Squire Telecaster, and looking forward to trying out a Squire Starcaster Classic. The new “wide range” humbuckers look interesting. Thanks again for the review.
I love the little cartoon figures you do that sometimes peek into the video!!
Wow, that is very cool. Squire is making some awesome stuff lately.
Sweet! It will go on my wish list until I learn to play.
I’m with you Ryan, I love the Squier stuff too. Some of my Squiers rival some of my Fenders.
Squier had some bad years to be sure, but they really stepped up their game in the 2000's I have a 2009 Squier 75 Vintage Modified Jass Bass, and I'm telling you...prior to deciding on it, I must have played over 50 basses of all different price ranges and brands over the course of that week, including of course Fender ' s current Standard line at the time, and it truly sounded, and played as well, and sounded right on part with many of the other much higher priced instruments..no joke...Between the maple body, the beautiful neck, to just the amazing snappy, yet rich tone, I was so happy, and still am...ayednd my bank account thanked me too...399.00 at the time, but performed right up there with some high buck basses
My Squire telecaster CV 50 is really good tone.. raw and clear..
i like it better than my USA made fender tele..
Jack Stang i really want a tele, but I’ve been waiting because Squier is about to come out with their paranormal series and they have an offset tele in it. Which I’d want more over a normal tele
The Candy Apple Red one looks absolutely amazing 🤩
This thing sounds great! I might buy one… and maybe gift one to my dad too…I’m a huge fan of squire and epiphone at the moment everything is so great for great prices too, well done to the aforementioned companies!
I have that guitar! I love it in the studio but I played a whole show with it and it just wasn’t my favorite on stage personally. Great guitar though!
love starcasters . and Bilt guitars. cause of the unique headstock. love this review!
Compared to 335 style: Offset body - I like, maple fretboard - yes, bolt on neck - OK, Fender scale length - OK, the headstock - that's going to take some getting used to!
"I can't keep them all". Of course you can.
I listen to mostly metal (all subgenres) but have lately gotten super into blues, and recently inherited my grandpa's Epiphone S310 HSS. I started wanting to keep playing metalcore, but lately John Mayer, BB King and SRV have changed my thoughts. This guitar is going to be my next, and from what I can tell, it definitely checks all the boxes for me
My favs are Gretschs but whenever I see the high quality Squiers, I lust for them. I want one of these now and I still want the 70s classic vibe tele custom in pure black. Oh and the new Toronado.
It has that "new guitar smell"! I'm seriously in love with these guitars!
Im getting my very own tomorrow, it'll be my first electric
How’d you end up liking it as your first electric?
@@RedCarRecords i am in love, this is going to be a life long hobby of mine from now on lol
@@orionking1061 good to hear; it’s a good one! I’m looking forward to mine arriving in the mail this Thursday! I’ve always wanted a hollow body electric guitar!
More Shoegaze please. The Starcaster would be awsome and Youre an awsome Shoegazer😊
Looking at the Starcaster headstock I now realize where Ibanez got their inspiration from when they made the mid 80's Roadstar...I have a 1985 RG-440 and I always liked the headstock...Now I see why...
That Harley Benton semi-hollow is absolutely gorgeous...but I'm biased, because I have an ESP LTD EC-256 in Lemon Drop that looks like a cousin to that one...and I love how warm the tone on it is...I'm tempted to go buy that exact one, just to have my first semi-hollow...
well, i own this classic vibe one, and i am pretty happy after i set-up the pick-ups a little bit, and put 10-46 strings on it. The sound is kind of unic. The more i play it the more i like it.
I have that guitar and i in love with her, it have an amazing sound
Love it! I feel like it would really roar with a few component upgrades.
Just got mine the natural version love it ,the only thing missing from my collection was a hollowbody at this price and a few mods she's gonna be a Rockabilly Mo'chine, don't care for the closed back tuners, I'll throw a set of sperzals on , I fully expected to switch out the pups right away ,but the the neck pup is solid , I'll use a guitarfetish filtertron or p90 in the bridge , I'll use a vibramate bigsby adapter kit and Shazam !! A Rockabilly Mo'chine for roughly $600, way better than a gretsch at that price
I have one of these and they are awesome! I only play squier because they have really got a nice high end product that won’t break the bank.
Loving my 1977 Walnut finish Fender Starcaster hardtail bridge. Fender starcaster has string tree on headstock that keep it in tune
I lusted after a modern starcaster aged cherry burst. Beautiful. Got to try one. Way heavier than I expected, and I didn’t like the neck. So glad I got to try one. Bought an Ibanez RC 365h instead. Still love the look of these guitars, still tempted by the squier...
I had an original '76 Starcaster (neck date was '75, serial number started with 666!) and stupidly sold it 15 years ago. Two main differences are 1) the original was a string through body design with a big steel (or some metal) block bridge, and 2) on the headstock there was that steel bar you have to feed four of the strings through, which made changing strings a real pain in the ass due to the closeness of the bar's holes to the closest tuner posts. That said, it was an incredible guitar. Mine had a nice rounded neck, not a thin one. But I still might pick up one of these Squiers. They seem to get close.
Just got one of these today, having fun with it. 400 bucks definitely worth it.
Just been looking at one of these. Came to YT for reviews/sounds, saw your vid title '...I have strong feelings...', and I thought uh-oh. But no! It's all good! Thanks for the review.
I think this guitar Sounds great!What AMP or Pedals you Had?thx👍