Starcaster And Coronado Return

For many years now, I’ve been part of the chorus of guitarists pleading with Fender to re-release more of their older models, especially the much coveted Starcaster. I had all but lost hope of ever seeing this and other models, like the Coronado, back in production.

So, it was with no small measure of delight that I followed a link posted on Twitter by Graham Perkins, Fender’s director of market development here in Asia, which announced the release of new Starcaster and Coronado models (guitars and basses).

Truth be told, I nearly cried!

Although I have a few small complaints, this is an awesomely adventurous move by Fender. It’s a sign they are listening to guitarists and continuing to expand the range of guitar bodies to suit different kinds of musical creativity.

The Starcaster and Coronado come in both six string guitar and five strong bass models, each in a choice of four finishes (although the famous Antigua Green is not available on the Coronado) and are priced modestly, well within reach of most players.

I’m particularly taken by the Filtertron equipped Coronado Bass, which will soon find a home in my studio (I was looking for a retro, throaty four string bass).

My only real complaint is the Les Paul style bridge on the Starcaster. I can understand why Fender went for this, from a production point of view. But, it does stymie the appeal a little bit, especially for those of us who have longed for a playable (and affordable) Starcaster. You can see a nice picture of the original Starcaster, along with a little history about the model here.

Still, this is phenomenally exciting news from Fender and at this price point, one can image many players will pick these up (and maybe upgrade them as well).

And, it gives us hope other models may one day reappear in new, contemporary guises. Who knows, maybe I’ll get my hands on a Fender LTD after all!