Fender reprised the much-loved Tom DeLonge signature Stratocaster back in July, offering the electric guitar in four finishes. Now the blink-182 guitarist has taken to Instagram to announce a super-limited offering of a fifth finish, created as a Black Friday exclusive for his brand ToTheStars.
The TTS model boasts what appears to be a satin-style black body, black scratchplate, black Seymour Duncan Invader pickup, black hardtail block bridge with block saddles, black output jack and black tuners.
The blackout theme is offset by a distinctive red Knurled Flat-Top volume control, which pops nicely against the shining black scratchplate.
The maple neck (finished in satin urethane) keeps its clear finish as does the over-sized ’70s headstock. Some Instagram comments have suggested Fender has missed a trick in not offering a matching headstock, but there’s a certain charm in the contrast of the black tuners on the maple.
Overall, the effect is somewhat evocative of the breed of metal’d-up Fenders first sparked by the arrival of the Jim Root signature Telecaster back in 2007, with one Instsagram commenter dubbing it the “Jim Root 182”.
Though the full details have been kept under wraps thus far, we’re assuming that the tweaks are purely cosmetic, and therefore that it also comes with the usual treble bleed circuit on the volume control.
While we’ve seen a raft of products that stretch the definition of ‘limited edition’ somewhat in recent years, this one is going to be a genuine rarity, with just 300 guitars being produced.
As such, you’ll need to be on your A-game to secure one, with orders going live at 9am PST on Friday November 24 over on DeLonge’s ToTheStars site.
There’s no word on price yet, but the reissued Tom DeLonge Stratocaster costs $1,299.
As some commented at the time of the reissue, that is arguably a lot for a stripped-down Mexican-made Strat, but with the original commanding prices upwards of $2,000 on the used market, Fender had some room to demand a premium – and seems to have done just that.
At the time of the reissue, DeLonge paid tribute to his first signature guitar and the straightforward design that – more than 20 years on – has gained something of a cult following.
“I try to write music that is accessible and easy to play and enjoy, so that people can come along for the ride,” DeLonge said.
“This simplicity really inspired this new signature Stratocaster. It just has one knob and one pickup, which just makes it easy to turn it up, play and sound great, especially important when you’re in front of a crowd and already have plenty to think about… we’ve created something that really stands the test of time – like I strive to do with my music.”
Finally, if you're in the market for a new Fender guitar (black, or otherwise), check out our roundup of this year’s best Fender Black Friday deals.
