Tom DeLonge Strat Review

Following up the best selling guitar of the past two years, Squier proudly introduces its version of Blink 182 frontman Tom Delonge's signature guitar. Like Blink 182's music, the new Squier Tom Delonge guitar is a straight forward rocker, featuring a single Duncan-designed "Detonator" humbucking pickup and a single volume knob. That's it, just plug in and rock!

Features:	8
Sound:	9
Action:	9
Reliability:	10
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	9
Users rating:	8.4
Comments:	11

Featured review by: unregistered, on april 11, 2005

Features: The Squier version of the Tom Delonge is made in China. It has a 21 fret, fast action neck with a rosewood fingerboard. The body is made of alder and the neck of maple. It features a HardTail bridge and a Duncan Designed Detonator Humbucker in the bridge position. // 8

Sound: The Detonator is based on the Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invader. The difference between the Detonator and the Invader is that the Invader has one big ceramic magnet and two smaller ones. The Detonator only uses one big ceramic magnet. The two pickups sound almost the same except the Invader has a bit more output, but you won't even hear the difference. Overall this pickup has enough output to blow anyone away. The sound fits my style of music which is punk rock but you still need a good amp to make this guitar sound really good. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was almost perfect when I took it out of the box. I play a guitar quite hard so I raised the action a bit to prevent fret buzz and raised the pickup for that extra bit of boom. Apart from that everything was perfect. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withstand a gig, but it isn't wise to play without a backup on any gig. It is as solid as a rock. The only thing you should invest in is a decent strap lock system or risk dropping this axe. // 10

Impression: This guitar is good for any kind of rock music. If this guitar were stolen I would be forced to buy a Standard Strat because this guitar is out of production. I own the olympic white version of this model and I just love it. But let's face it: any Strat looks good in white. Comparing it to the Fender version, I wouldn't pay the extra cash. They sound the same to me. // 10

Reviewed by: unregistered, on july 05, 2005

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: This is my second guitar, being a huge fan of punk rock bands like Blink 182, The Offspring, Green Day, this guitar is perfect for that style of music. It's basically like any other Strat but the less, more approach certainly makes this guitar very unique, it has only one volume control. There's no need for tone in punk rock (quoted by Tom Delonge). This guitar also features one humbucker pickup, although I change my Ducan Design pickup for the insanly powerful Seymour Duncan Invader pickup useded by Metallica and Blink 182. This guitar has 21 frets and I own the artic white version of this guitar. // 8

Sound: A few years ago I was only really into punk rock music but over the years I've grown to like bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Sound Garden, and supreme guitarists like Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert. I think if you like punk rock music buy this guitar but if you want more tone and a brighter sound this guitar probably won't be for you. I suppose if you like metal band tis guitar would be ok but it's only really limited to punk rock. I use this guitar with a Zoom 15 watt amp. With a fair amount of gain and distortion this guitar rules the pickup sounds really powerful. It's punk rock heaven. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: I never had a problem with the action. Pickup fine change the original and still plays fine. Better in fact all of the above I haven't really had a problem with although the guitar does seem to go out of tune pretty eaisly but I only paid £120 so I'm not conplaining. It's not much of a strain to tune up in my opinion. Beginners should check this guitar out especially Blink 182 nuts. // 8

Reliability & Durability: It will definetly withstand live playing. Even though I don't gig I had this guitar for 2 years and its still in great condition, the hardware is a-ok and even if it does go wrong it can be eaisly fixed due to th simplistic less, more features. Strap buttons still oing strong. I don't gig so I don't know to depend on thid guitar. Actually I'm going to say yes because it hasen't let me down even though I a bedroom player. // 10

Impression: I love loads of styles of music punk rock, grunge, classical, metal, rock, this guitar is perfect for rock in general and maybe some grunge. I've played classical deals on this guitar and it sound pretty cool, my other gear is my Zoom Fire 15 amp and that's all I own. I wish this guitar was slightly lighter and the neck would be perfect if it was a bit thicker like the SG's. If it was lost/stolen I would have trouble buying a new Tom DeLonge Strat as they have been discontiued as Tom Delonge has joined forces with Gibson. I would probaly buy an SG they look so dam cool. // 8

Comments

[Oldmonkeys]

Tom Delonge is Awesome I WANT ONE!!!

[Kozlic]

Any one knows wich efects does Tom DeLonge use?

[Ali-b912]

Kozlic wrote:

Any one knows wich efects does Tom DeLonge use?

/

no but id say none or a really simple distortion. punk guitarists tend not to use effects because they cant afford them (when they start out) or because it sounds really out of place.

[Vampire 255]

he doesnt use any effects until the self titled album

[paul999b]

Tom plays straight into his cabs live. He uses mesa boogie triple rectifiers.
As far as this guitar only being for punk rock, I think people say that because it's a TOM DELONGE strat. The pickups they put in these are very hot pickups and you can actually play like metal lead with it. It's actually in my opinion a pretty versitile guitar. I like it because it's so simple. Tone knobs are useless anyway. Don't think I use it on any of my guitars.

[Vampire 255]

paul999b wrote:
Tom plays straight into his cabs live. He uses mesa boogie triple rectifiers.

ur just slightly wrong there mate
http://guitargeek.com/rigview/315/

check that out for toms rig

[jv_music]

i don't see why this guitar get's a good rating. it may sound and play good, but i'm sure you don't wanna be stuck with one pickup only.

[crazy8rgood]

Why does this dude have THREE signature guitars??!?!? Its not like hes some rock god or anything, blink made some catchy tunes, ill admit, but still... Not very sig worthy... Ah well...

[whitey255]

my brother is making me up a tom delonge squer in the surfgreen colour with a squier sermor duncan. i have a RARE billy joe signiture with the same pickups and a normal strat with an invador. there are no differences between any of them except for when you plug it into something like my 120watt marshal tube amp.

[ToilerOnTheSea]

I'm getting one for christmas, it's a black one, i really need a new amp though, im stuck with an EG-10J and it sucks lol, but it'll do. Great guitar, ive playing it a few times in the shop. 6 days to go.

[sparky996]

Vampire 255 wrote:

he doesnt use any effects until the self titled album

And in that album, he used the gibson