CONTEMPORARY ACTIVE STARCASTER
Power for the modern player
Just as its name promises, the Contemporary Active Starcaster brings a very classic design into the modern age. The most noticeable changes on these models are the inclusion of Squier’s SQR active ceramic humbucking pickups, black chrome hardware, a PPS nut instead of bone, no pickguard and no f-holes. Instead, the body is sealed body for minimised feedback. There’s also just one overall master volume and tone control instead of a pair for each pickup, as on the Classic Vibe, but that shouldn’t matter too much: this is very much an instrument designed for rock and metal musicians who prefer everything louder than everything else – as Deep Purple once famously asked their soundman. This particular Surf Pearl finish is certainly eye-catching, as is the Ice Blue Metallic version, though there’s also a more understated Flat Black option for those in favour of simplicity.
The SQR ceramic humbuckers might look a lot like your favourite EMG set, but do they sound anywhere near as thunderous? Actually, very much so – this set mimicking the same kind of scoop and power heard on some of the most classic heavy metal albums ever recorded. Blast picking on the neck humbucker feels every bit as percussive as it would on guitars fitted with the Zakk Wylde set, and similarly the bridge pickup roars and squeals without compromise no matter what you throw at it. Of course there is a trade-off with high-output ceramic humbuckers of this ilk – clean tones don’t feel truly clean and can sound too compressed. But if you’re generally going to be playing on lead channels or higher-gain settings, it makes perfect sense to trust in an instrument suited to that.
Being a sealed semi-hollow, the Contemporary Active has even less issues with feedback, though much like the Classic Vibe can still offer a whole world of noises that solidbody guitars aren’t capable of. Best of all, it’s all easy enough to control and manipulate via the two control knobs – though simple and elegant, this guitar is every bit the high-powered modern monster it claims to be.
AN INSTRUMENT FOR MUSICIANS WHO PREFER EVERYTHING LOUDER THAN EVERYTHING ELSE