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Epiphone Les Paul Special
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster
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Playability
73
Sound
65
Build
54
Value
79
Score
64
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Playability
72
Sound
65
Build
54
Value
79
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Epiphone Les Paul Special vs Squier Bullet Telecaster

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Les Paul Special over Squier Bullet Telecaster

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Vintage 50s vs Modern C
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Plastic
Resistant, good tuning stability and rich tone
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
P90P90 vs SS
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster over Epiphone Les Paul Special

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Modern C vs Vintage 50s
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Pickups
SS vs P90P90
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Epiphone Les Paul Special vs Squier Bullet Telecaster

Bridge Pickup
P-90 PRO Soap Bar vs Standard Single-Coil Tele
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
P-90 PRO Soap Bar vs Standard Single-Coil Tele
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Poplar
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Epiphone Les Paul Special vs Squier Bullet Telecaster

Fretboard Wood
Laurel
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp
The Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster was discontinued. It was replaced by the Sonic Telecaster. Check out our comparison.

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 64 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster wins when it comes to. On the other hand, the Epiphone Les Paul Special has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster is the better choice.

The Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Epiphone Les Paul Special meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone Les Paul Special
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Epiphone Les Paul Special Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2020 Original Collection series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany single neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: P-90 PRO Soap Bar (P90/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Lightning Bar Wrap Around bridge
  • Vintage 50s Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage style Deluxe Tuners with Ivory Buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender Squier's 2019 Bullet series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Standard Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Standard Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Tele bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Narrow Tall frets
  • Standard Cast/Sealed tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Woods Used in the Epiphone Les Paul Special

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Winner: Epiphone Les Paul Special.

Pickup Configuration

The Epiphone Les Paul Special has an P90P90 configuration while the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster has SS pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

On the other hand, SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

Pickups Quality

None of these use a specialized pickup brand for their pickups. Some of the best guitars on the market come with pickups from brands like EMG, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, etc. You might want to replace your pickups eventually if you want to get the best sound out of any of these instruments.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Epiphone Les Paul Special pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Epiphone Les Paul Special's switch options
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Epiphone Les Paul Special
Pickups 70
Sustain 65
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 65
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 70
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 65

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Epiphone Les Paul Special compares to the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Epiphone Les Paul Special is built in China while the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster is made in Indonesia.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Epiphone Les Paul Special has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

On the other hand, the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Epiphone Les Paul Special.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Epiphone Les Paul Special's are Vintage style Deluxe Tuners with Ivory Buttons while the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's are Standard Cast/Sealed

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The Epiphone Les Paul Special has a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

On the other hand, the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster comes with Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Les Paul Special
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Epiphone Les Paul Special
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster
Quality of materials 46
Features 50
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 54

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Epiphone Les Paul Special Nut Width
Epiphone Les Paul Special Nut Width
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Epiphone Les Paul Special has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Epiphone Les Paul Special, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Epiphone Les Paul Special's Scale Length
Epiphone Les Paul Special's Scale Length
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's Scale Length
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster has the longest scale: 25.5". The Epiphone Les Paul Special is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Epiphone Les Paul Special Neck Profile
Epiphone Les Paul Special's neck profile
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Epiphone Les Paul Special has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

The Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Epiphone Les Paul Special Fingerboard Radius
Epiphone Les Paul Special's Fingerboard radius
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Epiphone Les Paul Special's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Epiphone Les Paul Special.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Epiphone Les Paul Special favors large hands more than the Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster.

Epiphone Les Paul Special:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Epiphone Les Paul Special Frets Size
Epiphone Les Paul Special's Frets Size
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster's Frets Size

The Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Epiphone Les Paul Special's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Epiphone Les Paul Special
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 73
Fender Squier Bullet Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Epiphone Les Paul Special vs Squier Bullet Telecaster
General Epiphone Les Paul Special Squier Bullet Telecaster
Brand: Epiphone Fender Squier
Year: 2020 2019
Configuration: P90P90 SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China Indonesia
Series: Original Collection Bullet
Colors: Yellow Black, Brown Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Poplar
Bridge: Lightning Bar Wrap Around 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Tele
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage style Deluxe Tuners with Ivory Buttons Standard Cast/Sealed
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Mahogany single Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Dot White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: Vintage 50s Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm) - 12th Fret: 0.96'' (24.4mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 9.5"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Plastic
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: P-90 PRO Soap Bar (P90 / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: P-90 PRO Soap Bar (P90 / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1