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Fender American Performer Stratocaster
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
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Playability
70
Sound
79
Build
70
Value
73
Score
73
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Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
64
Value
69
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Fender American Performer Stratocaster vs Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Fender American Performer Stratocaster Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2019 2018
Configuration: SSS SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Mexico
Series: American Performer Artist
Colors: White, Blue, Brown Burst White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Set Flat to Body
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender ClassicGear Fender Vintage F Stamped
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Dot White Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern C Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 7.25"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Yosemite Single-Coil Stratocaster (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Yosemite Single-Coil Stratocaster (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Yosemite Single-Coil Stratocaster (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender American Performer Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Performer Stratocaster's switch options
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender American Performer Stratocaster over Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
7.875lbs (3.6kgs) vs 8.344lbs (3.8kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
73 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster over American Performer Stratocaster

Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Fender American Performer Stratocaster vs Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Fender Yosemite Single-Coil Stratocaster vs Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Yosemite Single-Coil Stratocaster vs Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Yosemite Single-Coil Stratocaster vs Fender Custom Ceramic Single-Coil
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Fender American Performer Stratocaster vs Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Pickups
SSS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Fender American Performer Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Performer Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster meets only 5. 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

Fender American Performer Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are SSS. SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

Pickups Quality

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Fender American Performer Stratocaster's and use them on any guitar:

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.

Only the Fender American Performer Stratocaster comes with some kind of pickup modification: S-1 Switch.

An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

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 American Performer Stratocaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender American Performer Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

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 Fender American Performer Stratocaster compares to the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender American Performer Stratocaster is built in United States while the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster is made in Mexico.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

Winner: Fender American Performer Stratocaster

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.

In this case, both have Synthetic Bone nuts. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

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: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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 Fender American Performer Stratocaster's are Fender ClassicGear while the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's are Fender Vintage F Stamped

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.

Both have a 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: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Performer Stratocaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender American Performer Stratocaster
Quality of materials 66
Features 60
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 70
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64

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

Fender American Performer Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Performer Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender American Performer Stratocaster has the wider nut with 42.8mm (1.685'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.8mm (0.031'') difference

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

Scale Length

Fender American Performer Stratocaster and Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's Scale Length
Both have the same 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.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

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

Fender American Performer Stratocaster Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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.

Both the Fender American Performer Stratocaster and the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster have a C-shaped 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

Fender American Performer Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Performer Stratocaster's Fingerboard radius
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster'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 Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender American Performer Stratocaster'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 Fender American Performer Stratocaster.

Fret Size

Fender American Performer Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender American Performer Stratocaster's Frets Size
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster's Frets Size

The Fender American Performer Stratocaster has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster'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

Fender American Performer Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Fender Albert Hammond Jr Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70