Swap
Swap
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
VS
Playability
70
Sound
84
Build
82
Value
69
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logoMusician's Friend logoFender logo
Playability
70
Sound
82
Build
84
Value
69
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logoFender logo
Add more to comparison

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS vs American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS over American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH

Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH over American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Pickups
HH vs HSS
High output without hum

Other Key Differences
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS vs American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH

Bridge Pickup
Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking vs Fender Custom Double Tap Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat vs Fender Custom Double Tap Humbucking
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS vs American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Compound Radius
10" to 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 79 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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.

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Overview

  • From Fender's 2021 American Ultra series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" to 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo bridge
  • Augmented “D” Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH Overview

  • From Fender's 2021 American Ultra series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" to 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo bridge
  • Augmented “D” Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking 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

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
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.

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.

Woods Used in the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Winner: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS has an HSS configuration while the Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH has HH pickups.

HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

On the other hand, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS'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

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS gives you 5 switch options while the Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH gives you 3. This means that the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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.

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's switch options
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH'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 American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 84
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 82

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 Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS compares to the Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

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.

Winner: Tie

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 Locking nuts. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Both models come with a retainer bar, which is helpful when changing the strings on a double-locking tremolo. Without it, the strings would change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'd have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly

Winner: Tie.

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.

Both in this comparison come with stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

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: Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

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

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

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 Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Quality of materials 61
Features 90
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 82
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
Quality of materials 66
Features 90
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 84

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 Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42.8mm (1.685'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS and Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH'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 Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS 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 Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS and the Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH have a D-shaped neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's Compound Fretboard 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.

Both have a compound radius. This means both offer you the best craftsmanship when it comes to fretboard design. You'll have an arc to help you play chords close to the nut, while also having a flat design at the higher frets for faster soloing and easier bends.

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.

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

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS and Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Fender American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS vs American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
General Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS American Ultra Luxe Telecaster Floyd Rose HH
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: HSS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: American Ultra American Ultra
Colors: Black, Gray Burst Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Locking Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot Black Pearloid Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Augmented “D” Augmented “D”
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" 10" to 14"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Custom Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch S-1 Switch
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 1