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Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar
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Playability
70
Sound
79
Build
74
Value
69
Score
74
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Playability
75
Sound
76
Build
72
Value
64
Score
74
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Show Full Spec Comparison
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster vs American Original 60s Jaguar Specs Comparison
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster American Original 60s Jaguar
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2019 2018
Configuration: SSS SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: American Ultra American Original
Colors: White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Brown Burst Sunburst, Blue, Green
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 2-Point Deluxe Synchronized Tremolo with Pop-In Arm Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button and Push-In Tremolo Arm
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe
Fretboard: Maple Round-Lam Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Pearloid Dots White Pearloid Dot - 7mm
Scale Size: 25.5" 24"
Shape: Ultra Modern D Mid 60s C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.825'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.975'' (24.8mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" 9.5"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 62 Single-Coil Jaguar (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 62 Single-Coil Jaguar (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch High-Pass Filter
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's switch options
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster over American Original 60s Jaguar

Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 9.5"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Ultra Modern D vs Mid 60s C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs High-Pass Filter
Modifies the pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs SS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.825'' (21mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.975'' (24.8mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24'' (609.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
69 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar over American Ultra Stratocaster

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Mid 60s C vs Ultra Modern D
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
High-Pass Filter vs S-1 Switch
Attenuates the bass for a less muddy tone
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
SS vs SSS
Beautiful cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.825'' (21mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.975'' (24.8mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24'' (609.6mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster vs American Original 60s Jaguar

Bridge Pickup
Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat vs Fender Pure Vintage 62 Single-Coil Jaguar
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Strat vs Fender Pure Vintage 62 Single-Coil Jaguar
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster vs American Original 60s Jaguar

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Vintage Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Original 60s Jaguar Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender American Original 60s Jaguar favors large hands more than the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster.

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 7 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 Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Original 60s Jaguar
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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
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 Original 60s Jaguar

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 Original 60s Jaguar.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster has an SSS configuration while the Fender American Original 60s Jaguar has SS pickups.

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.

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

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 Ultra Stratocaster's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Original 60s Jaguar's online:

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 Stratocaster gives you 5 switch options while the Fender American Original 60s Jaguar gives you 3. This means that the Fender American Ultra Stratocaster gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster offers 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.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 60s Jaguar comes with the following: High-Pass Filter.

You can use a High-Pass Filter to attenuate the low frequencies and get a less less muddy tone with more clarity. This can be useful when playing in a band, as it helps separate your guitar from the rest of the instruments.

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 Stratocaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 79
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 78
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 76

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 Stratocaster compares to the Fender American Original 60s Jaguar.

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 Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

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

The Fender American Ultra Stratocaster has the best tuners of the two because they are 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: Fender American Ultra Stratocaster.

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 Stratocaster
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • High-Pass Filter 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 80
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 74
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar
Quality of materials 61
Features 60
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 72

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 Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar Nut Width
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender American Ultra 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 Ultra 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 Ultra Stratocaster's Scale Length
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's Scale Length
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar's Scale Length
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar'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 American Ultra Stratocaster has the longest scale: 25.5". The Fender American Original 60s Jaguar is only 24" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) 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

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's neck profile
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar Neck Profile
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar'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 Fender American Ultra Stratocaster has a D type of 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.

The Fender American Original 60s Jaguar, 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

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's Compound Fretboard Radius
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar'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 American Ultra Stratocaster is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Fret Size

Fender American Ultra Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster's Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar's Frets Size

The Fender American Original 60s Jaguar has Vintage Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender American Ultra 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 Ultra Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Fender American Original 60s Jaguar
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 75