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Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
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Playability
67
Sound
79
Build
77
Value
64
Score
74
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Playability
67
Sound
77
Build
75
Value
58
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
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Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster vs Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Specs Comparison
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
General
Brand: Fender Fender Custom
Year: 2023 2017
Configuration: SSS SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Artist Custom Artist
Colors: Blue White, Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder 2-Piece Select Ash
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Blocked American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking (all short posts) Fender Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Rosewood 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple Neck
Neck Material: Maple Rift Sawn Maple
Decoration: White Dot Micarta Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern D Soft V
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Vintage Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" 9.5"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 41.9mm (1.65'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine Custom Stack Plus (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Boost
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Nickel
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster's switch options
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster over Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic

Release Year
2023 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 9.5"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Modern D vs Soft V
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Boost
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Relic
Resistant paint that ages well
Value Score
64 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic over Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster

Neck Profile
Soft V vs Modern D
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickup Mods
Boost vs Coil Split
Increases the output of the pickup
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Relic vs Poly
Looks like an old and slightly beaten up instrument

Other Key Differences
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster vs Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic

Bridge Pickup
Fender Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine Custom Stack Plus vs Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine Single Coil vs Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Seymour Duncan Cory Wong Clean Machine Single Coil vs Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster vs Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic

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
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
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
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 Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Vintage
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

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

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 Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic 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 Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic favors large hands more than the Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster.

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic 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 Cory Wong Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Tall frets
  • 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

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.

Woods Used in the Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster

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

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.

Woods Used in the Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic

Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.

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.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic'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

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

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster offers Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

On the other hand, the Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic comes with the following: Boost.

A Boost will give your pickups more output, similar to an active pickup. It's great if you like to use a lot of output for heavy genres, but also like to use a cleaner tone often.

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

Winner: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 79
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 77

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 Cory Wong Stratocaster compares to the Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic.

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 Cory Wong 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 Cory Wong 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 Cory Wong Stratocaster
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Boost 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 Cory Wong Stratocaster
Quality of materials 56
Features 80
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 77
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
Quality of materials 66
Features 60
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 75

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 Cory Wong Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Nut Width
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1mm (0.038'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Cory Wong 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 Cory Wong Stratocaster and Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic'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 Cory Wong Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster's neck profile
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Neck Profile
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic'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 Cory Wong 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 Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic, on the other hand, has a V 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.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster's Compound Fretboard Radius
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Fingerboard Radius
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic'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 Cory Wong 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 Cory Wong Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster's Frets Size
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic Frets Size
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic's Frets Size

The Fender Cory Wong Stratocaster has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic's Vintage 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 Cory Wong Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 67
Fender Custom Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster Journeyman Relic
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 50
Playability 67