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Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
VS
Playability
75
Sound
75
Build
73
Value
59
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
72
Sound
75
Build
58
Value
68
Score
68
FIND IT ON:
Thomann logo
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Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster vs Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster over Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Compound Radius
9.5" to 12" vs 13.78"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Nut Material
Bone vs Graphite
Good quality nut with rich tone
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Aged vs Poly
Paint has been artificially aged
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Reasons to Get
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone over Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Aged
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
68 vs 59
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster vs Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop P90 vs Duncan Solar/Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Shop P90 vs Duncan Solar
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Flame Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Graphite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster vs Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Burl vs Flame Maple Veneer
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • 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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Prices

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Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster wins when it comes to playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster is the better choice.

The Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone meets only 4. 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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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.

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2020 Artisan series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" to 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Burl top
  • 1-Piece Vintage Michigan Mahogany body
  • 3A Roasted Flame Maple neck
  • Round-Laminated Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop P90 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Hardtail with Pat. Pend. Saddles bridge
  • 1960 Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Overview

  • From Solar's 2020 Type E series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Flame Maple Veneer top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Duncan Solar/Bridge (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Duncan Solar (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TOM Fixed Bridge bridge
  • Solar C Shape Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Solar 18:1 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

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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster

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

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of 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.

Woods Used in the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Winner: Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster has an P90P90 configuration while the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone has HH 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, 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.

However, the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster.

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 Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's switch options
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone'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: Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 75
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 75
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 75

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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster compares to the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster is built in United States while the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone is made in Indonesia.

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.

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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 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 Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster has a Bone nut. 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.

On the other hand, the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone comes with a Graphite nut. It's a self-lubricating material that will allow the strings to slide over the nut without a lot of friction. It's a good type of nut if you want to have better tuning stability than with plastic, although it's not as resistant as Bone or Tusq.

Winner: Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster.

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 Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's are Vintage Style while the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone's are Solar 18:1

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 Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster has 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.

On the other hand, the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone comes with 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.

Winner: Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster
Quality of materials 60
Features 60
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 73
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
Quality of materials 43
Features 55
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 58

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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Nut Width
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Nut Width
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1.1mm (0.043'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone, 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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's Scale Length
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's Scale Length
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone's Scale Length
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone'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 Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone has the longest scale: 27". The Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster is only 25.5" 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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's neck profile
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Neck Profile
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone'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.

Both the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster and the Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone 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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's Compound Fretboard Radius
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Fingerboard Radius
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone'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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster 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.

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 Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone favors large hands more than the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's Frets Size
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone Frets Size
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone's Frets Size

The Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster's Narrow Tall 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 Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75
Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 80
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster vs Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
General Fender Custom Artisan Maple Burl Dual P90 Telecaster Solar E2.6FBB-27 Baritone
Brand: Fender Custom Solar
Year: 2020 2020
Configuration: P90P90 HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Indonesia
Series: Artisan Type E
Colors: Natural Black Burst Matte
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: 1-Piece Vintage Michigan Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: 6-Saddle Hardtail with Pat. Pend. Saddles TOM Fixed Bridge
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Vintage Style Solar 18:1
Fretboard: Round-Laminated Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: 3A Roasted Flame Maple Maple
Decoration: Vintage Clay Dot Solar Logo on 12th Fret
Scale Size: 25.5" 27"
Shape: 1960 Oval C Solar C Shape
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" to 12" 13.78"
Nut: Bone Graphite
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop P90 (Single Coil / Passive) Duncan Solar/Bridge (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop P90 (Single Coil / Passive) Duncan Solar (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1