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Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire
Schecter Demon-7 FR
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Playability
72
Sound
72
Build
72
Value
57
Score
72
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
60
Value
73
Score
68
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Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire vs Schecter Demon-7 FR

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire over Schecter Demon-7 FR

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2019 vs 2015
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
7.25" to 9.5" vs 16"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
10/56 V vs Thin C
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickups Brand
Fender Custom vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 26.5'' (673.1mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
Schecter Demon-7 FR over Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Thin C vs 10/56 V
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
26.5'' (673.1mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
73 vs 57
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire vs Schecter Demon-7 FR

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50/'51 Blackguard vs Schecter Diamond Active HB-105S
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50/'51 Blackguard vs Schecter Diamond Active HB-105S
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Ash vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Wenge
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-4
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire vs Schecter Demon-7 FR

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • 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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire is probably the better product overall with its final score of 72 compared to the Schecter Demon-7 FR's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Schecter Demon-7 FR has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

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?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire is the better choice.

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Demon-7 FR meets only 3. 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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Demon-7 FR
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • 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 Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2019 Vintage Custom series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" to 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • 2-Piece Offset Seam Ash body
  • Rift Sawn Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50/'51 Blackguard (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50/'51 Blackguard (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele with Brass Saddles bridge
  • 10/56 V Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.55lbs (3.4kgs) and 7.65lbs (3.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Demon-7 FR Overview

  • From Schecter's 2015 Demon series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 26.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Basswood body
  • Maple neck
  • Wenge fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter Diamond Active HB-105S (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter Diamond Active HB-105S (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Special bridge
  • Thin C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Schecter 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

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 Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire

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.

Woods Used in the Schecter Demon-7 FR

Wenge wood pattern used for guitar building
Wenge
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

Wenge is a stiff wood that comes with straight and tight grains. Its color is dark brown and the tonality emphasizes the low and mid-ends (warm) frequencies, similar to Rosewood.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Winner: Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire has an SS configuration while the Schecter Demon-7 FR has HH pickups.

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.

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

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Schecter Demon-7 FR. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Country and similar genres.

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's pickups are Passive while the Schecter Demon-7 FR's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire.

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.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's switch options
Schecter Demon-7 FR pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Demon-7 FR'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: Schecter Demon-7 FR.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Schecter Demon-7 FR
Pickups 55
Sustain 85
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 72

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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire compares to the Schecter Demon-7 FR.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire is built in United States while the Schecter Demon-7 FR 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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire

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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire 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 Schecter Demon-7 FR comes with a Locking nut. 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.

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.

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.

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's brige is a 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.

On the other hand, the Schecter Demon-7 FR's is a 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: Schecter Demon-7 FR.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's are Vintage-Style while the Schecter Demon-7 FR's are Schecter

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 Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire
  • 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
Schecter Demon-7 FR
  • Locking Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire
Quality of materials 56
Features 60
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 72
Schecter Demon-7 FR
Quality of materials 45
Features 65
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60

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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Nut Width
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Nut Width
Schecter Demon-7 FR Nut Width
Schecter Demon-7 FR Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Demon-7 FR has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 5.7mm (0.225'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Demon-7 FR, 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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's Scale Length
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's Scale Length
Schecter Demon-7 FR's Scale Length
Schecter Demon-7 FR'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 Schecter Demon-7 FR has the longest scale: 26.5". The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire is only 25.5" long. This is a 1'' (25.4mm) 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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Neck Profile
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's neck profile
Schecter Demon-7 FR Neck Profile
Schecter Demon-7 FR'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 Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire has a V type of 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.

The Schecter Demon-7 FR, 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 Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's Compound Fretboard Radius
Schecter Demon-7 FR Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Demon-7 FR'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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire 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.

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 Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Demon-7 FR:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Frets Size
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's Frets Size
Schecter Demon-7 FR Frets Size
Schecter Demon-7 FR's Frets Size

The Schecter Demon-7 FR has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire's Medium 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 Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 72
Schecter Demon-7 FR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire vs Schecter Demon-7 FR
General Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1950 Double Esquire Schecter Demon-7 FR
Brand: Fender Custom Schecter
Year: 2019 2015
Configuration: SS HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: United States Indonesia
Series: Vintage Custom Demon
Colors: Yellow White, Black, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: 2-Piece Offset Seam Ash Basswood
Bridge: 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele with Brass Saddles Floyd Rose Special
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Schecter
Fretboard: Maple Wenge
Neck Material: Rift Sawn Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Grey Pearloid Gothic Crosses
Scale Size: 25.5" 26.5"
Shape: 10/56 V Thin C
Frets: 21 Medium Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" to 9.5" 16"
Nut: Bone Locking
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 47.6mm (1.875'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50/'51 Blackguard (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter Diamond Active HB-105S (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '50/'51 Blackguard (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter Diamond Active HB-105S (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1