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Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
VS
Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
74
Value
58
Score
73
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Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
77
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood over Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature

Release Year
2018 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
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 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.67'' (42.4mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes

Reasons to Get
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature over Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood

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
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.67'' (42.4mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Value Score
61 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat vs Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat vs Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat vs Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Wenge
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Pickups
SSS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
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 Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

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

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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Prices

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Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood in every aspect.

However, there's still a reason to choose the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood instead. If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2018 Vintage Custom series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" to 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Select Alder body
  • Rift Sawn Maple neck
  • 3A Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo bridge
  • 1959 C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Overview

  • From Schecter's 2017 Artist series
  • Nick Johnston Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Contoured 4-Bolt Wenge neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Schecter Vintage 2-Point Tremolo bridge
  • Nick Johnston Custom C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Schecter/Hipshot Staggered Locking Tuners 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

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood

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

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.

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 Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature

Wenge wood pattern used for guitar building
Wenge
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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: 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.

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.

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

They both share the following switching options:

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood and Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood and Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature's switch options

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

Winner: Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
Pickups 100
Sustain 70
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 79

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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood compares to the Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature.

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.

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood 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 Nick Johnston USA Signature comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to 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.

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 Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature 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: Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature.

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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • 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 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • 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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Quality of materials 56
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 77

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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Nut Width
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Nut Width
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Nut Width
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature has the wider nut with 42.4mm (1.67'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.5mm (0.02'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature, 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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood and Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature'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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Neck Profile
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's neck profile
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Neck Profile
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature'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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood and the Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature 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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's Compound Fretboard Radius
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature'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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood 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 Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature favors large hands more than the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Frets Size
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's Frets Size
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature Frets Size
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature's Frets Size

The Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood'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 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
General Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Schecter Nick Johnston USA Signature
Brand: Fender Custom Schecter
Year: 2018 2017
Configuration: SSS SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Vintage Custom Artist
Colors: Sunburst White, Orange, Blue Nitro
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Select Alder Alder
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Schecter Vintage 2-Point Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Schecter/Hipshot Staggered Locking Tuners
Fretboard: 3A Rosewood Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: Rift Sawn Maple Contoured 4-Bolt Wenge
Decoration: Vintage Clay Dot Silver Ring
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: 1959 C Nick Johnston Custom C
Frets: 21 Medium Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" to 9.5" 14"
Nut: Bone Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42.4mm (1.67'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Nick Johnston Signature Atomic Set (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 1