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Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
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Playability
67
Sound
79
Build
64
Value
70
Score
70
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Playability
70
Sound
84
Build
82
Value
69
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
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Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster vs American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Specs Comparison
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
General
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2015 2021
Configuration: HHH HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: Artist American Ultra
Colors: Sunburst Black, Gray Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Floyd Rose FRT-O1000 Double Locking 2-Point Tremolo Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Dot White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Dave Murray C Augmented “D”
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.86'' (21.8mm) 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm)
Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" to 14" 10" to 14"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1B (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB Jr. SJBJ-1N (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1N (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None S-1 Switch
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster's switch options
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster over American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Neck Profile
Dave Murray C vs Augmented “D”
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups
HHH vs HSS
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.84'' (21.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.86'' (21.8mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Value Score
70 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS over Dave Murray Stratocaster

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2015
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Augmented “D” vs Dave Murray C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Pickups
HSS vs HHH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 0.86'' (21.8mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes

Other Key Differences
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster vs American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1B vs Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB Jr. SJBJ-1N vs Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1N vs Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster vs American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Locking
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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Compound Radius
9.5" to 14" vs 10" to 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster 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 Dave Murray Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster has an HHH configuration while the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS has HSS pickups.

A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

On the other hand, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

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.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS'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.

Only the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS comes with some kind of pickup modification: S-1 Switch.

An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

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

Winner: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 79
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 84

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 Dave Murray Stratocaster compares to the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster is built in Mexico while the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS is made in United States.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

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: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

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 Locking nuts. 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.

Both models come with a retainer bar, which is helpful when changing the strings on a double-locking tremolo. Without it, the strings would change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'd have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly

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.

In this comparison, the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

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: 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: Tie.

Tuners

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS 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.

Nevertheless, the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

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 Dave Murray Stratocaster
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • 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
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Quality of materials 41
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Quality of materials 61
Features 90
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 82

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 Dave Murray Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42.8mm (1.685''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0029999999999999'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Dave Murray 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 Dave Murray Stratocaster and Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS'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 Dave Murray Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster's neck profile
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Neck Profile
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS'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 Dave Murray Stratocaster has a C type of 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.

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS, on the other hand, has a D 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.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster's Compound Fretboard Radius
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's Compound Fretboard 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.

Both have a compound radius. This means both offer you the best craftsmanship when it comes to fretboard design. You'll have an arc to help you play chords close to the nut, while also having a flat design at the higher frets for faster soloing and easier bends.

Fret Size

Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster and Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Dave Murray Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 67
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70