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Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
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Playability
73
Sound
83
Build
62
Value
73
Score
73
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Playability
67
Sound
74
Build
62
Value
68
Score
68
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Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster vs Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat

Reasons to Get
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster over Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat

Release Year
2018 vs 1997
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
10/56 V Back-Shape vs Fender Soft V
Combines vintage and modern feeling
Pickup Mods
Sustainer vs None
Infinite sustain when activated
Pickups
HSH vs SSS
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.895'' (22.7mm) vs 0.9'' (22.9mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
1'' (25.4mm) vs 0.99'' (25.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
73 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat over EOB Sustainer Stratocaster

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Fender Soft V vs 10/56 V Back-Shape
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SSS vs HSH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm) vs 0.895'' (22.7mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.99'' (25.1mm) vs 1'' (25.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Avg. Weight
7.725lbs (3.5kgs) vs 7.925lbs (3.6kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Other Key Differences
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster vs Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB Jr. SJBJ-1B vs Fender Tex-Mex
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Strat vs Fender Tex-Mex
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sustainer Driver vs Fender Tex-Mex
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster vs Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
21
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
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
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster is the better choice.

The Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat meets only 5. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 Artist series
  • Ed O'Brien Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB Jr. SJBJ-1B (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sustainer Driver (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo bridge
  • 10/56 V Back-Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.85lbs (3.6kgs) and 8lbs (3.6kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat Overview

  • From Fender's 1997 Artist series
  • Jimmie Vaughan Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Tex-Mex (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Tex-Mex (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Tex-Mex (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo bridge
  • Fender Soft V Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.6lbs (3.4kgs) and 7.85lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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
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.

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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster has an HSH configuration while the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat has SSS pickups.

HSH is a versatile pickup configuration that will give you the high output, full tone, and quiet sound of humbucker pickups, but with the possibility of using a single coil for cleaner tones. The disadvantage is that the middle single-coil pickup will have a noticeable lower volume, so you might want to adjust the height of the pickups. Another problem is that if you set the middle pickup too high, it might interfere with your picking hand.

On the other hand, 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 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 Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat's online:

The Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster's pickups are Active while the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat's are Passive.

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 Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat.

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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster comes with some kind of pickup modification: Sustainer.

The pickups with Sustainer are able to recreate the 'feedback' you get when you hold your guitar near a speaker without muting the strings. This allows them to produce infinite sustain that you can use for as long as you want to create interest sounds and harmonics.

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster's switch options
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat'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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Pickups 90
Sustain 100
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 83
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster compares to the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Mexico.

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.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Synthetic Bone nuts. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

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

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Vintage-Style.

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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Sustainer Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 62
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 62

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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster and Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat'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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster's neck profile
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat Neck Profile
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat'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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster has a Soft V to C type of neck. This neck is also called boat neck because it resembles the shape of the bottom of a boat. It combines the Soft V many people like for playing chords for the first frets, and it transitions to a rounder shape as you get closer to the highest frets. It's a neck that takes a while to get used to, and it's not as popular as a simple C shape.

The Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat, on the other hand, has a V neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

Fretboard Radius

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same 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 the Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster and the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat have the same fretboard radius of 9.5". This is the most common radius for Stratocaster guitars. It's considered curved when compared to most other models. This allows you to play chords very easily without muting strings accidentally and gives you more space between strings for fingerpicking. However, this curve also gives the guitar less allowance for lower action. If you bend too hard at the high frets, some of your notes might get muted because the curve will make the string fret out.

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 Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster favors large hands more than the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat.

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster's Frets Size
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat Frets Size
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat's Frets Size

The Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat's Medium Jumbo 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 EOB Sustainer Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 50
Playability 67

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster vs Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
General Fender EOB Sustainer Stratocaster Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2018 1997
Configuration: HSH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Mexico
Series: Artist Artist
Colors: White White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo 6-Saddle American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Maple Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: 10/56 V Back-Shape Fender Soft V
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.895'' (22.7mm) - 12th Fret: 1'' (25.4mm) 1st Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) - 12th Fret: 0.99'' (25.1mm)
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB Jr. SJBJ-1B (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Tex-Mex (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Tex-Mex (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Sustainer Driver (Humbucker / Active) Fender Tex-Mex (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: Sustainer None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 2