Show Full Spec Comparison
| Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple | Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Fender | Fender Squier |
| Year: | 2010 | 2021 |
| Configuration: | SSS | HH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | United States | China |
| Series: | Artist | Contemporary |
| Colors: | White, Sunburst, Black | Pink, Gray |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Alder | Poplar |
| Bridge: | 6-Saddle American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo | Floyd Rose by Floyd Rose Double Locking Tremolo |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Vintage-Style Staggered | Sealed Die-Cast with Split Shafts |
| Fretboard: | Maple | Roasted Maple |
| Neck Material: | 1-Piece Quartersawn Maple | Roasted Maple |
| Decoration: | Black Dot | Black Dot |
| Scale Size: | 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Shape: | Fender Soft V | Modern C |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) - 12th Fret: 0.99'' (25.1mm) | 1st Fret: - 12th Fret: |
| Frets: | 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver | 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 12" |
| Nut: | Bone | Locking |
| Nut Width: | 42mm (1.654'') | 42.9mm (1.688'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Fender Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) | Squier SQR Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | Fender Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) | |
| Neck Pickup: | Fender Specially Voiced Eric Johnson Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) | Squier SQR Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 5 Way | 5 Way |
| Knobs: | Bell | Bell |
| Pickup Mods: | None | None |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 2 | 1 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Chrome | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple over Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR
Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR over Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple
Other Key Differences
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple vs Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR
Shared Features
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple vs Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR
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
- Expensive Wood
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
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Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple favors large hands more than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR.
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple:
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR:
Beginner Friendliness
The Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH 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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Comfortable neck
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- 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 the Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster 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.
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 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR
Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.
Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
The Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple has an SSS configuration while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR has HH pickups.
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.
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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH 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 Funk and similar genres.
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Winner: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple.
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.
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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple compares to the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple is built in United States while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR is made in China.
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.
China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.
Winner: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple
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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple 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 Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH 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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple's brige is a 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.
On the other hand, the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH 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: Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple's are Vintage-Style Staggered while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR's are Sealed Die-Cast with Split Shafts
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:
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple
- Made in United States
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- 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
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR
- Locking Nut
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- 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
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH 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
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
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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple 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 Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH 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
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 Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple and the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.
Fret Size
The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster HH FR has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple'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.
