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Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster
ESP Sunburst Tiger
VS
Playability
67
Sound
74
Build
59
Value
72
Score
67
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Playability
70
Sound
82
Build
74
Value
60
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
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Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster vs ESP Sunburst Tiger

Reasons to Get
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster over ESP Sunburst Tiger

Release Year
2020 vs 2013
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Vintage Tall vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Mid 60s C vs GL Original U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Tone Knobs
2 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
SSS vs HS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
72 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP Sunburst Tiger over Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Vintage Tall
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
GL Original U vs Mid 60s C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
HS vs SSS
High output with bright neck cleans
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster vs ESP Sunburst Tiger

Bridge Pickup
Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat vs Seymour Duncan Signature George Lynch “The Hunter”
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat vs ESP SS-120
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster vs ESP Sunburst Tiger

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
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
  • 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

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP Sunburst Tiger is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's 67 score, although not by a lot.

The ESP Sunburst Tiger wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster has the upper hand when it comes to 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster is the better choice.

The Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP Sunburst Tiger 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

ESP Sunburst Tiger
  • 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2020 Artist series
  • H.E.R Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo bridge
  • Mid 60s C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.95lbs (3.6kgs) and 8.7lbs (3.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

ESP Sunburst Tiger Overview

  • From ESP's 2013 Signature series
  • George Lynch Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Signature George Lynch “The Hunter” (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: ESP SS-120 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original bridge
  • GL Original U Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster

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 ESP Sunburst Tiger

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Winner: ESP Sunburst Tiger.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster has an SSS configuration while the ESP Sunburst Tiger has HS 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, An HS configuration gives you a bridge pickup with a lot of output for playing distortion parts, but you'll also have the bright sound of a Tele or Strat neck pickup for your clean tones.

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 H.E.R. Stratocaster 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster's and use them on any guitar:

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 H.E.R. Stratocaster.

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

The Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster gives you 5 switch options while the ESP Sunburst Tiger gives you 3. This means that the Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP Sunburst Tiger comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's switch options
ESP Sunburst Tiger pickups switch and push knobs diagram
ESP Sunburst Tiger'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
ESP Sunburst Tiger
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82

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 H.E.R. Stratocaster compares to the ESP Sunburst Tiger.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster is built in Mexico while the ESP Sunburst Tiger is made in Japan.

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.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

Winner: ESP Sunburst Tiger

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 H.E.R. Stratocaster has a Synthetic Bone nut. 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.

On the other hand, the ESP Sunburst Tiger 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster'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 ESP Sunburst Tiger'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: ESP Sunburst Tiger.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's are Vintage-Style while the ESP Sunburst Tiger's are Gotoh

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 H.E.R. Stratocaster
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Sunburst Tiger
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 55
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 59
ESP Sunburst Tiger
Quality of materials 51
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74

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 H.E.R. Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster Nut Width
ESP Sunburst Tiger Nut Width
ESP Sunburst Tiger Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP Sunburst Tiger has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP Sunburst Tiger, 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster and ESP Sunburst Tiger'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 H.E.R. Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's neck profile
ESP Sunburst Tiger Neck Profile
ESP Sunburst Tiger'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 H.E.R. 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 ESP Sunburst Tiger, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's Fingerboard radius
ESP Sunburst Tiger Fingerboard Radius
ESP Sunburst Tiger'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 H.E.R. Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the ESP Sunburst Tiger's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the ESP Sunburst Tiger.

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 are balanced for most hand sizes.

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP Sunburst Tiger:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's Frets Size
ESP Sunburst Tiger Frets Size
ESP Sunburst Tiger's Frets Size

The ESP Sunburst Tiger has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster's Vintage Tall 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 H.E.R. Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67
ESP Sunburst Tiger
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster vs ESP Sunburst Tiger
General Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster ESP Sunburst Tiger
Brand: Fender ESP
Year: 2020 2013
Configuration: SSS HS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Japan
Series: Artist Signature
Colors: Gray Yellow W/ Sunburst Tiger Graphic
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Maple
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Floyd Rose Original
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Gotoh
Fretboard: Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Abalone dot Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Mid 60s C GL Original U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.825'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.975'' (24.8mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 21 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Signature George Lynch “The Hunter” (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) ESP SS-120 (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 0