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Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Schecter John Browne Tao-7
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Playability
72
Sound
72
Build
64
Value
69
Score
69
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Playability
75
Sound
79
Build
78
Value
72
Score
77
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Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Schecter John Browne Tao-7

Reasons to Get
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster over Schecter John Browne Tao-7

Type of Frets
Vintage vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
'60s C vs Ultra Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Heavy Relic vs Poly
Looks like an old and heavily beaten up instrument
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 over Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster

Decorative Top
Flamed maple veneer vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2023 vs 2022
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Vintage
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Ultra Thin U vs '60s C
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Paint Finish
Poly vs Heavy Relic
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
72 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Schecter John Browne Tao-7

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele vs Schecter USA Colossus 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele vs Schecter USA Chaosbreaker 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Wenge
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 4-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Schecter John Browne Tao-7

Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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 Schecter John Browne Tao-7 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter John Browne Tao-7 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster in every aspect.

However, there's still a reason to choose the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster instead. If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Schecter John Browne Tao-7 is the better choice.

The Schecter John Browne Tao-7 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster 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 Joe Strummer Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Schecter John Browne Tao-7
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 Joe Strummer Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2022 Artist series
  • Joe Strummer Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Slab Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele bridge
  • '60s C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage frets
  • Fender Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.3lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.55lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter John Browne Tao-7 Overview

  • From Schecter's 2023 Reaper Elite series
  • John Browne Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 7 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed maple veneer top
  • Swamp Ash body
  • Wenge/Paduak 5-Ply neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA Colossus 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter USA Chaosbreaker 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Hipshot 7-String Fixed Bridge bridge
  • Ultra Thin U Bolt-On neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock 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 the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster

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.

Woods Used in the Schecter John Browne Tao-7

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

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.

Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.

Winner: Schecter John Browne Tao-7.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster has an SS configuration while the Schecter John Browne Tao-7 has HH pickups.

SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

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

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 Joe Strummer Telecaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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 Joe Strummer Telecaster.

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 Schecter John Browne Tao-7 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 Joe Strummer Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's switch options
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter John Browne Tao-7'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: Schecter John Browne Tao-7.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Schecter John Browne Tao-7
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 80
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 Joe Strummer Telecaster compares to the Schecter John Browne Tao-7.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster is built in Mexico while the Schecter John Browne Tao-7 is made in South Korea.

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.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

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 Joe Strummer Telecaster 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 John Browne Tao-7 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.

In this comparison, the Schecter John Browne Tao-7 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: Schecter John Browne Tao-7.

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: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

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 John Browne Tao-7 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 John Browne Tao-7.

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 Joe Strummer Telecaster
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter John Browne Tao-7
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster
Quality of materials 66
Features 50
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64
Schecter John Browne Tao-7
Quality of materials 83
Features 70
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 78

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 Joe Strummer Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Nut Width
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 Nut Width
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter John Browne Tao-7 has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 6.1mm (0.24'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter John Browne Tao-7, 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 Joe Strummer Telecaster's Scale Length
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Scale Length
Schecter John Browne Tao-7's Scale Length
Schecter John Browne Tao-7's 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.

The Schecter John Browne Tao-7 has the longest scale: 27". The Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster is only 25.5" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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 Joe Strummer Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's neck profile
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 Neck Profile
Schecter John Browne Tao-7'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 Joe Strummer Telecaster 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 Schecter John Browne Tao-7, 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 Joe Strummer Telecaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Fingerboard radius
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 Fingerboard Radius
Schecter John Browne Tao-7'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 Joe Strummer Telecaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter John Browne Tao-7'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 Schecter John Browne Tao-7.

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 John Browne Tao-7 favors large hands more than the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster.

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter John Browne Tao-7:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Frets Size
Schecter John Browne Tao-7 Frets Size
Schecter John Browne Tao-7's Frets Size

The Schecter John Browne Tao-7 has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster's Vintage 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 Joe Strummer Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 72
Schecter John Browne Tao-7
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster vs Schecter John Browne Tao-7
General Fender Joe Strummer Telecaster Schecter John Browne Tao-7
Brand: Fender Schecter
Year: 2022 2023
Configuration: SS HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: Mexico South Korea
Series: Artist Reaper Elite
Colors: Black Purple Satin
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Swamp Ash
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele Hipshot 7-String Fixed Bridge
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Fender Vintage-Style Hipshot Grip-Lock
Fretboard: Slab Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Wenge/Paduak 5-Ply
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 27"
Shape: '60s C Ultra Thin U
Frets: 21 Vintage Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" 16"
Nut: Bone Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Colossus 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Joe Strummer Single-Coil Tele (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Chaosbreaker 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0