Swap
Swap
Fender Player Mustang 90
Gibson Les Paul Junior
VS
Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
57
Value
74
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logoFender logo
Playability
73
Sound
69
Build
65
Value
64
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Add more to comparison

Fender Player Mustang 90 vs Gibson Les Paul Junior

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Mustang 90 over Gibson Les Paul Junior

Neck Profile
Modern C vs Vintage 50s
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Pickups
P90P90 vs P90
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.88'' (22.4mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.96'' (24.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24'' (609.6mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
74 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson Les Paul Junior over Fender Player Mustang 90

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2019 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Vintage 50s vs Modern C
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickups
P90 vs P90P90
Vintage tone with good sustain
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.88'' (22.4mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.96'' (24.4mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 24'' (609.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
7.225lbs (3.3kgs) vs 7.275lbs (3.3kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Fender Player Mustang 90 vs Gibson Les Paul Junior

Bridge Pickup
Fender Mustang MP-90 vs Gibson P-90 Dog Ear
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Player Mustang 90 vs Gibson Les Paul Junior

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • 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

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 69 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Gibson Les Paul Junior wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Player Mustang 90 has the upper hand when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Player Mustang 90 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 Player Mustang 90 is the better choice.

The Fender Player Mustang 90 meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Les Paul Junior 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 Player Mustang 90
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Les Paul Junior
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 Player Mustang 90 Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 Player series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 24"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Mustang MP-90 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Standard Cast/Sealed tuners
  • Weight between 6.95lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.6lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Gibson Les Paul Junior Overview

  • From Gibson's 2019 Original Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gibson P-90 Dog Ear (P90/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: (/)
  • Neck pickup: (/)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • Wraparound bridge
  • Vintage 50s Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Deluxe Tuners tuners
  • Weight between 7lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.45lbs (3.4kgs)
  • 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 Player Mustang 90

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.

Woods Used in the Gibson Les Paul Junior

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

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: Gibson Les Paul Junior.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Player Mustang 90 has an P90P90 configuration while the Gibson Les Paul Junior has P90 pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

On the other hand, P90s are vintage pickups that are somewhere in the middle between a Humbucker and a single coil. They have decent output, and the tone is not too warm. It's a very particular type of sound that is used in many genres, but it was more popular decades ago.

Like any other single-pickup guitars, it should give you a bit more sustain since there will be less interference with the vibration of the strings. However, you're stuck to one single tone, unless you use effect pedals.

Pickups Quality

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

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

The Fender Player Mustang 90 gives you 3 switch options while the Gibson Les Paul Junior gives you 0. This means that the Fender Player Mustang 90 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Fender Player Mustang 90 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Player Mustang 90's switch options

The Gibson Les Paul Junior doesn't come with pickup switching 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 Player Mustang 90.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Player Mustang 90
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Gibson Les Paul Junior
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 39
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 69

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 Player Mustang 90 compares to the Gibson Les Paul Junior.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Player Mustang 90 is built in Mexico while the Gibson Les Paul Junior 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: Gibson Les Paul Junior

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 Player Mustang 90 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 Gibson Les Paul Junior comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

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.

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

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Player Mustang 90's are Standard Cast/Sealed while the Gibson Les Paul Junior's are Deluxe Tuners

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.

The Fender Player Mustang 90 has 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.

On the other hand, the Gibson Les Paul Junior comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Fender Player Mustang 90.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Player Mustang 90
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Les Paul Junior
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Player Mustang 90
Quality of materials 51
Features 50
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 57
Gibson Les Paul Junior
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 65

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 Player Mustang 90 Nut Width
Fender Player Mustang 90 Nut Width
Gibson Les Paul Junior Nut Width
Gibson Les Paul Junior Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Les Paul Junior 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 Gibson Les Paul Junior, 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 Player Mustang 90's Scale Length
Fender Player Mustang 90's Scale Length
Gibson Les Paul Junior's Scale Length
Gibson Les Paul Junior'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 Gibson Les Paul Junior has the longest scale: 24.75". The Fender Player Mustang 90 is only 24" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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 Player Mustang 90 Neck Profile
Fender Player Mustang 90's neck profile
Gibson Les Paul Junior Neck Profile
Gibson Les Paul Junior'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 Player Mustang 90 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 Gibson Les Paul Junior, 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 Player Mustang 90 Fingerboard Radius
Fender Player Mustang 90's Fingerboard radius
Gibson Les Paul Junior Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Les Paul Junior'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 Player Mustang 90's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gibson Les Paul Junior'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 Gibson Les Paul Junior.

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 Gibson Les Paul Junior favors large hands more than the Fender Player Mustang 90.

Fender Player Mustang 90:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson Les Paul Junior:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Player Mustang 90 and Gibson Les Paul Junior 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 Player Mustang 90
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 77
Gibson Les Paul Junior
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 60
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Player Mustang 90 vs Gibson Les Paul Junior
General Fender Player Mustang 90 Gibson Les Paul Junior
Brand: Fender Gibson
Year: 2018 2019
Configuration: P90P90 P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: Player Original Collection
Colors: Green, Pink, Natural Black, Brown Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Mahogany
Bridge: 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles Wraparound
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Standard Cast/Sealed Deluxe Tuners
Fretboard: Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Black Dot Acrylic Dots
Scale Size: 24" 24.75"
Shape: Modern C Vintage 50s
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm) - 12th Fret: 0.96'' (24.4mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Mustang MP-90 (Single Coil / Passive) Gibson P-90 Dog Ear (P90 / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Mustang MP-90 (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1