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Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
Fender Player Telecaster
VS
Playability
72
Sound
67
Build
57
Value
75
Score
65
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
68
Sound
72
Build
57
Value
71
Score
66
FIND IT ON:
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Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Fender Player Telecaster

Reasons to Get
Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition over Fender Player Telecaster

Release Year
2022 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
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 Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Avg. Weight
8.05lbs (3.7kgs) vs 8.15lbs (3.7kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
75 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Telecaster over Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.84'' (21.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Other Key Differences
Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Fender Player Telecaster

Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single-Coil
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single-Coil
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Nyatoh vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Fender Player Telecaster

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
SS
Beautiful cleans
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • 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

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Player Telecaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 66 compared to the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's 65 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Player Telecaster wins when it comes to sound. On the other hand, the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Player Telecaster.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Player Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Overview

  • From Fender Squier's 2022 40th Anniversary Vintage series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Nyatoh body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 3-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Tele bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.35lbs (3.3kgs) and 8.75lbs (4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Player Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 Player series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Tele with Block Steel Saddles bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Standard Cast/Sealed tuners
  • Weight between 7.7lbs (3.5kgs) and 8.6lbs (3.9kgs)
  • 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition

Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

Woods Used in the Fender Player Telecaster

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are SS. 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.

Pickups Quality

The Fender Player Telecaster pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Country 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 Player 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.

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

They both share the following switching options:

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition and Fender Player Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition and Fender Player Telecaster'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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
Pickups 70
Sustain 75
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 67
Fender Player Telecaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition compares to the Fender Player Telecaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition is built in Indonesia while the Fender Player Telecaster is made in Mexico.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

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.

The Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition 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 Player Telecaster comes with 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.

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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's are Vintage Style while the Fender Player Telecaster's are Standard Cast/Sealed

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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
  • Bone Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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 Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Player Telecaster
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 57
Fender Player Telecaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 50
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 57

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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Nut Width
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Nut Width
Fender Player Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Player Telecaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Player Telecaster has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.1mm (0.004'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Player Telecaster, 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition and Fender Player Telecaster'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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Neck Profile
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's neck profile
Fender Player Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Player Telecaster'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.

Both the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition and the Fender Player Telecaster have a C-shaped 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

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition and the Fender Player Telecaster 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition favors large hands more than the Fender Player Telecaster.

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Player Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Frets Size
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's Frets Size
Fender Player Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Player Telecaster's Frets Size

The Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender Player Telecaster'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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Fender Player Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 68

Specs Side-by-Side

Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Fender Player Telecaster
General Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Fender Player Telecaster
Brand: Fender Squier Fender
Year: 2022 2018
Configuration: SS SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Mexico
Series: 40th Anniversary Vintage Player
Colors: Brown Satin, Red Satin, Yellow Satin White, Sunburst, Black, Blue, Orange, Yellow
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Nyatoh Alder
Bridge: 3-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Tele 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Tele with Block Steel Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage Style Standard Cast/Sealed
Fretboard: Maple Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: C Shape Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1