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Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
VS
Playability
72
Sound
67
Build
57
Value
75
Score
65
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
80
Sound
74
Build
59
Value
76
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard

Reasons to Get
Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition over Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard

Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12.6'' (320mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard over Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition

Pickups Brand
EMG vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.84'' (21.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12.6'' (320mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
76 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard

Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs EMG 57
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs EMG 66
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Nyatoh vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck 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
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Avg. Weight
8.05lbs (3.7kgs)
Similar weight
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

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
  • 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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard is probably the better product overall with its final score of 71 compared to the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's 65 score, although not by a lot.

The Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition is the better choice.

The Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard 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 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

Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 >

Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard Overview

  • From Kramer's 2021 Artist series
  • Charlie Parra Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12.6" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3 Piece Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 57 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG 66 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Slim C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Mini Die Cast tuners
  • Weight between 7.6lbs (3.4kgs) and 8.5lbs (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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

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.

Winner: Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition has an SS configuration while the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard 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

The Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard 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 Hard Rock and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard's online:

The Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's pickups are Passive while the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard.

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.

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's switch options
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard'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: Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition
Pickups 70
Sustain 75
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 67
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 52
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 74

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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

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.

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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's are Vintage Style while the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard's are Mini Die Cast

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
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 59

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
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard Nut Width
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1.1mm (0.043'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard, 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's Scale Length
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's Scale Length
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard's Scale Length
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard'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 Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition has the longest scale: 25.5". The Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard is only 24.75" 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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Neck Profile
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's neck profile
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard Neck Profile
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard'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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard 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
Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's Fingerboard radius
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard Fingerboard Radius
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard'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 Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard'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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard.

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 Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard.

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition and Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard Frets Size
Both have a similar Narrow Tall fret size

Both have a Narrow Tall fret size. Their height is very similar to Jumbo frets, but they have a narrower crown. They won't let you feel the fretboard when playing, which will make it easier to get clean notes. However, if you press down too hard you might get the notes 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
Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 90
Playability 80

Specs Side-by-Side

Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition vs Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
General Squier 40th Anniversary Telecaster Vintage Edition Kramer Charlie Parra Vanguard
Brand: Fender Squier Kramer
Year: 2022 2021
Configuration: SS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: 40th Anniversary Vintage Artist
Colors: Brown Satin, Red Satin, Yellow Satin Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Nyatoh Mahogany
Bridge: 3-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Tele LockTone Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage Style Mini Die Cast
Fretboard: Maple Ebony
Neck Material: Maple 3 Piece Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Dot and Day of the Dead owl at 12th fret
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: C Shape Slim C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm)
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12.6"
Nut: Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) EMG 57 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) EMG 66 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0