Show Full Spec Comparison
| Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster | Ibanez AT100CL | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Fender Squier | Ibanez |
| Year: | 2019 | 2009 |
| Configuration: | HH | HHH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | Japan |
| Series: | Contemporary | AT |
| Colors: | Black, Blue, Green | Sunburst |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | Yes |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Laminated Maple | Alder |
| Bridge: | 6-Saddle Adjustable Bridge Fixed | Wilkinson-Gotoh VSVG tremolo |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Die-Cast Sealed | Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P. |
| Fretboard: | Maple | Maple |
| Neck Material: | Maple | Maple |
| Decoration: | Black Dot | Black Dot |
| Scale Size: | 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Shape: | Modern C | AT |
| Frets: | 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver | 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 12" |
| Nut: | Synthetic Bone | Bone |
| Nut Width: | 42mm (1.654'') | 40.5mm (1.594'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Squier SQR Active Ceramic Humbucker (Humbucker / Active) | DiMarzio AT-1 (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | DiMarzio The Cruiser (Humbucker / Passive) | |
| Neck Pickup: | Squier SQR Ceramic Humbucker (Humbucker / Active) | DiMarzio The Cruiser (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 3 Way | 5 Way |
| Knobs: | Bell | Bell |
| Pickup Mods: | None | None |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 1 | 2 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Black & Chrome | Chrome |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster over Ibanez AT100CL
Reasons to Get
Ibanez AT100CL over Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster
Other Key Differences
Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster vs Ibanez AT100CL
Shared Features
Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster vs Ibanez AT100CL
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- Expensive Wood
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster Prices
Ibanez AT100CL Prices
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Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Ibanez AT100CL favors large hands more than the Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster:
Ibanez AT100CL:
Beginner Friendliness
The Ibanez AT100CL meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster meets only 5. 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 Contemporary Active Starcaster- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez AT100CL- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
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 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 Ibanez AT100CL
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
The Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster has an HH configuration while the Ibanez AT100CL has HHH pickups.
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.
On the other hand, A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.
Pickups Quality
The Ibanez AT100CL pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster. 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 Ibanez AT100CL's online:
The Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster's pickups are Active while the Ibanez AT100CL's are Passive.
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: Ibanez AT100CL.
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 Ibanez AT100CL gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez AT100CL 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.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Ibanez AT100CL.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Contemporary Active Starcaster compares to the Ibanez AT100CL.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez AT100CL is made in Japan.
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.
Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.
Winner: Ibanez AT100CL
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 Contemporary Active Starcaster 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 Ibanez AT100CL comes with 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.
Winner: Tie.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
Winner: Tie.
Bridge
The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.
The Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster's brige is a 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.
On the other hand, the Ibanez AT100CL's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.
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 Ibanez AT100CL 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: Ibanez AT100CL.
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:
Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster
- Synthetic 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
Ibanez AT100CL
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 40.5mm (1.594''). This is a 1.5mm (0.06'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Squier Contemporary Active Starcaster, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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
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 Contemporary Active Starcaster and the Ibanez AT100CL 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
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 Contemporary Active Starcaster and the Ibanez AT100CL have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.
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.
