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Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
VS
Playability
75
Sound
68
Build
50
Value
74
Score
64
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Playability
67
Sound
73
Build
70
Value
60
Score
70
FIND IT ON:
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Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT vs Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Specs Comparison
Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
General
Brand: Fender Squier Fender
Year: 2021 2018
Configuration: SSS SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China United States
Series: Contemporary American Original
Colors: White, Sunburst Sunburst, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Alder
Bridge: 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Hardtail With Block Saddles Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button and Push-In Tremolo Arm
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Sealed Die-Cast with Split Shafts Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Rosewood
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Dot White Pearloid Dot - 7mm
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern C Mid 60s C
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 9.5"
Nut: Graphite Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT's switch options
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT over Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Release Year
2021 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Vintage Tall
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs SS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
74 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster over Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Vintage Tall vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Bone vs Graphite
Good quality nut with rich tone
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs SSS
Beautiful cleans
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT vs Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Bridge Pickup
Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil vs Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil vs Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Graphite vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT vs Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
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 Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • 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

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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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 Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster favors large hands more than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT.

Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT 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 Stratocaster Special HT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

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.

Winner: Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT has an SSS configuration while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster has SS pickups.

SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

On the other hand, 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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT. 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 Jazz and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's online:

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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

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 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT gives you 5 switch options while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster gives you 3. This means that the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT 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: Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT
Pickups 70
Sustain 70
Versatility 60
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 68
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73

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 Stratocaster Special HT compares to the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT is built in China while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster is made in United States.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

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: Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

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 Stratocaster Special HT has a Graphite nut. It's a self-lubricating material that will allow the strings to slide over the nut without a lot of friction. It's a good type of nut if you want to have better tuning stability than with plastic, although it's not as resistant as Bone or Tusq.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster 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: Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

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 Stratocaster Special HT'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 Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT's are Sealed Die-Cast with Split Shafts while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's are Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe

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 Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • 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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT
Quality of materials 46
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 50
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70

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 Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT and Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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 Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT Neck Profile
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT's neck profile
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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 Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT and the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster 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 Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT Fingerboard Radius
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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 American Original 60s Jazzmaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT'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 Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT.

Fret Size

Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT Frets Size
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT's Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Frets Size

The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Vintage Tall 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 Contemporary Stratocaster Special HT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67