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Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
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Playability
77
Sound
68
Build
54
Value
76
Score
66
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Playability
72
Sound
67
Build
54
Value
74
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster

Reasons to Get
Squier Paranormal Toronado over Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster

Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Avg. Weight
7.35lbs (3.3kgs) vs 7.55lbs (3.4kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
76 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster over Paranormal Toronado

Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster

Bridge Pickup
Atomic Humbucking vs Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Single-Coil
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Atomic Humbucking vs Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Single-Coil
Different Neck Pickup

Shared Features
Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster

Body Wood
Poplar
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall
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
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado Prices

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Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado is probably the better product overall with its final score of 66 compared to the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster's 64 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster is the better choice.

The Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado 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 Paranormal Toronado
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita 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 Paranormal Toronado Overview

  • From Fender Squier's 2021 Paranormal series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.2lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.5lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender Squier's 2020 Paranormal series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Maple neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.2lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.9lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado has an HH configuration while the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster has SS 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, 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 Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado. 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 Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita 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.

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado's switch options
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita 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: Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Pickups 60
Sustain 85
Versatility 58
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 68
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 75
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 67

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 Paranormal Toronado compares to the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster.

Country of Origin

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

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.

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.

In this case, both have Synthetic Bone nuts. 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.

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. Both come with Vintage-Style.

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 Paranormal Toronado
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • 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 Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 54

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 Paranormal Toronado 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 41.9mm (1.65'').

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 Paranormal Toronado's Scale Length
Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado's Scale Length
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster's Scale Length
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster'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 Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster has the longest scale: 27". The Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado is only 24.75" long. This is a 2.25'' (57.2mm) 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 Paranormal Toronado Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 Paranormal Toronado and the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita 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 Paranormal Toronado 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 Paranormal Toronado and the Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita 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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison are balanced for most hand sizes.

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Squier Paranormal Toronado and Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster 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 Paranormal Toronado
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 77
Fender Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Squier Paranormal Toronado vs Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
General Squier Paranormal Toronado Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster
Brand: Fender Squier Fender Squier
Year: 2021 2020
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: Paranormal Paranormal
Colors: Sunburst, Green Sunburst, Green
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Poplar
Bridge: 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Vintage-Style
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Dot Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 27"
Shape: C Shape C Shape
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm)
Frets: 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 41.9mm (1.65'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Atomic Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1