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Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster
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Playability
67
Sound
77
Build
60
Value
73
Score
68
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Playability
70
Sound
84
Build
69
Value
74
Score
74
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Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified vs Tom Morello Stratocaster

Reasons to Get
Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified over Tom Morello Stratocaster

Number of Frets
21 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs Killswitch
Modifies the pickups
Pickups
SSS vs HSS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.675'' (42.5mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Avg. Weight
8.025lbs (3.6kgs) vs 9.025lbs (4.1kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Reasons to Get
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster over Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
9.5" to 14" vs 9.5"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickup Mods
Killswitch vs S-1 Switch
Cuts out the pickups instantly
Pickups
HSS vs SSS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.675'' (42.5mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Value Score
74 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified vs Tom Morello Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat vs Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1B
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat vs Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat vs Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Pau Ferro vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified vs Tom Morello Stratocaster

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
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
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster.

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified Overview

  • From Fender's 2019 Vintera series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Vintage-Style Stamped Steel Saddles bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 7.75lbs (3.5kgs) and 8.3lbs (3.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2020 Artist series
  • Tom Morello Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" to 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1B (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose FRT-O2000 Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed) bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking tuners
  • Weight between 8.95lbs (4.1kgs) and 9.1lbs (4.1kgs)
  • 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
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.

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.

Woods Used in the Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified

Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

Woods Used in the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Winner: Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified has an SSS configuration while the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster has HSS 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, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster'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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified offers S-1 Switch.

An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

On the other hand, the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster comes with the following: Killswitch.

A Killswitch lets you disengage the pickups instantly. It can be useful when playing live, and it allows you to create some cool sound effects by using the switch rapidly.

Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified's switch options
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster'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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 77
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 84

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified compares to the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster.

Country of Origin

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

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified 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 Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

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: Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster.

Tuners

The Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster 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.

Nevertheless, the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster.

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Killswitch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster
Quality of materials 41
Features 90
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified Nut Width
Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified Nut Width
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster has the wider nut with 42.5mm (1.675'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.5mm (0.021'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster, 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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified and Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster'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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified 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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified and the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster 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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified Fingerboard Radius
Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified's Fingerboard radius
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster's Compound 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.

In this case, the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

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 Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified favors large hands more than the Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified and Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67
Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified vs Tom Morello Stratocaster
General Fender Vintera 60s Stratocaster Modified Tom Morello Stratocaster
Brand: Fender Fender
Year: 2019 2020
Configuration: SSS HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Mexico
Series: Vintera Artist
Colors: White, Pink Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Vintage-Style Stamped Steel Saddles Floyd Rose FRT-O2000 Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed)
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking
Fretboard: Pau Ferro Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: White Dot White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern C Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5" to 14"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42.5mm (1.675'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat SHR-1B (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Vintage-Style 60s Single-Coil Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch Killswitch
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 2