Ibanez FLATV1 vs Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special
Reasons to Get
Ibanez FLATV1 over Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special
Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special over Ibanez FLATV1
Other Key Differences
Ibanez FLATV1 vs Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special
Shared Features
Ibanez FLATV1 vs Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Locking Tuners
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- 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 Ibanez FLATV1 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 71 compared to the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special's 64 score, although not by a lot.
The Ibanez FLATV1 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special is easier to play.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special is the better choice.
The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez FLATV1 meets only 4. 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
Ibanez FLATV1- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Comfortable neck
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- 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.
Ibanez FLATV1 Overview
- From Ibanez's 2021 FLATV series
- Josh Smith Signature
- Made in Japan
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 10" Fretboard Radius
- Ash body
- 1pc Roasted Maple neck
- Roasted Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan FLAT5 (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan FLAT5 (Single Coil/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Gotoh F1803 bridge
- FLATV Bolt-On neck
- 21 Medium frets
- Gotoh machine heads tuners
- Weight between 6.45lbs (2.9kgs) and 7.55lbs (3.4kgs)
- Compare Specs >
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special Overview
- From Fender Squier's 2021 Contemporary series
- Made in China
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" Fretboard Radius
- Poplar body
- Roasted Maple neck
- Roasted Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
- Middle pickup: Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Squier SQR Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
- 5-way Switch
- 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Block Saddles bridge
- Modern C Bolt-On neck
- 22 Jumbo frets
- Sealed Die-Cast with Split Shafts tuners
- Weight between 7lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.45lbs (3.4kgs)
- 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
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.
Woods Used in the Ibanez FLATV1
Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.
Woods Used in the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special
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: Ibanez FLATV1.
Pickup Configuration
The Ibanez FLATV1 has an SS configuration while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special has SSS 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, 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.
Pickups Quality
The Ibanez FLATV1 has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller 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: Ibanez FLATV1.
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 gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez FLATV1 gives you 3. This means that the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special 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 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special.
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 Ibanez FLATV1 compares to the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez FLATV1 is built in Japan while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special is made in China.
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.
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: Ibanez FLATV1
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 Ibanez FLATV1 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 Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special comes with 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.
Winner: Ibanez FLATV1.
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 Ibanez FLATV1'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 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special'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 Ibanez FLATV1's are Gotoh machine heads while the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special's are Sealed Die-Cast with Split Shafts
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:
Ibanez FLATV1
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special
- Tremolo
- 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 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, 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
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.
In this case, both have different neck shapes:
The Ibanez FLATV1 has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.
The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special, on the other hand, has a C 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.
In this case, the Ibanez FLATV1's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special'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.
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 Ibanez FLATV1 favors large hands more than the Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special.
Ibanez FLATV1:
Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special:
Fret Size
The Fender Squier Contemporary Stratocaster Special has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez FLATV1's Medium 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.
