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Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage
Fender Player Stratocaster
VS
Playability
67
Sound
69
Build
64
Value
72
Score
67
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Playability
67
Sound
74
Build
59
Value
72
Score
67
FIND IT ON:
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The Fender Player Stratocaster was discontinued. It was replaced by the Player II Stratocaster. Check out our comparison.
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Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage vs Fender Player Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage Fender Player Stratocaster
General
Brand: Sire Fender
Year: 2020 2018
Configuration: SSS SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Mexico
Series: S7 Player
Colors: White, Sunburst, Black White, Black, Orange, Gray
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: S7V 2-post Bridge(Steel Block and Steel Bent Saddle) 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Sire Premium Locking Tuner Standard Cast/Sealed
Fretboard: Roasted Hard Maple(Rolled Edges) Maple
Neck Material: Roasted Hard Maple Maple
Decoration: Abalone dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: C-Shape Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) - 12th Fret: 0.94'' (23.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Sire LC Super-V (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Sire LC Super-V (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Sire LC Super-V (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 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: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage and Fender Player Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage and Fender Player Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage over Fender Player Stratocaster

Release Year
2020 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.94'' (23.9mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Stratocaster over Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage

Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.9'' (22.9mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.94'' (23.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands

Other Key Differences
Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage vs Fender Player Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Sire LC Super-V vs Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-Coil
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Sire LC Super-V vs Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-Coil
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sire LC Super-V vs Fender Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-Coil
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage vs Fender Player Stratocaster

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body 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
Pickups
SSS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
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
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

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
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

    Fender Player Stratocaster Prices

      SET PRICE ALERT

      These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

      Hand Size Comfortability

      And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage favors large hands more than the Fender Player Stratocaster.

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands
      Fender Player Stratocaster:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands

      Beginner Friendliness

      The Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Player Stratocaster meets only 6. 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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Locking tuners
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Tall frets
      • Narrow nut
      • Comfortable neck
      • Short scale

      New Player Friendliness

      Fender Player Stratocaster
      • 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 Both

      Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
      Alder

      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 Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage

      Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
      Roasted Maple

      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 Fender Player Stratocaster

      Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
      Maple

      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.

      Winner: Tie.

      Pickup Configuration

      Both pickup configurations are SSS. 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 Fender Player Stratocaster pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage. 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 Funk 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 Player Stratocaster.

      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.

      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 Player Stratocaster.

      Final Sound Quality Scores

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage
      Pickups 70
      Sustain 60
      Versatility 70
      Tuning Stability 75
      Sound 69
      Fender Player Stratocaster
      Pickups 100
      Sustain 60
      Versatility 72
      Tuning Stability 65
      Sound 74

      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 Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage compares to the Fender Player Stratocaster.

      Country of Origin

      The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage is built in Indonesia while the Fender Player Stratocaster is made in Mexico.

      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.

      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 Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage 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 Player Stratocaster comes with 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.

      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.

      Both come with a similar bridge: 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 Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage 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: Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage.

      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
      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage
      • Locking Tuners
      • Bone Nut
      • Tremolo
      • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
      • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
      • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
      • No Strap Lock
      Strengths & Weaknesses
      Fender Player Stratocaster
      • Synthetic Bone Nut
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Tremolo
      • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
      • No Locking Tuners
      • Made in Mexico
      • 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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage
      Quality of materials 56
      Features 65
      Quality Control 70
      Build Quality 64
      Fender Player Stratocaster
      Quality of materials 51
      Features 55
      Quality Control 70
      Build Quality 59

      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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage 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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage and Fender Player 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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage Neck Profile
      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage's neck profile
      Fender Player Stratocaster Neck Profile
      Fender Player Stratocaster'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 Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage and the Fender Player 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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage 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 Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage and the Fender Player Stratocaster 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.

      Fret Size

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage and Fender Player 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

      Sire Larry Carlton S7 Vintage
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
      Chord Playability 80
      Solo Playability 60
      Playability 67
      Fender Player Stratocaster
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
      Chord Playability 80
      Solo Playability 60
      Playability 67