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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
ESP Snapper CTM
VS
Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
68
Score
78
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Playability
73
Sound
83
Build
82
Value
64
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs ESP Snapper CTM Specs Comparison
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow ESP Snapper CTM
General
Brand: Strandberg ESP
Year: 2021 2020
Configuration: HSH HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: Boden Fusion Snapper
Colors: Red, Yellow Blue Burst, Black Burst, Natural, Pink and Purple Burst, Blue Patterns, Brown Batterns, Purple Patterns
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Alder Swamp Ash
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Pro Rev7 tremolo system & string locks ESP Flicker-III
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: At bridge Gotoh Locking
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Green Side Dots Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 25.5"
Shape: EndurNeck Thin U
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 9.5" to 12"
Nut: Locking Bone
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Suhr SSV+ Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Suhr V60LP single-coil (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Suhr SSV Neck (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Coil Split, Capacitance Selector
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
ESP Snapper CTM pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
ESP Snapper CTM's switch options

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow over ESP Snapper CTM

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
EndurNeck vs Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multiple
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
HSH vs HSS
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
1.2'' (30.5mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
1.1'' (27.9mm) vs 0.866'' (22mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.417'' (36mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Value Score
68 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
ESP Snapper CTM over Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Decorative Top
Burled Poplar vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Compound Radius
9.5" to 12" vs 20"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Thin U vs EndurNeck
Comfortable neck with more grip
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs Coil Split
Pickups
HSS vs HSH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 1.2'' (30.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.866'' (22mm) vs 1.1'' (27.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.417'' (36mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Other Key Differences
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs ESP Snapper CTM

Bridge Pickup
Suhr SSV+ Bridge vs Seymour Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Suhr V60LP single-coil vs Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Suhr SSV Neck vs Seymour Duncan Vintage Hot Stack Plus
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
Headless vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs ESP Snapper CTM

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
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
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

    ESP Snapper CTM 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

      After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands
      ESP Snapper CTM:
      Big Hands
      Small Hands

      Beginner Friendliness

      The ESP Snapper CTM meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow 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

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Tall frets
      • Narrow nut
      • Comfortable neck
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Short scale
      • Locking tuners

      New Player Friendliness

      ESP Snapper CTM
      • Comfortable shape
      • Easy-to-use bridge
      • Locking tuners
      • Comfortable fretboard
      • Tall frets
      • Narrow nut
      • Comfortable neck
      • Short scale

      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

      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.

      Woods Used in the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

      Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
      Rosewood
      Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
      Alder

      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.

      Woods Used in the ESP Snapper CTM

      Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
      Ash

      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.

      Winner: Tie.

      Pickup Configuration

      The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has an HSH configuration while the ESP Snapper CTM has HSS pickups.

      HSH is a versatile pickup configuration that will give you the high output, full tone, and quiet sound of humbucker pickups, but with the possibility of using a single coil for cleaner tones. The disadvantage is that the middle single-coil pickup will have a noticeable lower volume, so you might want to adjust the height of the pickups. Another problem is that if you set the middle pickup too high, it might interfere with your picking hand.

      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 ESP Snapper CTM 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 ESP Snapper CTM'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: ESP Snapper CTM.

      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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow offers Coil Split.

      Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

      On the other hand, the ESP Snapper CTM comes with the following: Coil Split, Capacitance Selector.

      Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

      A Capacitor is what lets you change the tone of a guitar through the tone knob. With a capacitor selector, you'll be able to choose between multiple capacitors that can give you a warmer or brighter tone.

      When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

      Winner: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

      Final Sound Quality Scores

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
      Pickups 85
      Sustain 70
      Versatility 95
      Tuning Stability 85
      Sound 84
      ESP Snapper CTM
      Pickups 90
      Sustain 80
      Versatility 85
      Tuning Stability 75
      Sound 83

      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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow compares to the ESP Snapper CTM.

      Country of Origin

      The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow is built in Indonesia while the ESP Snapper CTM is made in Japan.

      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.

      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.

      Winner: ESP Snapper CTM

      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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has 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.

      On the other hand, the ESP Snapper CTM 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: 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.

      In this comparison, the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

      Winner: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

      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 ESP Snapper CTM 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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

      Winner: ESP Snapper CTM.

      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
      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
      • Stainless Steel Frets
      • Expensive Wood
      • Locking Nut
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Coil Split Pickups
      • Weight Relief
      • Luminescent Inlay
      • Tremolo
      • Made in Indonesia
      • No Neck-Through Build
      • No Compound Radius Fretboard
      • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
      • No Strap Lock
      Strengths & Weaknesses
      ESP Snapper CTM
      • Locking Tuners
      • Made in Japan
      • Expensive Wood
      • Bone Nut
      • Top Brand Pickups
      • Coil Split, Capacitance Selector Pickups
      • Tremolo
      • Compound Radius Fretboard
      • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
      • No Neck-Through Build
      • No Weight Relief
      • No Luminescent Inlay
      • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
      • No Strap Lock

      Final Build Quality Scores

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
      Quality of materials 61
      Features 75
      Quality Control 85
      Build Quality 74
      ESP Snapper CTM
      Quality of materials 65
      Features 80
      Quality Control 100
      Build Quality 82

      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

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Nut Width
      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Nut Width
      ESP Snapper CTM Nut Width
      ESP Snapper CTM Nut Width

      The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP Snapper CTM has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 36mm (1.417''). This is a 6mm (0.237'') difference

      This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP Snapper CTM, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

      Scale Length

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Scale Length
      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Scale Length
      ESP Snapper CTM's Scale Length
      ESP Snapper CTM'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.

      In this case, the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow features a multi-scale of 25.5" to 25" while the ESP Snapper CTM has a regular scale of 25.5".

      A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.

      It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.

      On the other hand, the ESP Snapper CTM's 25.5" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.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

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Neck Profile
      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's neck profile
      ESP Snapper CTM Neck Profile
      ESP Snapper CTM'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.

      In this case, both have different neck shapes:

      The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has a C type of 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.

      The ESP Snapper CTM, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

      Fretboard Radius

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Fingerboard Radius
      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Fingerboard radius
      ESP Snapper CTM Fretboard Compound Radius
      ESP Snapper CTM'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 ESP Snapper CTM 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.

      Fret Size

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Frets Size
      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Frets Size
      ESP Snapper CTM Frets Size
      ESP Snapper CTM's Frets Size

      The ESP Snapper CTM has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Medium Jumbo 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

      Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
      Chord Playability 75
      Solo Playability 80
      Playability 77
      ESP Snapper CTM
      Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
      Chord Playability 80
      Solo Playability 70
      Playability 73