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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
68
Score
78
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Playability
67
Sound
74
Build
74
Value
57
Score
72
FIND IT ON:
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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster
General
Brand: Strandberg Fender Custom
Year: 2021 2014
Configuration: HSH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: Boden Fusion Custom Artist
Colors: Red, Yellow Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Alder Select Alder
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Pro Rev7 tremolo system & string locks 6-Saddle American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: At bridge 5 Sperzel Die-Cast Machine Heads with 1 Mis-Matched Gotoh
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Green Side Dots Clay Dots with One Mis-matched White Plastic Dot at the 12th Fret
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 25.5"
Shape: EndurNeck Early '60s C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 9.5"
Nut: Locking Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 41.9mm (1.65'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Suhr SSV+ Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom '60s Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Suhr V60LP single-coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Custom '60s Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Suhr SSV Neck (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Custom '60s Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Nickel
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow over Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster

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 2014
From a more recent year
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSH vs SSS
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.417'' (36mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Paint Finish
Poly vs Heavy Relic
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
20'' (508mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
68 vs 57
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster over Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Scale Length
25.5" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SSS vs HSH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.417'' (36mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Heavy Relic vs Poly
Looks like an old and heavily beaten up instrument
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 20'' (508mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Suhr SSV+ Bridge vs Fender Custom '60s Single-Coil Strat
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Suhr V60LP single-coil vs Fender Custom '60s Single-Coil Strat
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Suhr SSV Neck vs Fender Custom '60s Single-Coil Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Headstock
Headless vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
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
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Prices

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Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Prices

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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
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster meets 6 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

Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has an HSH configuration while the Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster has SSS 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, 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

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 Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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 Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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

The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster gives you 3. This means that the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

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
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 69
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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow compares to the Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster.

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 Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster is made in United States.

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.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster

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 Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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.

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

In this case, the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has no machine heads because it is a headless guitar. Instead, the strings are tuned at the bridge. This gives the guitar a better balance and will prevent neck dives. It also makes it more travel friendly.

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
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
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 74
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74

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
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster has the wider nut with 41.9mm (1.65'') vs 36mm (1.417''). This is a 5.9mm (0.233'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Scale Length
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Scale Length
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster's Scale Length
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster'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 Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster 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 Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster'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
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow and the Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Fingerboard Radius
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Fingerboard radius
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster's Fingerboard 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 Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow'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 Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

Still, both are closer to a Stratocaster radius than a Les Paul, so both of them will favor chord playing rather than soloing.

Fret Size

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow and Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature 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

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77
Fender Custom Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67