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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
68
Score
78
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Playability
65
Sound
70
Build
72
Value
54
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Specs Comparison
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
General
Brand: Strandberg Gretsch
Year: 2021 2016
Configuration: HSH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: Boden Fusion Gretsch USA Custom Shop
Colors: Red, Yellow White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Hollowbody
Body Material: Chambered Alder Laminated Maple
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Pro Rev7 tremolo system & string locks Gretsch G Cadillac Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: At bridge Grover Imperial Die-Cast
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Maple 3-piece Maple
Decoration: Green Side Dots Mother of Pearl Humpblock with Feather Engraving
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 25.5"
Shape: EndurNeck Vintage
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Vintage Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 9.5"
Nut: Locking Delrin
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Suhr SSV+ Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Custom Duncan Dyno (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Suhr V60LP single-coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Suhr SSV Neck (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan DynaSonic (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Gold
Show Diagrams Comparison
Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon's switch options

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow over Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2016
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
EndurNeck vs Vintage
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Locking vs Delrin
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Hollowbody
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSH vs SS
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.417'' (36mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
20'' (508mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
68 vs 54
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon over Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Decorative Top
Arched Laminated Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Scale Length
25.5" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
Vintage vs EndurNeck
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Body Type
Hollowbody vs Solid Body
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
SS vs HSH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.417'' (36mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon

Bridge Pickup
Suhr SSV+ Bridge vs Seymour Duncan Custom Duncan Dyno
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Suhr SSV Neck vs Seymour Duncan DynaSonic
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
Headless vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Delrin
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Vintage
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • 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

SET PRICE ALERT

Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Prices

    SET PRICE ALERT

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    Hand Size Comfortability

    And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon favors large hands more than the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

    Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands

    Beginner Friendliness

    The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon 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

    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

    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Comfortable neck
    • Tall frets
    • Narrow nut
    • 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

    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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon

    Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
    Ebony

    Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

    Winner: Tie.

    Pickup Configuration

    The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has an HSH configuration while the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon has SS 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, 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.

    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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon 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: Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon.

    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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon 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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
    Pickups 100
    Sustain 60
    Versatility 51
    Tuning Stability 70
    Sound 70

    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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon.

    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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon 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: Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon

    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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon comes with a Delrin nut. It's a fabricated nut material made to be similar to bone, but a lot more slippery. It's good for tuning stability as long as it's cut well.

    Winner: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

    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.

    The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow'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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon's 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.

    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.

    The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has 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.

    On the other hand, the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

    Winner: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

    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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
    • Made in United States
    • Expensive Wood
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • No Locking Tuners
    • No High-Quality Nut
    • No Neck-Through Build
    • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
    • No Luminescent Inlay
    • No Tremolo
    • 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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
    Quality of materials 60
    Features 55
    Quality Control 100
    Build Quality 72

    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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Nut Width
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Nut Width

    The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 36mm (1.417''). This is a 6.9mm (0.271'') difference

    This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon, 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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon's Scale Length
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon'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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon 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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon'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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Neck Profile
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon'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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon, on the other hand, has a V 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.

    Fretboard Radius

    Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Fingerboard Radius
    Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Fingerboard radius
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Fingerboard Radius
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon'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 Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon'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 Frets Size
    Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Frets Size
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon Frets Size
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon's Frets Size

    The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon's Vintage 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
    Gretsch G6136CST Custom Shop White Falcon
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
    Chord Playability 80
    Solo Playability 50
    Playability 65