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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
68
Score
78
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Playability
80
Sound
69
Build
62
Value
75
Score
70
FIND IT ON:
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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Specs Comparison
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
General
Brand: Strandberg Guild
Year: 2021 2020
Configuration: HSH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Boden Fusion Newark St. Collection
Colors: Red, Yellow Blue, Green, Brown, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Semi-Hollow
Body Material: Chambered Alder Maple
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Pro Rev7 tremolo system & string locks Guild Tune-O-Matic Nickel
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: At bridge Guild Vintage 18 Open Gear
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Indian Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Green Side Dots 5mm Dots - Pearloid
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 24.75"
Shape: EndurNeck Modern Thin "U"
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 12.5"
Nut: Locking Bone
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 42.8mm (1.687'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Suhr SSV+ Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) Guild HB-2 Humbucker Nickel Bridge (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Suhr V60LP single-coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Suhr SSV Neck (Humbucker / Passive) Guild HB-2 Humbucker Nickel Neck (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Nickel

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow over Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green

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 Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 24.75"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
EndurNeck vs Modern Thin "U"
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Suhr vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSH vs HH
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 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.417'' (36mm) vs 1.687'' (42.8mm)
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 12.5'' (317.5mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green over Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
24.75" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
Modern Thin "U" vs EndurNeck
Comfortable neck with more grip
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Pickups
HH vs HSH
High output without hum
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
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 1.1'' (27.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.687'' (42.8mm) 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
12.5'' (317.5mm) vs 20'' (508mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
75 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green

Bridge Pickup
Suhr SSV+ Bridge vs Guild HB-2 Humbucker Nickel Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Suhr SSV Neck vs Guild HB-2 Humbucker Nickel Neck
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
Headless vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

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

Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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

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.

Woods Used in the Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Winner: Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green.

Pickup Configuration

The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has an HSH configuration while the Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green has HH 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, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal 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: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green 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

Both offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
Pickups 60
Sustain 85
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 69

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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

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.

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 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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green 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.

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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green'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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green 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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • 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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
Quality of materials 56
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62

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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Nut Width
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green has the wider nut with 42.8mm (1.687'') vs 36mm (1.417''). This is a 6.8mm (0.27'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green, 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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green's Scale Length
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green'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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green has a regular scale of 24.75".

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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green's 24.75" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Neck Profile
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green'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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green, 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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Fingerboard Radius
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green'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 Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green'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.

Fret Size

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Frets Size
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Frets Size
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green Frets Size
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green's Frets Size

The Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green has Narrow Tall 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
Guild Starfire I DC Emerald Green
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 80