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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
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Playability
77
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
68
Score
78
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Playability
75
Sound
65
Build
53
Value
74
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT Specs Comparison
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
General
Brand: Strandberg Jackson
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: HSH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: Boden Fusion JS
Colors: Red, Yellow Black Burst, Purple Burst, Green Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Alder Poplar
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Pro Rev7 tremolo system & string locks Jackson HT6 String-Through-Body Hardtail
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: At bridge Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Purpleheart
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Green Side Dots Pearloid Sharkfin
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 25.5"
Shape: EndurNeck Speed
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.775'' (19.7mm) - 12th Fret: 0.835'' (21.2mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 12" to 16"
Nut: Locking Plastic
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Suhr SSV+ Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Suhr V60LP single-coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Suhr SSV Neck (Humbucker / Passive) Jackson High-Output Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT's switch options

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow over Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs 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 Speed
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Suhr vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSH vs HH
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
1.2'' (30.5mm) vs 0.775'' (19.7mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
1.1'' (27.9mm) vs 0.835'' (21.2mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
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

Reasons to Get
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT over Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

Decorative Top
Quilt Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
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
12" to 16" vs 20"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Speed vs EndurNeck
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickups
HH vs HSH
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.775'' (19.7mm) vs 1.2'' (30.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.835'' (21.2mm) vs 1.1'' (27.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
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
Value Score
74 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT

Bridge Pickup
Suhr SSV+ Bridge vs Jackson High-Output Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Suhr SSV Neck vs Jackson High-Output Humbucking
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Poplar
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Purpleheart
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
Headless vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow vs Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

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

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Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT 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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT:
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

Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT

Purpleheart wood pattern used for guitar building
Purpleheart
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Purpleheart (also known as Amaranth) is a hard, dense wood with a brilliant tone. As its name suggests, the purple color makes this wood look exotic.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Winner: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow.

Pickup Configuration

The Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow has an HSH configuration while the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT 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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT. 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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT 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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 65

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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT.

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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT is made in China.

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.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow

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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT'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.

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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • 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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
Quality of materials 45
Features 60
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 53

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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT Nut Width
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT 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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT, 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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT's Scale Length
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT'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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT 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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT'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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT Neck Profile
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT'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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow Fingerboard Radius
Strandberg Boden Fusion NX 6 Amber Yellow's Fingerboard radius
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT'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 Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT 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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT Frets Size
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT's Frets Size

The Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT has 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
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS32Q DKA HT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75