Show Full Spec Comparison
| Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber | D'Angelico Deluxe SS | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Strandberg | D'Angelico |
| Year: | 2022 | 2022 |
| Configuration: | HH | HH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | South Korea |
| Series: | Boden Standard | Deluxe |
| Colors: | Green, Yellow | Yellow |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Semi-Hollow |
| Body Material: | American Basswood | Laminated Maple |
| Bridge: | Strandberg EGS Rev 7 fixed & string locks | Gold Tune-O-Matic |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Set |
| Tuners: | At bridge | Grover 509 Super Rotomatic, Locking |
| Fretboard: | Maple | Ebony |
| Neck Material: | Maple | 3 piece: Maple/Walnut/Maple |
| Decoration: | Offset Luminlay Dots | Mother of Pearl Split Block |
| Scale Size: | 25.5" to 25" | 25" |
| Shape: | EndurNeck | C-Shape |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) | 1st Fret: - 12th Fret: |
| Frets: | 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel | 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 20" | 12" |
| Nut: | Locking | Bone |
| Nut Width: | 36mm (1.417'') | 42.9mm (1.688'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Strandberg custom OEM bridge humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) | Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | Strandberg custom OEM neck humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) | Seymour Duncan Seth Lover A4 Neck (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 5 Way | 3 Way |
| Knobs: | Dome | Speed |
| Pickup Mods: | Series Split | Coil Split |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | 2 |
| Tone Controls: | 1 | 2 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | Yes |
| Hardware Color: | Black | Gold |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber over D'Angelico Deluxe SS
Reasons to Get
D'Angelico Deluxe SS over Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber
Other Key Differences
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber vs D'Angelico Deluxe SS
Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber vs D'Angelico Deluxe SS
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
- Top Pickup Brand
Common Weaknesses
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
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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 Standard NX 6 Amber:
D'Angelico Deluxe SS:
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 Standard NX 6 Amber- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
D'Angelico Deluxe SS- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
Sound Quality Comparison
The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.
Woods Used in Both
Maple 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 Standard NX 6 Amber
Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.
Woods Used in the D'Angelico Deluxe SS
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: D'Angelico Deluxe SS.
Pickup Configuration
Both pickup configurations are HH. 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
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 D'Angelico Deluxe SS 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: D'Angelico Deluxe SS.
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 Standard NX 6 Amber gives you 5 switch options while the D'Angelico Deluxe SS gives you 3. This means that the Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Both give you different pickup mod options.
The Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber offers Series Split.
The Series Split feature allows it to split and connect some of the pickups in series. When wired in series, the resulting tone is similar to a Humbucker's. The pickups will work together and produce a fuller tone with more output than single-coils, but less than Humbuckers.
On the other hand, the D'Angelico Deluxe SS comes with the following: 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 Standard NX 6 Amber.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Standard NX 6 Amber compares to the D'Angelico Deluxe SS.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber is built in Indonesia while the D'Angelico Deluxe SS is made in South Korea.
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.
South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.
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 Standard NX 6 Amber 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 D'Angelico Deluxe SS 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 Standard NX 6 Amber 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 Standard NX 6 Amber.
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: 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
The D'Angelico Deluxe SS has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.
Nevertheless, the Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.
Winner: D'Angelico Deluxe SS.
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 Standard NX 6 Amber 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 D'Angelico Deluxe SS 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 Standard NX 6 Amber.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Series Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
D'Angelico Deluxe SS
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the D'Angelico Deluxe SS 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 D'Angelico Deluxe SS, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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 Standard NX 6 Amber features a multi-scale of 25.5" to 25" while the D'Angelico Deluxe SS has a regular scale of 25".
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 D'Angelico Deluxe SS's 25" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.This scale is close to a Les Paul (24.75''), but it's slightly longer for those who want more tension of the strings and a slightly brighter sound (but not as much as with a 25.5'' Stratocaster scale).
This longer scale will also mean the frets are slightly more separated, which can affect your speed when playing. However, since this increases the tension of the strings, it will also allow you to lower the action even further without getting fret buzz. It comes at the cost of making the strings feel stiffer, which makes bending more difficult, though.
However, remember that you can also change the tension of the strings by using different 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
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 Standard NX 6 Amber and the D'Angelico Deluxe SS 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
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 D'Angelico Deluxe SS's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Amber'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 Standard NX 6 Amber.
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.
