Show Full Spec Comparison
| Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple | Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Strandberg | Charvel |
| Year: | 2021 | 2019 |
| Configuration: | HH | HH |
| Strings: | 7 | 7 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | South Korea |
| Series: | Boden Standard | Artist Signature |
| Colors: | Purple, Natural, Grey | Black Satin, Green Satin |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | American Basswood | Basswood |
| Bridge: | Strandberg EGS Rev 7 fixed & string locks | Gotoh Custom 7-String 510 Tremolo |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | At bridge | Charvel-Branded Die-Cast Locking |
| Fretboard: | Maple | Maple |
| Neck Material: | Maple | Maple |
| Decoration: | Offset Luminlay Dots | Cascading Black Dot |
| Scale Size: | 26.25" to 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Shape: | EndurNeck | Angel Vivaldi Custom |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) | 1st Fret: - 12th Fret: |
| Frets: | 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel | 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 20" | 12" to 16" |
| Nut: | Locking | Black Tusq XL |
| Nut Width: | 41.9mm (1.65'') | 47.6mm (1.875'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Strandberg custom OEM bridge 7-string soapbar bridge humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) | DiMarzio The Tone Zone 7 (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | Strandberg custom OEM 7-string soapbar neck humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) | DiMarzio Air Norton 7 (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 5 Way | 5 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 | Gold |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple over Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Reasons to Get
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova over Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple
Other Key Differences
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple vs Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Shared Features
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple vs Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Top Pickup Brand
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Strap Lock
- Expensive Wood
- 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 7 Purple:
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova:
Beginner Friendliness
The Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple meets only 5. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.
New Player Friendliness
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- 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.
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.
Winner: Tie.
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.
We found the same or similar pickups to the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's online:
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: Tie.
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
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Only the Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple 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 Standard NX 7 Purple.
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 7 Purple compares to the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple is built in Indonesia while the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova 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 7 Purple 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 Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).
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 7 Purple 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 7 Purple.
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 Standard NX 7 Purple's brige 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.
On the other hand, the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova's 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.
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 Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova 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 7 Purple has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.
Winner: Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova.
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:
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil 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
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova
- Locking Tuners
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in South Korea
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
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 Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 5.7mm (0.225'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova, 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 7 Purple features a multi-scale of 26.25" to 25.5" while the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova 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 Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova'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
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 7 Purple and the Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova 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 Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova 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
The Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature DK24-7 Nova has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Strandberg Boden Standard NX 7 Purple'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.
