Fender Telecaster Ultra 2019 vs Suhr Classic T

[@johnherdt]

Great job on the review. I just ordered a Suhr Classic T with the same specs as yours but haven't played one yet. I have to vote in favor of stainless steel frets though. I rotate 10 guitar and still wear frets out. I just had two Strats re-fretted, one for the second time. Whenever I have frets leveled and dressed or replaced it changes the action a little to a lot and I hate that. I've put mucho hours on my two current stainless fret guitars and the frets all look new and super smooth. Just data from the field, I respect your opinion too.

[@mikedenkinger9570]

Since we didn't actually hear the pickups, I've recently played an Ultra side by side with a Suhr Antique T and I liked the transparency of the Suhr pickups much better than the Fender noiseless ones. Also, the the neck profile felt better in my hand, the stainless steel frets are effortless to bend on, and the Suhr body cutaway was perfect. The Ultra I played also wasn't set up as well but that's something pretty easy to fix. I went home and bought a Suhr Custom T with almost identical specs as the one in the store. However, mine has a gorgeous roasted flame maple neck and fretboard and a sweet SSV humbucker in the neck. I can say this: my guitar rings out noticeably louder then either of the two I played in the store that day. Setup was absolutely perfect from the factory. A bigger decision that I had to make was whether or not to buy a heavily relic'd Nash Tele with an incredible Lollar Low Wind Imperial in the neck. I had played one a few weeks before so it was still floating around in my mind.. For me, I decided that Suhr's modern approach to the Tele architecture was what I wanted. Yeah it cost more, but I doubt I'll have any buyers remorse or thoughts of buying another tele. Buy what makes you happy and doesn't keep you from paying the mortgage or putting food on the table.

[@SalmanSuhail]

I’m making this decision now and I would love to know more about the differences between the Suhr C neck vs the Fender D profile? Is the Suhr neck like a totally round baseball bat or does it have a bit of a flat bit?

[@jamesnelson1443]

Suhr playability & the pickups are far superior

[@TheJoecoool]

7:49 did you hear when he say about the fender Bridge : we are using brass 😂 he is a fender company guy

[@nicholastotoro7721]

The advantage of stainless steel frets isn't just the wearability. You never need to polish them, they're always silky smooth for bends. Accounting for the humidity here in the mid-Atlantic region, frets and can get gnarly, get a patina and start to drag on bends, especially with slightly used strings. Double that when gigging outdoors in the summer. You will *never* have that problem with stainless steel frets.

[@anziocomplex3021]

Thank you very much for making this video. You shared a lot of great information, but there is one metric for comparison that you did not mention--weight. The Suhr has a very nice, ash body. I am about to buy one that only weighs a little over seven pounds. The Fender Ultra in my local Guitar Center weighs much, much more than that. I mostly play standing up, and a guitar that heavy will give me back pain pretty quickly, so for me, the Ultra was a nonstarter for weight alone, and I am also not fond of its thinner neck profile as compared to the Suhr. Thanks again for the great video!

[@cliffwittenberg806]

Regrettably I sold my Suhr Classic custom T (2008) a year ago, paid just under $2600, sold it for what I paid. Only sold because I decided to thin the heard. Big mistake. I purchased an Ultra Tele about 6 months ago, spent $85 for a set up, only to bring. It back to my guitar tech last week to correct the “fret sprout” and have the bridge screws sanded down, they were cutting into my palm, and a string ferrule was popping out the back of the guitar. The reason I’m bringing up is that I never had a problem with my Suhr and I’ll be ordering a new Suhr next week

[@jackblack2321]

UW Madison did a empirical data comparison on these two models. After all diameters tested under controlled protocol the Fender won by a small margin. Fender Ultra scored a 96.57 and the Suhr scored a 92. With this data in mind I would purchase the Fender if I was in the market.

[@DukeLetoIII]

Won by what? Subjectivity?

[@xavijim]

Great comparison. Thank you very much, your video has helped me a lot.

[@jimmyjimmy951]

Can’t see why you would now buy the Shur as it is essentially a Fender copy and unreasonably more expensive!

[@SteveHubbardGuitar]

Just a wild guess, but probably because you like the Suhr better?

[@jimmyjimmy951]

@@SteveHubbardGuitar Don’t you just love a facetious comment..

[@62strat27]

It’s all about preference but in my opinion suhr builds custom shop quality guitars

[@PhilMoseleyMusic]

Congrats on the new Tele, Bryan! Personally, I like my Fender type guitars to be Fender - so the new Tele absolutely gets that tick! :) I also like my Fender style guitars to fight back a little bit. I set the action a little higher on Fenders and like the non-go-faster approach to them. That's not to say that there are many good reasons why others WOULD like a go faster Fender. I must say these new finished are stunning! I used to struggle to appreciate the anodized pickguard, when they just put them on existing colours, but... the new colours work really well with the guards. Love the Texas Tea finish, Bryan - Great choice! Enjoy the new guitar dude!

[@smeerdude]

Phil Moseley Music thanks, I really appreciate your support and feedback.

[@dablueiguana]

21 minutes and you don't even play them.

[@gezor20]

thanks for the information. Just a suggestion - this is the first video I decided to play back at 2x speed, to save some time. But for a free video - super rich in info - cheers.

[@robbyclark6915]

I just bought a Fender American ultra HSS strat currently on sale from Fender plus another 10% off from GC and paid $1822 before tax. The suhr is $3500. The Fender comes with a case and strap locks as well. Not being a professional musician and not needing the greatest, most expensive guitars made, i appreciate very much that Fender can produce such a quality guitar with modern features and playability at a much more reasonable price. I do prefer the stainless steel frets, but at over a $1500 savings, I can live without them.

[@vlj1133]

In the U.S. the price difference between the Classic T and the Ultra is only $800. Besides the thicker neck and stainless steel frets, the Suhr also offers a full, properly tensioned Plek set-up, and real single-coil pickups, not stacked noiseless humbucker approximations of single-coil pickups. The Suhr is still noiseless, but not at the expense of "real single coils" tone. Also, no string tree on the Suhr. Lastly, the Suhr is available with your choice of swamp ash or alder, not just alder, like the Ultra. The Ultra has three spec-based advantages over the Suhr. One, it has a much better neck heel, providing much easier access to the upper frets. Secondly, it has that series-parallel option for the middle position, via the push-push F1 switch in the volume knob. Lastly, it comes with an ATA-approved flight case, while the Suhr inexplicably only comes with a gig bag.

[@darthdurkelthewise320]

This is a comp that needed to be done as many Tele purists are missing the point. Fender is undoubtedly attempting to compete w/boutique builders and IMO Fender has done it. Obviously the Custom Shop and MB instrument is next level stuff but it’s plain to see that Fender is raising the bar just a tad on a guitar costing $2k as it should. Ultras are not meant to re-invent the Tele or edge out the bitey classic Tele as much as they’re on offer for someone like me that wanted a more modern and versatile take on a guitar that really can do anything…depending on a few things of course. The new Ultra & Luxe Teles are great instruments. It’s a shame that the Luxe even needs to exist just to get ss frets though as this needs to be standard at the Ultra level IMO. However, unless you’re playing a guitar death or planning on keeping it as a forever or even heirloom guitar, the nickel fret spec will save you some cash. Furthermore, bear in mind that nickel is used on many Custom Shop models as well. Still though it’s a point thst I understand players being frustrated with. Nevertheless I love mine. I have played the Suhr and it does have impressive specs but the price also dictates this at $3k. To me, the Suhr just didn’t justify its asking price but they’re fantastic guitars and hold their value. I do enjoy the bridge better on the Ultra, the locking tuners, and the neck profile. I’m still on the fence w/the 4th gen noiseless pups but this can be changed if desired. To have all these high spec options even at current crazy prices still gets you in well under Custom Shop prices unless you feel the need to pay a premium for someone to beat up your guitar for you.

[@vyvynylification]

I'm undecided between this texas tea ultra or the ultra luxe 2tone sunburst. The ultra luxe comes with ash body, stainless steel frets and a few other upgrades but it looks kinda... nice, yet weird with the maple neck - black headstock. I kinda feel like the texas tea one will hold value better since the color is so desired. Also, the alder body/rosewood fretboard/ nickel frets might make it sound a tad warmer?

[@nandohueb]

If you were to choose just one guitar to be with you, which one would you choose? Classic T or Ultra? thanks

[@smeerdude]

Nando Hueb the Ultra is the better value.

[@nandohueb]

Thanks for the answer! Would you say the quality of both is equivalent?

[@smeerdude]

Nando Hueb yes, I believe the new ultra Tele is a great quality guitar

[@enakki]

I don't think the S1 switch boosts anything. It must be placebo efect I believe. According to documentation S1 just connects the pickups in series instead of parallel which gives you boost (kinda humbucker) in the middle position. Same fenctionality as on previous Elite series. (I have played both and decided to keep ultra tele, elite went back). Regarding the electronics, there are two more features on fender - the treble bleed circuit and the tone pot which has the switch to bypass the tone pot to get all the raw signal from the pickup.

[@BrianSGuitars]

Great comparison Bryan! Makes it a no-brainer money wise anyway.

[@md-hx8pn]

If they were the same price which one would you keep? Thanks for making the video. Exactly what I was looking for.

[@smeerdude]

maps Md thanks for watching, the Fender would be the better choice in my opinion!

[@md-hx8pn]

@@smeerdude thanks!

[@ShamanicSavant]

The Fender all day, any day. I just bought an American Ultra Strat and I'm honestly impressed with the build quality and attention to detail. Really comfortable, great looking, and great sounding guitar with all the bells and whistles. The Texas Tea is a classy color but I wanted a rosewood board SSS and I didn't love the pickguard. I went with Arctic Pearl on my Strat, but if I was getting the Tele I'd definitely go with Texas Tea. The Arctic Pearl is also stunning in person but it looks better on the Strat than the Tele. Thanks for the comparison :)

[@markchristopher2373]

Compound radius on both?

[@wabisabi6802]

you should've gotten the maple necked Ultra?

[@vlj1133]

The Ultra Luxe would be a better comparison with the Classic T ash/maple. The Ultra Luxe has an ash body, your choice of a rosewood or maple fretboard, stainless steel frets, and the same Tusk nut as the Suhr. Same gloss finish for the body, satin finish for the neck, with the same vintage tinting on the neck. It's a bit closer in price to the Classic T, as well. $2,499 vs the Suhr's $2,999 in U.S. street pricing.

[@simonwilliams9916]

Great, thoughtful and intelligent review Bryan. 🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍

[@kevinmiramonti8853]

Just have John Lowery and Ian Thornley talk about both together

[@Terry3Gs]

I found the video a lil dark ... but otherwise ... excellent job on doing the comparison between the 2 guitars !! :)

[@robrippen]

Talk is talk. Until I hear them sing it dont mean a thing

[@cmeimgee]

True, but if you're talking about hearing HIM play them... then KZbin playing vids are KZbin playing vids, and don't mean a thing until you sit with it in front of the amp. I for one appreciate all the talk sometimes.

[@emmanuelibus]

Do you have the specs on the neck for your suhr?

[@smeerdude]

emmanuelibus I sold it about five months ago but it was a thicker neck

[@emmanuelibus]

@@smeerdude oh OK. I'm trying to decide which to get. Boutique guitars are expensive but the build quality is very good, but budget is an issue, so I'm looking at the American Ultra's as an option. I'm just thinking "I'm going to spend around 2K on it, a bit more and I can get what I want want, so why not?"

[@markd4768]

Lights please💡🕯🔦

[@relevantinformation6655]

Incognito mode 😎

[@phosephenedream]

you're kinda leaving out some important details imo. suhr have quartersawn necks, fender ultra doesn't. that adds a lot of longevity because the neck is strong as hell and every suhr has a lifetime warranty on the neck if it ever does end up warping in any way. also, stainless steel frets last like 5 times longer than nickel, and refretting a guitar costs about $400 or $500 or more so..... there's the extra price up front i guess? my dad's fender 62 reissue strat from 96 has already been refretted twice and needs another set. his 79 strat is like a fretless wonder after also being refretted many times. but i won't need to refret my suhr, most likely, ever in my lifetime. soooo..... yeah stainless steel is kinda a big difference here actually. i suppose not a big difference to a collector, but a huge difference to someone that plays often

[@Jaysteenn]

Awsome Bryan. I have an Elite Strat and If I could change anything I would change the neck too.

[@smeerdude]

J Steen thanks bud, the neck is not a deal breaker but yes I do like a little thicker neck. Awesome instrument nonetheless

[@enakki]

Elite has noticeably thicker neck than Ultra. Ultra is even a bit thinner that my 2011 mim strat with modern C profile. I had to decide which one to keep and despite I loved the feel of the elite's chunkier neck, I realized the Ultra's playability is somehow better. Even I did not like the Ultra;s thin neck at first touch at all. But like Bryan mentioned - I'm getting to use to it and it's growing on me..

[@Jaysteenn]

@@enakki Thanks for your experience with your guitars. I havent got to pick up an ultra yet. I would like to check one out though for sure. Have a good day!

[@han36solo]

I would say don't compromise, Bryan. Get the perfect neck. AFA the fret material, fender uses soft frets to make finishing easier. I flattened the tops on my '06 dlx strat, needed a fret level within a year! My '76 ibanez artist frets are in great shape, conversely.

[@smeerdude]

han36solo the neck is not a deal breaker for me but it is the one thing that I might prefer a little thicker. Thanks for your support, I really appreciate your support and feedback. Rock on my friend.

[@han36solo]

@@smeerdude Cool dude just a few thoughts while the return is possible! Great looking guitar and nice review. Enjoy!

[@adamtsai1986]

How about the wood quality? I heard of that, suhr’s wood is way better than Fender does. What do you think? Cuz electric things can be change all the time, but wood does not 😥

[@smeerdude]

Adam Tsai I think both instruments are great quality. I am sure the Suhr is a little better overall but it’s also double the price.

[@adamcaveproject8299]

Suhr takes great care in their wood selection process. I think I remember hearing they reject about 80% of the wood they get due to their requirements. No way Fender is doing that with their quantities.

[@mikedenkinger9570]

@@adamcaveproject8299 Also, Suhr cuts the neck and lets it sit for a month before completing it. If it goes too far out of spec, they toss it in the trash. I don't know if that procedure only applies to custom models, but for customer satisfaction and less warranty claims on faulty necks, I assume that this would be standard procedure for all guitars.

[@Check-it-out]

Awesome ! Thx.

[@PooNinja]

So ya gonna sell the Suhr Sir?

[@smeerdude]

Poo Ninja I am not sure yet,

[@jorgeamadorolivares2305]

Light

[@mrkrsmn1]

How much did Fender pay you for that review?

[@brad-guitar-miller813]

Nice job Bryan. Great info on the difference between the two. Basically sounds like alot to get stainless steel frets. Funny fender took wood away from the guitars and charge more for it.. genius!🤘

[@smeerdude]

Brad Miller thanks bud, I really appreciate your support and feedback! Overall it’s nice to see the guitar companies improving their products,.

[@TheJoecoool]

when you say : we are using brass ! i understand what all this about 😂 ok fender is better 👍

[@adamcaveproject8299]

It's great you like the Fender, but I hardly think it's fair to call the fender "boutique". Suhr is boutique. Also, you made no mention of the silent single coil system from the Suhr which keeps the guitar silent and using real vintage style pickups. Fender noiseless pickups don't sound that good in your play test video. You even said they are brighter yourself. It's all good man, play what you love, but you left out some things that are pretty significant and downplayed Suhr features a bit. I realize its your opinion, but the overall tone of the video is basically suggesting the Suhr isn't worth the price, and that's just not true. All good though.

[@smeerdude]

Adam CaveProject thanks for the feedback! Noted

[@mikedenkinger9570]

Agree with all points, Adam. I suspect that Fender had to come out with this series just to compete with companies like Suhr, ESP, Nash, Etc at the +$1700USD price point and to fill the gap between their higher-end American series vs. The Fender Custom Shop intro level axes. I think John Suhr, John English, LSL, Xotics saw this marketing gap and exploited it. This series and campaign is a long-overdue reaction to their competitors in this pricing tier. Only through objective comparison will you be able to make a really smart decision with your money. Awful lighting aside, a pretty good comparison.

[@joje4713]

Hey adam :) New fender ultra noise less pick up is dont have that much noise as much as shur fortunally . you should know it first :) its different stuff as before fender stuff :) This comparison is pretty fair i guess

[@donharrold1375]

Boutique is always more expensive and might be superior. Without saying one is better than the other, it is worth reflecting on the pros and cons of boutique building. The big plus is the supposed care and attention to detail. Boutique builders have a much higher incentive to produce perfect guitars. That’s the main thing they bring largely. The cons largely relate to scale. They don’t have the same leverage with suppliers because they buy smaller quantities. They can’t invest in production technology to the same extent and rely more on manual work and might have to rely on outsourcing and subcontracting some elements. All of that increases cost. The buyer is paying to some extent for inefficient manufacturing and production. My conclusion is that the $1500 price gap doesn’t deliver that much extra and for most people it is totally unnecessary to fork out $3500 for a Tele or a Strat.

[@danielhartman5086]

You can keep the suhr sir. Give me the Fender Tele.

[@diabx0r]

I mean, I'll gladly take the superior customer service, build quality and overall care and let you keep the Fender, sure.

[@shred9080]

@@diabx0r suhr is a Name. I’ve owned 3 and sold them All. Fender has stepped up the game.

[@diabx0r]

Good for Fender, man. I still find I have to play quite a few before finding one I love. Suhrs are consistent. I've ordered numerous online and every single one played like a dream, and even the base models have the build quality and attention to detail of a custom shop Fender. Fender is a much bigger example of just being a name. Suhr is the name of the CURRENT owner, and he will personally speak to you. Sorry, but that's invaluable.

[@steveluvbar]

SPOILER no sound comparison in this video

[@nxzstudio8495]

Personally i think Suhr is way over priced and have the same arrogance that PRS exhibits.

[@_rxptile]

How tf you going to make a video comparing two guitars and play neither??? Mind boggling

[@davidbakerscuba]

Suhr is far superior. Plus, all of this switching systems are a gimmick. All of that switching sucks tone.

[@roymontero4066]

John Suhr guitars made his money ripping off Fender. His headstock design is goofy, the logo is tacky, and overpriced. Fender is classy, OG Leo Fender invention, great original colour, and less expensive.

[@shredx81]

You are so hopelessly incorrect, I don’t know where to start.

[@mikedenkinger9570]

John Suhr was the first Master Builder at the Fender Custom Shop when it was first created.

[@m4ssi86]

i don't like the colors and the bridge of the Ultra

[@adamski101]

You would rather have that ugly, workmanlike folded metal bridge over the upgraded sleek deluxe Fender bridge??

[@markd4768]

This hand made BS is just that BS.....

[@richardwhitehead4684]

A numbing amount of monotone words to say very general things.

[@smeerdude]

Thanks for the feedback, although it's not easy to hear negative comments, I do appreciate it and it will help me improve for future videos. Thanks again.

[@jeffmazzei8520]

Everyone builds a fender better than fender ! All the features that Fender has are years too later ! Suhr and Anderson are still way ahead, the neck on the fender is made horrible ! You don’t need a skunk stripe ! And one feature you ignored is the nut on the neck is in the right place ! So your in tune all way up !! The saddles on the Suhr are cut so the guitar is in tune ! Sir you really are very Not informed ! You shouldn’t be doing reviews ! You don’t have enough knowledge!