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Cort X700 Mutility
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
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Playability
78
Sound
76
Build
70
Value
75
Score
75
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Playability
77
Sound
82
Build
77
Value
79
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
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Cort X700 Mutility vs Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium

Reasons to Get
Cort X700 Mutility over Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium

Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" to 24.75" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
D vs Wizard III
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs Coil Tap
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Edge
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium over Cort X700 Mutility

Decorative Top
Poplar Burl vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" vs 25.5" to 24.75"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
Wizard III vs D
Thin neck for playing fast
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs Multiple
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Edge vs Fixed
Intense vibratos with more features than a Floyd Rose
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
79 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Cort X700 Mutility vs Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern vs DiMarzio The Tone Zone
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern vs DiMarzio Air Norton
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Basswood
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Roasted Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Cort X700 Mutility vs Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium

Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm)
Same fretboard comfortability

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Frets
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Cort X700 Mutility's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Cort X700 Mutility has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Cort X700 Mutility is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Cort X700 Mutility is the better choice.

The Cort X700 Mutility meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium meets only 3. 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

Cort X700 Mutility
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Cort X700 Mutility Overview

  • From Cort's 2021 X series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5" to 24.75"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple (Luminous dot inlays) fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Individual w/ String Thru Body bridge
  • D Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Stainless Steel frets
  • Cort Staggered Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 RG series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar Burl top
  • American Basswood body
  • 7pc Maple/Walnut neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio The Tone Zone (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio Air Norton (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Edge bridge
  • Wizard III Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

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 the Cort X700 Mutility

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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.

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.

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.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Cort X700 Mutility's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's online:

The Cort X700 Mutility's pickups are Active while the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's are Passive.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

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

The Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium gives you 5 switch options while the Cort X700 Mutility gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium 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 Cort X700 Mutility offers Coil Split, Multi-Voicing.

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.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium comes with the following: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

Cort X700 Mutility pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Cort X700 Mutility's switch options
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Cort X700 Mutility
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 77
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82

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 Cort X700 Mutility compares to the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

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 Cort X700 Mutility has 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium comes with 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.

Winner: Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

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.

Both in this comparison come with 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: Tie.

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 Cort X700 Mutility'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 Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's is a Edge. This is a double-locking tremolo system designed by Ibanez. It's a tremolo inspired by Floyd Roses but with its own design improvements, like a push-in arm, better-positioned fine-tuners for more right-hand comfortability, replaceable knife edges, and more mass for more sustain. These bridges offer tons of versatility, but they also require more work than simpler tremolos to set up.

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: Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

Tuners

The Cort X700 Mutility 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 Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Cort X700 Mutility.

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 Cort X700 Mutility 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 Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium comes with Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

Winner: Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort X700 Mutility
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Cort X700 Mutility
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 70
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Quality of materials 75
Features 80
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 77

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

Cort X700 Mutility Nut Width
Cort X700 Mutility Nut Width
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Nut Width
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Cort X700 Mutility's Scale Length
Cort X700 Mutility's Scale Length
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's Scale Length
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium'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 Cort X700 Mutility features a multi-scale of 25.5" to 24.75" while the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium 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 Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium'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

Cort X700 Mutility Neck Profile
Cort X700 Mutility's neck profile
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Neck Profile
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium'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 Cort X700 Mutility has a D type of 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.

The Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium, on the other hand, has a Wizard neck. This is thinner than most C-type necks. It won't get in your way if you want to play fast solos. It's not as slim as 'Super Wizard' necks, so it might fit you better if you don't like ultra-thin necks.

Fretboard Radius

Cort X700 Mutility Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same 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.

Both the Cort X700 Mutility and the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium have the same fretboard radius of 15.75". It's a radius that makes playing single notes (and bending, vibrato, sliding, etc) easier than on a classic Les Paul guitar. However, it's still more curved than some baritone and 7+ strings guitars.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium favors large hands more than the Cort X700 Mutility. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Cort X700 Mutility:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Cort X700 Mutility Frets Size
Cort X700 Mutility's Frets Size
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Frets Size
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's Frets Size

The Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Cort X700 Mutility's Medium 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

Cort X700 Mutility
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Cort X700 Mutility vs Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
General Cort X700 Mutility Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Brand: Cort Ibanez
Year: 2021 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: X RG
Colors: Black Satin Brown
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany American Basswood
Bridge: Individual w/ String Thru Body Edge
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: Cort Staggered Locking Gotoh machine heads
Fretboard: Roasted Maple (Luminous dot inlays) Ebony
Neck Material: Roasted Maple 7pc Maple/Walnut
Decoration: Offset Dots Acrylic & Abalone block
Scale Size: 25.5" to 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: D Wizard III
Frets: 24 Medium Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 15.75"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker / Active) DiMarzio The Tone Zone (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker / Active) DiMarzio Air Norton (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split, Multi-Voicing Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1