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Dean Custom Zone 2 HB
Ibanez RGMS7
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Playability
70
Sound
65
Build
50
Value
72
Score
62
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Playability
78
Sound
66
Build
55
Value
71
Score
66
FIND IT ON:
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Dean Custom Zone 2 HB vs Ibanez RGMS7

Reasons to Get
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB over Ibanez RGMS7

Scale Length
25.5" vs 27" to 25.5"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
C vs Wizard III-7 for Multi Scale
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Value Score
72 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGMS7 over Dean Custom Zone 2 HB

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2018 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Scale Length
27" to 25.5" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
Wizard III-7 for Multi Scale vs C
Thin neck for playing fast
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Other Key Differences
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB vs Ibanez RGMS7

Bridge Pickup
DMT Design vs Array-7 MS
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
DMT Design vs Array-7 MS
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Terentang vs Nyatoh
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Terentang vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 4-3
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB vs Ibanez RGMS7

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 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 RGMS7 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 66 compared to the Dean Custom Zone 2 HB's 62 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez RGMS7 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Dean Custom Zone 2 HB has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Dean Custom Zone 2 HB is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 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

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RGMS7
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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.

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB Overview

  • From Dean's 2017 X series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Terentang body
  • Maple neck
  • Terentang fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DMT Design (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DMT Design (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Vintage Tremolo bridge
  • C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Sealed Die Cast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez RGMS7 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2018 RG series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 27" to 25.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Nyatoh body
  • Maple/Walnut neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Array-7 MS (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Array-7 MS (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Mono-rail bridge
  • Wizard III-7 for Multi Scale Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Ibanez 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 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 Dean Custom Zone 2 HB

Terentang wood pattern used for guitar building
Terentang

Terentang is a cheap wood that is pretty common in the Solomon Islands.

Woods Used in the Ibanez RGMS7

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

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

The Dean Custom Zone 2 HB has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez RGMS7. 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 Hard Rock 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: Dean Custom Zone 2 HB.

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 RGMS7 gives you 5 switch options while the Dean Custom Zone 2 HB gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez RGMS7 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB's switch options
Ibanez RGMS7 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RGMS7'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: Dean Custom Zone 2 HB.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB
Pickups 60
Sustain 75
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 65
Ibanez RGMS7
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 66

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 Dean Custom Zone 2 HB compares to the Ibanez RGMS7.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Dean Custom Zone 2 HB is built in China while the Ibanez RGMS7 is made in Indonesia.

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.

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: Ibanez RGMS7

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.

In this case, both have Plastic nuts. 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.

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.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

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 Dean Custom Zone 2 HB'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 Ibanez RGMS7'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

Both come with regular tuners. The Dean Custom Zone 2 HB's are Sealed Die Cast while the Ibanez RGMS7's are Ibanez

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
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB
  • Tremolo
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RGMS7
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB
Quality of materials 41
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 50
Ibanez RGMS7
Quality of materials 41
Features 55
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 55

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

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB Nut Width
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB Nut Width
Ibanez RGMS7 Nut Width
Ibanez RGMS7 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RGMS7 has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 5mm (0.197'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RGMS7, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB's Scale Length
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB's Scale Length
Ibanez RGMS7's Scale Length
Ibanez RGMS7'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 Ibanez RGMS7 features a multi-scale of 27" to 25.5" while the Dean Custom Zone 2 HB 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 Dean Custom Zone 2 HB'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

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB Neck Profile
Dean Custom Zone 2 HB's neck profile
Ibanez RGMS7 Neck Profile
Ibanez RGMS7'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 Dean Custom Zone 2 HB 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 Ibanez RGMS7, 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

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB 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 Dean Custom Zone 2 HB and the Ibanez RGMS7 have the same fretboard radius of 16". This fretboard radius is really different from Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll favor plating single notes over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for rhythm, but a more curved fretboard offers better playability for chords. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.

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 RGMS7 favors large hands more than the Dean Custom Zone 2 HB.

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez RGMS7:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB and Ibanez RGMS7 Frets Size
Both have a similar Jumbo fret size

Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.

Final Playability Scores

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
Ibanez RGMS7
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

Dean Custom Zone 2 HB vs Ibanez RGMS7
General Dean Custom Zone 2 HB Ibanez RGMS7
Brand: Dean Ibanez
Year: 2017 2018
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: China Indonesia
Series: X RG
Colors: Green Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Terentang Nyatoh
Bridge: Vintage Tremolo Mono-rail
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Sealed Die Cast Ibanez
Fretboard: Terentang Jatoba
Neck Material: Maple Maple/Walnut
Decoration: White split off-set dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 27" to 25.5"
Shape: C Wizard III-7 for Multi Scale
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: DMT Design (Humbucker / Passive) Array-7 MS (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: DMT Design (Humbucker / Passive) Array-7 MS (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1