Show Full Spec Comparison
| Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V | Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Epiphone | Ibanez |
| Year: | 2019 | 2016 |
| Configuration: | HH | HH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | China | Japan |
| Series: | Artist Collection | RG |
| Colors: | White | Green, Purple |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Mahogany | Ash |
| Bridge: | LockTone ABR | Gibraltar Standard II |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Set | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Grover Rotomatic; 18:1 ratio | Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads |
| Fretboard: | Hard Maple | Bound Birdseye Maple |
| Neck Material: | Mahogany | Maple/Walnut |
| Decoration: | Black Dot | |
| Scale Size: | 24.75" | 25.5" |
| Shape: | Slim Taper | Super Wizard |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.92'' (23.4mm) | 1st Fret: 0.67'' (17mm) - 12th Fret: 0.75'' (19.1mm) |
| Frets: | 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver | 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 17" |
| Nut: | Ivory Tusq | Ivory Tusq |
| Nut Width: | 42.7mm (1.68'') | 43mm (1.693'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | ProBucker 3 (Humbucker / Passive) | DiMarzio The Tone Zone (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | ProBucker 2 (Humbucker / Passive) | DiMarzio Air Norton (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 3 Way | 5 Way |
| Knobs: | Speed | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | Coil Split | None |
| Volume Controls: | 2 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 1 | 1 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Chrome | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V over Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige
Reasons to Get
Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige over Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V
Other Key Differences
Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V vs Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige
Shared Features
Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V vs Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
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Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige favors large hands more than the Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V:
Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige:
Beginner Friendliness
The Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V meets only 4. 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
Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige- 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 Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V
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 RG652AHMFX Prestige
This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.
Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.
Winner: Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
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 Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige pickups from a more specialized brand than the Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer 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.
We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige'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: Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
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 RG652AHMFX Prestige gives you 5 switch options while the Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Only the Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V 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: Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
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 Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V compares to the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V is built in China while the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige is made in Japan.
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.
Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.
Winner: Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige
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 Ivory Tusq nuts. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.
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.
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 Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige 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.
Winner: Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
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 Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V has a 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.
On the other hand, the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige comes with 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: Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Coil Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- 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
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 Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.7mm (1.68''). This is a 0.3mm (0.013'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige, 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.
The Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige has the longest scale: 25.5". The Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.
This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.
This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.
Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).
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.
In this case, both have different neck shapes:
The Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V 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 RG652AHMFX Prestige, on the other hand, has a Super Wizard neck. Ibanez is famous for this neck shape. They're similar to C-shaped necks, but they're even thinner. Some people like it because it gives them all the free room they need to play fast single notes (shredding). But some people prefer a thicker type of neck they can grab and rest their hands more comfortably.
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 Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige'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 Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige.
Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.
Fret Size
The Ibanez RG652AHMFX Prestige has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Epiphone Dave Rude Flying V'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.
