Show Full Spec Comparison
| Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic | Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Epiphone | Ibanez |
| Year: | 2021 | 2019 |
| Configuration: | HH | HH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | China | Indonesia |
| Series: | Artist Collection | RGA |
| Colors: | Sunburst | Purple Burst |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | Yes |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Mahogany | Nyatoh |
| Bridge: | Nighthawk Hardtail | Gibraltar Standard II |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Set | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Epiphone Deluxe | Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads |
| Fretboard: | Ebony | Macassar Ebony |
| Neck Material: | Mahogany | Panga Panga/Walnut |
| Decoration: | Twin Parallelogram in Pearloid | White Step off-set dot |
| Scale Size: | 25.5" | 25.5" |
| Shape: | Rounded C | Nitro Wizard |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.94'' (23.9mm) | 1st Fret: 0.75'' (19.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) |
| Frets: | 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver | 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 16" |
| Nut: | NuBone | Plastic |
| Nut Width: | 43mm (1.693'') | 43mm (1.693'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | ProBucker 3 Slant (Open-coil) (Humbucker / Passive) | Bare Knuckle Aftermath (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | ProBucker FB720 (Nickel) (Humbucker / Passive) | Bare Knuckle Aftermath (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 5 Way | 3 Way |
| Knobs: | Bell | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | None | Coil Split |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 1 | 0 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | Yes |
| Hardware Color: | Chrome | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic over Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label
Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label over Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic
Other Key Differences
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic vs Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label
Shared Features
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic vs Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label
Common Strengths
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic Prices
Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label Prices
These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.
Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic favors large hands more than the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label.
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic:
Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label:
Beginner Friendliness
The Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic 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 Nancy Wilson Fanatic- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label- 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
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.
Woods Used in the Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic
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 RGA61AL Axion Label
Panga Panga is an African wood very similar to Wenge. It comes in a very dark color with tight grain. Its tonality favors the low-to-mid frequencies.
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: Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic.
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 RGA61AL Axion Label pickups from a more specialized brand than the Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic. 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.
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 RGA61AL Axion Label.
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 Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label gives you 3. This means that the Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Only the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label 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 RGA61AL Axion Label.
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 Nancy Wilson Fanatic compares to the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic is built in China while the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label 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 RGA61AL Axion Label
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 Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic has a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.
On the other hand, the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label comes with 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.
Winner: Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic.
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 RGA61AL Axion Label 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 RGA61AL Axion Label.
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 Nancy Wilson Fanatic 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 RGA61AL Axion Label 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 RGA61AL Axion Label.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic
- Expensive Wood
- NuBone Nut
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- 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
Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- 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
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, both have a nut width of 43mm (1.693'').
This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.
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, both have a scale length of 25.5".
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.
In this case, both have different neck shapes:
The Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic 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 RGA61AL Axion Label, 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
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 Nancy Wilson Fanatic's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez RGA61AL Axion Label'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 RGA61AL Axion Label.
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 RGA61AL Axion Label has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic'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.
