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Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
Ibanez JIVA10
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Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
72
Value
62
Score
72
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Playability
73
Sound
81
Build
60
Value
71
Score
71
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Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster vs Ibanez JIVA10 Specs Comparison
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Ibanez JIVA10
General
Brand: Fender Ibanez
Year: 2022 2020
Configuration: SSS HSH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Indonesia
Series: American Vintage II JIVA
Colors: Sunburst, Green, Yellow Gray Burst
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder African Mahogany
Bridge: Pure Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles Edge-Zero II tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe Ibanez
Fretboard: Maple Bound Ebony
Neck Material: 1-Piece Maple 3pc Maple/Purpleheart
Decoration: Black Dot Beaten Path
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: 1957 V Wizard III
Frets: 21 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" 16"
Nut: Bone Locking
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Pure Vintage 57 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio Pandemonium (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 57 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio True Velvet (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 57 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio Pandemonium (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's switch options
Ibanez JIVA10 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez JIVA10's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster over Ibanez JIVA10

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Vintage Tall vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
1957 V vs Wizard III
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SSS vs HSH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Bridge
Tremolo vs Edge Zero II
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Ibanez JIVA10 over Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster

Decorative Top
Quilted Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Vintage Tall
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Wizard III vs 1957 V
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickups
HSH vs SSS
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Edge Zero II vs Tremolo
Intense vibrato effects and cheaper than Edge Zero
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
71 vs 62
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster vs Ibanez JIVA10

Bridge Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 57 Single-Coil Strat vs DiMarzio Pandemonium
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 57 Single-Coil Strat vs DiMarzio True Velvet
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 57 Single-Coil Strat vs DiMarzio Pandemonium
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster vs Ibanez JIVA10

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster favors large hands more than the Ibanez JIVA10.

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez JIVA10:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez JIVA10 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

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez JIVA10
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Ibanez JIVA10

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

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.

Winner: Ibanez JIVA10.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster has an SSS configuration while the Ibanez JIVA10 has HSH pickups.

SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

On the other hand, HSH is a versatile pickup configuration that will give you the high output, full tone, and quiet sound of humbucker pickups, but with the possibility of using a single coil for cleaner tones. The disadvantage is that the middle single-coil pickup will have a noticeable lower volume, so you might want to adjust the height of the pickups. Another problem is that if you set the middle pickup too high, it might interfere with your picking hand.

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.

However, the Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez JIVA10'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: Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster.

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

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

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

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 JIVA10.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
Ibanez JIVA10
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 81

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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster compares to the Ibanez JIVA10.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster is built in United States while the Ibanez JIVA10 is made in Indonesia.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

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: Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster

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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Ibanez JIVA10 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: Tie.

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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster'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 JIVA10's is a Edge Zero II. This is a cheaper version of Ibanez's Edge Zero bridges. It comes with the same locking stud bolts that lock down into the body and provide better stabilization, and with easier adjustment of the springs without having to remove the backplate thanks to a thumb-screw. However, the intonation in this cheaper version will require additional work.

Edge Zero IIs that come with the ZPS3 Zero Point system have two extra springs that help return the tremolo to the neutral position faster. 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 JIVA10.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's are Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe while the Ibanez JIVA10'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
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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 JIVA10
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 72
Ibanez JIVA10
Quality of materials 45
Features 60
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 60

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

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Nut Width
Ibanez JIVA10 Nut Width
Ibanez JIVA10 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez JIVA10 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 1.1mm (0.043'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez JIVA10, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster and Ibanez JIVA10's Scale Length
Both have the same 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

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's neck profile
Ibanez JIVA10 Neck Profile
Ibanez JIVA10'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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

The Ibanez JIVA10, 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

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez JIVA10 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez JIVA10's Fingerboard 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 Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez JIVA10'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 JIVA10.

Fret Size

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's Frets Size
Ibanez JIVA10 Frets Size
Ibanez JIVA10's Frets Size

The Ibanez JIVA10 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster's Vintage Tall 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

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 100
Solo Playability 50
Playability 70
Ibanez JIVA10
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73