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Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster
Ibanez MM1
VS
Playability
68
Sound
72
Build
69
Value
55
Score
70
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Playability
77
Sound
81
Build
85
Value
71
Score
81
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Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster vs Ibanez MM1

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster over Ibanez MM1

Number of Frets
21 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Vintage vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups
SH vs HH
Very bright bridge tone and a very warm neck pickup
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Ibanez MM1 over Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2018 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Vintage
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HH vs SH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) 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
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
71 vs 55
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster vs Ibanez MM1

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Strat vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Ash vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster vs Ibanez MM1

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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Ibanez MM1 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's 70 score, which is a significant difference.

The Ibanez MM1 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Ibanez MM1.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Ibanez MM1 is the better choice.

The Ibanez MM1 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster meets only 5. 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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez MM1
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

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.

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2014 Custom Artist series
  • Albert Collins Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Select Ash body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele bridge
  • C Shape Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez MM1 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2018 MM series
  • Martin Miller Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • African Mahogany body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Gotoh T1802 Tremolo bridge
  • AZ Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P. tuners
  • Weight between 7.9lbs (3.6kgs) and 8.5lbs (3.9kgs)
  • 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 Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

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.

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez MM1

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster has an SH configuration while the Ibanez MM1 has HH pickups.

SH is a more versatile version of the classic telecaster (SS) configuration. The bridge pickup usually produces a bright and twangy tone, while the neck Humbucker gives you the warmer tone you'll need for more Jazzy/Bluish solos and chords.

On the other hand, 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.

However, the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's and use them on any guitar:

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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster.

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 MM1 gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez MM1 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Ibanez MM1 comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's switch options
Ibanez MM1 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez MM1'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 MM1.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Ibanez MM1
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 75
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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster compares to the Ibanez MM1.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster is built in United States while the Ibanez MM1 is made in Japan.

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.

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: 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 Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster has a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

On the other hand, the Ibanez MM1 comes with 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.

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.

In this comparison, the Ibanez MM1 is the only one that has 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: Ibanez MM1.

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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster'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 MM1's 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.

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 MM1 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 MM1.

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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez MM1
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster
Quality of materials 56
Features 50
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 69
Ibanez MM1
Quality of materials 85
Features 75
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 85

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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Nut Width
Ibanez MM1 Nut Width
Ibanez MM1 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez MM1 has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.1mm (0.004'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez MM1, 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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster and Ibanez MM1'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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's neck profile
Ibanez MM1 Neck Profile
Ibanez MM1'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.

Both the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster and the Ibanez MM1 have a C-shaped 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.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez MM1 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez MM1'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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez MM1'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 MM1.

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 Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster favors large hands more than the Ibanez MM1. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez MM1:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Frets Size
Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's Frets Size
Ibanez MM1 Frets Size
Ibanez MM1's Frets Size

The Ibanez MM1 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster's Vintage 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 Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 68
Ibanez MM1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster vs Ibanez MM1
General Fender Custom Albert Collins Signature Telecaster Ibanez MM1
Brand: Fender Custom Ibanez
Year: 2014 2018
Configuration: SH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Japan
Series: Custom Artist MM
Colors: Natural Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Select Ash African Mahogany
Bridge: 6-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through-Body Tele Gotoh T1802 Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P.
Fretboard: Maple Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Abalone dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: C Shape AZ Oval C
Frets: 21 Vintage Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Bone
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Texas Special Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan '59 SH-1N (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1