Swap
Swap
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
VS
Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
74
Value
58
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
73
Sound
81
Build
75
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Ibanez RG8527 j.custom

Reasons to Get
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood over Ibanez RG8527 j.custom

Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
7.25" to 9.5" vs 17"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
1959 C vs RG j.custom Wizard-7
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SSS vs HH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Lo-Pro Edge
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom over Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood

Decorative Top
AAA Flamed Maple (4mm) vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2023 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
RG j.custom Wizard-7 vs 1959 C
Thin neck for playing fast
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Lo-Pro Edge vs Tremolo
Intense vibratos with more features than a Floyd Rose
Value Score
61 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Ibanez RG8527 j.custom

Bridge Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat vs DiMarzio PAF 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat vs DiMarzio PAF 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 7
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Ibanez RG8527 j.custom

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume 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 Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Prices

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez RG8527 j.custom wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood in every aspect.

However, there's still a reason to choose the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood instead. If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood is the better choice.

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom 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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Overview

  • From Fender Custom's 2018 Vintage Custom series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" to 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Select Alder body
  • Rift Sawn Maple neck
  • 3A Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo bridge
  • 1959 C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Medium frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez RG8527 j.custom Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2023 RG series
  • Made in Japan
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 17" Fretboard Radius
  • AAA Flamed Maple (4mm) top
  • African Mahogany body
  • Maple/Wenge neck
  • Bound Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio PAF 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio PAF 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Lo-Pro Edge 7 bridge
  • RG j.custom Wizard-7 Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh machine heads 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 Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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 RG8527 j.custom

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 RG8527 j.custom.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood has an SSS configuration while the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom has HH 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, 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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood.

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.

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's switch options
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood compares to the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood is built in United States while the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom 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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood 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 RG8527 j.custom 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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood'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 RG8527 j.custom's is a Lo-Pro Edge. Similar to the original Edge bridge design by Ibanez, but with a lower profile (more discrete and less likely to interfere with your picking). It comes with the same improvements over Floyd Rose tremolos as the Edge: push-in arm, replaceable knife edges, more sustain, smaller saddles, and more. 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 RG8527 j.custom.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's are Vintage-Style while the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom's are Gotoh machine heads

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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • 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 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Strap Lock
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Quality of materials 56
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
Quality of materials 55
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 75

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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Nut Width
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Nut Width
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom Nut Width
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 6.1mm (0.24'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RG8527 j.custom, 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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood and Ibanez RG8527 j.custom'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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Neck Profile
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's neck profile
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom Neck Profile
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom'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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood 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 RG8527 j.custom, 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 Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's Compound Fretboard Radius
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom'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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

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 RG8527 j.custom favors large hands more than the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood.

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Frets Size
Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's Frets Size
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom Frets Size
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom's Frets Size

The Ibanez RG8527 j.custom has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood's Medium 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 Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood vs Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
General Fender Custom Vintage Custom 1959 Stratocaster Rosewood Ibanez RG8527 j.custom
Brand: Fender Custom Ibanez
Year: 2018 2023
Configuration: SSS HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: United States Japan
Series: Vintage Custom RG
Colors: Sunburst Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Select Alder African Mahogany
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo Lo-Pro Edge 7
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Gotoh machine heads
Fretboard: 3A Rosewood Bound Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: Rift Sawn Maple Maple/Wenge
Decoration: Vintage Clay Dot Tree of Life
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: 1959 C RG j.custom Wizard-7
Frets: 21 Medium Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" to 9.5" 17"
Nut: Bone Locking
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio PAF 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Custom Shop Hand-Wound '59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio PAF 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 1