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Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster
Ibanez AR520HFM
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Playability
70
Sound
71
Build
59
Value
77
Score
67
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Playability
73
Sound
64
Build
55
Value
69
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster vs Ibanez AR520HFM Specs Comparison
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster Ibanez AR520HFM
General
Brand: Fender Squier Ibanez
Year: 2018 2021
Configuration: SS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: Classic Vibe AR
Colors: White, Blue, 3-Color Sunburst Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Semi-Hollow
Body Material: Poplar Maple
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style with Non-Locking Floating Vibrato Gibraltar Performer
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Vintage-Style Ibanez
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Bound Jatoba
Neck Material: Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: White Dot Acrylic & Abalone block
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: Modern C AR
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12"
Nut: Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Super 58 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Super 58 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Speed
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing Tri-Sound
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Gold
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's switch options
Ibanez AR520HFM pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AR520HFM's switch options

Reasons to Get
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster over Ibanez AR520HFM

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Modern C vs AR
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Tri-Sound
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
77 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AR520HFM over Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
AR vs Modern C
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Tri-Sound vs Multi-Voicing
Grants 3 ways to modify the sound of the pickups
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
6.925lbs (3.1kgs) vs 7.675lbs (3.5kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster vs Ibanez AR520HFM

Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs Super 58
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs Super 58
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster vs Ibanez AR520HFM

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Weaknesses

  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AR520HFM:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez AR520HFM 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

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AR520HFM
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AR520HFM

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster has an SS configuration while the Ibanez AR520HFM has HH pickups.

SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

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

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez AR520HFM. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Blues 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: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster offers Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR520HFM comes with the following: Tri-Sound.

Tri-Sound gives you the choice of using the pickup coils at the same time, splitting them or connect them im parallel for a brighter sound.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 70
Versatility 78
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 71
Ibanez AR520HFM
Pickups 60
Sustain 70
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 64

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster compares to the Ibanez AR520HFM.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez AR520HFM is made in China.

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.

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.

Winner: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster 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 AR520HFM 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: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster.

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster'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 AR520HFM's 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.

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

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's are Vintage-Style while the Ibanez AR520HFM'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.

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster has 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR520HFM comes with 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.

Winner: Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster
  • Bone Nut
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AR520HFM
  • Tri-Sound Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 59
Ibanez AR520HFM
Quality of materials 45
Features 60
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 55

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster Nut Width
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster Nut Width
Ibanez AR520HFM Nut Width
Ibanez AR520HFM Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez AR520HFM has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez AR520HFM, 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's Scale Length
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's Scale Length
Ibanez AR520HFM's Scale Length
Ibanez AR520HFM's 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 Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster has the longest scale: 25.5". The Ibanez AR520HFM 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

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's neck profile
Ibanez AR520HFM Neck Profile
Ibanez AR520HFM'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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster 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 AR520HFM, on the other hand, has a SA neck. Like most Ibanez necks, it's thinner than most modern C necks. It's very similar in thickness and shape to their unique Wizard profile.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez AR520HFM Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AR520HFM'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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez AR520HFM'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 AR520HFM.

Fret Size

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster's Frets Size
Ibanez AR520HFM Frets Size
Ibanez AR520HFM's Frets Size

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez AR520HFM'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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Ibanez AR520HFM
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73