Swap
Swap
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Ibanez THBB10
VS
Playability
70
Sound
75
Build
64
Value
65
Score
70
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logoFender logo
Playability
77
Sound
79
Build
77
Value
78
Score
78
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs Ibanez THBB10

Reasons to Get
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster over Ibanez THBB10

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Vintage vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Pickups
SS vs HSS
Beautiful cleans
Fretboard Radius
7.25'' (184.2mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Ibanez THBB10 over Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
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
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs SS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 7.25'' (184.2mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
78 vs 65
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs Ibanez THBB10

Bridge Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster vs DiMarzio Notorious
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster vs DiMarzio Notorious
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Basswood
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 Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs Ibanez THBB10

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
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
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
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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 THBB10 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's 70 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez THBB10 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Ibanez THBB10.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Ibanez THBB10 is the better choice.

The Ibanez THBB10 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez THBB10
  • 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Overview

  • From Fender's 2020 Artist series
  • Troy Van Leeuwen Signature
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 7.25" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Jazzmaster Bridge with Nickel-Plated Brass Mustang Saddles and Tremolo bridge
  • LEEUWEN C Bolt-On neck
  • 21 Vintage frets
  • Vintage-Style tuners
  • Weight between 8.05lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.6lbs (3.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez THBB10 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2019 THBB series
  • Tim Henson Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • American Basswood body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio Notorious (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: DiMarzio Notorious (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio Notorious (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Gotoh T1502 tremolo bridge
  • AZ Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking 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 the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

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 THBB10

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster has an SS configuration while the Ibanez THBB10 has HSS 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, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster'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 Troy Van Leeuwen 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

The Ibanez THBB10 gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez THBB10 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's switch options
Ibanez THBB10 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez THBB10'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 THBB10.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 75
Ibanez THBB10
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 79

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster compares to the Ibanez THBB10.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster is built in Mexico while the Ibanez THBB10 is made in Indonesia.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

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: 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster 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 THBB10 comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

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 THBB10 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 THBB10.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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 THBB10 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 THBB10.

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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 THBB10
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 60
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 64
Ibanez THBB10
Quality of materials 86
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 77

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster and Ibanez THBB10'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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's neck profile
Ibanez THBB10 Neck Profile
Ibanez THBB10'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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster and the Ibanez THBB10 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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez THBB10 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez THBB10'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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez THBB10'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 THBB10.

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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster favors large hands more than the Ibanez THBB10. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez THBB10:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster's Frets Size
Ibanez THBB10 Frets Size
Ibanez THBB10's Frets Size

The Ibanez THBB10 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster'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 Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70
Ibanez THBB10
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster vs Ibanez THBB10
General Fender Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster Ibanez THBB10
Brand: Fender Ibanez
Year: 2020 2019
Configuration: SS HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Indonesia
Series: Artist THBB
Colors: Orange, Red Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder American Basswood
Bridge: Jazzmaster Bridge with Nickel-Plated Brass Mustang Saddles and Tremolo Gotoh T1502 tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
Fretboard: Maple Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Black Block Acrylic & Abalone block
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: LEEUWEN C AZ Oval C
Frets: 21 Vintage Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 7.25" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio Notorious (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio Notorious (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive) DiMarzio Notorious (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1