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Ibanez APEX30
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
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Playability
73
Sound
80
Build
63
Value
67
Score
72
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Playability
67
Sound
73
Build
70
Value
60
Score
70
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez APEX30 vs Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Specs Comparison
Ibanez APEX30 Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
General
Brand: Ibanez Fender
Year: 2020 2018
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 7 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: APEX American Original
Colors: Gray Sunburst, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Nyatoh Alder
Bridge: Evertune Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo with Tremolo Lock Button and Push-In Tremolo Arm
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh machine heads Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: 3pc Maple Maple
Decoration: White Pearloid Dot - 7mm
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Wizard II-7 Mid 60s C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.75'' (19.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.825'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.975'' (24.8mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 21 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 9.5"
Nut: Plastic Bone
Nut Width: 48mm (1.89'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: DiMarzio Blaze (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio Blaze (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Ibanez APEX30 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez APEX30's switch options
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Ibanez APEX30 over Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Decorative Top
Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2020 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 Vintage Tall
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Wizard II-7 vs Mid 60s C
Thin neck for playing fast
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.75'' (19.1mm) vs 0.825'' (21mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.975'' (24.8mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
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
Evertune vs Tremolo
Fixed bridge that will keep the guitar in tune forever
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
67 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster over Ibanez APEX30

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Type of Frets
Vintage Tall vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Mid 60s C vs Wizard II-7
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.825'' (21mm) vs 0.75'' (19.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.975'' (24.8mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Evertune
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Ibanez APEX30 vs Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Bridge Pickup
DiMarzio Blaze vs Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
DiMarzio Blaze vs Fender Pure Vintage 65 Single-Coil Jazzmaster
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Nyatoh vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
7 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez APEX30 vs Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
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

  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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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 are balanced for most hand sizes.

Ibanez APEX30:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez APEX30 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

Ibanez APEX30
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 Ibanez APEX30

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

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.

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

Woods Used in the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez APEX30 has an HH configuration while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster has SS pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's online:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Fender American Original 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.

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

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

Winner: Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez APEX30
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 100
Sound 80
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 73

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 Ibanez APEX30 compares to the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez APEX30 is built in Indonesia while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster is made in United States.

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.

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.

Winner: Fender American Original 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 Ibanez APEX30 has 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.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster 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: Fender American Original 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 Ibanez APEX30's brige is a Evertune. It will keep your guitar in tune and intonated until the next string swap. If you really like extremely subtle vibratos, this might not be the bridge for you because you won't be able to perform them as well. However, the fact that you won't need to tune your guitar is a huge advantage that many people will gladly pay the extra price for.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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: Ibanez APEX30.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Ibanez APEX30's are Gotoh machine heads while the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's are Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe

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
Ibanez APEX30
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • 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
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez APEX30
Quality of materials 55
Features 55
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 63
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70

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

Ibanez APEX30 Nut Width
Ibanez APEX30 Nut Width
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Nut Width
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez APEX30 has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 6mm (0.236'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez APEX30, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Ibanez APEX30 and Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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

Ibanez APEX30 Neck Profile
Ibanez APEX30's neck profile
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Neck Profile
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster'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 Ibanez APEX30 has a Wizard type of 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.

The Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster, on the other hand, has a C 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

Ibanez APEX30 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez APEX30's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez APEX30'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 APEX30.

Fret Size

Ibanez APEX30 Frets Size
Ibanez APEX30's Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster Frets Size
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Frets Size

The Ibanez APEX30 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster's Vintage Tall frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Ibanez APEX30
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73
Fender American Original 60s Jazzmaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67