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Ibanez LM1
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
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Playability
73
Sound
82
Build
89
Value
71
Score
81
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
69
Value
56
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez LM1 vs Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330

Reasons to Get
Ibanez LM1 over Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
9" to 12" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs P90P90
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.81'' (20.6mm) vs 0.88'' (22.4mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 1'' (25.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
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
Value Score
71 vs 56
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 over Ibanez LM1

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
P90P90 vs SSS
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.88'' (22.4mm) vs 0.81'' (20.6mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
1'' (25.4mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
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

Other Key Differences
Ibanez LM1 vs Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) vs Gibson P-90 Dog Ear
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) vs Gibson P-90 Dog Ear
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Maple
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez LM1 vs Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Ibanez LM1 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330's 71 score, which is a significant difference.

The Ibanez LM1 wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Ibanez LM1.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Ibanez LM1 is the better choice.

The Ibanez LM1 meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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

Ibanez LM1
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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.

Ibanez LM1 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 LM series
  • Luca Mantovanelli Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 9" to 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Gotoh T1702B bridge
  • AZ Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 Overview

  • From Gibson's 2021 Artist Collection series
  • Slim Harpo Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • 3-ply Maple / Poplar / Maple body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Gibson P-90 Dog Ear (P90/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge
  • Rounded C Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Vintage Deluxe with white buttons 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

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez LM1

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

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.

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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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.

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.

Winner: Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez LM1 has an SSS configuration while the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 has P90P90 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, P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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: Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330.

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 LM1 gives you 5 switch options while the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez LM1 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Ibanez LM1 comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Ibanez LM1 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez LM1's switch options
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330'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 LM1.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez LM1
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 82
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

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 LM1 compares to the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez LM1 is built in Japan while the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 is made in United States.

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.

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: 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 Ibanez LM1 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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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 LM1 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 LM1.

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 LM1'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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330'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

The Ibanez LM1 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 LM1.

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 Ibanez LM1 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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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: Ibanez LM1.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez LM1
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez LM1
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 89
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
Quality of materials 51
Features 55
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 69

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 LM1 Nut Width
Ibanez LM1 Nut Width
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 Nut Width
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330, 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 LM1's Scale Length
Ibanez LM1's Scale Length
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330's Scale Length
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330'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 Ibanez LM1 has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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

Ibanez LM1 Neck Profile
Ibanez LM1's neck profile
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 Neck Profile
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330'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 Ibanez LM1 and the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 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

Ibanez LM1 Fretboard Compound Radius
Ibanez LM1's Compound Fretboard Radius
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330'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 Ibanez LM1 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 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 favors large hands more than the Ibanez LM1.

Ibanez LM1:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez LM1 Frets Size
Ibanez LM1's Frets Size
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330 Frets Size
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330's Frets Size

The Ibanez LM1 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330's Medium Jumbo 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 LM1
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez LM1 vs Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
General Ibanez LM1 Gibson Slim Harpo Lovell ES-330
Brand: Ibanez Gibson
Year: 2022 2021
Configuration: SSS P90P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan United States
Series: LM Artist Collection
Colors: White Sunburst Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Semi-Hollow
Body Material: Alder 3-ply Maple / Poplar / Maple
Bridge: Gotoh T1702B ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads Vintage Deluxe with white buttons
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Abalone dot Small block
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: AZ Oval C Rounded C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm) - 12th Fret: 1'' (25.4mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9" to 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson P-90 Dog Ear (P90 / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Fortuna (H) (Humbucker / Passive) Gibson P-90 Dog Ear (P90 / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 2 2