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Ibanez PIA3761C
PRS DGT
VS
Playability
73
Sound
81
Build
82
Value
64
Score
79
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Playability
72
Sound
73
Build
70
Value
57
Score
72
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez PIA3761C vs PRS DGT

Reasons to Get
Ibanez PIA3761C over PRS DGT

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2019
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
Neck Profile
PIA vs DGT
Thin neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSH vs HH
High output, round sound with a single-coil for cleans
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.71'' (18mm) vs 0.84'' (21.3mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.93'' (23.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.656'' (42.1mm)
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
Edge vs Tremolo
Intense vibratos with more features than a Floyd Rose
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
17'' (431.8mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
64 vs 57
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
PRS DGT over Ibanez PIA3761C

Decorative Top
Carved Figured Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
DGT vs PIA
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs HSH
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.84'' (21.3mm) vs 0.71'' (18mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.93'' (23.6mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.656'' (42.1mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Edge
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 17'' (431.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Ibanez PIA3761C vs PRS DGT

Bridge Pickup
DiMarzio UtoPIA vs PRS DGT
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
DiMarzio UtoPIA vs PRS DGT
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs PRS Propietary
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez PIA3761C vs PRS DGT

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • 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 PIA3761C is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the PRS DGT's 72 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez PIA3761C wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the PRS DGT in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

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

The PRS DGT meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez PIA3761C 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 PIA3761C
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

PRS DGT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 PIA3761C Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 PIA/JEM/UV series
  • Steve Vai Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 17" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple/Walnut neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio UtoPIA (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: DiMarzio UtoPIA (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio UtoPIA (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Edge tremolo bridge
  • PIA Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

PRS DGT Overview

  • From PRS's 2019 Core series
  • David Grissom Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Carved Figured Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS DGT (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS DGT (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III bridge
  • DGT Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Phase III with Faux-Bone 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 PIA3761C

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 PRS DGT

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Winner: PRS DGT.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez PIA3761C has an HSH configuration while the PRS DGT has HH pickups.

HSH is a versatile pickup configuration that will give you the high output, full tone, and quiet sound of humbucker pickups, but with the possibility of using a single coil for cleaner tones. The disadvantage is that the middle single-coil pickup will have a noticeable lower volume, so you might want to adjust the height of the pickups. Another problem is that if you set the middle pickup too high, it might interfere with your picking hand.

On the other hand, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

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

However, the PRS DGT 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 Ibanez PIA3761C'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: PRS DGT.

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 PIA3761C gives you 5 switch options while the PRS DGT gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez PIA3761C gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the PRS DGT 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 PIA3761C pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez PIA3761C's switch options
PRS DGT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS DGT'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 PIA3761C.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez PIA3761C
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 81
PRS DGT
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 71
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 PIA3761C compares to the PRS DGT.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez PIA3761C is built in Japan while the PRS DGT 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 PIA3761C has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the PRS DGT comes with a PRS Propietary nut. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the Ibanez PIA3761C 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 PIA3761C.

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 PIA3761C's brige is a Edge. This is a double-locking tremolo system designed by Ibanez. It's a tremolo inspired by Floyd Roses but with its own design improvements, like a push-in arm, better-positioned fine-tuners for more right-hand comfortability, replaceable knife edges, and more mass for more sustain. These bridges offer tons of versatility, but they also require more work than simpler tremolos to set up.

On the other hand, the PRS DGT'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 PIA3761C.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Ibanez PIA3761C's are Gotoh machine heads while the PRS DGT's are Phase III with Faux-Bone Buttons

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 Ibanez PIA3761C 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 PRS DGT 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 PIA3761C.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez PIA3761C
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS DGT
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez PIA3761C
Quality of materials 76
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 82
PRS DGT
Quality of materials 50
Features 60
Quality Control 100
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 PIA3761C Nut Width
Ibanez PIA3761C Nut Width
PRS DGT Nut Width
PRS DGT Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez PIA3761C has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.1mm (1.656''). This is a 0.9mm (0.037'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez PIA3761C, 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 PIA3761C's Scale Length
Ibanez PIA3761C's Scale Length
PRS DGT's Scale Length
PRS DGT'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 PIA3761C has the longest scale: 25.5". The PRS DGT is only 25" long. This is a 0.5'' (12.7mm) 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 PIA3761C Neck Profile
Ibanez PIA3761C's neck profile
PRS DGT Neck Profile
PRS DGT'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 PIA3761C 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 PRS DGT, 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 PIA3761C Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez PIA3761C's Fingerboard radius
PRS DGT Fingerboard Radius
PRS DGT'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 PRS DGT's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez PIA3761C'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 PIA3761C.

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.

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

Ibanez PIA3761C:
Big Hands
Small Hands
PRS DGT:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez PIA3761C Frets Size
Ibanez PIA3761C's Frets Size
PRS DGT Frets Size
PRS DGT's Frets Size

The Ibanez PIA3761C has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the PRS DGT'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 PIA3761C
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73
PRS DGT
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 65
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez PIA3761C vs PRS DGT
General Ibanez PIA3761C PRS DGT
Brand: Ibanez PRS
Year: 2022 2019
Configuration: HSH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan United States
Series: PIA/JEM/UV Core
Colors: Blue Gold, White, Black, Blue, Green, Black Burst, Orange, Purple, Yellow, Red Burst, Gold Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, McCarty Sunburst, McCarty Tobacco Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Mahogany
Bridge: Edge tremolo PRS Patented Tremolo, Gen III
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Gotoh machine heads Phase III with Faux-Bone Buttons
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple/Walnut Mahogany
Decoration: PIA Blossom Moons (Birds Optional)
Scale Size: 25.5" 25"
Shape: PIA DGT
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.71'' (18mm) - 12th Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.93'' (23.6mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 17" 10"
Nut: Locking PRS Propietary
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42.1mm (1.656'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio UtoPIA (Humbucker / Passive) PRS DGT (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio UtoPIA (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio UtoPIA (Humbucker / Passive) PRS DGT (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1