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Ibanez RG8
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
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Playability
75
Sound
65
Build
52
Value
74
Score
64
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Playability
77
Sound
79
Build
68
Value
75
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez RG8 vs Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RG8 over Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH

Neck Profile
Wizard II-8 vs Jackson Standard
Thin neck for playing fast
Strings
8 vs 7
Allows you to play lower notes
Nut Width
2.165'' (55mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH over Ibanez RG8

Decorative Top
Ash vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 16"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Jackson Standard vs Wizard II-8
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickups Brand
Seymour Duncan vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Strings
7 vs 8
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 2.165'' (55mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Strap Lock
Yes vs None
Protects your guitar from dropping by locking the strap
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
75 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Ibanez RG8 vs Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH

Bridge Pickup
IBZ-8 vs Seymour Duncan Distortion 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
IBZ-8 vs Seymour Duncan Distortion 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Meranti vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-4 vs R7
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez RG8 vs Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the Ibanez RG8's 64 score, which is a significant difference.

The Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Ibanez RG8 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RG8
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 RG8 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2020 RG series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 8 strings
  • 27"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Meranti body
  • Maple/Walnut neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: IBZ-8 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: IBZ-8 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • F108 bridge
  • Wizard II-8 Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Ibanez tuners
  • Weight between 6.9lbs (3.1kgs) and 7.65lbs (3.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Overview

  • From Jackson's 2021 Pro series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Ash top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Distortion 7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1000 Series Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed) bridge
  • Jackson Standard Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Jackson Sealed Die-Cast 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

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 RG8

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Meranti wood pattern used for guitar building
Meranti

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

Meranti is an affordable wood used mainly for affordable electric guitars. It's generally lighter and softer than Mahogany. Find out more about Meranti.

Woods Used in the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

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: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

Pickup Configuration

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

Pickups Quality

The Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez RG8. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH'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: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

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 Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez RG8 gives you 3. This means that the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

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

Ibanez RG8 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RG8's switch options
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH'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: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez RG8
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 65
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 85
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 Ibanez RG8 compares to the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

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 Ibanez RG8 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 Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH comes with 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.

Winner: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

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 RG8's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

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: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Ibanez RG8's are Ibanez while the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH's are Jackson Sealed Die-Cast

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 RG8 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 Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH comes with Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.

Winner: Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RG8
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez RG8
Quality of materials 41
Features 50
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 52
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
Quality of materials 45
Features 85
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 68

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 RG8 Nut Width
Ibanez RG8 Nut Width
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Nut Width
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RG8 has the wider nut with 55mm (2.165'') vs 47.6mm (1.875''). This is a 7.4mm (0.29'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RG8, 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 RG8's Scale Length
Ibanez RG8's Scale Length
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH's Scale Length
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH'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 RG8 has the longest scale: 27". The Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH is only 25.5" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) 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 RG8 Neck Profile
Ibanez RG8's neck profile
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Neck Profile
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH'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 RG8 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 Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Ibanez RG8 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RG8's Fingerboard radius
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Fretboard Compound Radius
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH's Compound Fretboard 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 Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH 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 Ibanez RG8 favors large hands more than the Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH.

Ibanez RG8:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez RG8 and Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH Frets Size
Both have a similar Jumbo fret size

Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.

Final Playability Scores

Ibanez RG8
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez RG8 vs Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
General Ibanez RG8 Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL7A MAH
Brand: Ibanez Jackson
Year: 2020 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 8 7
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: RG Pro
Colors: White White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Meranti Mahogany
Bridge: F108 Floyd Rose 1000 Series Double-Locking Tremolo (Recessed)
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: Ibanez Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
Fretboard: Jatoba Ebony
Neck Material: Maple/Walnut Maple
Decoration: White Dot Pearloid Piranha Tooth (Small Sharkfin)
Scale Size: 27" 25.5"
Shape: Wizard II-8 Jackson Standard
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 12" to 16"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 55mm (2.165'') 47.6mm (1.875'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: IBZ-8 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Distortion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: IBZ-8 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Distortion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1