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Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige
Fender Player Mustang
VS
Playability
75
Sound
80
Build
75
Value
67
Score
77
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
57
Value
74
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige vs Fender Player Mustang

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige over Fender Player Mustang

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2023 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 Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Wizard HP vs Modern C
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs None
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Pickups
HH vs SS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.709'' (18mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) 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
Scale Length
26.5'' (673.1mm) vs 24'' (609.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
17'' (431.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Mustang over Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Modern C vs Wizard HP
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups
SS vs HH
Beautiful cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.709'' (18mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24'' (609.6mm) vs 26.5'' (673.1mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 17'' (431.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
74 vs 67
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige vs Fender Player Mustang

Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern vs Fender Mustang Single-Coil
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern vs Fender Mustang Single-Coil
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Basswood vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Pau Ferro
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige vs Fender Player Mustang

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • 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 RGD3121 Prestige is probably the better product overall with its final score of 77 compared to the Fender Player Mustang's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Player Mustang has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

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 Fender Player Mustang is the better choice.

The Fender Player Mustang meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige meets only 5. 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 RGD3121 Prestige
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender Player Mustang
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • 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 RGD3121 Prestige Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2023 RGD series
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 26.5"'' scale
  • 17" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Maple/Wenge neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Mono-rail bridge
  • Wizard HP Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Player Mustang Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 Player series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 24"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Mustang Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Mustang Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Standard Cast/Sealed 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 RGD3121 Prestige

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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.

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

Woods Used in the Fender Player Mustang

Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

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: Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige has an HH configuration while the Fender Player Mustang 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 Player Mustang 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 RGD3121 Prestige's and use them on any guitar:

The Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige's pickups are Active while the Fender Player Mustang's are Passive.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Fender Player Mustang.

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.

Only the Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige comes with some kind of pickup modification: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige's switch options
Fender Player Mustang pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Player Mustang'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 RGD3121 Prestige.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 80
Fender Player Mustang
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
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 RGD3121 Prestige compares to the Fender Player Mustang.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige is built in Japan while the Fender Player Mustang is made in Mexico.

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.

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

Winner: Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige

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 RGD3121 Prestige has a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

On the other hand, the Fender Player Mustang comes with a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

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.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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 RGD3121 Prestige 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 RGD3121 Prestige.

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 RGD3121 Prestige
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Player Mustang
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige
Quality of materials 61
Features 70
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 75
Fender Player Mustang
Quality of materials 51
Features 50
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 57

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 RGD3121 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige Nut Width
Fender Player Mustang Nut Width
Fender Player Mustang Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige 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 Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige, 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 RGD3121 Prestige's Scale Length
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige's Scale Length
Fender Player Mustang's Scale Length
Fender Player Mustang'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 RGD3121 Prestige has the longest scale: 26.5". The Fender Player Mustang is only 24" long. This is a 2.5'' (63.5mm) 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 RGD3121 Prestige Neck Profile
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige's neck profile
Fender Player Mustang Neck Profile
Fender Player Mustang'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 RGD3121 Prestige 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 Player Mustang, 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 RGD3121 Prestige Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige's Fingerboard radius
Fender Player Mustang Fingerboard Radius
Fender Player Mustang'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 Player Mustang's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige'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 RGD3121 Prestige.

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 RGD3121 Prestige:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Player Mustang:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige Frets Size
Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige's Frets Size
Fender Player Mustang Frets Size
Fender Player Mustang's Frets Size

The Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender Player Mustang'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 RGD3121 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75
Fender Player Mustang
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige vs Fender Player Mustang
General Ibanez RGD3121 Prestige Fender Player Mustang
Brand: Ibanez Fender
Year: 2023 2018
Configuration: HH SS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan Mexico
Series: RGD Player
Colors: Purple Gold, Sunburst, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Alder
Bridge: Mono-rail 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads Standard Cast/Sealed
Fretboard: Macassar Ebony Pau Ferro
Neck Material: Maple/Wenge Maple
Decoration: White Dot White Dot
Scale Size: 26.5" 24"
Shape: Wizard HP Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.709'' (18mm) - 12th Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 17" 9.5"
Nut: Black Tusq XL Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker / Active) Fender Mustang Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Fishman Fluence Modern (Humbucker / Active) Fender Mustang Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Multi-Voicing None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1