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Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Ibanez SLM10
VS
Playability
77
Sound
82
Build
77
Value
79
Score
79
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Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
78
Value
77
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium vs SLM10

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium over SLM10

Release Year
2022 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Wizard III vs AZ Oval C
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
HH vs HSS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.75'' (19.1mm) vs 0.81'' (20.6mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
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
Bridge
Edge vs Tremolo
Intense vibratos with more features than a Floyd Rose
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
79 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez SLM10 over RGT1220PB Premium

Neck Profile
AZ Oval C vs Wizard III
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.81'' (20.6mm) vs 0.75'' (19.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
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
Bridge
Tremolo vs Edge
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium vs SLM10

Bridge Pickup
DiMarzio The Tone Zone vs DiMarzio IGNO
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
DiMarzio Air Norton vs DiMarzio True Velvet
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium vs SLM10

Body Wood
Basswood
Same Body Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Poplar Burl vs Quilted Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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 RGT1220PB Premium is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Ibanez SLM10's 77 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Ibanez SLM10 has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Ibanez SLM10 is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Ibanez SLM10 is the better choice.

The Ibanez SLM10 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium 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 RGT1220PB Premium
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez SLM10
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

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 RGT1220PB Premium Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 RG series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar Burl top
  • American Basswood body
  • 7pc Maple/Walnut neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio The Tone Zone (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio Air Norton (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Edge bridge
  • Wizard III Neck-Through neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez SLM10 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2019 SLM series
  • Scott LePage Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • American Basswood body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio IGNO (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: DiMarzio True Velvet (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio True Velvet (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Gotoh T1502 tremolo bridge
  • AZ Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads 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

Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

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 Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez SLM10

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple

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.

Winner: Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium has an HH configuration while the Ibanez SLM10 has HSS 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, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

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 Ibanez SLM10 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 RGT1220PB Premium's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez SLM10'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: Ibanez SLM10.

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 RGT1220PB Premium comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's switch options
Ibanez SLM10 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez SLM10'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 RGT1220PB Premium.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 77
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82
Ibanez SLM10
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 75
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 RGT1220PB Premium compares to the Ibanez SLM10.

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 RGT1220PB Premium 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 Ibanez SLM10 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.

Both in this comparison come with 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: 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 RGT1220PB Premium'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 Ibanez SLM10'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 RGT1220PB Premium.

Tuners

The Ibanez SLM10 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.

Nevertheless, the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Ibanez SLM10.

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 RGT1220PB Premium has a 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez SLM10 comes with 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: Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Retainer Bar
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez SLM10
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium
Quality of materials 75
Features 80
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 77
Ibanez SLM10
Quality of materials 90
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 78

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 RGT1220PB Premium Nut Width
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Nut Width
Ibanez SLM10 Nut Width
Ibanez SLM10 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium 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 RGT1220PB Premium, 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 RGT1220PB Premium and Ibanez SLM10's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium Neck Profile
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's neck profile
Ibanez SLM10 Neck Profile
Ibanez SLM10'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 RGT1220PB Premium 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 Ibanez SLM10, 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 RGT1220PB Premium Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez SLM10 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez SLM10'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 SLM10's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium'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 RGT1220PB Premium.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

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 RGT1220PB Premium favors large hands more than the Ibanez SLM10. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez SLM10:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium and Ibanez SLM10 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 RGT1220PB Premium
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 100
Playability 77
Ibanez SLM10
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium vs SLM10
General Ibanez RGT1220PB Premium SLM10
Brand: Ibanez Ibanez
Year: 2022 2019
Configuration: HH HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: RG SLM
Colors: Brown Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: American Basswood American Basswood
Bridge: Edge Gotoh T1502 tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh machine heads Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
Fretboard: Ebony Roasted Maple
Neck Material: 7pc Maple/Walnut Roasted Maple
Decoration: Acrylic & Abalone block White Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Wizard III AZ Oval C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.75'' (19.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 12"
Nut: Locking Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio The Tone Zone (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio IGNO (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio True Velvet (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio Air Norton (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio True Velvet (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Tap None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1