Swap
Swap
Ibanez SA460MBW
Ibanez SA360NQM
VS
Playability
70
Sound
64
Build
53
Value
67
Score
62
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
70
Sound
64
Build
53
Value
67
Score
62
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Ibanez SA460MBW vs SA360NQM

Reasons to Get
Ibanez SA460MBW over SA360NQM

Reasons to Get
Ibanez SA360NQM over SA460MBW

Other Key Differences
Ibanez SA460MBW vs SA360NQM

Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Ibanez SA460MBW vs SA360NQM

Bridge Pickup
Quantum Humbucker
Same Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Resolution Single
Same Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Resolution Single
Same Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
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
Pickups
HSS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.77'' (19.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Maple Burl vs Quilted Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
SA
Thin neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Ibanez SA460MBW Prices

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 62 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Ibanez SA360NQM wins when it comes to. On the other hand, the Ibanez SA460MBW has the upper hand when it comes to.

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?

Both meet 5 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 SA460MBW
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez SA360NQM
  • 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 SA460MBW Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2020 SA series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Maple Burl top
  • Okoume body
  • Maple neck
  • Bound Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Quantum Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Resolution Single (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Resolution Single (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • T102 tremolo bridge
  • SA Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Ibanez tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez SA360NQM Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2020 SA series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Okoume body
  • Maple neck
  • Bound Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Quantum Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Resolution Single (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Resolution Single (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • T102 tremolo bridge
  • SA Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Ibanez 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
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

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.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Woods Used in the Ibanez SA460MBW

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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 SA360NQM

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

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.

Winner: Ibanez SA460MBW.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HSS. 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

None of these use a specialized pickup brand for their pickups. Some of the best guitars on the market come with pickups from brands like EMG, Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, etc. You might want to replace your pickups eventually if you want to get the best sound out of any of these instruments.

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: Tie.

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.

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

They both share the following switching options:

Ibanez SA460MBW and Ibanez SA360NQM pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez SA460MBW and Ibanez SA360NQM'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez SA460MBW
Pickups 60
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 64
Ibanez SA360NQM
Pickups 60
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 64

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 SA460MBW compares to the Ibanez SA360NQM.

Country of Origin

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

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

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.

In this case, both have Plastic nuts. 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.

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: 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: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Ibanez.

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.

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 SA460MBW
  • Expensive Wood
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez SA360NQM
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • 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 Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez SA460MBW
Quality of materials 45
Features 55
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 53
Ibanez SA360NQM
Quality of materials 45
Features 55
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 53

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 SA460MBW Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Ibanez SA460MBW and Ibanez SA360NQM'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 SA460MBW Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Ibanez SA460MBW and the Ibanez SA360NQM have a SA-shaped neck. Like most Ibanez necks, it's thinner than most modern C necks. It's very similar in thickness and shape to their unique Wizard profile.

Fretboard Radius

Ibanez SA460MBW Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same 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.

Both the Ibanez SA460MBW and the Ibanez SA360NQM have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

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 SA460MBW:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez SA360NQM:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez SA460MBW and Ibanez SA360NQM Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Ibanez SA460MBW
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Ibanez SA360NQM
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez SA460MBW vs SA360NQM
General Ibanez SA460MBW SA360NQM
Brand: Ibanez Ibanez
Year: 2020 2020
Configuration: HSS HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China China
Series: SA SA
Colors: Blue Burst Black, Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Okoume
Bridge: T102 tremolo T102 tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Ibanez Ibanez
Fretboard: Bound Ebony Bound Jatoba
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Abalone dot Abalone dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: SA SA
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.77'' (19.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.77'' (19.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Quantum Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Quantum Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Resolution Single (Single Coil / Passive) Resolution Single (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Resolution Single (Single Coil / Passive) Resolution Single (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1