Swap
Swap
Ibanez SML721
Ibanez AT100CL
VS
Playability
78
Sound
71
Build
69
Value
78
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
75
Value
66
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Ibanez SML721 vs AT100CL

Reasons to Get
Ibanez SML721 over AT100CL

Fret Material
Gold vs Nickel Silver
Almost as durable as stainless steel with an exotic look
Release Year
2023 vs 2009
From a more recent year
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 25.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
Wizard vs AT
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Pickups
HH vs HHH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.71'' (18mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.91'' (23.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.594'' (40.5mm)
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
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
78 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AT100CL over SML721

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Scale Length
25.5" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
AT vs Wizard
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
DiMarzio vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HHH vs HH
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.71'' (18mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.91'' (23.1mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.594'' (40.5mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
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 SML721 vs AT100CL

Bridge Pickup
Q58 vs DiMarzio AT-1
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Q58 vs DiMarzio The Cruiser
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Nyatoh vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez SML721 vs AT100CL

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck 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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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 the Ibanez AT100CL is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Ibanez SML721's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez AT100CL wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Ibanez SML721 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 Ibanez AT100CL is the better choice.

The Ibanez AT100CL meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez SML721 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 SML721
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AT100CL
  • 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 SML721 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2023 S series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5" to 25"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Nyatoh body
  • Maple/Walnut neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Q58 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Q58 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Mono-rail bridge
  • Wizard Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo Gold frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez AT100CL Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2009 AT series
  • Andy Timmons Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio AT-1 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: DiMarzio The Cruiser (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: DiMarzio The Cruiser (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Wilkinson-Gotoh VSVG tremolo bridge
  • AT Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P. 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 SML721

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

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.

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AT100CL

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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 SML721.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez SML721 has an HH configuration while the Ibanez AT100CL has HHH 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, A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

Pickups Quality

The Ibanez AT100CL pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez SML721. 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 Hard Rock and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez AT100CL'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 AT100CL.

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 SML721 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 SML721 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez SML721's switch options
Ibanez AT100CL pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AT100CL'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 SML721
Pickups 55
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 71
Ibanez AT100CL
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
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 SML721 compares to the Ibanez AT100CL.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez SML721 is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez AT100CL is made in Japan.

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.

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.

Winner: Ibanez AT100CL

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 SML721 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 Ibanez AT100CL comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Ibanez AT100CL.

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 AT100CL 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 AT100CL.

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 SML721'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 Ibanez AT100CL'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: Tie.

Tuners

They both have 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: 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 SML721
  • Gold Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AT100CL
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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 SML721
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 69
Ibanez AT100CL
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 75

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 SML721 Nut Width
Ibanez SML721 Nut Width
Ibanez AT100CL Nut Width
Ibanez AT100CL Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez SML721 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 40.5mm (1.594''). This is a 2.5mm (0.099'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez SML721, 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 SML721's Scale Length
Ibanez SML721's Scale Length
Ibanez AT100CL's Scale Length
Ibanez AT100CL'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.

In this case, the Ibanez SML721 features a multi-scale of 25.5" to 25" while the Ibanez AT100CL has a regular scale of 25.5".

A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.

It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AT100CL's 25.5" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.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 SML721 Neck Profile
Ibanez SML721's neck profile
Ibanez AT100CL Neck Profile
Ibanez AT100CL'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 SML721 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 AT100CL, 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 SML721 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez SML721's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez AT100CL Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AT100CL'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 AT100CL's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez SML721'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 SML721.

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.

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 SML721:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AT100CL:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez SML721 and Ibanez AT100CL 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 SML721
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78
Ibanez AT100CL
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez SML721 vs AT100CL
General Ibanez SML721 AT100CL
Brand: Ibanez Ibanez
Year: 2023 2009
Configuration: HH HHH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: S AT
Colors: Pink Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Nyatoh Alder
Bridge: Mono-rail Wilkinson-Gotoh VSVG tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P.
Fretboard: Rosewood Maple
Neck Material: Maple/Walnut Maple
Decoration: Off-set white dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 25.5"
Shape: Wizard AT
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.71'' (18mm) - 12th Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.91'' (23.1mm)
Frets: 24 Jumbo Gold 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 12"
Nut: Plastic Bone
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 40.5mm (1.594'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Q58 (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio AT-1 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio The Cruiser (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Q58 (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio The Cruiser (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Tap None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 2