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Ibanez TOD10N
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
VS
Playability
70
Sound
86
Build
75
Value
82
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
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Playability
77
Sound
88
Build
77
Value
86
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez TOD10N vs Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier

Reasons to Get
Ibanez TOD10N over Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2022 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
22 vs 20
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.811'' (46mm) vs 1.68'' (42.7mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Body Shape
Custom Nylon vs Dreadnought
Custom body with soft nylon strings
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier over Ibanez TOD10N

Number of Frets
20 vs 22
Warmer neck pickup
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.68'' (42.7mm) vs 1.811'' (46mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Dreadnought vs Custom Nylon
Prominent low-end tones in a large body
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
86 vs 82
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Ibanez TOD10N vs Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier

Back Material
Sapele vs Maple
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Sapele vs Maple
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Walnut vs Indian Laurel
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Nyatoh vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Walnut vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs NuBone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez TOD10N vs Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium vs Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Ibanez TOD10N's 77 score, although not by a lot.

The Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Ibanez TOD10N in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Ibanez TOD10N is the better choice.

The Ibanez TOD10N meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier meets only 4. 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 TOD10N
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • 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 TOD10N Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 TOD series
  • Tim Henson Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Sapele back
  • Sapele sides
  • Nyatoh neck
  • Walnut fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Sonicore (Preamp/Active)
  • Walnut bridge
  • Acoustic C Shape Set neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Gold Classical tuners tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Overview

  • From Epiphone's 2020 Masterbilt series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Maple back
  • Solid Maple sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Indian Laurel fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Sonicore (Preamp/Active)
  • Indian Laurel bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Gold, Keystone Buttons tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Ibanez TOD10N

Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh
Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut
Sapele wood pattern used for guitar building
Sapele

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

It's a hard wood with a chocolate color that is often used to give an elegant finish. Since it's quite expensive and rare, it's mostly used for guitar tops. Find out more about Walnut.

It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

Woods Used in the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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.

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

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.

Winner: Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez TOD10N
Sustain 80
Versatility 95
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88

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 TOD10N compares to the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez TOD10N is built in Indonesia while the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier is made in China.

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.

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: Ibanez TOD10N

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 TOD10N has 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.

On the other hand, the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier comes with a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.

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.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Ibanez TOD10N's are Gold Classical tuners while the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier's are Gold, Keystone Buttons

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez TOD10N
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Plastic Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez TOD10N
Quality of materials 71
Features 85
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 75
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 77

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 TOD10N Nut Width
Ibanez TOD10N Nut Width
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Nut Width
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez TOD10N has the wider nut with 46mm (1.811'') vs 42.7mm (1.68''). This is a 3.3mm (0.131'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez TOD10N, 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 TOD10N and Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier'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 TOD10N Neck Profile
Ibanez TOD10N's neck profile
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Neck Profile
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier'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.

Both the Ibanez TOD10N and the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier have a C-shaped 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 TOD10N Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez TOD10N's Fingerboard radius
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Fingerboard Radius
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier'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 Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez TOD10N'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 TOD10N.

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 TOD10N favors large hands more than the Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier.

Ibanez TOD10N:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez TOD10N Frets Size
Ibanez TOD10N's Frets Size
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier Frets Size
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier's Frets Size

The Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez TOD10N's Medium 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 TOD10N
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez TOD10N vs Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
General Ibanez TOD10N Epiphone Masterbilt Frontier
Brand: Ibanez Epiphone
Year: 2022 2020
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: TOD Masterbilt
Colors: Black Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Sapele Maple
Back Material: Sapele Maple
Bridge: Walnut Indian Laurel
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold Classical tuners Gold, Keystone Buttons
Fretboard: Walnut Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Nyatoh Mahogany
Decoration: Tree of Death Pearloid Split Block Rectangles
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Acoustic C Shape Acoustic C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.827'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15.75" 12"
Nut: Bone NuBone
Nut Width: 46mm (1.811'') 42.7mm (1.68'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Sonicore (Preamp / Active) Fishman Sonicore (Preamp / Active)