Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 vs Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label
Reasons to Get
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 over Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label
Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label over Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7
Other Key Differences
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 vs Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label
Shared Features
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 vs Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label
Common Strengths
- Locking Tuners
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- 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 Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label's 73 score, although not by a lot.
The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label in every aspect.
If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 is the better choice.
The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label 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
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- 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.
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 Overview
- From Jackson's 2020 Pro series
- Made in South Korea
- 7 strings
- 26.5"'' scale
- 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
- Ash body
- 3-Piece Maple/Wenge/Maple neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core PRF-CO7 (Humbucker/Active)
- Neck pickup: Fishman Fluence Open Core PRF-CO7 (Humbucker/Active)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 5-way Switch
- Hipshot 7 Fixed .175 bridge
- Speed Bolt-On neck
- 24 Jumbo frets
- Gotoh Locking tuners
- Weight between 6.9lbs (3.1kgs) and 7.7lbs (3.5kgs)
- Compare Specs >
Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label Overview
- From Ibanez's 2021 RGD series
- Made in Indonesia
- 7 strings
- 26.5"'' scale
- 16" Fretboard Radius
- Poplar Burl top
- Layered Ash & Nyatoh body
- Panga Panga/Walnut neck
- Macassar Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Bare Knuckle Aftermath-7 (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Bare Knuckle Aftermath-7 (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Mono-rail bridge
- Nitro Wizard-7 Bolt-On neck
- 24 Jumbo 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
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 Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7
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.
Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.
Woods Used in the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label
Panga Panga is an African wood very similar to Wenge. It comes in a very dark color with tight grain. Its tonality favors the low-to-mid frequencies.
This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
Both pickup configurations are HH. 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.
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.
You can purchase similar pickups to the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7's and use them on any guitar:
The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7's pickups are Active while the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label'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: 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
The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label gives you 3. This means that the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Both give you different pickup mod options.
The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 offers 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.
On the other hand, the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label comes with the following: Coil Split.
Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.
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
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 Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 compares to the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 is built in South Korea while the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label is made in Indonesia.
South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.
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 Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 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 Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label comes with 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.
Winner: Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7.
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
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:
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Multi-Voicing Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 44.5mm (1.75''). This is a 3.5mm (0.14'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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 26.5".
This scale is close to the popular 25.50" length, but adding an additional inch allows you to tune your strings lower while keeping the action low without causing fret buzz. This is useful for lower tunings, 7-string, or even classical guitars.
You want to avoid such a long scale if you don't plan to play in low tunings since the longer scale also means the frets are more separated, making it harder to play fast, especially for small hands.
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
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 Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.
The Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label, on the other hand, has a Wizard 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.
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.
In this case, the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7 is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.
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 RGD71ALPA Axion Label favors large hands more than the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7.
Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK Modern Ash HT7:
Ibanez RGD71ALPA Axion Label:
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.