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PRS SE Custom 22
Ibanez AR420
VS
Playability
68
Sound
72
Build
59
Value
71
Score
66
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Playability
73
Sound
65
Build
53
Value
69
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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PRS SE Custom 22 vs Ibanez AR420

Reasons to Get
PRS SE Custom 22 over Ibanez AR420

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Wide Thin vs AR
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
PRS vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
PRS Propietary vs Plastic
Good tuning stability
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Tri-Sound
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.91'' (23.1mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
71 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AR420 over PRS SE Custom 22

Neck Profile
AR vs Wide Thin
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Tri-Sound vs Coil Split
Grants 3 ways to modify the sound of the pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.91'' (23.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25'' (635mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
PRS SE Custom 22 vs Ibanez AR420

Bridge Pickup
PRS 85/15 S vs Super 58
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
PRS 85/15 S vs Super 58
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Okoume
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
PRS Propietary vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
PRS SE Custom 22 vs Ibanez AR420

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Decorative Top
Beveled Maple Top with Flame Maple Veneer vs Flamed Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • 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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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the PRS SE Custom 22 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 66 compared to the Ibanez AR420's 64 score, although not by a lot.

The PRS SE Custom 22 wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420 has the upper hand when it comes to playability.

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 4 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

PRS SE Custom 22
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AR420
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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.

PRS SE Custom 22 Overview

  • From PRS's 2020 SE series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Beveled Maple Top with Flame Maple Veneer top
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • PRS Patented Tremolo, Molded bridge
  • Wide Thin Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • PRS Designed Tuners tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez AR420 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2020 AR series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Okoume body
  • 3pc Maple neck
  • Bound Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Super 58 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Super 58 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gibraltar Performer bridge
  • AR Set 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

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 PRS SE Custom 22

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AR420

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

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.

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.

Winner: PRS SE Custom 22.

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

The PRS SE Custom 22 has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez AR420. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller 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.

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: PRS SE Custom 22.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The PRS SE Custom 22 offers 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420 comes with the following: Tri-Sound.

Tri-Sound gives you the choice of using the pickup coils at the same time, splitting them or connect them im parallel for a brighter sound.

PRS SE Custom 22 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
PRS SE Custom 22's switch options
Ibanez AR420 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AR420'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: PRS SE Custom 22.

Final Sound Quality Scores

PRS SE Custom 22
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 72
Ibanez AR420
Pickups 60
Sustain 70
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 65

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 PRS SE Custom 22 compares to the Ibanez AR420.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The PRS SE Custom 22 is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez AR420 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: PRS SE Custom 22

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 PRS SE Custom 22 has a PRS Propietary nut. It's similar to TUSQ nuts, but they're not as hard, and the tone is not as bright. However, the material is self-lubricating, and it's usually well cut, so they have good tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420 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: PRS SE Custom 22.

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.

The PRS SE Custom 22's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420's 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.

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. The PRS SE Custom 22's are PRS Designed Tuners while the Ibanez AR420's are 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 Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS SE Custom 22
  • Expensive Wood
  • PRS Propietary Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AR420
  • Tri-Sound Pickups
  • 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 Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

PRS SE Custom 22
Quality of materials 48
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 59
Ibanez AR420
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

PRS SE Custom 22 Nut Width
PRS SE Custom 22 Nut Width
Ibanez AR420 Nut Width
Ibanez AR420 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez AR420 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez AR420, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

PRS SE Custom 22's Scale Length
PRS SE Custom 22's Scale Length
Ibanez AR420's Scale Length
Ibanez AR420'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.

The PRS SE Custom 22 has the longest scale: 25". The Ibanez AR420 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.25'' (6.4mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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

PRS SE Custom 22 Neck Profile
PRS SE Custom 22's neck profile
Ibanez AR420 Neck Profile
Ibanez AR420'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 PRS SE Custom 22 has a C type of 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.

The Ibanez AR420, on the other hand, has a SA 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

PRS SE Custom 22 Fingerboard Radius
PRS SE Custom 22's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez AR420 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AR420'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 PRS SE Custom 22's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez AR420'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 AR420.

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 .

PRS SE Custom 22:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AR420:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

PRS SE Custom 22 Frets Size
PRS SE Custom 22's Frets Size
Ibanez AR420 Frets Size
Ibanez AR420's Frets Size

The PRS SE Custom 22 has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez AR420'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

PRS SE Custom 22
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68
Ibanez AR420
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

PRS SE Custom 22 vs Ibanez AR420
General PRS SE Custom 22 Ibanez AR420
Brand: PRS Ibanez
Year: 2020 2020
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: SE AR
Colors: Blue, Vintage Sunburst Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Okoume
Bridge: PRS Patented Tremolo, Molded Gibraltar Performer
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: PRS Designed Tuners Ibanez
Fretboard: Rosewood Bound Jatoba
Neck Material: Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: Birds Acrylic & Abalone block
Scale Size: 25" 24.75"
Shape: Wide Thin AR
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.91'' (23.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" 12"
Nut: PRS Propietary Plastic
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker / Passive) Super 58 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: PRS 85/15 S (Humbucker / Passive) Super 58 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Speed Speed
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Tri-Sound
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2