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Sterling JP70
Sterling JP157 DiMarzio
VS
Playability
70
Sound
66
Build
59
Value
75
Score
65
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Playability
70
Sound
76
Build
72
Value
73
Score
73
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Sterling JP70 vs JP157 DiMarzio Specs Comparison
Sterling JP70 JP157 DiMarzio
General
Brand: Sterling Sterling
Year: 2017 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 7 7
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: John Petrucci John Petrucci
Colors: Green Purple
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood Mahogany
Bridge: Modern Tremolo Modern Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Locking Locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Hard Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Custom Jp Inlays Custom Jp Inlays
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: John Petrucci John Petrucci
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Compensated Compensated
Nut Width: 49.5mm (1.95'') 49.5mm (1.95'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio Crunch Lab (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio LiquiFire (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Boost
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Sterling JP70 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling JP70's switch options
Sterling JP157 DiMarzio pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling JP157 DiMarzio's switch options

Reasons to Get
Sterling JP70 over JP157 DiMarzio

Value Score
75 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Sterling JP157 DiMarzio over JP70

Decorative Top
Figured Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
DiMarzio vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Boost vs None
Increases the output of the pickup

Other Key Differences
Sterling JP70 vs JP157 DiMarzio

Bridge Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs DiMarzio Crunch Lab
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs DiMarzio LiquiFire
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Basswood vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Sterling JP70 vs JP157 DiMarzio

Headstock
5-2
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated
Same Nut Material
Strings
7
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.95'' (49.5mm)
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
16'' (406.4mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
D
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Sterling JP157 DiMarzio Prices

    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.

    Hand Size Comfortability

    After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both are balanced for most hand sizes.

    Sterling JP70:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands
    Sterling JP157 DiMarzio:
    Big Hands
    Small Hands

    Beginner Friendliness

    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

    Sterling JP70
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Locking tuners
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale

    New Player Friendliness

    Sterling JP157 DiMarzio
    • Comfortable shape
    • Easy-to-use bridge
    • Locking tuners
    • Tall frets
    • Comfortable neck
    • Comfortable fretboard
    • Narrow nut
    • Short scale

    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 the Sterling JP70

    Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
    Maple
    Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
    Rosewood
    Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
    Basswood

    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.

    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.

    Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

    Woods Used in the Sterling JP157 DiMarzio

    Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
    Roasted Maple
    Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
    Ebony
    Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
    Mahogany

    Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

    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.

    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.

    Winner: Sterling JP157 DiMarzio.

    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 Sterling JP157 DiMarzio pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling JP70. 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 Heavy Metal and similar genres.

    We found the same or similar pickups to the Sterling JP157 DiMarzio'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: Sterling JP157 DiMarzio.

    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 Sterling JP157 DiMarzio comes with some kind of pickup modification: Boost.

    A Boost will give your pickups more output, similar to an active pickup. It's great if you like to use a lot of output for heavy genres, but also like to use a cleaner tone often.

    When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

    Winner: Sterling JP157 DiMarzio.

    Final Sound Quality Scores

    Sterling JP70
    Pickups 55
    Sustain 65
    Versatility 69
    Tuning Stability 75
    Sound 66
    Sterling JP157 DiMarzio
    Pickups 85
    Sustain 65
    Versatility 79
    Tuning Stability 75
    Sound 76

    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 Sterling JP70 compares to the Sterling JP157 DiMarzio.

    Country of Origin

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

    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.

    In this case, both have Compensated nuts. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

    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 Sterling JP157 DiMarzio 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: Sterling JP157 DiMarzio.

    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

    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
    Sterling JP70
    • Locking Tuners
    • Expensive Wood
    • Compensated Nut
    • Tremolo
    • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
    • Made in Indonesia
    • 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
    Sterling JP157 DiMarzio
    • Stainless Steel Frets
    • Locking Tuners
    • Expensive Wood
    • Compensated Nut
    • Top Brand Pickups
    • Boost Pickups
    • Tremolo
    • 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

    Final Build Quality Scores

    Sterling JP70
    Quality of materials 46
    Features 65
    Quality Control 65
    Build Quality 59
    Sterling JP157 DiMarzio
    Quality of materials 70
    Features 70
    Quality Control 75
    Build Quality 72

    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

    Sterling JP70 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 49.5mm (1.95'').

    This is considered a wide width for a 7-string guitar. It gives your fingers the extra space you need to play without muting accidentally, but this also makes bar chords harder to perform, especially if you have small hands.

    Scale Length

    Sterling JP70 and Sterling JP157 DiMarzio'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

    Sterling JP70 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 Sterling JP70 and the Sterling JP157 DiMarzio have a D-shaped 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.

    Fretboard Radius

    Sterling JP70 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 Sterling JP70 and the Sterling JP157 DiMarzio have the same fretboard radius of 16". This fretboard radius is really different from Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll favor plating single notes over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for rhythm, but a more curved fretboard offers better playability for chords. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.

    Fret Size

    Sterling JP70 and Sterling JP157 DiMarzio Frets Size
    Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

    Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

    Final Playability Scores

    Sterling JP70
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
    Chord Playability 60
    Solo Playability 80
    Playability 70
    Sterling JP157 DiMarzio
    Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
    Chord Playability 60
    Solo Playability 80
    Playability 70