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Sterling Majesty Maj100
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige
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Playability
73
Sound
67
Build
64
Value
68
Score
68
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Playability
75
Sound
80
Build
80
Value
73
Score
78
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Sterling Majesty Maj100 vs Ibanez RG5328 Prestige Specs Comparison
Sterling Majesty Maj100 Ibanez RG5328 Prestige
General
Brand: Sterling Ibanez
Year: 2020 2019
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 8
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: John Petrucci RG
Colors: Blue, Red Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Ash
Bridge: Modern Tremolo Gibraltar Standard II-8
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Locking Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
Fretboard: Rosewood Bound Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: 3-Piece Mahogany Maple/Wenge
Decoration: Custom Jp Inlays Mother of Pearl dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 27"
Shape: John Petrucci Wizard-8
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 16" 17"
Nut: Compensated Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 55mm (2.165'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio Fusion Edge 8 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio Fusion Edge 8 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Boost Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Sterling Majesty Maj100 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling Majesty Maj100's switch options
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige's switch options

Reasons to Get
Sterling Majesty Maj100 over Ibanez RG5328 Prestige

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
John Petrucci vs Wizard-8
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Boost vs Coil Split
Increases the output of the pickup
Strings
6 vs 8
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 2.165'' (55mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 27'' (685.8mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 17'' (431.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige over Sterling Majesty Maj100

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Wizard-8 vs John Petrucci
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickups Brand
DiMarzio vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Boost
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Strings
8 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Nut Width
2.165'' (55mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
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
Scale Length
27'' (685.8mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
17'' (431.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
73 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Sterling Majesty Maj100 vs Ibanez RG5328 Prestige

Bridge Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs DiMarzio Fusion Edge 8
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs DiMarzio Fusion Edge 8
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 4-4
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Sterling Majesty Maj100 vs Ibanez RG5328 Prestige

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
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Sterling Majesty Maj100 Prices

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige favors large hands more than the Sterling Majesty Maj100.

Sterling Majesty Maj100:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Sterling Majesty Maj100 meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige 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

Sterling Majesty Maj100
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RG5328 Prestige
  • 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 Majesty Maj100

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

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

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.

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.

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.

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

The Ibanez RG5328 Prestige pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling Majesty Maj100. 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.

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 RG5328 Prestige.

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 Sterling Majesty Maj100 offers 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige 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: Sterling Majesty Maj100.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Sterling Majesty Maj100
Pickups 55
Sustain 65
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 67
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 80

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 Majesty Maj100 compares to the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Sterling Majesty Maj100 is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige 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 RG5328 Prestige

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 Sterling Majesty Maj100 has a Compensated nut. 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige comes with 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).

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.

In this comparison, the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige 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 RG5328 Prestige.

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 Sterling Majesty Maj100'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 RG5328 Prestige'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

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.

The Sterling Majesty Maj100 has 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige comes with 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: Ibanez RG5328 Prestige.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling Majesty Maj100
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Boost Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 RG5328 Prestige
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Sterling Majesty Maj100
Quality of materials 46
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige
Quality of materials 81
Features 70
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 80

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 Majesty Maj100 Nut Width
Sterling Majesty Maj100 Nut Width
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige has the wider nut with 55mm (2.165'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 13.1mm (0.515'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Sterling Majesty Maj100's Scale Length
Sterling Majesty Maj100's Scale Length
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige's Scale Length
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige'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 Ibanez RG5328 Prestige has the longest scale: 27". The Sterling Majesty Maj100 is only 25.5" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) 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

Sterling Majesty Maj100 Neck Profile
Sterling Majesty Maj100's neck profile
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige Neck Profile
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige'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 Sterling Majesty Maj100 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 RG5328 Prestige, 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

Sterling Majesty Maj100 Fingerboard Radius
Sterling Majesty Maj100's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige'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 Sterling Majesty Maj100's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez RG5328 Prestige'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 RG5328 Prestige.

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''.

Fret Size

Sterling Majesty Maj100 Frets Size
Sterling Majesty Maj100's Frets Size
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige Frets Size
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige's Frets Size

The Ibanez RG5328 Prestige has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Sterling Majesty Maj100's Medium Jumbo 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

Sterling Majesty Maj100
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Ibanez RG5328 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75