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Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Ibanez RGD7521PB
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Playability
78
Sound
82
Build
72
Value
67
Score
77
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Playability
75
Sound
74
Build
57
Value
74
Score
69
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Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black vs Ibanez RGD7521PB Specs Comparison
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Ibanez RGD7521PB
General
Brand: Strandberg Ibanez
Year: 2023 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Sälen RGD
Colors: Black, Red, Natural Blue
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Chambered Mahogany Nyatoh
Bridge: Strandberg EGS Series 7 fixed & string locks Gibraltar Standard II-7
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: At bridge Ibanez
Fretboard: Rosewood Jatoba
Neck Material: Mahogany Roasted Maple
Decoration: Illuminlay dots White Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" to 25" 26.5"
Shape: EndurNeck Wizard II-7
Thickness: 1st Fret: 1.2'' (30.5mm) - 12th Fret: 1.1'' (27.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.75'' (19.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm)
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 20" 16"
Nut: Locking Plastic
Nut Width: 36mm (1.417'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Strandberg Classic Bridge (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio PAF 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Strandberg Classic Neck (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio PAF 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Series Split Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 0
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Black
Show Diagrams Comparison
Ibanez RGD7521PB pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez RGD7521PB's switch options

Reasons to Get
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black over Ibanez RGD7521PB

Weight Relief
Yes vs None
Lighter Body
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2023 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Scale Length
25.5" to 25" vs 26.5"
Less fret buzz with less string stiffness
Neck Profile
EndurNeck vs Wizard II-7
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs Coil Split
Connects pickups in series to imitate a humbucker
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
1.2'' (30.5mm) vs 0.75'' (19.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
1.1'' (27.9mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.417'' (36mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Fretboard Radius
20'' (508mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Ibanez RGD7521PB over Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black

Decorative Top
Poplar Burl vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
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
Scale Length
26.5" vs 25.5" to 25"
Easier to adapt to
Neck Profile
Wizard II-7 vs EndurNeck
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Series Split
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.75'' (19.1mm) vs 1.2'' (30.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 1.1'' (27.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.417'' (36mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 20'' (508mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
74 vs 67
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black vs Ibanez RGD7521PB

Bridge Pickup
Strandberg Classic Bridge vs DiMarzio PAF 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Strandberg Classic Neck vs DiMarzio PAF 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Nyatoh
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
Headless vs 7
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black vs Ibanez RGD7521PB

Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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 RGD7521PB favors large hands more than the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez RGD7521PB:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez RGD7521PB 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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez RGD7521PB
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black

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 RGD7521PB

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

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.

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.

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

Winner: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

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.

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: 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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez RGD7521PB gives you 3. This means that the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black offers Series Split.

The Series Split feature allows it to split and connect some of the pickups in series. When wired in series, the resulting tone is similar to a Humbucker's. The pickups will work together and produce a fuller tone with more output than single-coils, but less than Humbuckers.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RGD7521PB 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: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Pickups 85
Sustain 75
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 82
Ibanez RGD7521PB
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black compares to the Ibanez RGD7521PB.

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.

The Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black has a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RGD7521PB 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: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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: Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

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

In this case, the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black has no machine heads because it is a headless guitar. Instead, the strings are tuned at the bridge. This gives the guitar a better balance and will prevent neck dives. It also makes it more travel friendly.

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
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Series Split Pickups
  • Weight Relief
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez RGD7521PB
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • 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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Quality of materials 61
Features 70
Quality Control 85
Build Quality 72
Ibanez RGD7521PB
Quality of materials 45
Features 55
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 57

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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Nut Width
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Nut Width
Ibanez RGD7521PB Nut Width
Ibanez RGD7521PB Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez RGD7521PB has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 36mm (1.417''). This is a 12mm (0.473'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez RGD7521PB, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Scale Length
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Scale Length
Ibanez RGD7521PB's Scale Length
Ibanez RGD7521PB'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.

In this case, the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black features a multi-scale of 25.5" to 25" while the Ibanez RGD7521PB has a regular scale of 26.5".

A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.

It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.

On the other hand, the Ibanez RGD7521PB's 26.5" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Neck Profile
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's neck profile
Ibanez RGD7521PB Neck Profile
Ibanez RGD7521PB'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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black 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 RGD7521PB, 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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Fingerboard Radius
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez RGD7521PB Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez RGD7521PB'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 Ibanez RGD7521PB's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black'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 Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black.

Fret Size

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black Frets Size
Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black's Frets Size
Ibanez RGD7521PB Frets Size
Ibanez RGD7521PB's Frets Size

The Ibanez RGD7521PB has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black'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

Strandberg Sälen Jazz NX 6 Black
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 78
Ibanez RGD7521PB
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75