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Washburn SDFTB Deluxe
Ibanez GRG140
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Playability
67
Sound
64
Build
56
Value
72
Score
62
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Playability
73
Sound
66
Build
52
Value
74
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Washburn SDFTB Deluxe vs Ibanez GRG140 Specs Comparison
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe Ibanez GRG140
General
Brand: Washburn Ibanez
Year: 2021 2020
Configuration: HSS HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: Sonamaster RG
Colors: Black White, Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Poplar
Bridge: Vintage Tremolo T102 tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Chrome Diecast Ibanez
Fretboard: Techwood Purpleheart
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Dots White Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Washburn Sonamaster GRG
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 16"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Washburn Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Infinity R (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Infinity RS (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Sonamaster+ (Single Coil / Passive) Infinity RS (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe and Ibanez GRG140 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe and Ibanez GRG140's switch options

Reasons to Get
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe over Ibanez GRG140

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Decorative Top
Flame Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Washburn Sonamaster vs GRG
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Ibanez GRG140 over Washburn SDFTB Deluxe

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
GRG vs Washburn Sonamaster
Thin neck for playing fast
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
74 vs 72
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe vs Ibanez GRG140

Bridge Pickup
Washburn Humbucker vs Infinity R
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sonamaster+ vs Infinity RS
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Poplar
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Richlite vs Purpleheart
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe vs Ibanez GRG140

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HSS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm)
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
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Ibanez GRG140 Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez GRG140:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

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

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez GRG140
  • 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 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 Washburn SDFTB Deluxe

Richlite wood pattern used for guitar building
Richlite
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

It's very similar to Ebony, but it is much cheaper to make. The main reason is that it is made from resin-infused paper. It is very durable and soft, so it's often used for fretboards and tops.

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez GRG140

Purpleheart wood pattern used for guitar building
Purpleheart
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Purpleheart (also known as Amaranth) is a hard, dense wood with a brilliant tone. As its name suggests, the purple color makes this wood look exotic.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HSS. HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

Pickups Quality

The Washburn SDFTB Deluxe has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez GRG140. 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: Washburn SDFTB Deluxe.

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.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

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

Winner: Ibanez GRG140.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe
Pickups 60
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 64
Ibanez GRG140
Pickups 55
Sustain 75
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 60
Sound 66

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 Washburn SDFTB Deluxe compares to the Ibanez GRG140.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Washburn SDFTB Deluxe is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez GRG140 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: Washburn SDFTB Deluxe

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 Plastic nuts. 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.

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: 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

Both come with regular tuners. The Washburn SDFTB Deluxe's are Chrome Diecast while the Ibanez GRG140'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 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
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • 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
Ibanez GRG140
  • Tremolo
  • 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 Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe
Quality of materials 48
Features 55
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 56
Ibanez GRG140
Quality of materials 46
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 52

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

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe 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 43mm (1.693'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe and Ibanez GRG140'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

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe Neck Profile
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe's neck profile
Ibanez GRG140 Neck Profile
Ibanez GRG140'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 Washburn SDFTB Deluxe 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 GRG140, on the other hand, has a GRGR neck. This neck is used in Ibanez's mass production guitars, and it's very similar to the Wizard profile in terms of shape and thickness.

Fretboard Radius

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez GRG140 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez GRG140'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 Washburn SDFTB Deluxe's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez GRG140'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 GRG140.

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

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe Frets Size
Washburn SDFTB Deluxe's Frets Size
Ibanez GRG140 Frets Size
Ibanez GRG140's Frets Size

The Ibanez GRG140 has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Washburn SDFTB Deluxe'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

Washburn SDFTB Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 70
Playability 67
Ibanez GRG140
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 73