Head to head
Cort G280 Select vs Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets ($500 - $1,000 against Over $2,000), and the pickup layouts differ (HSS against HSH). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 25 rows that actually differ marked out.
G280 Select
Amber
A Stratocaster layout with the upgrades most players end up paying for anyway
JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium
White
The Vai signature, minus the Japanese price and almost none of the specification
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Score profile
Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.
- Cort G280 Select8.7
- Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium8.8
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Specification by specification
| G280 Select | JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Cort | Ibanez |
| Model | G280 Select | JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature Premium |
| Finish | Amber | White |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.7 / 10 | 8.8 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 7 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 5.0 / 5 (3) | 4.5 / 5 (18) |
| Price | $500 - $1,000 | Over $2,000 |
| Type | Solidbody electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | G-series double-cutaway | JEM solidbody with Monkey Grip handle |
| Body wood | Alder | Alder |
| Top | Flamed maple | — |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on, two-way truss rod with spoke nut | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Hard maple | Wizard five-piece maple and walnut with KTS titanium reinforcement rods |
| Neck profile | Ergo-V (21 mm at first fret, 23 mm at twelfth) | Wizard, 18 mm at the 1st fret and 20 mm at the 12th |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood | Ebony |
| Radius | 12"-15.75" compound (R305-R400) | 15.75" (400 mm) |
| Frets | 22 | 24 |
| Fret size | Medium-jumbo, nickel silver | Jumbo, premium fret edge treatment |
| Nut | Bone | — |
| Nut width | 1.65" (42 mm) | 43 mm |
| Bridge | Cort CFA-III tremolo | Edge tremolo with Lion's Claw cavity |
| Tuners | Cort staggered locking | Gotoh machine heads |
| Neck pickup | Cort Voiced Tone VTS63 single-coil | DiMarzio Evolution humbucker |
| Bridge pickup | Cort Voiced Tone VTH77 humbucker | DiMarzio Evolution humbucker |
| Configuration | HSS | HSH |
| Electronics | Passive | Passive |
| Controls | Volume, tone | Volume, tone |
| Switching | Five-way switch | Five-position blade |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Intermediate, Advanced | Advanced, Professional |
| Styles | Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Country, Indie | Metal, Rock, Prog, Funk, Jazz |
| In the box | — | Gig bag included |
A marked row is one where the two differ. A highlighted cell is the stronger figure where one can be judged objectively. Empty cells are specifications the manufacturer does not publish — never estimates.
Which one should you buy?
Computed from the specifications and our editorial scores for these two instruments only. It is not a general ranking.
Most versatile
Cort G280 SelectHighest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumHighest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for rock
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumStrongest overall score among the instruments suited to rock.
Best for metal
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumStrongest overall score among the instruments suited to metal.
Best for the studio
Ibanez JEM7VP Steve Vai Signature PremiumBuild and tone scores combined, with credit for tuning-stability hardware that matters when tracking.
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Want a third opinion?
The comparator takes as many instruments as you like, not just two, and recomputes the whole table and every conclusion as you add them.
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