Head to head

Ibanez PJ50E Performance Series vs Yamaha JR1 FG Junior

The short answer is that the scale lengths are not the same (25.5" against 21.25"). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 18 rows that actually differ marked out.

Ibanez

PJ50E Performance Series

Open-Pore Vintage Amber Sunburst

A jumbo body and a working preamp, at a price where you usually get neither

6.8/105.0 (1)

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Yamaha

JR1 FG Junior

Natural, 3/4 size

The 3/4 guitar that keeps getting recommended, twenty years on

6.7/104.4 (1,119)

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Score profile

Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.

Ibanez PJ50E Performance Series6.8
Yamaha JR1 FG Junior6.7

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

Ibanez PJ50E Performance Series compared with Yamaha JR1 FG Junior
	PJ50E Performance Series	JR1 FG Junior
Brand	Ibanez	Yamaha
Model	PJ50E Performance Series	JR1 FG Junior
Finish	Open-Pore Vintage Amber Sunburst	Natural, 3/4 size
Instrument	Acoustic guitar	Acoustic guitar
Fretline score	6.8 / 10	6.7 / 10
Value for money	8 / 10	8 / 10
Amazon rating	5.0 / 5 (1)	4.4 / 5 (1,119)
Price	Under $300	Under $300
Type	Acoustic-electric guitar	Acoustic guitar
Body	Jumbo	Mini dreadnought, 3/4 size
Body wood	Meranti	—
Top	Laminated spruce	Spruce
Back & sides	Laminated meranti	Meranti
Neck joint	Set neck, joining at the 14th fret	Set neck
Neck wood	Meranti	Nato
Scale length	25.5" (648 mm)	21.25" (540 mm)
Fingerboard	Nandu, bound	Rosewood or walnut, depending on production run
Frets	20	—
Nut	Plastic	Urea
Nut width	—	1.6875" (43 mm)
Bridge	Nandu, with black Ibanez Advantage bridge pins	Rosewood
Tuners	Chrome Ibanez	Covered chrome
Electronics	Under-saddle pickup with Ibanez AEQ-2T preamp, onboard tuner and 2-band EQ	—
Controls	Volume, bass, treble, onboard tuner	—
Orientation	Right-handed	Right-handed
Skill level	Beginner, Intermediate	Beginner
Styles	Folk, Country, Pop, Rock, Worship, Blues	Folk, Pop, Country, Indie, Worship
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.