Ibanez 2025

Today is the big reveal day by Ibanez. The initial models to be released to distributors world-wide are finally announced. I've seen what's on offer but Ibanez is confusing the masses by actually including some of 2024's late models in this 2025 platter. Whatever the case, I will begin by noting the debut of the AZ Standard range. With this, the entry level AZES are removed from the catalog & the Standard models are currently the most affordable AZ guitars.

There are currently two models in this range, the AZ22S1F (HSS pickup combo) & the AZ24S1F (HH pickup combo, sans pickguard). In view of the price bracket these are in, pickups are in-house models (Ibanez Modern Custom) & I sincerely hope these would be on par with what the AZES were equipped with which were definitely above expectations. Steel frets & alder body to match the Premium & Prestige specs but fretboards are jatoba for both models. Scale length is 25.5" unlike the AZES' 25.1" with the T106 bridge being the only AZES feature to be retained.

With the specs for these instruments in mind, we can expect prices to be hovering around the $1K mark. It's a pity the AZES models were entirely removed because those were absolute value for money. Looks like Ibanez is still trying to cash in on the AZ line by raising standards up a notch & pricing these guitars expectedly more. We note that virtually all the guitar brands are doing likewise, Fender especially.

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