Japanese convention

Had been spending time with these two lately: Ibanez AZ2203N / Fender Traditional 70s (Japan). While both sport similar attributes, these are two different beasts.

Ibanez AZ2203N: Heavier than its Fender counterpart, more bass tones regardless of clean / distorted settings. The Seymour Duncan pickups love drive / distortion. The neck here is thicker than the Fender, to be more precise it's a thick D. Not saying the Fender has a thin neck but this one's thicker. 

Fender Traditional 70s Stratocaster: Lighter than the Ibanez, more treble-ish. Default pickups dislike excessive gain / drive. The neck profile is the typical Fender C, the edges are not really rounded & this will affect those thumb-over-the-edge players. Thinner frets, will not appeal to shredders or those peddling bass notes most of the time. 

Will one of these guitars replace the other in terms of needs? No. While both are single-coil equipped, the voicings on offer here are rather different. If you thrive on modern single coil tones, the Ibanez is a wise pick. The Fender is, well, a typical Fender. The default Japanese pickups are clunkier & rather harsh, very suitable for those in-your-face blues tones. Not influencing any choices if you are in for a triple single coil guitar, just putting things in perspective. 

Shimmed

This is my AZ2203N in prussian blue finish. This has been discontinued, the remaining finish in the catalog is the seafoam green. I left the default strings in tact since Day 1, those were a set of 10s. I brought this guitar out to have 9s in there instead. If you are interested, this is my personal take on the AZ2203N: CLICK 

After the re-string, the action felt wrong. Wrong here is that discordant feel when things don't go my way. As this is my guitar, it has to conform to my way(s), no compromise. After spending a day with 9s which felt very repulsive & assessing the situation, I decided to shim the pocket. This was the simple remedy that did wonders. The point I'm trying to drive at is this; we sometimes assume that a simple change in string gauge would not cause an adverse reaction to set up but that's quite a grave assumption. I'm not saying there should be a microscopic assessment of things after a change in string gauge but it's definitely a consideration if things don't click as well as before. 

With the chickens... again

The same family of chickens now judging my Ibanez. Following yesterday's Strat episode, there was a strong urge to hear single coils in action but not in a Strat. So out came the AZ2203N.

Does the AZ2203N sound like a Strat? Reality check - any single coil equipped guitar would sound like a Strat because those are the pickups in a Strat. Things would get a little fiery when someone in the conversation would attest to the fact that Fender's version of the single coil sounds the best. Best is always subjective but we all could agree that Fender sets the standard.  Everything else is measured against this yardstick. 

Does the AZ2203N feel like a Strat? Reality check once more - it says Ibanez on the headstock so it doesn't give a hoot if it feels / should feel like a Strat. Strat is Fender's proprietary reference to a triple single coil equipped guitar & it became a utilitarian reference along the way just like how the Pampers brand is understood to mean baby diapers. The neck profile here differentiates itself from a Strat; it is a little thicker & rounder. Those who are accustomed to a Strat would agree that it hold its own. It's a darling for deep bends as well as some shred-esque applications. 

Why did you buy the AZ2203N when you already have Strats? I embrace variation & re-interpretation. These factors manifest appeal & will continue to be the inherent account for why people buy a non-Fender 'Strat'. It works because we humans, do not have the same hand profiles so some variations on a popular theme would appeal to some of us. When I pick up my AZ2203N, I tend to play differently; I don't stray into the clean zone & I tend not to slow down my playing. It's a different case if I pick up a Strat; to me this is the best tone to be adding chorus to & I enjoy playing slower on a Strat. Some playing psychology & maybe a placebo effect there but that's how it is. 

May's single Sunday

I can very well conclude that my tone inclinations are cyclical. In the mean time, my ears fancy single coil tones & nothing else. Ironically, the single coil tones I fancy don't come from American Fenders but these two you see above.

The orange guy is a Japanese Fender, nothing extravagant, just a 70s-esque iteration. These are in-house Japanese pickups but they are some of the most polished, Fender twang I've come across. Despite its 70s attributes, the best description I would offer here is that of Thomas Blug's 60s Strat twang; very defined but polished at the top end. You can say it sounds like a relic single coil with a time honed treble response & having those warm midrange taking over instead - very likeable to me.

The navy blue guy is an Ibanez AZ2203N with a trio of Seymour Duncan Fortuna single coils. These are the exact opposite of what the Fender has to offer; very vigourous top end, almost lacking in any warmth but wait till you mess with the tone knob & the magic kicks in. My set up for these would be a saturated over drive tone with the top end rolled off quite significantly. I have no idea if the rosewood 'board plays a significant part but that's where I suspect the warmth comes from. These single coils are no good with distortion, quite frankly, they sound over-cooked. Drive is where it's at & I recommend nothing harsh in this aspect but a good saturation helps. 

This is my Sunday in a nut shell, I'm an indoor person, I have my limits when it comes to festive merry-making. So there.

Fortuna-ly

In the single coil domain, Fender's in-house pickups are the standard to beat. OK, maybe the Noiseless models are not exactly likeable. Fortunately, Ibanez's Seymour Duncan Fortuna single coils are, at the very least, above expectations. These get my absolute thumbs up because they sound impressive in clean, crunch & distorted modes. Twangy? Yes, but not Fender-y, so to speak. I'm just grateful that in this aspect, I have a non-Fender to refer to. The Fender experience is unbeatable but some other brand names offer their own interpretation of the single coil goodness. What's preventing us from trying them? Ego & blind loyalty.

Review quickie: Ibanez AZ2203N

Ibanez had been generating rightful anxiety in the Strat camp since the inception of the AZ Series. The design departed from the traditional shredder image (RG et al), treading precariously on that oh so familiar Strat curves. This 2023, it's outright aggravation with the AZ2203; a shameless triple single coil take with no intentions of conflict management, it seems.

Likes:

• comfortable design
• neck profile
• pickups
• blend control
• quality hardware
• steel frets

Dislikes:

• blend control
• volume control - too near the  bridge pickup
• price

Conclusion

It's a Strat take by a non-Strat-inclined brand name & in my opinion, it's an outstanding manifestation. If you wish to look away from the Fender offerings when it comes to single coil considerations, this is it. Also, the design ergonomics ensure a non-Fender feel while still treading the Fender territory. The Seymour Duncan Fortuna continues to excel in providing the player with both traditional & contemporary tones. Please be reminded that this is an N version of the AZ, meaning - no cavity under the bridge to facilitate a floating set up. Of course, you can still float it by over-pronating the bridge ala SRV. 'Floating' is never a bridge type, it's how you set the bridge up. The absolute plus here is that neck profile, facilitating ease of movement without necessitating a thinner take.

The blend control cuts both ways; it either serves you or annoy you. I am someone who prefers a definite configuration so the blend function duplicating pickups setting in positions 2 & 4 is unnecessary & pointless. Ibanez, hopefully in time to come, should make this an option by turning it into a push-pull switch. Those of us who want a blend function at times, have a choice to activate it. There will be a maple fretboard version in the near future right, Ibanez?

Rating: 90%

Ibanez AZ2203N

• $2,699 (list)
• hard case included
• Available at Swee Lee Co.

Pic: Ibanez International

Ibanez 2023 (2): AZ does it

Moving on with the new Ibanez 2023 offering, the AZ is now offered in a triple single coil configuration. Like the Mantovanelli signature, the dynaMIX switch was not included & replaced with a blend knob. Fretboard is rosewood & frets are stainless steel.  Gentle reminder - this is the N version so there is no cavity under the bridge to make it rest in a permanent floating position. Seen above: AZ2203N

The AZ2204N has a new finish this year; dark tide blue. It's dark enough to pass off as black from a distance but once the body catches light, the blue will be more prominent; subtle flip-flop effect.

So DiMarzios have officially crept into the AZ line (EDIT: These were already available in the Premium models). The HSH configuration & flame top are exclusive to the DiMarzio equipped models. Body is however basswood, which IMO, is a good match for the pickups. This is not an N model so the cavity under the bridge means it is resting in a permanent floating position. No dynaMIX switch here as well but no blend knob either, it's a standard 5-way selector. This model is a very close competitor to the RG in terms of features (mostly) with the latter having the upper hand in pleasing the shred purists due to the thinner neck profile. Seen above: AZ2407F

Pics: Ibanez