Suona

Another Fender in the market; a thinline Strat from the limited edition Suona Series. A Tele & Jazz Bass version are also available in the same finish seen here. Let's ask ourselves if we are in the market for a thinline, would a Strat-type be the first that we would think of? Semi-hollow aficionados; would they be interested in this concept offering or would they still stick to the venerable ES-335? That marker-less fretboard - yay / nay?

Interesting to note that ash is used for this one with a spruce top. Ebony fingerboard is a plus feature to me & it bodes well with the marker-free look as a very dark version is used here. Narrow frets but tall ones should complement the compound radius but things remain challenging when it's a span between 7.25" to 9.5"... & it's a whisker shy of USD3K...

Pic: Fender

Ibanez 2021 (10): AZN

So I intentionally left this update late. For 2021, the AZ sees a new iteration, the AZN (N = Non-recessed bridge cavity). This is essentially an AZ with the following differences:

• Gotoh T1702B bridge. Brass saddles in this one as opposed to the titanium saddles in the AZ's T1802. More single coil zing, that's the intention.
• Compound radius: From 9-ish to 12" 
• Rosewood fretboard
• Seymour Duncan: Fortuna pickups
• Non-recessed bridge cavity. Folks, Ibanez failed to realize that there's actually no cavity at all underneath the bridge, so 'non-recessed' here is a redundant reference. Duh.

So what is the intention of it all? Ibanez is appealing to more players out there who are very used to the traditional / vintage S-type feel by adding subtle changes. I own the AZ & it has a very contemporary feel, it won't sway the traditionalists to try (let alone switch camps) but the AZN here is edging closer to their inclinations. Even the Fortuna pickups are more classic-sounding compared to the AZ's Hyperion pickups. Finally, that cavity absence allows the player to set the bridge flush against the body if you are a non-whammy person but doesn't mind having a bridge there - the Eric Clapton camp. 

Pic: Ibanez