The return of pink

I just found out that Ibanez is returning the pink AZ2402 (together with the pastel blue version) to its catalog. Have no idea if pink is trending now or if there was a recent lobby for this colour to be re-introduced to prevent international unrest. I don't know.

I bought the pink AZ back in 2019. Didn't think too much about the colour, it's just something I don't own. I prefer a pink guitar without the picture of a Japanese mouthless cat character to hype it up. IYKYK.

AZ ash

These are currently Japan-only releases; the AZ2402 sporting ash bodies. The fact that the ash grains were made visible & manifested a sand blasted look, they look darn cool. In any case, sand blasted looks were done by Schecter & Charvel among others, way before Ibanez did. By the way, the AZ2402 is just a whisker off $3K these days. By the time these are made available here, these would probably be in excess of $3K.

Pics: Ibanez Japan

Pink Saturday

Another indoor Saturday but I'm not complaining. Spent time with my AZ2402. I remember being asked if I would want a non-pink finish, it's available on Swee Lee's inventory back then but I prefer this pink one. It was a conscious choice, of course. I went with something off beat, focusing on tone & playability more than visual appeal. You'd read in countless Ibanez / guitar forums everywhere of how 'true' Ibanez fans express displeasure by virtue of a non-DiMarzio pickup in the early stages of the AZ Series production. The default Seymour Duncan Hyperion are fantastic pickups. Just because one is a DiMarzio fan, one need not castigate these pickups for their inability to fulfil one's tonal requirements. It's like dissing the electric car just because you drive a petrol driven vehicle. Choices are aplenty out there, if something doesn't float your boat, exercise your choices.

Strings were oxidized when I took it out of the case. The .009 snapped & I'm still trying to figure out why this happened since the nut & bridge saddles were devoid of sharp contacts. I'm not going back to Ernie Ball, of course. I still have bonus point with Swee Lee, just using them up before they expire. I still prefer D'Addario but I'm not buying them due to price issues. 

AZ 2025 @ Swee Lee

The 'new' Ibanez AZ models are now available at Swee Lee (AZ2204 / AZ2402). New here refers to the new colours offered for this year as these two models were already available in Ibanez's catalog last year (2024). It's good to note that list prices for these models remain unchanged. We notice how manufacturers would take every opportunity to revise prices upwards with every 'new' offering but not in this case. Why would they do so if it's merely a different colour offered, yes?

Pics: Ibanez

Japs

Have been spending time with these two. Ibanez AZ2402 (pink) & RG550 (yellow), both Japanese but worlds apart.

RG550. I've been conditioned by the RG since the start, not this one but my RG560. The thin & flat neck profile stuck with me for a good while & everything else was just not my thing. Other neck profiles just make the instrument difficult to play for me. That happened for about 7 years or so till I bought my first Fender which was a Telecaster. It was a real change in terms of playing feel but I persevered.

AZ2402. This was something unexpected when it comes to Ibanez; that thick, round neck was it. It's the most non-Ibanez feel ever, a total departure. However, unlike Fender & it's other derivatives, Ibanez did something to the neck, a roasted treatment of sort so it gave the neck a very inviting feel despite moving away from its roots. Also, for a brand name with a steep inclinations for DiMarzio pickups, the Seymour Duncans were a very bold move. I was at Swee Lee to just test the guitar but it sort of grew on me. I did not buy the initial batch of AZs that came in but it happened much later. Pink was not priority, the instrument passed my inspection at the store & it clicked right from the start.

Sometimes we are deceived by familiarity; we tend to stick with what works & reject the rest. Any compromise & it brings us down in so many ways. Life has taught me to adapt. That triggered my purchase of other guitar brands which have no obligations to replicate the Ibanez profile in every way. Job experience also taught me to work out of my comfort zone to bring out my best performance & that translated to guitar playing. In my case, the other guitars prepared me to play my Ibanez better. Those times that I struggled with Fender & Gibson, when I returned to Ibanez, it makes playing a breeze. If it's within your means, do invest in guitars which are not your thing. These are the implements that will bring out the other side of your playing that might prove to be that refreshing change you are waiting for.

Southern AZ

The south paw version of the Ibanez AZ2402 is now available at Swee Lee but in limited quantity. This version is $100 more than its other siblings, which in my opinion, should not be the case. Don't blame the distributor, it's the acceptable discrimination everywhere. 

PIC: Ibanez

Ibanez 2020 (6)

We're back to the Ibanez front & I must say that the Pia entry just days ago didn't sit too well with some of us here. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Ibanez fan; almost half of what I own in the mean time are Ibanez stuff. I see the Pia making some false turns in terms of refinements & I will confidently say it won't live up to the JEM legacy. I'm sure it's a good instrument in every way & will please the fans. Moving on, lots of things happening in the AZ camp & it's definitely good news that a lefty model joins the ranks this year. Well, done, Ibanez.

This next one has what I want in terms of variation. It's an ash bodied take with covered pickups & 22 frets. Some of us might think that 22 frets is an inferior take but 22 is ideal for people who seldom venture up high & I must say I'm definitely one of them. What I don't want is an exclusive burst finish & in the mean time, that's the only finish available. 

This AZ2204B is the buzz. People are liking the finish & overall colour combo as it makes the instrument very Gilmour-ish. If you've noticed, Ibanez only introduced black for the AZ this year & guess what? Nobody talks about not having black previously so it proves that a black finish, despite having the ability to sell truckloads, isn't entirely a dominant selling factor. 

On that note, another black finish is available for the AZ2402. Discontinued this year are the sea foam green & pink so making them highly collectable. Be wary of those who are trying to clear them away in the after-market & citing them as rare. 

Review: Ibanez AZ2402

2018 saw the critical move by Ibanez in the introduction of a new series of guitars; the AZ line. Instead of embracing radical elements for a niche market (like the extinct X-Series), Ibanez opted for a utilitarian approach. The AZ line manifested generic features to appease a wide range of players from squeaky clean jazzers to high octane rockers. Details were made outstanding & that’s where the AZ manifests its winning sensation.

Features

Top side, the guitar features a Gotoh T1802 whammy bridge. This is a wise complementary inclusion as a guitar of this ilk should be devoid of fiddly locking mechanism. The manufacturer assures the player of quality, functionality & dependability instead. This bridge in question is a smooth player with titanium appointments to see you through the times. No awkward protrusions here to desecrate your picking hand while playing. We will deal with the Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups separately with the switching/ selector system.

Moving on to the neck, this is where Ibanez discarded its super thin wizardry (forgive the pun) in exchange for a traditional feel that breeds familiarity instead of a total departure. That’s right folks, no excessively thin neck profile here, a very rounder & much meatier take on things, one of the thickest Ibanez has to offer that embraces a C-profile. However, do note that things remain comfortable & playable thanks to the satin finish & overall roasted treatment. Ibanez takes pride in telling the world that their S-Tech treatment for the Prestige AZ necks is the highlight of this new flagship series. In addition to the comprehensive heat cure, nitrogen is involved to eliminate temperature related reactions. As if this isn’t enough to propel the neck in good stead, frets are stainless steel, nut is bone & tuners are locking Gotohs with adjustable post height. Staggering details indeed & yet, the neck’s overall cosmetics remain very pragmatic. Even the signature pointy headstock is now reinterpreted to be more rounded and practical. Top marks for everything done right & tasteful in this department.

Rating: 95%

Tone/ Playability

Ibanez collaborated with Seymour Duncan for the AZ series. The pickups you see here is the Hyperion model. While the name alludes to a possible sonic exploit, the Hyperion is an Alnico 5, medium output pickup. In action, it is one of the most neutral-sounding pickup the manufacturer has to offer. There’s clarity in all frequencies impartial to any emphasis. The clean applications in this aspect is fantastic in the neck position. The bridge clean is less stellar but remains warm & devoid of the nasal voicing commonly associated with higher output. The Hyperion, under driven settings, is simply an incredible pickup in its own right. Once again, the outstanding performance here is attributable to its clarity impression. Single note definition is simply impressive. As if that’s insufficient to drive the message home, the AZ series is equipped with a dyna-MIX 10 switch. It adds a coil tap (not coil split, note the difference) function & manifests the single-coil-only function in position 2 (neck) & 4 (bridge) of the selector. We can all argue that a split coil from a humbucker won’t really emulate a true single coil but it’s darn close with this one. 

The neck per se is a joy to play. Another gentle reminder - it’s not that shred-only Super Wizard profile but a much beefier proceeding with a C carve instead of the usual D. once again, it’s that familiar embrace of a certain F-brand guitar but a very refined rendition. I dare say it’s much thicker as well. Does this effectively delineate this guitar from the Super Wizard camp? Absolutely not. My experience with Ibanez had always been the thinner neck serving but this move in the opposite direction is a very welcomed change. In fact, I have no complaints in terms of adaptation; I can easily bring things up to speed & generate intense bass note peddling without an obvious onset of lethargy. So the crucial learning point here is that if you have your neck right, even the naysayers would embrace it readily. It’s all about the approach, not the end product.

Rating 95%

Conclusion

The AZ Series are not a simple conception despite the final product looking simplistic. Ample time & references to professionals were made to get things right. The outcome is a perfect understanding of what a desirable guitar should be, devoid of niche inclinations & a tremendous appeal to the masses. There was no particular breakthrough to behold in terms of design manifestations but a refinement of what is already out there. So is the AZ a flawless discourse by any means? A simple answer to that would be a no but it’s a darn near-perfect exploit. I have nothing specific to scrutinize but not everyone would deem the Duncan Hyperion pickups a favoured feature for this instrument. The Ibanez purists would put the manufacturer on trial for omitting a DiMarzio consideration for this one. The way I see it, the pickups' sonic personality is deserving for a guitar that refrains from being marginal to any particular music genre, regardless of who made it. I’m just glad it wasn’t an in-house version that would disrepute the guitar’s standing (the defunct S5470 & S5521 among others). As for the AZ affiliates out there, they wish for this model to be blessed with longevity & not suffer the fate of the SZ series where strong sales figures & outright popularity meant absolutely nothing in preventing them from being put to death. 

Final rating: 95%

Ibanez: AZ2402

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

List: $2,699

PICS: Ibanez

Ibanez AZ - feeling different

Folks, we've seen these before; the Ibanez AZ2402. The tri-fade & ice metallic blue versions are the initial models. The white & two other pastel hues came later. I had been assuming that they were all the same less the colour differences. However, be informed that there's a difference in neck feel. No, it's not about the neck profiles but the finish treatment. The three later models sport a satin finished neck while the initial two releases has a raw treatment, something close to that unfinished IKEA chair.

This isn't a unique interpretation when it comes to neck finishes. The Yamaha Mike Stern model had been about that raw treatment all along. Rest assured that this type of neck finish preserves the playability of the instrument, there's nothing to worry about. After years of playing, the raw treatment would eventually satin out giving you the smoother feel. From a production perspective, it's only prudent to engage in the satin treatment at the start. The thing about letting time & repeated handling do its job is that of consistency; the more handled surfaces of the neck would be smoother than the rest which are not.

I only realized this difference after trying the newer AZ2402 models (before deciding to buy one). I have no idea if the manufacturer omitted this detail intentionally or they might have decided to observe this finish migration entirely. On that note, the newer tri-fade & ice metallic blue finishes might have the answer but in the mean time, the ones in the stores are still sporting that raw treatment. I might give the serial number a cursory glance the next time I'm there to check things out. 

Been a while (2)

No surprises here as my new Ibanez is the AZ model. This one's an AZ2402. I prefer the AZ2204 for the single coils but currently, none is offered in a pickguard-less version except the Tom Quayle model & if you know me by now, signature models aren't my thing. 

I see the AZ model as a winner from the start. It's not replacing the RG in terms of popularity & appeal but it treaded into a non-traditional Ibanez path without losing credibility altogether. I'm just hoping that this model would be perpetuated along the way & not suffer the SZ fate where popularity guaranteed nothing. The SZ was put to death despite a strong sales figure but some conspiracy theorists suggested that 1) The SZ made way for the AZ & nobody saw that coming because nobody was in the know 2) The SZ was eating into the RG's market share & that's a worrying thing for Ibanez. The manufacturer is still holding on to patented authority for the RG's neck profile while the SZ has nothing to fall back on to in terms of intellectual property. The legal proponents here know that if you own the idea, you can take it with you & apply it elsewhere out of RG land should things go south with the RG design one day. The Gibson camp is learning it the hard way when it comes to intellectual property & it's made plain for all to see (& learn). 

I have absolutely no intentions to mod this guitar as it appeals to me in every way & that's a rare feat. Even the pink finish here is a winner. Amongst the current available finish, this pink is the least popular & that means the probability of getting an unmolested piece is higher. In fact, that happened. This isn't my first pink, there were two others before it & I'm absolutely ok with pink. Definitely no more black or sunburst for me. Not a fan of flames & quilts either. Thank you, Ibanez for not having the Prestige label on the headstock. 

A fitting end to October 👍

Price watch: Ibanez AZ

Despite being a great admirer of the Ibanez AZ series, I'm holding out till the right model debuts in the stores here. This post is just a highlight on prices. The AZ2402's Japanese listings are seen above.

These are the American listings.

Coming to the prices in this country, you can see that the white version costs a little more than its counterparts. I sincerely hope that is a typo error & it could be easily rectified. The pink version has not made its way here yet. If it is listed as much as the white, then a price hike has taken place which is beyond our control. However, with reference to the Japanese & American listings, that should not be the case. The AZ2402 sports the same price across colours. 

Why am I making a fuss out of this possible error? As a seller, one should be more careful when dealing with figures especially so when the system isn't as ready to refund buyers some price anomalies. It is also the onus of the seller to make sure prices are carefully listed, it's not the buyer's job to proof read the seller's listings, surely there is a team dedicated to ensure such things are done well. There is also no reward for buyers to embark on such a proof-reading task. Or is there?

Pretty in pink

Don't you deny it- you love pink! Come on! (Above: Ibanez AZ2402 in pink flat)

Ibanez AZ: K & M

All the great Ibanez stuff not available here, right? You bet.

This is a Japan only AZ2402 done in a koa top. Surprisingly, it made its way here & sold out just hours after it's listed. I have no idea if some of the Japanese models do make a quiet debut in the shops in this country for the privileged few but it's unfair for the rest of us. We rely on the manufacturer's website only to be given a double standard in terms of availability.

Recently, the Japanese market released a myrtlewood top version so if it makes its way here & sold out almost immediately like its koa top sibling then it'll only confirm my take on the situation.