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 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