Ibanez AZES40 Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez AZ series represents the company's foray into a new era of electric guitar design. Unveiled in 2018, the guitars blend modern appointments with a nod to classic designs.

The AZES40 sits in the middle of the AZ lineup. It features a stylish offset double-cutaway body shape reminiscent of jazz-box guitars from the 50s and 60s. But Ibanez has added its own flair, with sleek curves and pointed cutaways that give the guitar a contemporary look.

This model comes loaded with versatile humbucker and single coil pickups, as well as a robust tremolo bridge. It brings classic tones into the modern age, providing a diverse palette of sounds perfect for any style of music.

Construction and Hardware

The Ibanez AZES40 features an elegantly contoured single-cutaway body made of mahogany with a quilted maple top. This combination of woods provides a balanced tone, with the mahogany offering warmth and sustain while the maple contributes brightness and clarity.

The guitar has a slim, fast AZ oval C-shaped neck made of 5-piece maple/walnut. This multi-ply construction results in a strong, stable neck that resists warping and twisting. The neck has a smooth satin finish for a natural feel.

The fretboard is made of roasted maple, which enhances stability and durability compared to non-roasted maple. It has 24 jumbo frets for easy bending and great playability. Overall, the construction and hardware of the Ibanez AZES40 provide an ideal platform for versatile electric guitar tones and performance.

The Ibanez AZES40 is a versatile and well-constructed electric guitar. The mahogany and maple body provides a balanced tone while the 5-piece maple/walnut neck offers stability and a smooth feel. The roasted maple fretboard further enhances the playability and reliability of this guitar.

Some other high-quality electric guitars from Ibanez include the Ibanez PF12MHCEOPN model. This guitar features a poplar burl top with quilted maple binding for unique aesthetics. It has a mahogany body and 5-piece maple/purpleheart neck for great warmth and stability. The ebony fretboard contributes to the modern look while providing a smooth surface for fast playing.

The Ibanez PF12MHCEOPN utilizes Cosmo Black hardware including tuners and a Tight-Tune bridge for rock-solid tuning stability. Active EMG 81TW and EMG 60 pickups provide exceptional clarity and dynamics, while the coil tap gives you more tonal variety. Overall, the Ibanez PF12MHCEOPN is an eye-catching and great sounding electric guitar. More details can be found here: Ibanez PF12MHCEOPN

When shopping for an electric guitar, it's important to consider your budget and playing style. Lead guitarists often benefit from instruments optimized for solos and shred playing, like Ibanez guitars with fast necks and high-output pickups. Rhythm players may want a guitar with a bit more warmth and sustain from the body wood, like mahogany. The bridge and hardware also impact tuning stability and intonation.

Trying out different guitar models in person is the best way to get a feel for the sound and playability. Pay attention to neck shape, fretboard radius, string tension, and overall comfort when testing guitars. Consider how the tone complements your amp setup and desired musical genres as well. With research and hands-on testing, you'll find the perfect electric guitar for your needs and budget.

Pickups and Electronics

The Ibanez AZES40 features two Ibanez-designed alnico humbucker pickups that provide a wide range of tones. The neck pickup produces a warm, round sound while the bridge pickup has more bite and clarity for leads.

The pickups are controlled by a simple but effective setup. There is a 3-way pickup selector switch to choose between the neck, bridge or both pickups. Volume and tone knobs allow for further shaping of the tone. The volume knobs are push-pull pots that enable coil-splitting, which essentially turns the humbuckers into single coil pickups for even more tonal variety.

The control layout is comfortable and intuitive. The knobs are placed close to the strings for easy access while playing. The pickup selector switch is located in a standard position between the volume and tone knobs. Overall the pickup configuration and controls provide exceptional tonal flexibility in a no-fuss design.

Having versatile pickups and controls is crucial for electric guitars intended for a wide range of musical genres. Players need to be able to go from warm, rounded tones to biting leads at the flip of a switch or turn of a knob. The Ibanez AZES40 delivers on this versatility. With a bit of tweaking, players can dial in anything from blues and jazz to hard rock or metal tones.

Another electric guitar known for excellent tonal variety is the Yamaha GC12. It features a H-S-H pickup configuration with two humbuckers and a single coil pickup. The 5-way pickup selector switch allows for tons of pickup combinations. There are also coil-splitting capabilities via a push-pull pot on the tone knob. Add in the active preamp powered by an 9V battery, and the GC12 provides exceptional tonal options.

Both the Ibanez AZES40 and Yamaha GC12 are great choices for guitarists who need flexibility in their tone. The ability to go from thick, warm humbucker tones to brighter, snappier single coil tones is invaluable. While they achieve this versatility in slightly different ways, the end result is the same - a wide tonal palette to suit any style of music. Players looking for an electric guitar that can do it all would do well to consider either of these excellent options.

Sound and Tone

The Ibanez AZES40 produces a dynamic, articulate tone that excels in a wide variety of musical genres. The ebony fretboard and maple top contribute to a tight, focused sound with strong midrange definition.

The Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups provide exceptional tonal versatility. There's enough output and warmth for lead playing, while the bridge pickup is bold and punchy for rhythms. The twin humbuckers can split for single coil tones, going from thick humbucker rhythm to crisp, chimey cleans at the flip of a switch.

When driven, the AZES40 sings with rich, vocal-like sustain. There's excellent note separation even when using high levels of gain and distortion. The active preamp allows shaping the EQ without muddiness. Clean tones are balanced and responsive. Overall the AZES40 covers a wide range of tones from classic rock crunch to modern high-gain.

Playability

The Ibanez AZES40 features a smooth and fast Wizard III maple neck with a thin U profile that provides excellent playability. The neck has a natural satin finish that allows for speedy riffing and fast soloing.

The fretwork on the AZES40 is top-notch, with medium jumbo frets that are leveled and crowned for maximum comfort. String bending is easy and precise thanks to the tall and narrow fretwire. The fret edges are smoothly finished to prevent scratching your hands during play.

Tuning stability on the AZES40 is rock solid thanks to the Gotoh Custom vibrato bridge and locking tuners. The bridge stays in tune well even after heavy use of the tremolo arm for dive bombs and other effects. The locking tuners keep the strings anchored tightly at the nut for reliable tuning. Overall the guitar holds its tuning exceptionally well during chordal and single note playing.

Comfort and Ergonomics

The Ibanez AZES40 features an ergonomic, comfortable body shape that provides excellent playing balance. The contoured body rests nicely against the player's torso without digging into the ribs like some archtop designs.

Despite its solid construction, the AZES40 remains a lightweight guitar, weighing in at just 7.6 lbs. This makes it comfortable for extended playing sessions without causing back or shoulder fatigue.

The AZ's proportions are well-balanced, with the body thickness and forearm contour creating an overall profile that feels natural in the playing position. The smooth neck heel allows easy access to the upper frets.

Overall, the AZES40 gets top marks for comfort and ergonomics. Its smart ergonomic design makes this an excellent choice for players who prioritize comfort and effortless playability in their electric guitar.

Hardware

The Ibanez AZES40 features quality hardware that enhances the guitar's performance and reliability. The bridge is a Gotoh® T1802 tremolo bridge, which provides smooth and stable tuning across the range of the tremolo. The bridge stays in tune well even under heavy use of the whammy bar.

The tuners are Gotoh® SG381 machine heads, which are high-quality tuning pegs that keep the guitar in tune. The machine heads turn smoothly and allow for precise tuning adjustments. Even during extensive playing sessions, the AZES40 holds its tuning very well thanks to the combination of the Gotoh bridge and tuners.

The overall hardware complements the playability of the Ibanez AZES40. The tremolo bridge gives you the option to add expressive, shimmering effects while staying reliably in tune. Paired with the precise Gotoh machine heads, the guitar remains in tune through repeated tremolo use, string bending, and other techniques that put pressure on the strings. The hardware enhances the guitar's capabilities while also providing rock-solid tuning stability.

Pros

The Ibanez AZES40 has several standout positives that make it a great electric guitar option:

• Versatile sound: The AZ's pickups and electronics give it a very versatile range of tones. It can cover everything from clean jazz to high-gain metal. The pickups are articulate and dynamic.

• Playability: The AZ has a fast, thin neck profile that makes it very comfortable and easy to play, even for long practice sessions. The action is low and smooth right out of the box.

• Lightweight: Weighing just under 7 lbs, the AZES40 is lighter than most solid body electrics. This makes it comfortable to wear on a strap during live performances.

• High quality hardware: It comes equipped with Gotoh tuners and a T106 tremolo bridge, which are very sturdy and keep the guitar in tune through heavy use. The knobs feel solid.

• Stunning looks: With the arched top, offset body shape, and classy Black finish, the AZES40 has eye-catching aesthetics. The binding and block inlays add to the visual appeal.

Cons

• The AZES40 has a cheaper feeling tremolo bridge and tuners compared to more expensive Ibanez guitars. The bridge and tuners are functional but lack the smoothness and precision of higher end hardware.

• The neck joint on this model is more basic than on premium Ibanez guitars, which allows some extra neck movement and less stability. Hard strumming can cause the neck joint to shift slightly.

• There have been some reports of fret buzz issues on the low E and A strings, indicating potential quality control problems with the fretwork from the factory. This may require a guitar setup or fret leveling to resolve.

• The pickups give a versatile range of tones but don't quite have the harmonic richness and dynamic response as some higher end pickups. This leaves some players wanting more when playing clean or low gain tones.

• The rosewood fingerboard is drier and doesn't impart as much resonance as ebony or richer rosewood found on more expensive models.

• Some players find the control knobs to feel cheaper than other guitars in this price range. The quality is adequate but the knobs can have some unwanted play.

• The overall fit and finish is good for the price but lacks the fine attention to detail found on premium instruments. Little things like fret ends, binding and finish flaws stand out more on close inspection.

• There are no included options for a hard case or gig bag. The buyer will need to purchase a separate case for protection during transport and storage.

Conclusions

The Ibanez AZES40 provides excellent value considering its quality construction, premium features, and overall solid performance. This versatile electric guitar is approachable for beginners but also satisfying for more experienced players, making it a great choice for an affordable workhorse instrument.

The playability is smooth and comfortable right out of the box, with a thin and nicely contoured neck that facilitates intricate soloing. Combined with the ergonomic body shape and contours, most guitarists should find the AZES40 a joy to play for extended periods. It stays in tune well even during heavy use.

The dual humbuckers and electronics deliver a wide tonal palette. From sparkling cleans to thick distortion, the guitar excels across various genres. The pickup switching options allow for further sonic variety. While not as nuanced as more expensive instruments, the overall sound quality punches above its class.

Build quality exceeds expectations for the accessible price point. Premium appointments like the roasted maple neck and stainless steel frets make this guitar feel more luxurious than its cost suggests. The hardware is high quality with smooth tuning and tremolo action.

For those seeking their first serious electric, or a reliable backup option, the Ibanez AZES40 gets top marks. While not as flashy as a boutique instrument, it provides professional level performance that belies its reasonable price tag. Overall an excellent value that both beginners and veterans can appreciate.