How did the Ibanez AZ series become so popular in recent times?

[OmegaSlayer]

It's a versatile guitar, so it appeals to many
Honestly if I want the Strat style, I buy a Fender Strat that is the more vintage possible for my pockets
For me a Tele can't have rosewood fretboard and must have compensated brass saddles, otherwise I buy a shape, not a sound

But back to AZs, they're very good guitars for the price
Everyone that has one is extremely happy, so...good shot from Ibanez

I'll get one eventually, if inflation stop to rise and I'll buy guitars again, but the AZ is not one of my priorities, at the moment I'd prefer a neon pink Charvel to an AZ, because I'm an edgy son of the 80s

 

[sirbuh]

You know what someone has to be right? I talk about this all the time irl.

There are a bajillion pt cruisers cruisering around. These, along with the Chevy hhr, are some of the most atrocious car bodies ever designed. So why do people drive them? Because they’re dirt cheap. And why are they dirt cheap? Because there’s a billion of them. And why is there a billion of them? Someone used their hard earned paycheck to buy them originally. They didn’t come out of the factory used. Who was buying pt cruisers off showroom floors?

The same people who pay full price for new prestige AZ’s. I’ll take no questions.

IIRC those very special automobiles didnt go MSRP and dont forget not everyone loves their children

 

[Surveyor 777]

I like mine because they're different but not vintage. The neck isn't like an RG but it isn't like a Strat either. It's just different and I like variety. Have two AZ's I bought used and one Martin Miller 7 string I bought new. They're different but I like 'em. The neck on the MM7 is kind of chunky but not overbearing.

 

[OmegaSlayer]

The curse of the Xiphos.

Muhammad Suicmez stopped playing music, Peter Josef went to Suhr, Oli Herbert went to Jackson, and Dino finally got a signature, which wasn't a Xiphos. All in the space of a year or two, it was no surprise they discontinued it when all the artists with any sort of visibility dropped it first.

Meanwhile, you'd expect tons of new Xiphos, Balaguer Tartus, and Jackson Warrior NGDs, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

It's always going to be one of those models that folks want in the moment, but rarely want enough to buy.

For me that's not the point, let's try to be honest here

I own both a Xiphos (the XPT700) and a Falchion (XF 350) and...they're just collectors' items, unfortunately.
If I have to review the Xiphos, I'd say that it hasn't a Wizard neck...and the neck is painted, with a THICK layer of paint that really grips on your hand, the upper frets access is BAD, the EDGE III tremolo is not the best around...it's an early Indonesian and it's not a joy to play.

The Falchion is, incredibly, ergonomically better than the Xiphos, has better upper fret access, same neck "issues" but a bit less sticky, same bridge, awful pick ups, even if a good modeler everything can sound half decent
The Falchion is made in China and, incredibly is less a pain to play than the Xiphos.

I'm happy when I have those guitars in hand, they satisfy my immature edgy side, but they're not a go to instrument to play seriously
They both are MEME guitars

The LTD Arrow doesn't feel like a meme guitar, it has much better building care than a Xiphos or Falchion

As much as I love the shape, I want an instrument that also feels good to play, I didn't try the Axion Label Xiphos, but the onecolourdealwithit puts me off from the beginning
The Xiphos currently costs between 1200 and 1400 € in Europe, I'd go up to € 1800 for an instrument that makes sense, ie longer scale (at least 27) on 7 strings, stainless steel frets, a variety of colour from which I can chose, something different from D-Activator pick ups

So, it's not that we don't want it, we don't want it half assed

 

[couverdure]

Me personally though, I think the biggest problem I have seen is, I haven't seen a Babymetal guitarist using an RG..... and we all though how huge Babymetal are!

Kami Band's guitarists (or at least the Japanese side, they have different members for the US shows) are all ESP dudes (or were in Leda's case, he's now a Strandberg artist).

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Ok, it's not an RG, but Yusuke Hiraga's RGD during his stint with Babymetal is close enough I guess.

 

[Emperoff]

The LTD Arrow doesn't feel like a meme guitar, it has much better building care than a Xiphos or Falchion

The ESP Arrow is the best RR shape in existence. It's one of those rare body shapes that are both heavy and sleek at the same time. Only the Jackson Kelly comes to mind that fits the same criteria.

And yes, the Arrow has aesthetic perks over a traditional RR that are also functional, like the wing cut to support the leg, the neck cutaway, and the contoured wing edges.

One day I'll have every E-II 7-string Arrow, but damn are they hard to find in Europe...

 

[budda]

Not in NB, they don't!

I forgot to reply to this. Gearhunter is for the entire country. Check often.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Ok, it's not an RG, but Yusuke Hiraga's RGD during his stint with Babymetal is close enough I guess.

...I just realised that's an RG after all. And looks like a stock Iron Label at that.
My bad. Got mistaken for his actual RGD:

 

[OmegaSlayer]

The ESP Arrow is the best RR shape in existence. It's one of those rare body shapes that are both heavy and sleek at the same time. Only the Jackson Kelly comes to mind that fits the same criteria.

And yes, the Arrow has aesthetic perks over a traditional RR that are also functional, like the wing cut to support the leg, the neck cutaway, and the contoured wing edges.

One day I'll have every E-II 7-string Arrow, but damn are they hard to find in Europe...

Case in point
Unfortunately I feel like Ibanez is doing some shapes because fans expect Ibanez to do them, but I don't see enough conviction in the product.

You can find an Arrow from 600 € to 5000 € because ESP/LTD believes in its product, so it's available in any range, the Xiphos is available only on mid-low tier range, with all the drawbacks of the prices/manifacturing/hardware quality

 

[Emperoff]

You can find an Arrow from 600 € to 5000 € because ESP/LTD believes in its product, so it's available in any range, the Xiphos is available only on mid-low tier range, with all the drawbacks of the prices/manifacturing/hardware quality

Honestly, I don't think the Xyphos falls into the category I mentioned, so I'm not surprised.

 

[jwguitar]

Over the past 3 years, I've seen more guitarists playing the Ibanez AZ series, such as Tim Henson, Martin Miller, Tom Quayle, Jack Gardiner, Lari Basilio and now Chon (previously playing RG's).

How did the AZ rise in popularity? The trend in the past was more about streamlining the RG, with the RGD and RGA but it appears it's the opposite with the AZ. It has a thicker neck, a more simpler bridge and a more refined strat. How did it happen and what is it about the AZ that makes it more appealing?

The Ibanez AZ is really a versatile guitar and it can appeal to many different styles of music. I think that’s why it is such a winner.

 

[Wucan]

...I just realised that's an RG after all. And looks like a stock Iron Label at that.
My bad. Got mistaken for his actual RGD:

I used to have one. It's 25.5-27.2 scale so definitely not an RGD. Also very cheap-feeling guitar lol, razon-thin finish with loose electronics and couldn't get good action on the bass side. Couldn't be assed to open it up so just returned it. Maybe I just bought a bad one but seems like a common theme among the IL line.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

I used to have one. It's 25.5-27.2 scale so definitely not an RGD. Also very cheap-feeling guitar lol, razon-thin finish with loose electronics and couldn't get good action on the bass side. Couldn't be assed to open it up so just returned it. Maybe I just bought a bad one but seems like a common theme among the IL line.

A good chunk of the first Iron Label runs were spotty at best, with very few of them being genuinely good. I played the same RGIR at a store a while back hoping I could get the 8 string version. The guitar was just alright, but it surprisingly blew away an EII Tele 7 that was next to it. I'm still glad I held off since I eventually got an RG2228A as my first 8.

That's par for the course with the non MIJ Ibanez though. Though it's been over 20 years that Indonesia or any country that isn't Japan or US have been building instruments, and QC will only get better through time.