Mmmmhmmmm!
How did the Ibanez AZ series become so popular in recent times?
- Thread starter BeyondAntares
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
It seems to me that the Strat is making a bit of a comeback in some circles, but those people still want more modern features on them. Fender, Charvel, Suhr, now Ibanez... everyone wants that look, and everyone wants to play Insta-core for the 'gram so they can sound like Polyphia and Ichika. The look is heavily associated with that style of music, I find, just because Strats have that twangy tone that lends itself to that style of clean playing. Add a compressor in front and BOOM, you get Tim Henson.
... and they're just damned good guitars, I find. I say all of this tongue-in-cheek as a proud AZ owner.
... and they're just damned good guitars, I find. I say all of this tongue-in-cheek as a proud AZ owner.
Wiltonauer
SS.org Regular
That type of guitar seems to be staggeringly popular with highly skilled players who try to avoid alarming people by putting out a very definite vibe that says, “Don’t run away yet! I’m like so totally NOT one of those 1980’s shred weenies! See? No pointies! No Floyd! No obnoxious paint job! Rounded edges! Tasteful roasted maple! Sure, I can play technically demanding material, and I know lots of theory, but my dulcet tones and mellow style would be a great fit at a stockholder brunch, retirement party, or Ivy League graduation.”
This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
Why does any guitar fail or succeed?
On top of pure luck, there's a lot of behind the scenes stuff. From industry trend analysis, marketing, A&R, etc. It's not a shot in the dark.
They found the specs that were becoming popular, the artists that had visibility in niches targeted, and were willing to put a lot of money into it.
In the 2020's folks want something familiar, not vintage. Something that can do heavy, but not necessarily look like it was made for it. They want flexibility, even if they don't plan on using it. They want stainless steel frets and torrified woods, because those seem like premium features. They want a trem, but don't want something they feel is "complicated" like a Floyd. The AZ fits that description.
On top of pure luck, there's a lot of behind the scenes stuff. From industry trend analysis, marketing, A&R, etc. It's not a shot in the dark.
They found the specs that were becoming popular, the artists that had visibility in niches targeted, and were willing to put a lot of money into it.
In the 2020's folks want something familiar, not vintage. Something that can do heavy, but not necessarily look like it was made for it. They want flexibility, even if they don't plan on using it. They want stainless steel frets and torrified woods, because those seem like premium features. They want a trem, but don't want something they feel is "complicated" like a Floyd. The AZ fits that description.
Wiltonauer
SS.org Regular
Many solid points in this thread. Personally, I need severe-looking body contours and cutaways to remind me that I’m supposed to be playing fast. 
It's just a marketing move where the artists get asked what mods they'd like on a new model to play it on stage and do some shootings. AZ was new - Ibanez pulled in the Polys, Lari Basilio, Tom Quayle and so on. Now they release this new AZS Tele-thing and all of a sudden, THIS is the favourite guitar of Lari Basilio, Tom Quayle and others. Coincidence, my ass.
Siggevaio
Well-Known Member
In Europe a prestige AZ is less than half the price of a Suhr nowadays.
Yep, not even the same ballpark. Ibby AZ: sub 2k Euros. Suhr Classic S: starting from 3.5k Euros. And the Suhrs aren't built significantly better IMHO.
DarthV
Well-Known Member
Well, maybe because not everyone plays metal. Gasp!
Modern take on a strat, it's always going to be popular. What else has MiJ quality with those specs at that price?
Modern take on a strat, it's always going to be popular. What else has MiJ quality with those specs at that price?
Without looking im thinking fender deluxe and some schecters, edwards?
MetalDestroyer
Heaven's Football Bat
That’s crazy. In the us a new prestige is 2k and a used modern can be found for 1.8-2.3k with pretty decent consistency.
Yeah, but who buys new Prestiges?
MetalDestroyer
Heaven's Football Bat
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.
Demiurge
Well-Known Member
True. And it sure beats putting a burl top on pointy guitars as an attempt to class 'em up for non-metal players.
Dude, it's a joke. Remember, "just buy a used Prestige".
MetalDestroyer
Heaven's Football Bat
Not as much of a joke as the Chrysler PT Cruiser
(correct)
will_shred
Wannabe audio engineer
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2012
- Messages
- 3,231
- Reaction score
- 1,051
Its me, hi, I'm the target market for the AZs. I don't play as much metal as I used to and have not really been a fan of pointy guitars for a while. The AZ is sussessful exactly because its so different. Its vintage, but also modern. Its like a fender but cooler. Fender is what your dad plays. Personally I also find that the thicker neck profile is actually more comfortable and more conducive to shredding and playing super technical stuff, but that's just my opinion. I also want a whammy but I find that locking trems are a pain in the ass. Also already been said, but they're basically trying to capture the market of fusion players who usually prefer Suhr/TA style guitars. Offering the same features for less money. I think the AZ is cool because it has a wider appeal than the stuff marketed to just metal bois.
Qazy
Member
This is a great point, and I think it doesn't help that the used market is saturated with poorly maintained or cheap floyd and edge trems.
As someone who I assume is slightly younger than the average user here I can attest that first few guitars I played with floyds were in horrible condition, which for years had me turned off any "complicated" trems.
Not as much of a joke as the Chrysler PT Cruiser
I see your PT Cruiser and raise you the HHR.
