Hi, I have never posted reviews but here it goes. I was an Ibanez user about 10+ years ago. Because of my first teacher, I was heavily influenced by 80s music, and Mr. Big was one of my favorite bands. I bought a PGM100RE, well, my parents bought it for me, and I used it for practice, writing stuff, and playing gigs. Then I was crazy about boutique brands and I ordered nearly two dozens. Mostly PRS APs, Suhrs, TAGs and a Collings City Limits Deluxe, probably a few others. Anyways, what I didn't like about the Prestiges are those thin necks and Floyd Rose trems. Tired of changing strings, and my left thumb felt so sore after every gig. I really can't say every boutique guitar I've had were flawless, actually, a lot of them had some issues. Recently I've been thinking about whether boutique guitars are worth it, well, partly because everything has gone up. And I like tinkering around, changing pickups.
Anyways, I bought an AZ2204NW (alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, HSS), and I gotta say it's really great. No, it's not flawless, but it's no better or worse than those boutique ones I've had, and it's way cheaper. When I was spec'ing my guitars, I ordered different neck profiles and other things. But when I was playing the AZ, I just thought, oh, you can't spec anything, but everything just feels so right. And this happened many times. No terribly thin neck, check; no OFR style trem, check; stainless steel frets, check; roasted maple neck, check; top quality Gotoh hardware, check. I've been playing it every single day for two months and I still love it. I did swap the bridge pickup out the first day.
A few days ago, I ordered AZ2402 (alder body, maple neck and fb)and it arrived yesterday. Nothing to say here because it's as good as the other one. I like the fact that it has Duncan pickups so changing pickups is easy, you don't need to special order pickups with triangular feet. Most of the pickups I already have are Seymour Duncan Custom Shop ones so I don't need to modify them. I will swap the stock pickups out but not because they are bad, they are actually pretty good.
Well, that's it. I can't guarantee you will like the AZ line as well, but at least give them a try if you can. An AZ with a proper setup, I really can't say a boutique guitar will still be better imo. I really wanna get another AZ2402 in white if it had black hardware, and an AZ2407F (basswood body with maple top, maple neck and fb) if it had the same pickups, and AZ24027 (alder body, maple neck and fb, 7 string) if it had other colors.
Anyways, I bought an AZ2204NW (alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, HSS), and I gotta say it's really great. No, it's not flawless, but it's no better or worse than those boutique ones I've had, and it's way cheaper. When I was spec'ing my guitars, I ordered different neck profiles and other things. But when I was playing the AZ, I just thought, oh, you can't spec anything, but everything just feels so right. And this happened many times. No terribly thin neck, check; no OFR style trem, check; stainless steel frets, check; roasted maple neck, check; top quality Gotoh hardware, check. I've been playing it every single day for two months and I still love it. I did swap the bridge pickup out the first day.
A few days ago, I ordered AZ2402 (alder body, maple neck and fb)and it arrived yesterday. Nothing to say here because it's as good as the other one. I like the fact that it has Duncan pickups so changing pickups is easy, you don't need to special order pickups with triangular feet. Most of the pickups I already have are Seymour Duncan Custom Shop ones so I don't need to modify them. I will swap the stock pickups out but not because they are bad, they are actually pretty good.
Well, that's it. I can't guarantee you will like the AZ line as well, but at least give them a try if you can. An AZ with a proper setup, I really can't say a boutique guitar will still be better imo. I really wanna get another AZ2402 in white if it had black hardware, and an AZ2407F (basswood body with maple top, maple neck and fb) if it had the same pickups, and AZ24027 (alder body, maple neck and fb, 7 string) if it had other colors.
