Ibanez Prestige

IBANEZ PRESTIGE
AZ2204-ICM
PRICE: £1,779 (inc case)
ORIGIN: Japan
TYPE: 22-fret offset double-cutaway
solidbody electric
BODY: Alder
NECK: Oil-finished S-Tech roasted
maple, oval C profile, bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/41.84mm
FINGERBOARD: S-Tech roasted
maple, black face dots, 305mm (12”)
radius, luminescent side dots
FRETS: 22, jumbo stainless steel
HARDWARE: Ibanez (by Gotoh)
T1802 vibrato with titanium saddles,
Gotoh Magnum Lock HAP tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
ELECTRICS: Ibanez/Seymour
Duncan Hyperion HSS pickups,
five-way lever pickup selector switch,
two-way mini toggle Alter switch,
master volume, master tone
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.36/7.4
OPTIONS: No
RANGE OPTIONS: The other
22-fret AZ Prestige model is the
AZ2204F-TAB with added flame
maple cap (£2,299)
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Ice blue Metallic (as
reviewed) – gloss body
IBANEZ PRESTIGE
AZ2402-TFF
PRICE: £1,779 (inc case)
ORIGIN: Japan
TYPE: 24-fret offset double-cutaway
solidbody electric
BODY: Alder
NECK: Oil-finished S-Tech roasted
maple, oval C profile, bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/42.47mm
FINGERBOARD: S-Tech roasted
maple, black face dots, 305mm (10”)
radius, luminescent side dots
FRETS: 22, jumbo stainless steel
HARDWARE: Ibanez (by Gotoh)
T1802 vibrato with titanium saddles,
Gotoh Magnum Lock HAP tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
ELECTRICS: Ibanez/Seymour
Duncan Hyperion HH pickups,
five-way lever pickup selector switch,
two-way mini toggle Alter switch,
master volume, master tone
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.3/7.26
OPTIONS: No
RANGE OPTIONS: See Premium
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Tri Fade Burst Flat (matt
finish, as reviewed), Ice Blue Metallic
gloss body
IBANEZ PREMIUM
AZ224F-BIG
PRICE: £1,069 (inc soft shell case)
ORIGIN: Indonesia
TYPE: 22-fret offset double-cutaway
solidbody electric
BODY: American basswood with
flame maple veneer facing
NECK: Roasted maple, oval C profile,
bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech Tusq
XL/42mm
FINGERBOARD: Roasted maple,
black face dots, 305mm (10”) radius,
luminescent side dots
FRETS: 22, jumbo stainless steel
HARDWARE: Ibanez (by Gotoh)
T1502 vibrato with steel saddles,
Gotoh Magnum Lock HAP tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
ELECTRICS: Ibanez/Seymour
Duncan Hyperion HSS pickups,
five-way lever pickup selector switch,
two-way mini toggle Alter switch,
master volume, master tone
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.1/6.82
OPTIONS: No, colour only
RANGE OPTIONS: See AZ242F
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Blue Iceberg Graduation
(as reviewed), Brown Topaz Burst –
gloss body
IBANEZ PREMIUM
AZ242F-TSG
PRICE: £1,069 (inc soft shell case)
ORIGIN: Indonesia
TYPE: 24-fret offset double-cutaway
solidbody electric
BODY: American basswood with
flame maple veneer facing
NECK: Roasted maple, oval C profile,
bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Graph Tech Tusq
XL/42.47mm
FINGERBOARD: Roasted maple,
black face dots, 305mm (10”) radius,
luminescent side dots
FRETS: 22, jumbo stainless steel
HARDWARE: Ibanez (by Gotoh)
T1502 vibrato with steel saddles,
Gotoh Magnum Lock HAP tuners
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 52mm
ELECTRICS: Ibanez/Seymour
Duncan Hyperion HH pickups,
five-way lever pickup selector switch,
two-way mini toggle Alter switch,
master volume, master tone
WEIGHT (kg/lb): 3.1/6.82
OPTIONS: No
RANGE OPTIONS: The other 24-fret
Premium model is the AZ242BC-
DET (£1,069) with same spec but
bocote top instead of flame maple
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Tequila Sunrise
Graduation (as reviewed) –
gloss body
9 9
8
8
PROS: Good-looking, smart build,
great playability, hugely versatile
sounds. What’s not to like?
CONS: Lack of colours, no lefties,
rosewood fingerboard options
PROS: Same smart Prestige build
as the AZ2204 but with different
voicings. If we’re honest, it’s a hard
choice as to which we like best
CONS: Same as the AZ2204
PROS: Similar quality to Prestige,
lighter in weight with effectively the
same engine and sounds
CONS: The fancier colour choice
won’t please us traditionalists. Again
no rosewood or lefties
PROS: Close cousin to the Prestige,
slightly lighter with effectively the
same engine and sounds
CONS: In this colour? Really? Give
us some simple classic hues please.
No rosewood or lefties
Video demo http://bit.ly/guitaristextra
review
IBANEZ AZ PRESTIGE & PREMIUM SERIES
96
Guitarist auGust 2018
GIT435.rev_ibanez.indd 96 14/06/2018 19:32