Ibanez AZ2402 Prestige in Pearl White Incoming - SuperStrat Thread Got me Thinking

[HowieJams]

I was reading a Thread from a Forum Member who was interested in a SuperStrat, but more like a Traditional Strat in tone, but with HSS configuration.

One guitar he was thinking about was a Fender American Ultra II HSS Stratocaster which I currently own and I gave my opinions on it.

He mentioned he had a PRS Custom 24 and that he was also looking at HH configuration guitars, my feeling is the PRS Custom 24 is basically a HH SuperStrat.

It got me thinking about something along the lines of a HH or HSH type of SuperStrat.

Guitars I was looking at were A PRS Custom 24 (I've owned many and never totally bonded with them tonewise), Charvel Guthrie Govan Made in Japan or USA, and the Ibanez AZ2402. I also looked at other similar guitars from those and other manufacturers.

Main things I wanted were 24 frets, locking tuners, and single coil tones by Coil Tap or Single Coil pickups.

I am a Gibson guy through and through, love their tone and playability, I currently own 4 Les Pauls and 1 SG.
I recently bought 2 Fender Strats, the Ultra II HSS and a Fender Player II Modified HSS and I love them both.

After watching tons of videos and doing a ton of research, the Ibanez AZ2402 Prestige came out on top.
I recently had an Ibanez Prestige RG652 AHMFX, but the neck was very thin and I am not a fan of pointy guitars, plus the tone was just OK.
The AZ2402 has a 12" radius thicker neck, 24 frets, locking tuners (not my favorite kind), and Alnico Seymour Duncan Hyperion humbucker pickups that are vintage voiced with 10 coil split and other options via a 5 way blade switch and a 2 way toggle.

I pulled the trigger today and it should arrive tomorrow.
I usually wait 24 hours to let the guitar acclimate, so by Wednesday I should see if I made the right choice.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I was reading a Thread from a Forum Member who was interested in a SuperStrat, but more like a Traditional Strat in tone, but with HSS configuration.

One guitar he was thinking about was a Fender American Ultra II HSS Stratocaster which I currently own and I gave my opinions on it.

He mentioned he had a PRS Custom 24 and that he was also looking at HH configuration guitars, my feeling is the PRS Custom 24 is basically a HH SuperStrat.

It got me thinking about something along the lines of a HH or HSH type of SuperStrat.

Guitars I was looking at were A PRS Custom 24 (I've owned many and never totally bonded with them tonewise), Charvel Guthrie Govan Made in Japan or USA, and the Ibanez AZ2402. I also looked at other similar guitars from those and other manufacturers.

Main things I wanted were 24 frets, locking tuners, and single coil tones by Coil Tap or Single Coil pickups.

I am a Gibson guy through and through, love their tone and playability, I currently own 4 Les Pauls and 1 SG.
I recently bought 2 Fender Strats, the Ultra II HSS and a Fender Player II Modified HSS and I love them both.

After watching tons of videos and doing a ton of research, the Ibanez AZ2402 Prestige came out on top.
I recently had an Ibanez Prestige RG652 AHMFX, but the neck was very thin and I am not a fan of pointy guitars, plus the tone was just OK.
The AZ2402 has a 12" radius thicker neck, 24 frets, locking tuners (not my favorite kind), and Alnico Seymour Duncan Hyperion humbucker pickups that are vintage voiced with 10 coil split and other options via a 5 way blade switch and a 2 way toggle.

I pulled the trigger today and it should arrive tomorrow.
I usually wait 24 hours to let the guitar acclimate, so by Wednesday I should see if I made the right choice.

Looks sleek! They have one at SW right now with a really sweet board. I love being able to choose the exact one you want from there.

 

[napalmdeath]

I was reading a Thread from a Forum Member who was interested in a SuperStrat, but more like a Traditional Strat in tone, but with HSS configuration.

One guitar he was thinking about was a Fender American Ultra II HSS Stratocaster which I currently own and I gave my opinions on it.

He mentioned he had a PRS Custom 24 and that he was also looking at HH configuration guitars, my feeling is the PRS Custom 24 is basically a HH SuperStrat.

It got me thinking about something along the lines of a HH or HSH type of SuperStrat.

Guitars I was looking at were A PRS Custom 24 (I've owned many and never totally bonded with them tonewise), Charvel Guthrie Govan Made in Japan or USA, and the Ibanez AZ2402. I also looked at other similar guitars from those and other manufacturers.

Main things I wanted were 24 frets, locking tuners, and single coil tones by Coil Tap or Single Coil pickups.

I am a Gibson guy through and through, love their tone and playability, I currently own 4 Les Pauls and 1 SG.
I recently bought 2 Fender Strats, the Ultra II HSS and a Fender Player II Modified HSS and I love them both.

After watching tons of videos and doing a ton of research, the Ibanez AZ2402 Prestige came out on top.
I recently had an Ibanez Prestige RG652 AHMFX, but the neck was very thin and I am not a fan of pointy guitars, plus the tone was just OK.
The AZ2402 has a 12" radius thicker neck, 24 frets, locking tuners (not my favorite kind), and Alnico Seymour Duncan Hyperion humbucker pickups that are vintage voiced with 10 coil split and other options via a 5 way blade switch and a 2 way toggle.

I pulled the trigger today and it should arrive tomorrow.
I usually wait 24 hours to let the guitar acclimate, so by Wednesday I should see if I made the right choice.

I had the 652 in both white and the Nebula. I couldn't bond with the Tone Zones in the bridge, but man, they were probably the best playing Super Strats I've had. The impeccable Japanese fretwork, wide necks and the ability to get stupid low action makes them great players. And the Edge Trem is better than any Floyd I've owned. From 1000 series to real deal, that Edge blew them away. I've been looking at them again, and getting the pickups gutted out for Duncans, which is what I should have done in the first place. I'm not a fan of Dimarzios AT ALL.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I had the 652 in both white and the Nebula. I couldn't bond with the Tone Zones in the bridge, but man, they were probably the best playing Super Strats I've had. The impeccable Japanese fretwork, wide necks and the ability to get stupid low action makes them great players. And the Edge Trem is better than any Floyd I've owned. From 1000 series to real deal, that Edge blew them away. I've been looking at them again, and getting the pickups gutted out for Duncans, which is what I should have done in the first place. I'm not a fan of Dimarzios AT ALL.

I also really enjoyed a 652mpb that I had for awhile. Crazy player. I also disliked the pickups and am not certain I am a DiMarzio guy anymore. The Edge trem is the best to me, and I have played quite a few as a trem guy. The response and flutter is just spot-on.

 

[HowieJams]

Looks sleek! They have one at SW right now with a really sweet board. I love being able to choose the exact one you want from there.

I ordered it from Sweetwater.
I just checked their site to see what was left.
It looks like they sent me the heaviest one (7lbs 9oz) with the lightest colored board without the figuring.
Truth is I would have preferred the lighter one (7lbs 3oz) with the figured board, but truth is I will be able to make out the dots better on the lighter colored board.

 

[HowieJams]

I had the 652 in both white and the Nebula. I couldn't bond with the Tone Zones in the bridge, but man, they were probably the best playing Super Strats I've had. The impeccable Japanese fretwork, wide necks and the ability to get stupid low action makes them great players. And the Edge Trem is better than any Floyd I've owned. From 1000 series to real deal, that Edge blew them away. I've been looking at them again, and getting the pickups gutted out for Duncans, which is what I should have done in the first place. I'm not a fan of Dimarzios AT ALL.

My 652 played very well, tone was OK.
Fret ends could have been finished a little better.
Mine was a hardtail bridge which I prefer.

 

[Music&Chaos]

I ordered it from Sweetwater.
I just checked their site to see what was left.
It looks like they sent me the heaviest one (7lbs 9oz) with the lightest colored board without the figuring.
Truth is I would have preferred the lighter one (7lbs 3oz) with the figured board, but truth is I will be able to make out the dots better on the lighter colored board.

Hey man, I am sure it will feel awesome, and like you said, the lighter board may be better suited for you.

 

[HowieJams]

Hey man, I am sure it will feel awesome, and like you said, the lighter board may be better suited for you.

Yea, but that figured board looked great.
Let's see how this one looks in person.

 

[Shreddy Mercury]

You DiMarzio hatin' muddafuckas... lol

I also wanna try one of these guitars, Ibanez just makes literally 319 variants of each guitar so it makes it hard to pick what you want.

 

[HowieJams]

You DiMarzio hatin' muddafuckas... lol

I also wanna try one of these guitars, Ibanez just makes literally 319 variants of each guitar so it makes it had to pick what you want.

Ibanez does have a lot of variations...
I knew I wanted a Prestige with 24 frets and a fatter neck than a Wizard so it narrowed it down.
I also just bought a HSS Strat, so the HH or HSH further narrowed it down.

 

[VonBonfire]

You DiMarzio hatin' muddafuckas... lol

Nothing gets the toy robot lead tones like a dUbbEL kReeM. It just plain works.

 

[Music&Chaos]

You DiMarzio hatin' muddafuckas... lol

I also wanna try one of these guitars, Ibanez just makes literally 319 variants of each guitar so it makes it had to pick what you want.

I like my Jem, much better even now that I removed the treble bleed from it. I still hear an almost mid selected/cocked wah sound from it that is fun for classic Vai stuff and shredding. Sounded more like Vai with the bleed in, but I still prefer the more open sound without it.

 

[napalmdeath]

I also really enjoyed a 652mpb that I had for awhile. Crazy player. I also disliked the pickups and am not certain I am a DiMarzio guy anymore. The Edge trem is the best to me, and I have played quite a few as a trem guy. The response and flutter is just spot-on.

The Edge is buttery smooth.

 

[napalmdeath]

You DiMarzio hatin' muddafuckas... lol

I also wanna try one of these guitars, Ibanez just makes literally 319 variants of each guitar so it makes it hard to pick what you want.

Not really. Go to their website. Their Prestige models are pretty cut and dry. It's a matter of how fancy you want to get.

 

[chumbucket]

I dig the look of them in roadster orange metallic.

 

[stratjacket]

I ordered it from Sweetwater.
I just checked their site to see what was left.
It looks like they sent me the heaviest one (7lbs 9oz) with the lightest colored board without the figuring.
Truth is I would have preferred the lighter one (7lbs 3oz) with the figured board, but truth is I will be able to make out the dots better on the lighter colored board.

When you ordered you should have been able to choose the guitar and then checkout if they show multiple available. I’m guessing you were probably looking at the 7.9lb guitars when you checked out. If you call, you can tell them the one you want as well. You can probably still call and change it to the 7.3lb one.

 

[jski59]

The AZ’s are really nice but i was surprised how chunky the necks were (this is when they were released, not sure I’d they’re the same now).

I ended up preferring similar spec’d Charvels (ash Govan and a DK24). If you don’t bond with the Ibanez, definitely give a GG a spin.

 

[HowieJams]

When you ordered you should have been able to choose the guitar and then checkout if they show multiple available. I’m guessing you were probably looking at the 7.9lb guitars when you checked out. If you call, you can tell them the one you want as well. You can probably still call and change it to the 7.3lb one.

I had a Gift Card through Amazon for the full amount of the guitar so I just ordered it through Sweetwater on Amazon.
I should have called them first, oh well.
I am sure I will be happy with it if it plays and sounds great.
Couldn't call as guitar was already shipped.

 

[HowieJams]

The AZ’s are really nice but i was surprised how chunky the necks were (this is when they were released, not sure I’d they’re the same now).

I ended up preferring similar spec’d Charvels (ash Govan and a DK24). If you don’t bond with the Ibanez, definitely give a GG a spin.

I like thin necks like a Gibson 60s neck, but not shredder necks.
I also like the necks on my R9 and Standard 50s Les Pauls.
I am hoping the AZ neck is similar to those in thickness.

I have had very few necks I don't like.
Right now my thickest neck is on my Les Paul R8 and my thinnest neck is probably the Modern C on my Fender Player II Modified Strat HSS or my 61 SG RI, I like all of them.

The GG looked great also, but the AZ looked a little better for my style.

 

[HowieJams]

I dig the look of them in roadster orange metallic.View attachment 441240

I saw the Orange one, but the White is very classy looking.
I used to have two PRS Custom 24 Navarro models, loved the White and Black contrast.
One had a Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard and like a fool I sold it.