Ibanez AZ2402 details emerge ahead of AZ ‘SuperStrat’ series launch at NAMM 2018
The new AZ Series was teased throughout 2017 and now it is about to launch
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Ibanez WInter NAMM 2018 teaser · Source: Ibanez UK/Facebook
Ibanez AZ2402-TFF, about to launch at NAMM 2019 · Source: Ibanez/Thomann
Ibanez has been teasing the brand new AZ Series guitars for most of 2017. We wrote about their Facebook tease in October last year and some people have also spotted prototypes being used by artists on stages around the world in 2017. We’ve since heard that they are being officially launched at the NAMM Show at the end of the month. What awaits?
AZ Series
The new Ibanez AZ2402 is part of their Prestige range – this is the guitar that was teased all last year. Now we havw the official specifications and pricing for the model. Ibanez’s aim here appears to be to offer boutique-style “Super Strats” but made on a much larger, mass production scale. However, I reckon if any company can pull this one off, Ibanez is likely to be able to do it. With a strong background in building high spec, high performance guitars, the Japanese guitar manufacturer already knows how to build this type of instrument. I think these will be really popular with players in 2018.
Ibanez AZ2402 in Ice Blue Metallic · Source: Ibanez/Issuu
Ibanez AZ2402
This is the one we all saw leaked/teased on the Ibanez Facebook page back in October, and it has a really nice specification. This includes roasted maple AZ oval C-shape neck profile and the neck has luminescent side dot inlays. Nice touch! It has a lightweight alder body, finished in a Tri Fade Burst Flat. I think this really suits the guitar and makes it look very Suhr-like in many ways. There’s also an Ice Blue Metallic finish.
The tone is powered by a pair of Seymour Duncan Hyperion humbuckers. Also onboard are a Gotoh T1802 tremolo and Gotoh MAGNUM LOCK locking machine heads – nice hardware that gives the guitar a ‘premium’ air.
The official RRP is GBP 1779, and I have already seen them being listed over at Thomann in Europe here. This is not the cheapest of the new AZ Series, but it is one of the nicest looking ones, in my opinion. On paper, the specification on paper looks more than decent.
There will be a whole range of these new AZ Series guitars launching at the show, but as yet they do not officially appear on the Ibanez main website. We expect them to have announced these by the end of the month, so keep your eyes peeled for more.
Price: GBP 1779 inc hard case
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