The Top Products of Namm 2018
Ibanez AZ Series
These guitars, released in 2018 as the product of work between Ibanez and top musicians such as the band Polyphia, are ranked by MusicRadar at the top of the list of the best products from the Namm 2018 convention. Featuring a beautiful fusion between sound and aesthetics, these guitars are the next thing in contemporary guitars.
Material Features
Many in this line feature a makeup of American Basswood with roasted maple for the necks. Together these provide a rounded and even tone quality. In addition to a sharp clarity of sound, musicians can expect a bright series of overtones when playing this line. Many feature stainless steel jumbo frets that provide the strings room for maximum resonance and a longer lifespan. In addition, the roasted maple of the neck removes impurities in the instrument allowing for an extra layer of clarity and resonance in the sound.
Playing Features
As always, this Ibanez line is made with the ease of playability musicians can rely on. The double cutaway body is contoured to give easy access to the top-end of the fingerboard. The new bolt-on joint also allows access to the top of the neck. Featuring the Seymour Duncan Hyperion Pickups are wired with a alter switch to access tones corresponding to different genres of music. The enlarged frets also allow for freedom in soloing and easy expert-level control over the strings. Vibrato and pitch bends are easily accessible to the player allowing for more control over the player’s sound.
Specs Example from Ibanez
| neck type | AZ Oval C S-TECH WOOD Roasted Maple neck |
| body | Alder body |
| fretboard | S-TECH WOOD Roasted Maple fretboard w/Black dot inlay |
| fret | Jumbo Stainless Steel frets |
| bridge | Gotoh® T1802 tremolo bridge |
| neck pickup | Seymour Duncan® Hyperion™ (H) neck pickup (Passive/Alnico) |
| bridge pickup | Seymour Duncan® Hyperion™ (H) bridge pickup (Passive/Alnico) |
| nut | Bone nut |
| hardware color | Chrome |
| case/bag | Hardshell case included |
NECK DIMENSIONS
| Scale : | 648mm/25.5″ |
| a: Width | 42mm at NUT |
| b: Width | 57mm at 24F |
| c: Thickness | 20.5mm at 1F |
| d: Thickness | 22.5mm at 12F |
| Radius : | 305mmR |
See what others are saying about them
http://www.metalguitarist.org/forum/guitar-instrument-discussion/93842-ibanez-2018-az-series.html
https://www.musicradar.com/news/best-of-namm-2018-musicradar-awards