Any Ibanez Prestige AZ Owners??

[JT]

Mojo sent. Ugh.

 

[Fireproof]

This thread did not go the way I thought it was going to go. Man that sucks.

 

[Jarick]

@la szum - where did you buy yours from? New I'm assuming?

 

[paisleywookiee]

Bummer.

 

[la szum]

He's having some bad luck, for sure.

Maybe I should shower.... or get smudged with some sage and sweetgrass.... or just stop trying to
buy more shit.

 

[la szum]

@la szum - where did you buy yours from? New I'm assuming?

It was Zzounds. Not a return, and not a B stock. I paid new, full price, no discounts. Maybe that is the issue!

 

[paisleywookiee]

It was Zzounds. Not a return, and not a B stock. I paid new, full price, no discounts. Maybe that is the issue!

It’ll be interesting to see how mine shows up.

 

[Fireproof]

It was Zzounds. Not a return, and not a B stock. I paid new, full price, no discounts. Maybe that is the issue!

The good news is they make returns easy right? Are there more in stock?

 

[la szum]

I am already super blessed with more gear than any struggling, middle-aged white boy deserves.

I had high hopes. There isn't an higher price point for an Ibanez guitar unless you go with one
of the Signature models. More shocked than anything.

The bonus is it made me realize how great the Charvel is. Side by side, it plays better, and sounds
better. Only thing I found superior (including the fretwork, which is better on the Charvel, too) is
the fit and finish. The Ibanez is flawless fit and finish wise. It is gorgeous. Has a glow about it that
the Charvel doesn't have. Charvel is kind of dull, by comparison.

Oh, and the neck on the AZ is super confusing to me. Super flat radius fretboard, and then this
oddly chunky neck for an Ibby. It's like they tried to get a vintage feel on the back of the neck and
then a modern feel with the super flat radius (17" ?) on the front. It's kind of confusing to this old
fart.

 

[la szum]

It’ll be interesting to see how mine shows up.

Maybe I am taking one for the team here. I hope you good, too!!!

 

[la szum]

The good news is they make returns easy right? Are there more in stock?

It was the only one, FP. I had been checking for quite awhile, as they were backordered
most of this year, and was super surprised to see one pop up in stock this past weekend,
so I quickly ordered it on Sunday.

 

[TSJMajesty]

It was the only one, FP. I had been checking for quite awhile, as they were backordered
most of this year, and was super surprised to see one pop up in stock this past weekend,
so I quickly ordered it on Sunday.

There's 3 at SW. One is a demo, for $200 off.

 

[Justincase]

Dave test driving his new AZ

 

[Jarick]

I'd highly recommend seeing if you can exchange or return to buy from a different retailer. Fit and finish on mine was as good as I've ever seen on a guitar. Right up there with my PRS CE-24 and a USA G&L ASAT. Frets were perfect, nut was perfect, setup was perfect.

Not sure which Charvel you had, but I had the MIM DK24 HH 2pt. I got that guitar because I really wanted a Suhr and it was kind of close on paper. That one had some issues...all the fret edges were super sharp and I had to file them all smooth. Wouldn't stay in tune and it took a lot of fussing around to get that sorted (bridge/tremolo setup and not using the string trees on the middle strings). I actually couldn't raise and lower the pickups properly on the Charvel because they weren't properly drilled out, so I had to fix that. Never seen that issue on a guitar before.

Then going to personal preference, I didn't like the neck shape at all, way too flat and skinny. I also swapped the pickups a few times and even the entire electronics because it just never sounded great. Ultimately I realized the whole guitar wasn't for me and that's when I got the Ibanez AZ and then traded the Charvel for a PRS S2 which I still have and really like a lot more.

 

[la szum]

There's 3 at SW. One is a demo, for $200 off.

I bet that "demo" one is a guitar that someone sent back. Like me??

 

[-BOOGIEMAN-]

I think it is a pretty safe bet that their are some turds from every manufacturer regardless of price…

 

[la szum]

Welp, it's going back. They didn't want to offer any price reduction. Ibanez never responded
to my queries. And it is just not something (such a poorly cut nut!) I can swallow on a $2,000
guitar.

It is flipping gorgeous, though. This was gonna be the Superstrat to end all Superstrats for me.

Alas, the hunt continues.

 

[la szum]

Looks like someone else had an issue with one of the Prestige AZ models. Trend?

 

[-BOOGIEMAN-]

Welp, it's going back. They didn't want to offer any price reduction. Ibanez never responded
to my queries. And it is just not something (such a poorly cut nut!) I can swallow on a $2,000
guitar.

It is flipping gorgeous, though. This was gonna be the Superstrat to end all Superstrats for me.

Alas, the hunt continues.

Yeah, I agree completely, not acceptable. They didn’t respond to my inquiry either. Ibanez customer service is in the toilet. I’ve always loved their guitars and have had a few over the years, but the one I have currently will be my last from them.

 

[la szum]

Yeah, I agree completely, not acceptable. They didn’t respond to my inquiry either. Ibanez customer service is in the toilet. I’ve always loved their guitars and have had a few over the years, but the one I have currently will be my last from them.

I mentioned this elsewhere..... but I made comments on a Youtube vid related to the
AZ Prestige line, and then had an endorser of theirs reach out to me..... but no one from Ibanez.

Weird!