Ibanez AZES40 AZ Essentials Electric Guitar
Ibanez ups the ante for affordable guitars with the AZES40. Cycle through the offerings from the dyna-MIX 9 switching system to experiment with many sounds.
$349.99
- 8 x$43.75
- No Credit Check6 x$58.33
- No Credit Check4 x$87.50
Overall User Ratings (based on 7 ratings)
Submitted November 14, 2021 by Scott P in Springfield, OR
"Ibanez AZES 40….Another Home Run"
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This guitar was meant to attract beginner level guitarists, but this could be a great guitar for a pro as a main axe or backup. There are so many tones in this guitar.Out of the box this thing is ready to rock!
Sound
The sounds of this guitar are fantastic with 9 different pickup settings and the toggle switch. I played it both clean and dirty. The 2 and 4 positions give you that Mark Knopfler clean solo tone.Also, the pickups sound very full and snarly through my Orange will the gain all the way up.The pickups have a really high octane sound. Don’t think that because they are ceramics that the resulting tone will be compromised.The most useful feature is the toggle switch. Depending on which position you are at on the 5-way, you can get Tele flavors, typical strat, and even some Brian May like tones.The body wood is quite resonant. And the maple neck with Jatoba fretboard are quite smooth and well finished. The hardware on this guitar are very good. The tuners are quite nice and function flawlessly. The split shafts make restringing a breeze. All components were snugly secure from the factory. The T106 trem bridge is very nice with its rounded comfort saddles. No grub screws sticking out, waiting to slice your hand when resting it on the bridge. The bridge is set up Decked. You can only dive on it, but the guitar stays in tune after a dive, and the string trees seem to be smooth, as well as the nut slots.
Features
This guitar is so easy to use. The switches and pots function flawlessly. If there is a learning curve it is because there are so many tonal choices with the five way and toggle switches.This guitar was playable right out of the box. Even the action was low and the guitar was intonated right from the factory and the action was just a hair under 4/64ths at the 17th fret.
Ease of Use
A well made instrument, the fit and finish is superb. No cosmetic or functional flaws. As far as for a beginner, this guitar should be a good one for the entire learning journey. It should last for many, many years to come with proper maintenance. The scale is a little shorter than a standard strat style guitar and a little longer than a typical Gibson.If I have any complaint, it’s that the frets might need to be polished a little. The frets seem to be level, but a little polishing will take them from smooth to smooth as glass.
Quality
I have not had to deal with Ibanez directly, but if there is a problem, call up customer service and they can deal with an Ibanez rep quickly. I’ve done that before and had good results.
Value
This guitar is the best looking of my three AZ’s. I want to get the other colors when they are available. At least the black one. I am going to use this guitar for bar jams and videos. I could use another guitar for this, as I have over 30, but these guitars are priced right to be what I need, and that’s a tool to make music with. And the AZES guitars are so versatile, and cost so little, why would I use anything else.
Manufacturer Support
This guitar is the most bang, for so few bucks, in the Ibanez line. It is worth every penny. At $349.00 brand new, the AZES 40 kicks ass, and is a better value than a Squier Classic Vibe. Better frets and electronics, and in some cases better tuners and a better jack assembly.
The Wow Factor
I have 9 Ibanez guitars, including the AZES 40 and two AZES 31’s ranging from $299.00 to 2K, and these are some of the best guitars I’ve ever played.
Musical Background:
I started learning guitar and bass in 1983. My first guitar was an Ibanez RS100.
Musical Style:
I play rock, metal, blues and classical. Been a guitar tech almost as long.
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Submitted March 19, 2022 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Excellent!!"
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Got this guitar in just a couple of days thanks to zZounds fast shipping policy. Opened the box to find a beautiful guitar with excellent fit and finish! Plugged it in and only had to bring it into tune a little bit before I could start jamming. I didn’t want to put this guitar down! No fret buzz, low action and good intonation right out of the box. Nice binding on the neck with absolutely no sharp fret edges! This guitar is billed as a starter guitar, but I’ve been playing for many, many years and this will be my main guitar. It does everything and does it just as good as an $1100 Fender, no joke. This guitar reminds me of the awesome Ibanez Blazer I had in the 80’s, but those are hard to find and more expensive now than this beauty. I’m giving Ibanez customer support a five star rating even though I’ve never had to use them (I own several Ibanez guitars), but I’m sure they are great to deal with considering the quality of the instruments they make. Buy this guitar! Buy it!!
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Submitted September 30, 2022 by a customer from gmail.com
"Versatile and Fun To Play"
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I am really pleased with the tone, playability, and build quality. It is an excellent guitar all around. What really jumps out are the neck and the pickups. The carve is extremely comfortable and the ability to tweak and vary tones is endless. The hardware is of decent quality and the finish(Vermillion)is bright and well done. This is my third Ibanez electric and I have developed a great trust for the band.
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Submitted June 23, 2023 by a customer from gmail.com
"my first guitar !"
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I don’t really know much about guitars, but I’ve done a lot of research and decided to get this one for my bday :D I’ve been playing a bit and it’s pretty fun. Though my only complaint is that the plastic wrap are stuck in the screws, and I’ve read reviews from other sites having that issue as well. But leaving that aside, it’s so beautiful I’m going to treasure it forever lol
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Submitted February 22, 2024 by Robert Kelsey in Cincinnati, OH
"Not just for beginners!"
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I’m completely blown away with the high build quality. Very nice neck and smooth fret ends. Flawless paint. Nice tuners and great tremolo too. I added GraphTech string trees to insure it stays in tune each time I use the whammy. I was also super impressed with the versatility of the pickups on both clean and distortion channels. However, my only complaint is the 2-way splitter switch doesn’t seem to even be connected. There is no change in sounds in the up or down position regardless if it’s on the clean or distortion channel. No big deal for me because the 5-way switch does a great job of dialing pretty much any tone you’re looking for. I can’t think of any other brand that gives you so much for only $349.00! Definitely better than even Squier’s Classic Vibe series and is even good enough to knock out the Yamaha Pacifica as the best beginner guitar which has always been amazing as well. Also it doesn’t with a ton like the Yamaha. So it’s much easier on you neck and shoulder when playing for long periods of time. Especially for us older guys. You can leave it as is or for $99.00 you can put a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and have a guitar as good as anything out there selling for $1,000.00 or more. This guitar does NOT disappoint!
Musical Background:
Guitar, bass, and drums. Been playing over 30yrs.
Musical Style:
Blues, Jazz, Classic rock, 80’s alt, Punk, Grunge and Metal.
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Submitted August 9, 2022 by a customer from gmail.com
"Above average"
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This is hands down one of the best beginner guitars out there. Great tones and a breeze to play. So many tones. It is a great guitar for any level to be honest. Try one it's cost effective enough to add to the collection.
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