Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

[Nagisa]

I have a US standard strat from 2014 in mint condition that I love to look at (gold) but is much more of a pain to play than other guitars. Even after a fret leveling and setup it's not like my LP or Ibanez prestige.

And here comes the Premium Ibanez AZ hss. It sounds awesome and I can probably get it for not much more than what I get for my used strat. What do you think? The stainless steel frets and locking tuners don't hurt, not to mention the 12" fret radius. Rob Chapman said the AZ looks cheap in person - that's one point against it.

Has anyone seen them in person (I have no stores near me) who can chime in?

Thanks!

 

[greekdude]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

Strats should be fun to play. Maybe there is smth wrong with this particular one?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

For me, a Strat with a meatier neck, thicker strings and higher action is easier to play than a paper thin Ibanez neck with low action. As long as it's setup properly. I bet the setup on yours could be better.

Having said that, if the Strat doesn't do it for you, get rid of it.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

Maybe you just like flatter fretboards. Do you have the same string gauge on all 3 guitars? If you have a 2014 USA made strat that already required a fret level, its not the best example to begin with. I like the Basswood/Maple top wood combo as a good all-rounder. I don't think the AZ's stock pickups are going to sound very "stratty". You'd have to play one to see if all those specs listed on paper mesh to make a good guitar. I like the specs on paper.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I agree that there is probably something preventing my stat from performing at 100% but neither I nor the only tech in town have been able to fix it. I used Dan Erlewine's books, tons of youtube tutorials on setups, and just never could get it to sound good at an ideal action.

The AZ has a different profile than an RG, not as thin.

As for the sound..all I have to go off of are youtube vids, but they sounded really good and the hss sounded stratty enough for me. Only thing is these are amazing guitarists in the videos.

Really as for neck feel and sound, I think it's a pretty safe choice to change. For build quality and aesthetics, I'm on the fence.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I had a MIM strat with the 9.5 radius and standard c shape
And it felt huge after playing my RGs and Gibson/Epiphone
I ended up parting with the strat

 

[PS412]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I'm gonna get lynched. Sell,sell,sell. There hasn't been a Strat I've played that I have really enjoyed. They are o.k at best.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

^^^ sorry I disagree. Recently I got my strat a major overhaul, new neck, new alnico vintage pups. Now the rest of guitars (Single cuts, Ibanez'es, 7-stringers, super strats, etc..) stay in their cases.

 

[PS412]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

^^^ sorry I disagree. Recently I got my strat a major overhaul, new neck, new alnico vintage pups. Now the rest of guitars (Single cuts, Ibanez'es, 7-stringers, super strats, etc..) stay in their cases.

Yeah I dated a woman once., I didn't really love her until I bought her new boobs, some lipo and a nose job.
After that all the others...

 

[Mincer]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

Hey, I think that if you aren't feelin' it, get rid of it. You can invest more money and time into it, and in the end, still end up with a guitar that you don't play much. Go with what you like, no matter what the guitar world at large says.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I think you should figure out what the problem is that you can't play the Strat. I don't like them - but I can play them. As Dave said, lose it. Call it no mojo, or whatever. I'm not even saying fix it and see if you still like it. I'm saying tell me exactly why you don't dig it. Could be neck width to scale to color. I don't care. Just know why you are doing this.

Otherwise, you'll just be buying the same problem possibly.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I think you should figure out what the problem is that you can't play the Strat. I don't like them - but I can play them. As Dave said, lose it. Call it no mojo, or whatever. I'm not even saying fix it and see if you still like it. I'm saying tell me exactly why you don't dig it. Could be neck width to scale to color. I don't care. Just know why you are doing this.

Otherwise, you'll just be buying the same problem possibly.

Fair enough. Notes fret out unless the action is higher than factory spec, especially on the high strings. The high e sounds bad when bending on some notes, like it runs out of steam and is being fretted out. The g string has the stratitis warble, especially on frets 10-15. Backing down the pickups helps, but then the sound gets weaker. It also just feels stiff compared to my other guitars, probably just due to the action. (Using 9-46 strings currently)

The base sound is good, but from what I hear on AZ videos, I may prefer the hss tappable system.

That said it IS a looker.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I have a US standard strat from 2014 in mint condition that I love to look at (gold) but is much more of a pain to play than other guitars. Even after a fret leveling and setup it's not like my LP or Ibanez prestige.

And here comes the Premium Ibanez AZ hss. It sounds awesome and I can probably get it for not much more than what I get for my used strat. What do you think? The stainless steel frets and locking tuners don't hurt, not to mention the 12" fret radius. Rob Chapman said the AZ looks cheap in person - that's one point against it.

Has anyone seen them in person (I have no stores near me) who can chime in?

Thanks!

Fair enough. Notes fret out unless the action is higher than factory spec, especially on the high strings. The high e sounds bad when bending on some notes, like it runs out of steam and is being fretted out. The g string has the stratitis warble, especially on frets 10-15. Backing down the pickups helps, but then the sound gets weaker. It also just feels stiff compared to my other guitars, probably just due to the action. (Using 9-46 strings currently)

The base sound is good, but from what I hear on AZ videos, I may prefer the hss tappable system.

That said it IS a looker.

In the first post you said it was professionally leveled and set up
But it frets out
It wasn't done right

Or something changed since that was done

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

Yea it likely wasn't done right. I hate the local guitar guitar shop - but it's the only one within hours of driving. I'm a bit tired of fussing with this strat, but I am considering shipping it to a bigger city to have it set up. Then again I could save that money and just sell it. Decision, decisions. In the future I will obviously not use that store for setups again.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

I don't know exactly what you mean by "pain to play" but strats have always had a reputation for being a little "stiff" or hard to play. The scale and string break over the vintage style bridge accentuate that feeling. This is part of what makes a strat a strat, however.

None of this matters if you do not enjoy playing the guitar, so if it is not a setup issue, sell it.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

Thanks everyone. Since I just noticed that the online orders for AZs are still preorders, I'm going to try selling the strat and some other things now, then reassess the az when orders are live. Thanks!

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

NO. If you must get rid of the Strat, use the money toward MIJ Ibanez Prestige, 550, 655, 652.

The Premium is offered at a price point of a Prestige, which doesn't make any sense cause it's Indonesian made.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

^^^ sorry I disagree. Recently I got my strat a major overhaul, new neck, new alnico vintage pups. Now the rest of guitars (Single cuts, Ibanez'es, 7-stringers, super strats, etc..) stay in their cases.

An Aria is not a real Strat (Fender).

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

NO. If you must get rid of the Strat, use the money toward MIJ Ibanez Prestige, 550, 655, 652.

The Premium is offered at a price point of a Prestige, which doesn't make any sense cause it's Indonesian made.

I am considering thr prestige AZ. I like the sound of the AZ line and the ss frets. I have a beat up prestige 2550z which is good but not really for the lighter sounds I want. My LP has an amazing thick sound so I'm thinking of getting rid of the old prestige alongside the strat. I'd be fine with 2 guitars.

 

[dotsdad]

Re: Good idea? Selling Strat for Ibanez AZ

Do it. The Ibanez will stay in tune for more than 10 seconds...