NAMM 2020: Ibanez is starting the new year right by expanding its AZ and RG ranges with some seriously impressive models including top woods and finishes not seen on its guitars before.
There's also the expanded roll out of the Ibanez mono-rail fixed bridge to enhance string resonance for some of the new RG models.
Let's take a look at these beauties…
AZ Premium
Ibanez is debuting five new AZ PRemium guitars this year with fresh finishes and top wood choices.
Both the AZ226PB ($1,349.99) and AZ242PB ($1,349.99) feature poplar burl tops, with the AZ226PB finished in a Cerulean Blue Burst (pictured above) and the AZ242PB in a Charcoal Black Burst.
The AZ224BCG ($1,349.99) features a Bocote top with a Deep Espresso Burst finish and the the AZ226 ($1,299.99) has a Black Flat finish. Tthe AZ242 ($1,299.99) boasts a Sea Foam Green Matte finish.
All these basswood body guitars feature the AZ hallmarks of Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups and Gotoh hardware.
AZ2202A Prestige
The first AZ model to feature an ash body, the Tri Fade Burst AZ2202A ($2,149.99) pairs it with the standard AZ Oval C neck and S-Tech roasted maple fingerboard.
Seymour Duncan Hyperion humbuckers are paired with the dyna-MIX10 switching system for ten pickup combinations offering a wealth of tone.
AZ2204B Prestige
The AZ2204 ($1,999.99) is now available in black, hence the 'B', and it's looking very good in it too. The model has an alder body, S-Tech roasted maple neck with a AZ Oval C neck profile.
SSH Seymour Duncan Hyperion pickups are controlled via a five-way selector with Ibanez’s dyna-MIX9 switching system offering nien different pickup configurations.
Like the AZ2202A, hardware includes Gotoh Magnum Lock tuners and Gotoh T1802 tremolo bridge.
Limited-Run RG6PPBFX Premium
This limited-run Tropical Seafloor finish model features an American basswood body, poplar burl top and a Wizard neck constructed from 11 pieces of maple, walnut and purpleheart.
The fingerboard is ebony with EVO gold frets and It also boasts luminescent side-dot inlays.
The RG6PPBFX ($1,599.99) features Premium Knuckle Aftermath humbuckers with a switchable coil-tap for versatility. Hardware includes Gotoh MG-T locking tuners and a mono-rail fixed bridge previously seen on select Ibanez multiscale guitars.
RG1121PB, RG1120PBZ and RG1127PBFX
The RG1121PB (pictured), RG1120PBZ and seven-string RG1127PBFX debut with American basswood bodies, poplar burl tops, ebony fingerboards with EVO Gold frets and those 11-piece maple, neck and purpleheart Wizard necks constructed from maple, walnut and purpleheart. All have luminescent side-dot inlays.
Pickups are DiMarzio Covered Fusion Edge humbuckers, coupled with a coil-tap switch for tonal flexibility.
Hardware includes Gotoh MG-T locking tuners and the mono-rail fixed bridge on the RG1121PB and RG1127PBFX
The RG1120PBZ has an Edge-Zero II tremolo instead, along with the dyna-MIX10 switching system found on the AZ series.
The RG1121PB ($1,299.99) and RG1120PBZ ($1,399.99) are available in a transparent Caribbean Islet Flat or Charcoal Black Burst finish, while the RG1127PBFX ($1,399.99) is available in the Caribbean Islet Flat only.
For more info head over to Ibanez.
