SAINTE-GENEVIÈVE-DES-BOIS, France
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** IBANEZ AZ2204NW GRM Gray Metallic **Brand NEW (New Strings & Full Setup by our Guitar Tech)Original Ibanez Prestige hardcase, original box, and accessories included.Ibanez is one of those brands that has established itself as an essential reference whenever high-end modern electric guitars are discussed. With the Japanese-made Prestige series, we are clearly dealing with a level of production where industrial guitar building reaches a rare degree of maturity: surgical precision, remarkable consistency, ultra-strict quality control, and above all, that sense of overall coherence that few manufacturers manage to maintain throughout an entire product line. The Fujigen workshops in Japan continue to produce instruments that immediately convey a feeling of “rightness” from the very first moment you pick them up: exceptional playing comfort, flawless finishing, perfectly leveled and polished stainless-steel frets, ergonomics refined down to the smallest detail, and an overall impression of a modern instrument equally at home in the studio or on stage.Within this context, the Ibanez AZ2204NW represents an even more refined evolution of the AZ concept. The central idea remains the same: revisiting the Stratocaster spirit without excessive nostalgia, but with a confidently contemporary vision. Alder body, roasted maple neck with the ever-comfortable AZ Oval C profile, stainless-steel frets, ultra-stable Gotoh T1702 tremolo, and a perfectly integrated HSS configuration: everything is designed to deliver genuine versatility rather than theoretical flexibility. The GRM finish adds the understated elegance typical of the Prestige series, where nothing is ostentatious, yet everything exudes discreet premium quality.What immediately stands out about this guitar is the balance between playing comfort and sonic sophistication. The neck feels effortlessly playable, with a natural satin finish that provides a constant sense of smoothness and fluidity. It is obvious that the instrument was designed to eliminate any friction between the player and the performance. The Gotoh tremolo further reinforces the AZ series' reputation for tuning stability: it can be used expressively without sacrificing tuning accuracy, a crucial factor for modern guitarists.Sonically, the HSS configuration equipped with Seymour Duncan Fortuna pickups places this guitar firmly in the realm of extreme versatility. Crystal-clear clean tones are accompanied by impressive depth, while the intermediate positions deliver the familiar Strat-style “quack,” albeit in a more modern form. Most importantly, the guitar handles high-gain settings without losing clarity or definition. The bridge humbucker provides substantial thickness and punch for modern rock, fusion, or even lighter metal applications while maintaining excellent note articulation. The single coils are not designed to replicate vintage tones at all costs, but rather to offer a cleaner, more focused, and more stable interpretation of the Strat aesthetic.This is precisely where the AZ2204NW GRM distinguishes itself from many contemporary American Stratocasters. Without falling into simplistic comparisons, it is fair to say that Fender often remains attached to a more traditional philosophy, sometimes at the expense of pure ergonomics or modern versatility. Ibanez, by contrast, pushes comfort and flexibility much further: smoother upper-fret access, a faster neck profile without becoming exaggerated, exemplary tuning stability, and electronics designed to cover a vast tonal spectrum without compromise.What makes this model particularly successful is its ability to avoid being confined to a single musical identity. The AZ2204NW can serve as an ultra-clean funk guitar, a highly articulate fusion machine, an exceptionally precise modern pop instrument, or a rock-solid foundation for rock music. It does not attempt to reinvent the Strat; rather, it extends the concept while freeing it from certain historical limitations.Ultimately, this AZ2204NW GRM perfectly embodies the current Ibanez Prestige philosophy: a guitar designed as a complete professional tool, where every design decision serves playability, versatility, and reliability. It is not a guitar that impresses through nostalgia, but through effectiveness. In today’s landscape of high-end modern Strat-style guitars, it stands as an exceptionally credible alternative—and for many players, a logical evolution of the concept itself.Specifications:Prestige SeriesMIJ – Made in JapanSerial Number: F2427309Weight: 3.600 kgAZ-style electric guitar inspired by the Fender StratocasterAlder bodyBolt-on roasted maple neckRosewood fingerboardMother-of-pearl dot inlaysLuminlay side dotsCompound fingerboard radius: 228–305 mm (8.98"–12.01")Scale length: 648 mm (25.51")Nut width: 42 mm (1.65")Bone nutNeck profile: AZ Oval CThickness at 1st fret: 20.5 mmThickness at 12th fret: 22.5 mm22 jumbo stainless-steel frets2 Seymour Duncan Fortuna single-coil pickups (neck & middle)1 Seymour Duncan Fortuna humbucker (bridge)1 volume control1 tone controldyna-MIX9 switching system5-way pickup selector switchGotoh T1502S tremolo bridgeChrome hardwareGotoh Magnum Lock tuners with H.A.P. systemFactory strings: .010–.046
Original Pricekr23,501.86
26% price drop
New Pricekr17,483.01
+ kr891.55 Shipping
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