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Cort G300 Pro
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
VS
Playability
73
Sound
76
Build
74
Value
79
Score
74
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Playability
77
Sound
81
Build
77
Value
78
Score
78
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Cort G300 Pro vs Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium

Reasons to Get
Cort G300 Pro over Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium

Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
12" to 15.75" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Ergo-V vs AZ Oval C
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Nut Width
1.656'' (42.1mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Value Score
79 vs 78
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium over Cort G300 Pro

Release Year
2022 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
AZ Oval C vs Ergo-V
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.656'' (42.1mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes

Other Key Differences
Cort G300 Pro vs Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Roasted Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Cort G300 Pro vs Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium

Body Wood
Basswood
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the Cort G300 Pro's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Cort G300 Pro has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Cort G300 Pro is the better choice.

The Cort G300 Pro meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium meets only 6. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Cort G300 Pro
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Cort G300 Pro Overview

  • From Cort's 2021 G series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 15.75" Fretboard Radius
  • Basswood body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple (Luminous side dot inlays) fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Cort CFA-III Tremolo bridge
  • Ergo-V Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Stainless Steel frets
  • Cort Staggered Locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 AZ series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • American Basswood body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Gotoh T1502 bridge
  • AZ Oval C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Basswood wood pattern used for guitar building
Basswood

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Cort G300 Pro's and use them on any guitar:

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil sound.

Cort G300 Pro pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Cort G300 Pro's switch options
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Cort G300 Pro
Pickups 85
Sustain 70
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 81

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Cort G300 Pro compares to the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Cort G300 Pro has a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

On the other hand, the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Both in this comparison come with stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort G300 Pro
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Cort G300 Pro
Quality of materials 71
Features 80
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 74
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
Quality of materials 81
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 77

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Cort G300 Pro Nut Width
Cort G300 Pro Nut Width
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium Nut Width
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Cort G300 Pro has the wider nut with 42.1mm (1.656'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.1mm (0.002'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Cort G300 Pro, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Cort G300 Pro and Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Cort G300 Pro Neck Profile
Cort G300 Pro's neck profile
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium Neck Profile
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Cort G300 Pro has a V type of neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

The Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Cort G300 Pro Fretboard Compound Radius
Cort G300 Pro's Compound Fretboard Radius
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Cort G300 Pro is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Cort G300 Pro favors large hands more than the Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Cort G300 Pro:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Cort G300 Pro Frets Size
Cort G300 Pro's Frets Size
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium Frets Size
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium's Frets Size

The Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Cort G300 Pro's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Cort G300 Pro
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Cort G300 Pro vs Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
General Cort G300 Pro Ibanez AZ42P1 Premium
Brand: Cort Ibanez
Year: 2021 2022
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: G AZ
Colors: Black, Red Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Basswood American Basswood
Bridge: Cort CFA-III Tremolo Gotoh T1502
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Cort Staggered Locking Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
Fretboard: Roasted Maple (Luminous side dot inlays) Rosewood
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Dots Mother of Pearl dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Ergo-V AZ Oval C
Frets: 24 Medium Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 15.75" 12"
Nut: Black Tusq XL Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42.1mm (1.656'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Jazz SH-2 (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1