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Fender American Ultra II Telecaster
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
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Playability
72
Sound
77
Build
77
Value
65
Score
75
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Playability
73
Sound
80
Build
82
Value
73
Score
78
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Fender American Ultra II Telecaster vs Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Specs Comparison
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
General
Brand: Fender Ibanez
Year: 2024 2021
Configuration: SS SH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Japan
Series: American Ultra II AZS
Colors: White, Black, Orange, Red, Yellow Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Select Alder Alder
Bridge: 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Hardtail with Chromed Brass Saddles Gotoh T1802 Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Deluxe Cast/Sealed Locking (all short posts) Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P.
Fretboard: Quartersawn Maple Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Quartersawn Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Black Pearloid Dot 7 mm Abalone dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern "D" AZ Oval C
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 10" to 14" 12"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Bone
Nut Width: 42.8mm (1.685'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Custom (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Magic Touch-mini (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: S-1 Switch Parallel Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster's switch options
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige's switch options

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster over Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige

Release Year
2024 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Modern "D" vs AZ Oval C
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs Parallel Split
Modifies the pickups
Pickups
SS vs SH
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige over Fender American Ultra II Telecaster

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
AZ Oval C vs Modern "D"
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Parallel Split vs S-1 Switch
Connects pickups in parallel to brighten tone
Pickups
SH vs SS
Very bright bridge tone and a very warm neck pickup
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Value Score
73 vs 65
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster vs Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige

Bridge Pickup
Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele vs Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Custom
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele vs Seymour Duncan Magic Touch-mini
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster vs Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
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
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Ultra II Telecaster meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige 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

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

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

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Fender American Ultra II Telecaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender American Ultra II Telecaster has an SS configuration while the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige has SH pickups.

SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

On the other hand, SH is a more versatile version of the classic telecaster (SS) configuration. The bridge pickup usually produces a bright and twangy tone, while the neck Humbucker gives you the warmer tone you'll need for more Jazzy/Bluish solos and chords.

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.

However, the Fender American Ultra II Telecaster has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige's online:

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: Fender American Ultra II Telecaster.

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.

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Fender American Ultra II Telecaster offers S-1 Switch.

An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige comes with the following: Parallel Split.

The Parallel Split feature allows it to split and connect some of the pickups in parallel. When wired in parallel, the result is a very bright tone. This is the wire technique used in most Stratocaster guitars, and it's what gives them their signature transparent and clear sound. This is because the pickups' inputs and outputs are wired together, which reduces the signal's travel distance to the output jack.

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 AZS2200 Prestige.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 77
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 80

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 Fender American Ultra II Telecaster compares to the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender American Ultra II Telecaster is built in United States while the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige is made in Japan.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

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 Fender American Ultra II Telecaster has 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

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.

In this comparison, the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige is the only one that has 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: Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige.

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.

The Fender American Ultra II Telecaster's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige's is a 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
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Parallel Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster
Quality of materials 56
Features 80
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 77
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
Quality of materials 81
Features 75
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 82

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

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster Nut Width
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster Nut Width
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender American Ultra II Telecaster has the wider nut with 42.8mm (1.685'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.8mm (0.031'') difference

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

Scale Length

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster and Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige'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

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster's neck profile
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Neck Profile
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige'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 Fender American Ultra II Telecaster has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

The Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige, 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

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster's Compound Fretboard Radius
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige'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 Fender American Ultra II Telecaster 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.

Fret Size

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster Frets Size
Fender American Ultra II Telecaster's Frets Size
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Frets Size
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige's Frets Size

The Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Fender American Ultra II Telecaster's Medium Jumbo 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

Fender American Ultra II Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73