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Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige
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Playability
72
Sound
67
Build
55
Value
75
Score
65
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Playability
77
Sound
81
Build
85
Value
71
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
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Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster vs Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige Specs Comparison
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige
General
Brand: Fender Squier Ibanez
Year: 2019 2021
Configuration: SS HSS
Strings: 6 7
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: Classic Vibe AZ
Colors: 3-Color Sunburst Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Nyatoh Alder
Bridge: 3-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele with Chrome Barrel Saddles Gotoh T1872S
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Vintage-Style Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
Fretboard: Indian Laurel Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: White Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Modern C AZ7 Oval C
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 12"
Nut: Bone Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 47mm (1.85'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: None Series Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster's switch options
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige's switch options

Reasons to Get
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster over Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige

Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
SS vs HSS
Beautiful cleans
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.85'' (47mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
75 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige over Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
Seymour Duncan vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs None
Connects pickups in series to imitate a humbucker
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs SS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
24 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.85'' (47mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster vs Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige

Bridge Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Nyatoh vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Laurel vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 7
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Bone vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster vs Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige

Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
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 Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets

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

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster favors large hands more than the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AZ24047 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 the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel
Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh

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.

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige

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

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.

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.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster has an SS configuration while the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige has HSS 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, HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

Pickups Quality

The Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Heavy Metal and similar genres.

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: Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige.

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

The Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige comes with some kind of pickup modification: Series Split.

The Series Split feature allows it to split and connect some of the pickups in series. When wired in series, the resulting tone is similar to a Humbucker's. The pickups will work together and produce a fuller tone with more output than single-coils, but less than Humbuckers.

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 AZ24047 Prestige.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 75
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 67
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
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 Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster compares to the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige is made in Japan.

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.

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: Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster has 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige comes with 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).

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 AZ24047 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 AZ24047 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom 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 AZ24047 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

The Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige has the best tuners of the two because they are 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: Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige.

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster
  • Bone Nut
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Series 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster
Quality of materials 51
Features 50
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 55
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige
Quality of materials 86
Features 75
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 85

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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster Nut Width
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster Nut Width
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige has the wider nut with 47mm (1.85'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 5mm (0.196'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige, 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster and Ibanez AZ24047 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster Neck Profile
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster's neck profile
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige Neck Profile
Ibanez AZ24047 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.

Both the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster and the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige have a C-shaped 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AZ24047 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 Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige.

Fret Size

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster and Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige Frets Size
Both have a similar Narrow Tall fret size

Both have a Narrow Tall fret size. Their height is very similar to Jumbo frets, but they have a narrower crown. They won't let you feel the fretboard when playing, which will make it easier to get clean notes. However, if you press down too hard you might get the notes out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Squier Classic Vibe 60s Custom Telecaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Ibanez AZ24047 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77