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Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige
Ibanez AR420
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Playability
73
Sound
81
Build
84
Value
74
Score
79
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Playability
73
Sound
65
Build
53
Value
69
Score
64
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige vs AR420 Specs Comparison
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige AR420
General
Brand: Ibanez Ibanez
Year: 2018 2020
Configuration: HSS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Japan China
Series: AZ AR
Colors: Blue, Pink Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Okoume
Bridge: Gotoh T1802 Tremolo Gibraltar Performer
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P. Ibanez
Fretboard: Roasted Maple Bound Jatoba
Neck Material: Roasted Maple 3pc Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Acrylic & Abalone block
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: AZ Oval C AR
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Bone Plastic
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive) Super 58 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Hyperion (Humbucker / Passive) Super 58 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Speed
Pickup Mods: Series Split Tri-Sound
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Gold
Show Diagrams Comparison
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige's switch options
Ibanez AR420 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AR420's switch options

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige over AR420

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs China
Built with higher quality standards
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
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
AZ Oval C vs AR
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickups Brand
Seymour Duncan vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs Tri-Sound
Connects pickups in series to imitate a humbucker
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.81'' (20.6mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
74 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AR420 over AZ2204 Prestige

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2020 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
AR vs AZ Oval C
Thin neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Tri-Sound vs Series Split
Grants 3 ways to modify the sound of the pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs HSS
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.81'' (20.6mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) 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
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige vs AR420

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Hyperion vs Super 58
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Hyperion vs Super 58
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Okoume
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Roasted Maple vs Jatoba
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige vs AR420

Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Weaknesses

  • 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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SET PRICE ALERT

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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 Ibanez AR420 favors large hands more than the Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AR420:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez AR420 meets only 4. 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

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AR420
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 Ibanez AZ2204 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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AR420

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

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.

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige has an HSS configuration while the Ibanez AR420 has HH pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez AR420. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock 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 AZ2204 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 AZ2204 Prestige gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez AR420 gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige offers 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420 comes with the following: Tri-Sound.

Tri-Sound gives you the choice of using the pickup coils at the same time, splitting them or connect them im parallel for a brighter sound.

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 AZ2204 Prestige.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 81
Ibanez AR420
Pickups 60
Sustain 70
Versatility 63
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 65

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 Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige compares to the Ibanez AR420.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige is built in Japan while the Ibanez AR420 is made in China.

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.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Ibanez AZ2204 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 Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige 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 AR420 comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Winner: Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige.

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 AZ2204 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 AZ2204 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 Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420's 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.

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 AZ2204 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 AZ2204 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.

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige has 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.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AR420 comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Bone 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AR420
  • Tri-Sound Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige
Quality of materials 86
Features 75
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 84
Ibanez AR420
Quality of materials 45
Features 55
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 53

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

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez AR420 Nut Width
Ibanez AR420 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez AR420 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez AR420, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige's Scale Length
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige's Scale Length
Ibanez AR420's Scale Length
Ibanez AR420's 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.

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige has the longest scale: 25.5". The Ibanez AR420 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige Neck Profile
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige's neck profile
Ibanez AR420 Neck Profile
Ibanez AR420'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 Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige has a C type of 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.

The Ibanez AR420, on the other hand, has a SA neck. Like most Ibanez necks, it's thinner than most modern C necks. It's very similar in thickness and shape to their unique Wizard profile.

Fretboard Radius

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard 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.

Both the Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige and the Ibanez AR420 have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Fret Size

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige Frets Size
Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige's Frets Size
Ibanez AR420 Frets Size
Ibanez AR420's Frets Size

The Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez AR420'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

Ibanez AZ2204 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Ibanez AR420
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73