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Ibanez AZES31
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
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Playability
72
Sound
66
Build
55
Value
74
Score
64
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Playability
73
Sound
80
Build
82
Value
73
Score
78
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Ibanez AZES31 vs AZS2200 Prestige Specs Comparison
Ibanez AZES31 AZS2200 Prestige
General
Brand: Ibanez Ibanez
Year: 2021 2021
Configuration: SSS SH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Japan
Series: AZES AZS
Colors: Red, Yellow Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Alder
Bridge: F106 w/ Comfort round Steel saddles Gotoh T1802 Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Ibanez machine heads w/ Split shaft Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P.
Fretboard: Jatoba Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: White Dot Abalone dot
Scale Size: 25" 25.5"
Shape: AZES AZ Oval C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.807'' (20.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.886'' (22.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.81'' (20.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 9.843" 12"
Nut: Plastic Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Essentials (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Custom (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Essentials (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Essentials (Single Coil / Passive) Seymour Duncan Magic Touch-mini (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: Series Split Parallel Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Ibanez AZES31 pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZES31's switch options
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige's switch options

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZES31 over AZS2200 Prestige

Type of Frets
Medium vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Series Split vs Parallel Split
Connects pickups in series to imitate a humbucker
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs SH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.807'' (20.5mm) vs 0.81'' (20.6mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.886'' (22.5mm) vs 0.89'' (22.6mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25'' (635mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.843'' (250mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
74 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige over AZES31

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
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
Pickups Brand
Seymour Duncan vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Pickup Mods
Parallel Split vs Series Split
Connects pickups in parallel to brighten tone
Pickups
SH vs SSS
Very bright bridge tone and a very warm neck pickup
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.81'' (20.6mm) vs 0.807'' (20.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.89'' (22.6mm) vs 0.886'' (22.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
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 25'' (635mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 9.843'' (250mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Ibanez AZES31 vs AZS2200 Prestige

Bridge Pickup
Essentials vs Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Custom
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Essentials vs Seymour Duncan Magic Touch-mini
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez AZES31 vs AZS2200 Prestige

Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
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

Common Strengths

  • 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

SET PRICE ALERT

Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige Prices

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 AZES31 favors large hands more than the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Ibanez AZES31:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AZS2200 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

Ibanez AZES31
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 the Ibanez AZES31

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

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.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AZS2200 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 Ibanez AZES31 has an SSS configuration while the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige has SH pickups.

SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

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

The Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige pickups from a more specialized brand than the Ibanez AZES31. 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 Blues and similar genres.

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: Ibanez AZS2200 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 AZES31 gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige gives you 3. This means that the Ibanez AZES31 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 AZES31 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 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

Ibanez AZES31
Pickups 70
Sustain 60
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 66
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 Ibanez AZES31 compares to the Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez AZES31 is built in Indonesia while the Ibanez AZS2200 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 AZS2200 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 AZES31 has 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.

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: Ibanez AZS2200 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 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 Ibanez AZES31'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

The Ibanez AZS2200 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 AZS2200 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
Ibanez AZES31
  • Series Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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
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

Ibanez AZES31
Quality of materials 46
Features 55
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 55
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

Ibanez AZES31 Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Ibanez AZES31's Scale Length
Ibanez AZES31's Scale Length
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige's Scale Length
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige'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 AZS2200 Prestige has the longest scale: 25.5". The Ibanez AZES31 is only 25" long. This is a 0.5'' (12.7mm) 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 AZES31 Neck Profile
Ibanez AZES31'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.

Both the Ibanez AZES31 and the Ibanez AZS2200 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

Ibanez AZES31 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AZES31's Fingerboard 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 Ibanez AZES31's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez AZS2200 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 AZS2200 Prestige.

Fret Size

Ibanez AZES31 Frets Size
Ibanez AZES31'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 Ibanez AZES31'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 AZES31
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 60
Playability 72
Ibanez AZS2200 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73