Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige vs Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom
Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige over Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom
Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom over Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige
Other Key Differences
Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige vs Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom
Shared Features
Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige vs Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Nut
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
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 AZS2200Q Prestige is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom's 66 score, which is a significant difference.
The Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom 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 AZS2200Q Prestige.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
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 AZS2200Q Prestige- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
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.
Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige Overview
- From Ibanez's 2021 AZS series
- Made in Japan
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" Fretboard Radius
- Quilted Maple top
- Alder body
- Roasted Maple neck
- Roasted Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Custom (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Magic Touch-mini (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Gotoh T1802 Tremolo bridge
- AZ Oval C Bolt-On neck
- 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
- Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P. tuners
- Compare Specs >
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom Overview
- From Fender Squier's 2019 Classic Vibe series
- Made in Indonesia
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 9.5" Fretboard Radius
- Poplar body
- Maple neck
- Maple fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Fender Designed Wide Range Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
- 2 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- 3-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele with Chrome Barrel Saddles bridge
- Modern C Bolt-On neck
- 21 Narrow Tall frets
- Vintage-Style 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 the Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige
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 Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom
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.
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.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
Both pickup configurations are SH. 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 AZS2200Q Prestige has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom. 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 Blues and similar genres.
You can purchase similar pickups to the Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige'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: Ibanez AZS2200Q 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
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Only the Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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 AZS2200Q Prestige.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 AZS2200Q Prestige compares to the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige is built in Japan while the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom is made in Indonesia.
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.
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: Ibanez AZS2200Q 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.
In this case, both have Bone nuts. 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.
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 AZS2200Q 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 AZS2200Q 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 AZS2200Q 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 Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom'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 AZS2200Q 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 AZS2200Q 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:
Ibanez AZS2200Q 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
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom
- 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
Final Build Quality Scores
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
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
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
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 AZS2200Q Prestige and the Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom 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
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 70s Telecaster Custom's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez AZS2200Q 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 AZS2200Q Prestige.
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 Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom favors large hands more than the Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
Ibanez AZS2200Q Prestige:
Fender Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster Custom:
Fret Size
Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.
