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Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige
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Playability
65
Sound
74
Build
80
Value
63
Score
73
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Playability
77
Sound
81
Build
84
Value
71
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
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Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem vs Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige Specs Comparison
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige
General
Brand: Music Man Ibanez
Year: 2020 2021
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: United States Japan
Series: Sabre AZ
Colors: Brown Burst, Blue Burst, Orange, Red Burst, Green Burst Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Alder
Bridge: Music Man Modern Tremolo Gotoh T1872S
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
Fretboard: Figured Roasted Maple Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Figured roasted maple neck Roasted Maple
Decoration: 1/4 Black Dot Inlay Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Sabre AZ7 Oval C
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 10" 12"
Nut: Compensated Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 47mm (1.85'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7 (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Tap
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Black Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's switch options
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige's switch options

Reasons to Get
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem over Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige

Decorative Top
Flame Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.85'' (47mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige over Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
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
Pickup Mods
Coil Tap vs None
Lowers output of humbucker coil to create a single coil sound
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.85'' (47mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
71 vs 63
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem vs Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige

Bridge Pickup
Music Man Custom Humbucker vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Music Man Custom Humbucker vs Seymour Duncan Hyperion 7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Figured Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Figured Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 7
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem vs Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige

Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
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

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

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

Price History Comparison

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Ibanez AZ24027 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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem favors large hands more than the Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem meets only 5. 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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AZ24027 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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem

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

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AZ24027 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: Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HH. 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

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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem.

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 AZ24027 Prestige comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Tap.

Coil Tap is similar to Coil Split but it works a bit differently. Instead of completely cancelling one of the coils of the humbucker, it only cuts part of the output once activated. Some people believe this gives the split pickups a more real single-coil 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 AZ24027 Prestige.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 67
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 82
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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem compares to the Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem is built in United States while the Ibanez AZ24027 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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem has a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Ibanez AZ24027 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.

Both in this comparison come with 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: Tie.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in Japan
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Tap 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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Quality of materials 80
Features 65
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 80
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige
Quality of materials 81
Features 75
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 84

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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Nut Width
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Nut Width
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige Nut Width
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige has the wider nut with 47mm (1.85'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 4mm (0.157'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Ibanez AZ24027 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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem and Ibanez AZ24027 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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Neck Profile
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's neck profile
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige Neck Profile
Ibanez AZ24027 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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem and the Ibanez AZ24027 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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's Fingerboard radius
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AZ24027 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 Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Ibanez AZ24027 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 AZ24027 Prestige.

Fret Size

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem Frets Size
Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem's Frets Size
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige Frets Size
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige's Frets Size

The Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem'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

Music Man Sabre Guitar HH Trem
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 65
Playability 65
Ibanez AZ24027 Prestige
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77