# AZ 7 Strings are (pobably) on the way



## ICSvortex (Apr 7, 2020)

So i've just seen this on Wes Hauch's Instagram...

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-qpsaGH2wf/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Seems like for now there's 2 "prototypes" of 7 String AZ's in the wild 

Prestige and HSS configuration.... consider me excited booiiiis


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## Leviathus (Apr 7, 2020)

pretty nifty


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## Merrekof (Apr 7, 2020)

Wow, now I'm interested in an AZ


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## Timmy-Scandi (Apr 7, 2020)

Looks pretty classy!


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## Adieu (Apr 7, 2020)

Millenial guitars for millenials


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## Imalwayscold (Apr 7, 2020)

Very nice! It would be good to see it released as the world needs more HSS 7 strings available.


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## Anquished (Apr 7, 2020)

That's tidy.


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## Bloody_Inferno (Apr 7, 2020)

Matt Miller has the other prototype.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rWoEdqp0U/?igshid=kh22jeg6qx6x


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## Surveyor 777 (Apr 7, 2020)

Looks nice!


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## josh1 (Apr 7, 2020)

I want


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## Randy (Apr 7, 2020)

Way to steal my idea Ibanez


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## Mboogie7 (Apr 7, 2020)

Wow, that would be sick to see come to life.


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## bmth4111 (Apr 7, 2020)

Haha I was just going to post this earlier! Im Actually stoked for it!

Didn't expect to live the AZ 6 so much the times I played it but I have had a soft spot ever since for them.
Hopefully the playability is the same and the extra neck width won't change the feel to much. 

How stable are their bridges compared to hipshot contours or ebm trems?


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## bastardbullet (Apr 7, 2020)

Implanting gas seeds should be criminal. ]`:<


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## eaeolian (Apr 7, 2020)

bastardbullet said:


> Implanting gas seeds should be criminal. ]`:<



Why do you think they send stuff to guys like Wes?


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## DeathbyDesign (Apr 7, 2020)

Alright....you have my attention Ibanez....I'm assuming that these won't see the light of day until 2021 since they are prototypes.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 7, 2020)

DeathbyDesign said:


> Alright....you have my attention Ibanez....I'm assuming that these won't see the light of day until 2021 since they are prototypes.



These aren't just prototypes, they're pre-pro samples. These will probably be available to order this summer and ship in the fall.


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## stretcher7 (Apr 7, 2020)

This is the best news I've had since the quarantine! Made my damn month! Looks like Duncan p/u's? I home they're ok, especially the single coils.


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## DeathbyDesign (Apr 7, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> These aren't just prototypes, they're pre-pro samples. These will probably be available to order this summer and ship in the fall.


Ahh makes sense. I thought I read somewhere that these were just prototypes. Hopefully some stores in my area get them right away so I can check them out.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 7, 2020)

Do you guys think it sounds any good for Korn-type chording?

As I recall from trying a 6 out, the AZ was more for the solo or blues stuff.


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## Merrekof (Apr 7, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Do you guys think it sounds any good for Korn-type chording?
> 
> As I recall from trying a 6 out, the AZ was more for the solo or blues stuff.


Sure, why wouldn't it? It still has a humbucker in the bridge. It might not be as hot as a PAF or so, but your amp "does the heavy lifting" anyway..


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## _MonSTeR_ (Apr 7, 2020)

The PAF7 that come in the Ibanez K7 is a low output pickup anyway, rumour is that Korn used to switch the neck and bridge pickups on their Universe guitars to have a lower output more treble focussed pickup at the bridge. 

Like Merrekof said the amp does the real work and the lower output pickups helps keep things from going to mush


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## Carl Kolchak (Apr 7, 2020)

Rather that 7 string Iceman than anything else. Make that, and that'll be the last guitar I'll have to buy.


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## xzacx (Apr 7, 2020)

I would really like a HSS 7...if these only had locking trems.


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## Merrekof (Apr 7, 2020)

Carl Kolchak said:


> Make that, and that'll be the last guitar I'll have to buy.


Oh don't lie


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## mrpanoff (Apr 7, 2020)

Merrekof said:


> Sure, why wouldn't it? It still has a humbucker in the bridge. It might not be as hot as a PAF or so, but your amp "does the heavy lifting" anyway..



Because of the maple fretboard.

PAF isn't hot at all, BTW.


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## MYGFH (Apr 7, 2020)

Not that I necessarily want one, but after having tremolo bridge guitars with and without locking nuts. I feel like non-locking nut guitars are constantly out of tune.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Apr 7, 2020)

I don't see why a maple fretboard would stop you from doing Korn-like stuff. Not like these AZs will have anti-power-chord DRM or anything.


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## xzacx (Apr 7, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Because of the maple fretboard.
> 
> PAF isn't hot at all, BTW.


I can’t tell if this is a joke about the maple board.


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## Carl Kolchak (Apr 7, 2020)

Merrekof said:


> Oh don't lie


Fixed bridge 7 string MIK/MIJ Iceman w/ a 27" would be the permanent cure for the GAS.


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## AkiraSpectrum (Apr 7, 2020)

WANT.

Curious to see how they do the neck carve, the 6 is pretty chunky, so I'm guessing they are probably going to slim it down a bit for the 7.

Interested to see what the finish options will look like. The 2 pre-production/protos don't have finishes that 'do it' for me.


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## Scordare (Apr 7, 2020)

Welcome back year 2000!










A Lo-Pro Edge and stainless frets would these AZ's awesome..but it won't happen.


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Apr 7, 2020)

Yesssssss I will buy instantly.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 7, 2020)

Scordare said:


> Welcome back year 2000!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



These (and all MIJ AZs) have stainless steel frets.


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## Crash Dandicoot (Apr 7, 2020)

Tasty. Needs a lo-pro 

I know, I know, different demographics. Can't say I'd be opposed to seeing a reverse headstock or Edge on a one-off, though.


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## Merrekof (Apr 8, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> PAF isn't hot at all, BTW.


Now I know, I never really gave it much thought but I always assumed those were hot pickups.


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## buck fever (Apr 8, 2020)

Carl Kolchak said:


> Fixed bridge 7 string MIK/MIJ Iceman w/ a 27" would be the permanent cure for the GAS.



Same.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 8, 2020)

xzacx said:


> I can’t tell if this is a joke about the maple board.



Maple fretboard just doesn't give the necessary type of slow attack and deepness to the chords. Rosewood is a staple for Korn type chording, Ebony can do it with a faster attack, but I highly doubt Maple ever can. Perhaps Baked Maple is different and the body is Alder rather than Ash, but the Maple fretboard RG652AHM I tried last year sounded as much anti-Korn as it could.


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## mlp187 (Apr 8, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Maple fretboard just doesn't give the necessary type of slow attack and deepness to the chords. Rosewood is a staple for Korn type chording, Ebony can do it with a faster attack, but I highly doubt Maple ever can. Perhaps Baked Maple is different and the body is Alder rather than Ash, but the Maple fretboard RG652AHM I tried last year sounded as much anti-Korn as it could.


Have you taken a repeatable blind-folded fretboard tonewood test? 
Either way you should totally try pan-seared wenge. It's really bubbly but with a sort of crunchy vibe.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 8, 2020)

mlp187 said:


> Have you taken a repeatable blind-folded fretboard tonewood test?
> Either way you should totally try pan-seared wenge. It's really bubbly but with a sort of crunchy vibe.



Not even funny, the extent to which people are sometimes tone-deaf towards simple things.


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## Mathemagician (Apr 8, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Maple fretboard just doesn't give the necessary type of slow attack and deepness to the chords. Rosewood is a staple for Korn type chording, Ebony can do it with a faster attack, but I highly doubt Maple ever can. Perhaps Baked Maple is different and the body is Alder rather than Ash, but the Maple fretboard RG652AHM I tried last year sounded as much anti-Korn as it could.



None of this is real. It’s fugazi.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 8, 2020)

r/selfawarewolves


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## Shawn (Apr 8, 2020)

I really like the looks of those. Very classy.


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## Ben Pinkus (Apr 9, 2020)

The Martin Miller one looks dece


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## diagrammatiks (Apr 9, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Maple fretboard just doesn't give the necessary type of slow attack and deepness to the chords. Rosewood is a staple for Korn type chording, Ebony can do it with a faster attack, but I highly doubt Maple ever can. Perhaps Baked Maple is different and the body is Alder rather than Ash, but the Maple fretboard RG652AHM I tried last year sounded as much anti-Korn as it could.



can't tell if serious.


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## buck fever (Apr 9, 2020)

It’s gonna take some time for these to grow on me. Obviously it’s totally subjective, but they feel bland and I know those bridges aren’t going to stay in tune.


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Apr 9, 2020)

I am so ready for these. I loved my AZ but it needed more strings so I sold it. I have been wanting one of these.


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## Albake21 (Apr 9, 2020)

I really like these! It's like a Kiesel Delos except it actually looks good.


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Apr 9, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> I really like these! It's like a Kiesel Delos except it actually looks good.


But it isn't rad. It doesn't have a unicorndiarheaburst with Kiesel racing green sparkle spirals in it and KTB Oreo burst fretboard bro. 

Ibanez just copied their idea because they totally pioneered every guitar model known to man. 

/endsarcasm


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## cardinal (Apr 9, 2020)

I've been playing nothing but 8s for a while but that black one is really sweet; tempting.


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## buck fever (Apr 9, 2020)

r3tr0sp3ct1v3 said:


> But it isn't rad. It doesn't have a unicorndiarheaburst with Kiesel racing green sparkle spirals in it and KTB Oreo burst fretboard bro.
> 
> Ibanez just copied their idea because they totally pioneered every guitar model known to man.
> 
> /endsarcasm


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## bzhang9 (Apr 9, 2020)

contrary to the Kiesel hate wagon, the Delos is actually the best strat variant out there given the specs, quality, and price point 1/2 that of MIJ AZ, suhr, cutlass, etc 

Looks is subjective so can't call a guitar bad for that

premium AZ price point is good for the features, prestige price point is a little high, these are looking at 2200-2500 street for a 7, and you can spec the crap out of a delos or get a basic one for 1/2 the price


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## Albake21 (Apr 9, 2020)

bzhang9 said:


> contrary to the Kiesel hate wagon, the Delos is actually the best strat variant out there given the specs, quality, and price point 1/2 that of MIJ AZ, suhr, cutlass, etc
> 
> Looks is subjective so can't call a guitar bad for that
> 
> premium AZ price point is good for the features, prestige price point is a little high, these are looking at 2200-2500 street for a 7, and you can spec the crap out of a delos or get a basic one for 1/2 the price



Except you're forgetting a few things here. Kiesel's pickups are absolute garbage, I will never understand how anyone can get a decent tone out of them. Maybe that's on me, maybe they are for a very narrow sound. Then you have the construction themselves. I have no clue what Kiesel does with their guitars, but after owning 9 Kiesels, I've never been able to get one to not sound dead or harsh no matter the pickups I've swapped in. I've played well over 15 Kiesels and not once have I ever heard any low end chunk from them. Then of course, looks. Whether you like it or not, looks go a long way for most guitars. Kiesel for some reason will never understand that the fine details on a guitar add up quick and can make or break a guitar. Kiesels look like toys to me, no matter what. Even if you find one that looks real good in a picture, the moment you see it in person, it looks like a toy. So personally, I feel the hate towards Kiesel is completely warranted, and I've only scratched the surface by only talking about their guitars.

After all that is said and done though, I do think they are decent for what you pay for. At least, as long as you stay under $2k. Just know what you're getting yourself into is all.


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## cardinal (Apr 9, 2020)

The Delos looks fantastic IMHO. But I'm so much more confident in sending money for an Ibanez Prestige.


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## gunshow86de (Apr 9, 2020)

The Delos they posted the other day might be the best looking Kiesel ever.


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## zimbloth (Apr 9, 2020)

Ibanez informed me theres no official release date for these yet, but I think Max's guess of Summer/Fall 2020 is a good one.


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## Albake21 (Apr 9, 2020)

I'll say this, the Delos is one of the best models Kiesel has released, but even still it looks off to me. The body looks.... chunky? Like a strat was just stretched out horizontally (if you were looking at it standing up like the picture above). Again, I'm not trying to shit all over Kiesel, I just think a lot of the hate is fair is all.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 9, 2020)

Why do we always have to play the comparison game?

Can't we just be stoked that a cool guitar is going to now be a cool guitar with 7-strings?

Want a Kiesel? Get a Kiesel. Want a Suhr? Get a Suhr. Want an AZ? Now you can!

The best part of this is they kept it the same guitar, just with another string. They didn't "metal" it all out or fuck with what made the AZs compelling.

I _will_ buy a 24 fret model. I don't care about color. These are basically a locking trem away from a custom Suhr I ordered, so I'll take it.


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## bzhang9 (Apr 9, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> Except you're forgetting a few things here. Kiesel's pickups are absolute garbage, I will never understand how anyone can get a decent tone out of them. Maybe that's on me, maybe they are for a very narrow sound. Then you have the construction themselves. I have no clue what Kiesel does with their guitars, but after owning 9 Kiesels, I've never been able to get one to not sound dead or harsh no matter the pickups I've swapped in. I've played well over 15 Kiesels and not once have I ever heard any low end chunk from them. Then of course, looks. Whether you like it or not, looks go a long way for most guitars. Kiesel for some reason will never understand that the fine details on a guitar add up quick and can make or break a guitar. Kiesels look like toys to me, no matter what. Even if you find one that looks real good in a picture, the moment you see it in person, it looks like a toy. So personally, I feel the hate towards Kiesel is completely warranted, and I've only scratched the surface by only talking about their guitars.
> 
> After all that is said and done though, I do think they are decent for what you pay for. At least, as long as you stay under $2k. Just know what you're getting yourself into is all.



This is the definition of bias, looks and tone are both subjective, plenty of people enjoy their design and most owners do not feel the need to replace Kiesel stock pickups, which is much more than most stock pickups like ibanez. Although the hyperions are good.

Objective measures include price, quality, specs. Quality most agree is on par with high end guitars including Ibanez prestige, $1100 base cannot be beat, which already includes SS frets, hipshot hardware, locking tuners.


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## eggy in a bready (Apr 10, 2020)

from now on, i'm going to analyze guitars based on where they fall on the Korn compatibility scale. from my research i can conclude the new AZs are very anti-Korn


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## _MonSTeR_ (Apr 10, 2020)

bzhang9 said:


> This is the definition of bias, looks and tone are both subjective, plenty of people enjoy their design and most owners do not feel the need to replace Kiesel stock pickups, which is much more than most stock pickups like ibanez. Although the hyperions are good.



You do realise the absurdity of what you’ve just said don’t you?


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## Carl Kolchak (Apr 10, 2020)

Maybe a minority opinion, but I've always loved the Ibby/DiMarzio tone combination, and think the old stock AH pups do heavy tones exceptionally well. 

As for the Kiesel stock pups, I have no real complaints judging from the Lithiums in mine other than that they sound slightly honkier than I normally like with the tone full on. Maybe I'll replace them down the line, but if I do it won't be because I think they're crap, it'll be because I'd want something voiced slightly different.


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## Kaura (Apr 10, 2020)

If they make one with a matching headstock then I might throw away my dreams of owning a 7-string Fender/Squier and get one of these.


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## xzacx (Apr 10, 2020)

Be careful if you're looking at Kiesel as an alternative to these. You can only play Korn on the models WITHOUT bevels.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 10, 2020)

xzacx said:


> Be careful if you're looking at Kiesel as an alternative to these. You can only play Korn on the models WITHOUT bevels.



Head disagrees.




(It's an RGD.)


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## Albake21 (Apr 10, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Head disagrees.
> 
> View attachment 79412
> 
> ...


Huh... I had no idea Head had an RGD. I take it he didn't play it too long.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 10, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> Huh... I had no idea Head had an RGD. I take it he didn't play it too long.



The signature one? Not really.

Though, prior to rejoining Korn full time he has LACS make him a few different RGDs for a number of years.


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## buck fever (Apr 10, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> Except you're forgetting a few things here. Kiesel's pickups are absolute garbage, I will never understand how anyone can get a decent tone out of them. Maybe that's on me, maybe they are for a very narrow sound. Then you have the construction themselves. I have no clue what Kiesel does with their guitars, but after owning 9 Kiesels, I've never been able to get one to not sound dead or harsh no matter the pickups I've swapped in. I've played well over 15 Kiesels and not once have I ever heard any low end chunk from them. Then of course, looks. Whether you like it or not, looks go a long way for most guitars. Kiesel for some reason will never understand that the fine details on a guitar add up quick and can make or break a guitar. Kiesels look like toys to me, no matter what. Even if you find one that looks real good in a picture, the moment you see it in person, it looks like a toy. So personally, I feel the hate towards Kiesel is completely warranted, and I've only scratched the surface by only talking about their guitars.
> 
> After all that is said and done though, I do think they are decent for what you pay for. At least, as long as you stay under $2k. Just know what you're getting yourself into is all.



I can’t imagine buying 9 guitars from the same company and thinking all of them sounded ‘dead’. Maybe 1 or 2 but.


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## Seabeast2000 (Apr 10, 2020)

eggy in a bready said:


> from now on, i'm going to analyze guitars based on where they fall on the Korn compatibility scale. from my research i can conclude the new AZs are very anti-Korn


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## Albake21 (Apr 10, 2020)

buck fever said:


> I can’t imagine buying 9 guitars from the same company and thinking all of them sounded ‘dead’. Maybe 1 or 2 but.


I'll be fair here, I'd say two of those did not have this "dead" sound I'm talking about. Both 7 strings with after market pickups. I wish I could explain it better, but it felt like one of two ways. Either the guitar felt mushy when picking which caused a very dead sounding note, or the guitar was so bright that you could never get that low-mid purr that so many people are after in their high gain tones. I have one Kiesel left right now, which is for sale. I'm debating on taking it off the market and just doing every single thing possible to figure out what causes this issue with Kiesel guitars. I'd love to gut everything on it and start from scratch. I put a Bare Knuckle Black Hawk ceramic bridge into it and it sounded completely dead in the chugs....I mean hell the black hawk is like purr king to me. So it's either one of two things, it's either construction or there is something in their electronics that is causing this issue.


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## buck fever (Apr 10, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> I'll be fair here, I'd say two of those did not have this "dead" sound I'm talking about. Both 7 strings with after market pickups. I wish I could explain it better, but it felt like one of two ways. Either the guitar felt mushy when picking which caused a very dead sounding note, or the guitar was so bright that you could never get that low-mid purr that so many people are after in their high gain tones. I have one Kiesel left right now, which is for sale. I'm debating on taking it off the market and just doing every single thing possible to figure out what causes this issue with Kiesel guitars. I'd love to gut everything on it and start from scratch. I put a Bare Knuckle Black Hawk ceramic bridge into it and it sounded completely dead in the chugs....I mean hell the black hawk is like purr king to me. So it's either one of two things, it's either construction or there is something in their electronics that is causing this issue.



Thanks for elaborating; all of that makes sense. I’d be interested to hear the results if you end up keeping it and tinkering further!


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Apr 10, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> I'll be fair here, I'd say two of those did not have this "dead" sound I'm talking about. Both 7 strings with after market pickups. I wish I could explain it better, but it felt like one of two ways. Either the guitar felt mushy when picking which caused a very dead sounding note, or the guitar was so bright that you could never get that low-mid purr that so many people are after in their high gain tones. I have one Kiesel left right now, which is for sale. I'm debating on taking it off the market and just doing every single thing possible to figure out what causes this issue with Kiesel guitars. I'd love to gut everything on it and start from scratch. I put a Bare Knuckle Black Hawk ceramic bridge into it and it sounded completely dead in the chugs....I mean hell the black hawk is like purr king to me. So it's either one of two things, it's either construction or there is something in their electronics that is causing this issue.



As a previous owner of like 15 Kiesels, I can say that there was something about them that never felt "right". I had mid range Schecters that felt better to me.


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## KnightBrolaire (Apr 10, 2020)

r3tr0sp3ct1v3 said:


> As a previous owner of like 15 Kiesels, I can say that there was something about them that never felt "right". I had mid range Schecters that felt better to me.


And as someone who's owned around 8 of their guitars (with 3 still in my collection) I'll say that I've only had issues with their pickups in 2 of the 8 builds. In both of those cases they were just bright as shit.
Lithiums just don't work in every guitar, much like every other pickup on the market....
The quality on mine were consistently good and definitely better than the km7 standard or km7 mk3 I owned.


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## Carl Kolchak (Apr 10, 2020)

r3tr0sp3ct1v3 said:


> As a previous owner of like 15 Kiesels, I can say that there was something about them that never felt "right". I had mid range Schecters that felt better to me.


I have a Schecter KM-1 here right next to a Kiesel DC700, and the Kiesel has noticeably better fret work and ergonomics. Granted, this is the first Kiesel I've ever owned and played, but it feels so much more refined than the Schecter, which one would expect given it costed twice as much as the KM-1.

As for Lithiums vs. Nazgul, I preferred the Lithiums, as they sounded more balanced than the cawk-centric Nazguls.


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## Merrekof (Apr 10, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> Huh... I had no idea Head had an RGD. I take it he didn't play it too long.


3 years or so? It didn't last long anyway. I had the impression Ibanez "gave" him the RGD to make the model more popular. 
(This is my personal impression, I can't give you guys any evidence and I might very well be wrong about it.)
When I saw them live, 4 years, ago, he was already playing a Ken Susi ESP alongside his K7, UV, S,.. or whatever he brought on tour..


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## bzhang9 (Apr 10, 2020)

If yall are buying 10-15 Kiesels and all felt or sounded wrong... they're not for you, and you might want to change your guitar buying strategy, but that doesn't mean they're bad guitars

I've owned 2 Jackson USA soloists and 2 majesties, both felt worse than my cheap RG, but I can't call them bad guitars just because I didn't gel with them, I just stopped buying them


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## mrpanoff (Apr 10, 2020)

eggy in a bready said:


> from now on, i'm going to analyze guitars based on where they fall on the Korn compatibility scale. from my research i can conclude the new AZs are very anti-Korn



Essentially a Kiesel rip-off, these are also anti-Ibanez.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 10, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Head disagrees.
> 
> View attachment 79412
> 
> ...





Albake21 said:


> Huh... I had no idea Head had an RGD. I take it he didn't play it too long.



It has an RGD body but 25.5" scale.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 10, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Essentially a Kiesel rip-off, these are also anti-Ibanez.



These are basically Blazers or Roadstar I's.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 10, 2020)

Mathemagician said:


> None of this is real. It’s fugazi.



Coming from a person playing a Line 6 Helix Rack Guitar Processor, lol.

Thanks for the new word though.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 10, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> These are basically Blazers or Roadstar I's.



In other words, Fenders.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 10, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> In other words, Fenders.



You mean Cimar?


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## mlp187 (Apr 10, 2020)

Wow man I had to look that up!
For those that are curious and lazy: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimar


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## mrpanoff (Apr 10, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Cimar



You're never too old to learn.


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## Seabeast2000 (Apr 10, 2020)

This just in, Gibson sends C&D to Cimar.


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## Albake21 (Apr 10, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> It has an RGD body but 25.5" scale.


Oooo that makes more sense! I was surprised about the RGD because I didn't expect head to play a 26.5" scale.


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## eggy in a bready (Apr 10, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> These are basically Blazers or Roadstar I's.


yeah, this is basically a blazer in seven string form, aka my #1 wet dream


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## Mathemagician (Apr 10, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Coming from a person playing a Line 6 Helix Rack Guitar Processor, lol.
> 
> Thanks for the new word though.



Is this an insult? I genuinely can’t tell. Are you confused that people genuinely don’t believe in “mystic tone wood” in the year of our Odin 2020? 

There are awesome guitars made of little or in some cases zero wood. As well as almost every artist out there touring with digital rigs/profiles.


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## buck fever (Apr 11, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> Oooo that makes more sense! I was surprised about the RGD because I didn't expect head to play a 26.5" scale.


I’ve often wondered by they didn’t play extended necks. I feel like their tone was always so muddy and would’ve cleaned up nicely had they went to 26.5-27”.


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## BigViolin (Apr 11, 2020)

...or a maple board.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 11, 2020)

buck fever said:


> I’ve often wondered by they didn’t play extended necks. I feel like their tone was always so muddy and would’ve cleaned up nicely had they went to 26.5-27”.



That giant wall of ugly sound was their "thing". Don't think they would have taken off without that sound that no one was really doing at the time.


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## buck fever (Apr 11, 2020)

Yeah, come to think of it, that’s true. A lot of their tone was from that ‘floppiness’. I still remember an article in Guitar or Guitar World where they interviewed Korn and Ross Robinson about their pedals and they talked about the secret ‘bigger muff’. I thought it was the coolest thing ever.


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 11, 2020)

I was pretty late to the party, listening to Korn. I didn't give them a chance until I saw them live on after Issues came out. The sound was something else live. That's when it clicked for me.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 11, 2020)

buck fever said:


> I’ve often wondered by they didn’t play extended necks. I feel like their tone was always so muddy and would’ve cleaned up nicely had they went to 26.5-27”.



Chords wouldn't ring out the same way with higher tension. Overly stiff pieces of maple in the neck may give the same undesirable effect in 25.5", by the way.


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## mlp187 (Apr 11, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Chords wouldn't ring out the same way with higher tension. Overly stiff pieces of maple in the neck may give the same undesirable effect in 25.5", by the way.


Are you trying to say a stiff neck would dampen ringing?


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## Mathemagician (Apr 12, 2020)

mlp187 said:


> Are you trying to say a stiff neck would dampen ringing?




I just believe he’s trying to troll everyone.


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## Marv Attaxx (Apr 12, 2020)

Moving back from the Korn-topic now, I'm still hoping that there's gonna be an AZ8..
Especially since Manuel G. Fernandes is now endorsed by Ibanez and he plays both 8 string RGs and his AZ 6 string


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## _MonSTeR_ (Apr 12, 2020)

Mathemagician said:


> I just believe he’s trying to troll everyone.



Yeah, but it’s infinitely more fun if he isn’t


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## Merrekof (Apr 12, 2020)

Marv Attaxx said:


> Moving back from the Korn-topic now, I'm still hoping that there's gonna be an AZ8..
> Especially since Manuel G. Fernandes is now endorsed by Ibanez and he plays both 8 string RGs and his AZ 6 string


That would seem like a stretch, a "classic" looking guitar with 8 strings. But then again, why not, if there is a market for that..


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 12, 2020)

Marv Attaxx said:


> Moving back from the Korn-topic now, I'm still hoping that there's gonna be an AZ8..
> Especially since Manuel G. Fernandes is now endorsed by Ibanez and he plays both 8 string RGs and his AZ 6 string



The sales of 8-strings are pretty much non-existent right now, hence limited offerings the last couple years. The market has become much more saturated.


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## Mathemagician (Apr 12, 2020)

Merrekof said:


> That would seem like a stretch, a "classic" looking guitar with 8 strings. But then again, why not, if there is a market for that..



Javier Reyes from AAL has that 8 string strat from ESP. And a few JP artists have ordered similarly classic looking shapes. It’s just that 8’s aren’t that big of sellers.


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## couverdure (Apr 13, 2020)

They could make it a one-off model like the ARZ 8-string years ago.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 13, 2020)

mlp187 said:


> Are you trying to say a stiff neck would dampen ringing?



Especially for chording, yes. I've swapped a JC7 for another - blessing in disguise it had a damage on the neck - and the difference is night and day despite serial numbers being three digits apart. Single-note lines were ok, but chords were not there no matter what. The maple in the neck was very light in color with almost zero grain. Lots of strain on the right hand. The body was like stone as well - you could kill with a body of this density.

I've browsed numerous EJ Strat topics on this matter, there is a guy making a point slinkiness vs. lack thereof is all in the neck, claiming having swapped numerous necks on Fenders.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 13, 2020)

_MonSTeR_ said:


> Yeah, but it’s infinitely more fun if he isn’t



it's infinitely more sad if people are truly unable to perceive simple things like these.


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## gunshow86de (Apr 13, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> I've browsed numerous EJ Strat topics on this matter, there is a guy making a point slinkiness vs. lack thereof is all in the neck, claiming having swapped numerous necks on Fenders.


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## Crash Dandicoot (Apr 13, 2020)

Following this logic Vigiers should all have terrible chording tonal properties with their ultra-stiff truss-rodless carbon fiber striped necks. Different guitars and specs resonate with people differently based on preferences, though I don't think many here would agree with Vigier having poor sounding instruments - chords or not.

This sounds a lot like tonewood mysticism that has zero empirical evidence to back it up. You could play mental gymnastics all day with the variables you're presenting regarding necks.


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## _MonSTeR_ (Apr 13, 2020)

If anyone is so bothered with the difference between a maple and a rosewood board on otherwise the same guitar at the gain levels of someone like Korn, then they'not playing loud enough.

Sure there will be differences, they might even be perceptible through a maxed out Mesa, but to think that you can't get close enough to a given tone to be happy...? Life's too short.


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## cardinal (Apr 13, 2020)

Pretty sure stiffer necks do reduce resonance while improving sustain. All of this is of course at the margins and hard to control for other variables, but the theory is that a stiffer neck will dampen the resonance.

I don't think the choice of fretboard is going to make any difference other than idiosyncratic differences in wood. What would make the difference is lamination and carbon rods etc.


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## _MonSTeR_ (Apr 13, 2020)

What’s the difference between resonance and sustain?


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## spudmunkey (Apr 13, 2020)

_MonSTeR_ said:


> What’s the difference between resonance and sustain?



Resonance is the sound something makes when vibrating, and sustain is how long it sounds.


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## mlp187 (Apr 13, 2020)

My understanding is that technically, resonance occurs in the medium reflecting the harmonic oscillator (string). So, the guitar itself is doing the resonating, and the string is doing the ringing. Therefore any dampening would be applied only to the string. But...
Further down the rabbit hole - Once the body is resonating, is it ringing? Yes. Can these vibrations lend to constructive/destructive interference? Sure.

At what frequency range?


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## MaxOfMetal (Apr 13, 2020)

_MonSTeR_ said:


> What’s the difference between resonance and sustain?



One thing they share is that folks argue about them, without any shred of context, on the internet.


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## mlp187 (Apr 13, 2020)

mrpanoff said:


> Especially for chording, yes. I've swapped a JC7 for another - blessing in disguise it had a damage on the neck - and the difference is night and day despite serial numbers being three digits apart. Single-note lines were ok, but chords were not there no matter what. The maple in the neck was very light in color with almost zero grain. Lots of strain on the right hand. The body was like stone as well - you could kill with a body of this density.
> 
> I've browsed numerous EJ Strat topics on this matter, there is a guy making a point slinkiness vs. lack thereof is all in the neck, claiming having swapped numerous necks on Fenders.


I'm not saying you didn't have your experience, but I am saying I don't think there is realistically enough data to conclude your experience can be explained by "stiffness." Especially with single notes being fine but chords not. 

Regarding the guy making a point of slinkiness vs lack thereof - meaningless without data. But maybe he good data, like high resolution FFTs, equally torqued mounts, baslined stiffness/slinkiness characteristics that are measurable and measured. Maybe he does! IDK because I'm not going to hunt for it! 

Anyway, thanks for sharing (not sarcastic).


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## cardinal (Apr 13, 2020)

Why not, here's a read on electric guitar resonance and sustain that might be helpful here
https://acoustics.org/pressroom/httpdocs/137th/fleischer.html


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## mlp187 (Apr 13, 2020)

cardinal said:


> Why not, here's a read on electric guitar resonance and sustain that might be helpful here
> https://acoustics.org/pressroom/httpdocs/137th/fleischer.html


Thanks for that!


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## mrpanoff (Apr 13, 2020)

_MonSTeR_ said:


> If anyone is so bothered with the difference between a maple and a rosewood board on otherwise the same guitar at the gain levels of someone like Korn, then they'not playing loud enough.



The attack is utterly different. 

Maybe that's why Munky can ony be seen with a 1527M in a custom white Mesa promo photo shoot.


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## mrpanoff (Apr 13, 2020)

cardinal said:


> I don't think the choice of fretboard is going to make any difference other than idiosyncratic differences in wood. What would make the difference is lamination and carbon rods etc.



Even the same Rosewood board that's been dried beyond belief would sound different once oiled with a proper mineral oil blend.


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## ThePIGI King (Apr 13, 2020)

Merrekof said:


> That would seem like a stretch, a "classic" looking guitar with 8 strings. But then again, why not, if there is a market for that..


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## mrpanoff (Apr 13, 2020)

mlp187 said:


> I'm not saying you didn't have your experience, but I am saying I don't think there is realistically enough data to conclude your experience can be explained by "stiffness." Especially with single notes being fine but chords not.
> 
> Regarding the guy making a point of slinkiness vs lack thereof - meaningless without data. But maybe he good data, like high resolution FFTs, equally torqued mounts, baslined stiffness/slinkiness characteristics that are measurable and measured. Maybe he does! IDK because I'm not going to hunt for it!
> 
> Anyway, thanks for sharing (not sarcastic).



To make it clear, even to get these single notes out of it, I had to really push the right hand to the limits.

Oh, and I once had a RG570DX that was extremely stiff. No amount of tweaking could fix that. Later tried the same exact model at a shop - and that was infinitely much more playable. Hence neither the sharkteeth nor the binding were to blame. 

There is a simple test though. Put the headstock against a pillow or whatever so that there's a push on the neck. A slinky playing guitar will go out of tune to a surprising extent.


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## Leviathus (Apr 14, 2020)

So yeah, about them AZ's....


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Apr 14, 2020)

I will pass on an AZ8. I want an AZ7 badly. If they release it in that ice blue metallic, I will have no self control. Years of working on my GAS and impulse buying. It isn't impulse if I know about it months before release!


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## DEUCE SLUICE (Apr 24, 2020)

I've been planning on selling all of my guitars for a prestige HSS AZ and prestige RG7, but I think I'd be happy with just one of these!


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## possumkiller (Apr 25, 2020)

Jesus Christ where are all the pictures? I came in here for AZ 7s and there is seven pages of BS with like three pictures!


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## Musiscience (Apr 27, 2020)

DEUCE SLUICE said:


> I've been planning on selling all of my guitars for a prestige HSS AZ and prestige RG7, but I think I'd be happy with just one of these!



Do it. Just received an AZ 2402 on Friday and this thing is something special. NGD incoming after I spend some more time with it. IMO the best guitar Ibanez has ever released.


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## mbardu (Apr 27, 2020)

Musiscience said:


> Do it. Just received an AZ 2402 on Friday and this thing is something special. NGD incoming after I spend some more time with it. IMO *the best guitar Ibanez has ever released*.



This might just be the case, but it's not really an _Ibanez _Ibanez though (at least talking about modern Ibanez most people here are familiar with). It's like Ibanez trying to make a Suhr Modern: back-to-basics functionality, a for-once not so crampy neck, simple Gotoh bridge, strainless steel frets. Price aside, what's not to like?


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## Musiscience (Apr 27, 2020)

mbardu said:


> This might just be the case, but it's not really an _Ibanez _Ibanez though (at least talking about modern Ibanez most people here are familiar with). It's like Ibanez trying to make a Suhr Modern: back-to-basics functionality, a for-once not so crampy neck, simple Gotoh bridge, strainless steel frets. Price aside, what's not to like?



Definitely agree. It really isn't the typical Ibanez with a wizard neck. It is very comparable to a Suhr modern, for almost half the price of one.


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## nyxzz (Apr 27, 2020)

i bought a brand new 2402 prestige and had to send it back to sweetwater because the neck didnt work for me, maybe the most disappointing moment of my life. i was prepared to buy one from the day the first pictures leaked of artists playing them


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## mrpanoff (Apr 28, 2020)

nyxzz said:


> i bought a brand new 2402 prestige and had to send it back to sweetwater because the neck didnt work for me, maybe the most disappointing moment of my life. i was prepared to buy one from the day the first pictures leaked of artists playing them



Did you dislike the profile or was it something else?

Having tried one out at a shop, I didn't particularly like the strings to the headstock carve with this ugly looking void, it was fine otherwise.


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## Musiscience (Apr 28, 2020)

nyxzz said:


> i bought a brand new 2402 prestige and had to send it back to sweetwater because the neck didnt work for me, maybe the most disappointing moment of my life. i was prepared to buy one from the day the first pictures leaked of artists playing them



That's interesting, the neck is what I like the most about it. Kind of a cross between a modern Fender C shape and a Suhr Elliptical. The finish on it is just so smooth, it's just SO nice to play. 

I will say though that you should change the strings right away for your favorite set. Made a world of difference sound wise taking the Daddario's off of it.


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## nyxzz (Apr 29, 2020)

Musiscience said:


> That's interesting, the neck is what I like the most about it. Kind of a cross between a modern Fender C shape and a Suhr Elliptical. The finish on it is just so smooth, it's just SO nice to play.
> 
> I will say though that you should change the strings right away for your favorite set. Made a world of difference sound wise taking the Daddario's off of it.



I found it too fat and wide, i think the elliptical shape threw me off


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## DEUCE SLUICE (May 1, 2020)

Weird question: does anyone with an AZ know if the trem backplate is the same dimensions as a Strat backplate?


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## Mathemagician (May 1, 2020)

I’m just so glad it’s not a fucking wizard shape. Generally don’t like that super flat/wide neck. String spacing drives me nuts. Why so far, other strings no have cooties.


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## MaxOfMetal (May 1, 2020)

Mathemagician said:


> I’m just so glad it’s not a fucking wizard shape. Generally don’t like that super flat/wide neck. String spacing drives me nuts. Why so far, other strings no have cooties.



You can always cut the nut for a tighter spacing.


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## Mathemagician (May 1, 2020)

MaxOfMetal said:


> You can always cut the nut for a tighter spacing.



I promise you, I will never put in that much manual labor. I generally want instruments to be “done” when I buy them. And that still doesn’t fix my dislike for the shoulders. 

That’s like a “nothing super easy fix” for a lot of people but for me is “welp, this I do not like.”


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (May 7, 2020)

So do you guys think these will release at Summer NAMM? The wait is killing me. I want one


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## MaxOfMetal (May 7, 2020)

r3tr0sp3ct1v3 said:


> So do you guys think these will release at Summer NAMM? The wait is killing me. I want one



They might be announced this summer or fall, but given the state of affairs globally, I wouldn't expect them to be available till sometime next year.


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## olejason (May 7, 2020)

r3tr0sp3ct1v3 said:


> So do you guys think these will release at Summer NAMM? The wait is killing me. I want one



There is no way there will even be a Summer NAMM this year.


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## Seabeast2000 (May 7, 2020)

olejason said:


> There is no way there will even be a Summer NAMM this year.


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## Musiscience (May 28, 2020)

Any news on when and how these will get unveiled and released?


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## elkoki (May 28, 2020)

I would pobably be interested in one...but only pobably


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## spudmunkey (May 28, 2020)

olejason said:


> There is no way there will even be a Summer NAMM this year.



It wouldnt be crazy to think that there may not even be a 2021 Winter NAMM...at least not in it's "normal" format.


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## elkoki (May 28, 2020)

olejason said:


> There is no way there will even be a Summer NAMM this year.



pobably not


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## SpaceDock (May 28, 2020)

olejason said:


> There is no way there will even be a Summer NAMM this year.



It makes me regret not going to NAMM in the past. Sick of Covid.


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## Leviathus (May 28, 2020)

They've confirmed there's no summer NAMM this year on their website.


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## Musiscience (May 29, 2020)

I wouldn't be surprised if some companies would just release new models on their site as production slowly resume. At least I hope that will be the case.


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## olejason (May 29, 2020)

Ibanez seems to be having major issues with production in Indonesia I wouldn't be surprised if they hold off on new models until January. I ordered a headless 6 string bass and they're now estimating October deliveries.


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## Musiscience (May 29, 2020)

olejason said:


> Ibanez seems to be having major issues with production in Indonesia I wouldn't be surprised if they hold off on new models until January. I ordered a headless 6 string bass and they're now estimating October deliveries.



Ouch, I didn't know that. Here's hoping you get your bass in October!


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## gunshow86de (Jun 28, 2020)

8 string AZ's now I guess.


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## gunshow86de (Jun 29, 2020)

gunshow86de said:


> 8 string AZ's now I guess.




Actually, looking at the photo it's an RG body with the aesthetics of his AZ sig.

Move it along, nothing to see here folks.


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## Santuzzo (Jul 5, 2020)

AZ 7 string is wonderful news. When I saw the AZ7 Wes Hauch has and Martin Miller I thought I WANT ONE! However, the one thing that would bother me (and it bothers me on my RG7s) is the position of the volume pot, ever sine I got used to a JP7 I can't get around that position of the volume pot an an RG, it just keeps getting in the way of my right hand. It looks like Wes Hauch is bothered by that as well, since I have seen his volume removed (to the tone position) on some of his Ibbys, including his new AZ7.


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## r3tr0sp3ct1v3 (Jul 5, 2020)

I'll just keep waiting, you'll just keep waiting. In the cold..


Seriously though I am so excited for these to actually see production. Hopefully they can do it before the roasted maple modenr Strat ends. They already waited too long for headless.


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## TGN (Oct 12, 2020)




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## Albake21 (Oct 12, 2020)

Every time I get a notification for this thread I get super excited thinking something leaked or Ibanez announced something...


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## TGN (Oct 12, 2020)

Albake21 said:


> Every time I get a notification for this thread I get super excited thinking something leaked or Ibanez announced something...



Martin is playing a 7-string AZ in the video


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## spudmunkey (Oct 12, 2020)

TGN said:


> Martin is playing a 7-string AZ in the video


And also hasn't peeled the plastic off the pickguard on the Talman bass before filming a music video .


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## Ben Pinkus (Oct 12, 2020)

Really went for a DT vibe on that, even in the vocals! 

Not sure on the finish on that AZ7 but hopefully these get announced properly soon, can see them selling quite well


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## jco5055 (Oct 12, 2020)

I gotta ask, is it a thing that AZ's would NEVER have a locking trem on it? Because I'd love to try a 7 string AZ with an Edge of some kind.


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