Ibanez AZES40 vs Fender HSS Strat | Which wins on tones and all-out versatility? Guitar Shootout

Today, we’re comparing the Ibanez AZES40 against the Fender Modern Player HSS Stratocaster to see how the affordable Ibanez stacks up against the ‘real’ Strat!
Ibanez AZES40 at Thomann: thmn.to/thoprod/524947?offid=...
At Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/an4dOb
This is the closest current new Strat to the Modern Player at Thomann: thmn.to/thoprod/525027?offid=...
Similar Strats at Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/xkRdJA
Ibanez’s AZES guitars first came out in 2021, and they’re incredibly impressive on specs, performance and price. The $349/€329 AZES40 is packed full of great features, and a mind-blowing number of usable tones. These come thanks to its HSS pickup configuration and an Alter Switch, which gives you even more options and versatility.
I wanted to test the AZES40 against a Squier HSS Strat, but I don’t own one of those, so I have the next best thing: a 2011 Fender Modern Player HSS Stratocaster!
The Modern Player series was launched in 2011, and basically gave players the chance to own a guitar with a Fender logo on the headstock for Squier prices. The guitars were made in China, and they cost back then around d what new Squier Classic Vibes cost in 2022 - between €350 and €500 in Europe. The Modern Player range didn’t last long, but you can still get them at decent prices used… which is exactly where I got the Silverburst HSS Strat.
In this video, I put the two guitars through their paces in a wide variety of musical genres, from country, folk and indie, to pop, rock, punk, metal and more - let’s see which one comes out on top!
Here are some links to the various playing samples and info bits:
00:00 Hello!
00:17 Intro and what we’re doing today
02:17 Ibanez AZES40 specs/info
06:52 HSS Strat specs/info
10:04 Today’s rig and plan
Clean Sounds
11:06 Clean tone reference chords on all pickup/Alter Switch options
12:10 Poppy barre chords
12:41 Blues progression
13:04 Ringing open indie pop chords
13:30 Country ballad picked arpeggios
13:43 Strummed country cowboy chords
14:02 Funky rhythm barre chords
14:16 Picked indie pop arpeggios
14:35 Strummed indie chords
15:02 60s pop rhythm sound
Overdrive Sounds (Crunch Channel)
15:13 Upbeat indie rock barre chords
15:36 Indie rock rhythm sound
16:09 The Strokes inspired indie sounds
16:47 Indie octave chords riff
17:13 Indie rhythmic chords
17:42 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff
17:57 Airbourne inspired rock riff
18:19 Classic rock riff
18:37 Groovy classic rock riff
19:03 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff
19:19 Thick rock riff
Lead Channel Sounds
19:35 Classic hard rock riff
19:53 Hard rock riff
20:10 Hard rock rhythm sound
20:36 Glam rock riff
20:51 Alternative rock riff
21:15 Pop punk riff
21:40 Pop punk melodic lead riff
21:56 Green Day inspired punk rock riff
22:23 Punk rock power chords
22:36 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning)
22:52 Modern rock palm-muted power chords (Drop D)
Clean Channel w/Revv G3 Distortion Pedal (all in Drop D tuning)
23:17 Metal chugging riff
23:51 Hard rock lead sound
24:07 Rammstein inspired industrial metal riff
24:21 Classic heavy metal/sludge riff
24:55 My thoughts
25:28 I’m a huge fan of the AZES range
26:14 Feel and build quality
27:31 Necks
28:07 Sounds discussion
30:33 Which guitar sounds better?
31:04 The competition: Squier
31:29 Check out the Ibanez AZES31
32:09 Which of these guitars should you buy?
32:56 Final conclusion and goodbye
My setup was as follows: I ran the guitars into my Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 head, using my Revv G3 for the heavy distortion sounds. The amp went from the Red Box DI straight into my Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, which went into Logic Pro X. That's it. No post-processing on the sounds was done.
Here’s some links to those bits of gear:
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H&K Black Spirit 200 head: bit.ly/HKBS200rwm
Revv G3: bit.ly/RevvG3RWM
Focusrite 4i4 (this is the newer equivalent of my 2i4, which they don’t make any more!): bit.ly/Scarlett414RWM
-----
Enjoy!
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Backing music from the KZbin Audio Library: Duck In The Alley - TrackTribe.
#Ibanez #IbanezGuitars #FenderGuitars #IbanezAZES #Fender #Silverburst
Note: certain links in the description are affiliate links. If you click said links and purchase anything as a result, I will receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help to support the channel. So, if you do that, thank you very much!
‪@IbanezOfficial‬
‪@fender‬

[@RichWordsMusic]

And here's your timestamps - enjoy: 00:00 Hello! 00:17 Intro and what we’re doing today 02:17 Ibanez AZES40 specs/info 06:52 HSS Strat specs/info 10:04 Today’s rig and plan Clean Sounds 11:06 Clean tone reference chords on all pickup/Alter Switch options 12:10 Poppy barre chords 12:41 Blues progression 13:04 Ringing open indie pop chords 13:30 Country ballad picked arpeggios 13:43 Strummed country cowboy chords 14:02 Funky rhythm barre chords 14:16 Picked indie pop arpeggios 14:35 Strummed indie chords 15:02 60s pop rhythm sound Overdrive Sounds (Crunch Channel) 15:13 Upbeat indie rock barre chords 15:36 Indie rock rhythm sound 16:09 The Strokes inspired indie sounds 16:47 Indie octave chords riff 17:13 Indie rhythmic chords 17:42 AC/DC inspired classic rock riff 17:57 Airbourne inspired rock riff 18:19 Classic rock riff 18:37 Groovy classic rock riff 19:03 Hendrix inspired classic rock riff 19:19 Thick rock riff Lead Channel Sounds 19:35 Classic hard rock riff 19:53 Hard rock riff 20:10 Hard rock rhythm sound 20:36 Glam rock riff 20:51 Alternative rock riff 21:15 Pop punk riff 21:40 Pop punk melodic lead riff 21:56 Green Day inspired punk rock riff 22:23 Punk rock power chords 22:36 Progressive rock riff (Drop D tuning) 22:52 Modern rock palm-muted power chords (Drop D) Clean Channel w/Revv G3 Distortion Pedal (all in Drop D tuning) 23:17 Metal chugging riff 23:51 Hard rock lead sound 24:07 Rammstein inspired industrial metal riff 24:21 Classic heavy metal/sludge riff 24:55 My thoughts 25:28 I’m a huge fan of the AZES range 26:14 Feel and build quality 27:31 Necks 28:07 Sounds discussion 30:33 Which guitar sounds better? 31:04 The competition: Squier 31:29 Check out the Ibanez AZES31 32:09 Which of these guitars should you buy? 32:56 Final conclusion and goodbye

[@kostaslekkas10]

Continue putting work into the channel , great work , you deserve way more views

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks man, I'm on it and hopefully it'll continue to grow :)

[@svenzia]

This is a really good channel. Very happy i found it. You are doing the job in a very serious way making us customers really get a lot of info. Thanks. The Ibanez is a winner imo. Good price to say the least. They have awesome quality control. I have a Ibanez made in China back in 2007 and it could as easily been made in Japan. ARX300CRS. Beats many Epi Les Pauls from the same time.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks, I am really glad you're enjoying my videos! I totally agree on Ibanez too... I've been seriously impressed with every single one I've played and owned. It's making Squier and Fender's job harder and harder, which is great for us as customers!

[@svenzia]

@@RichWordsMusic True :)

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

Ibanez definitely sounds hotter to me but, over I like both. The look of the Ibanez just appeals more to me lately.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yep, the Ibanez is definitely more suited to modern higher gain stuff - the pickups are great for that. And I like its cleaner look. The Fender originally came with a black scratchplate (the guy I bought it off changed it for the silver tort one) which I might fit back on and I think that'll give it a much more classic silverburst look again.

[@antonioribeiro3297]

Very good your demo, thank you!

[@RichWordsMusic]

Cheers, glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaelloveitt350]

Excellent video

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks Michael, glad you enjoyed it!

[@seankenneally6369]

Hello! First of all, amazing channel and review, one of the best i seen. I have a strange predicament. I was saving for a guitar and was looking to spend about 700-800, but i keep thinking about these azes guitars! I think what i was looking for from spending 800 on a guitar was build and comfort, especially the neck. I only have experience with cheap old electric guitars and wanted to upgrade to something which would leave nothing to be desired in terms of neck feel and shape. Basically i want maximum playability. I want something that feels good in the hands. I'm very happy with all the sounds I have listened to from the azes guitars, so...with all that in mind do you think going for an azes instead of an 800 euro guitar is a good idea? I would try them out but none of the guitar shops nearby stock ibanez guitars. I wouldn't mind spending 500 euro less on a guitar! But at the same time, if it was worth it, and if the build quality was a huge step up, i would of course aim for a more expensive guitar. Don't be afraid to give me your opinion on this, I can always return a guitar if I don't end up liking it, i'm just struggling to decide since honestly the guitar market seems amazing these days, and it can become confusing when cheaper options like the azes get so much praise. It's not just you either, loads of youtubers sing praise for the azes! Another question I have is tuning stability of the azes40 with the tremelo. IS the aez31 a better idea for someone who has no interest in the tremelo? Or is the tremelo an easy thing to live with if the player has no interest in actually using one? The hss azes40 is appealing for the humbucker, but if the azes31 is just a much smoother experience due to the hardtail, i might go for that instead.

[@DreidMusicalX]

I bought a HSS Jackson DK3M Pro for $630.00US and it rocks! I was looking for an Ibanez or Fender with HSS but with a Floyd Rose. Couldn't find that, so settled for the Jackson, and damn I was shocked at this guitar and what is can do. I can get just about any sound I want from it. I had an old Jackson performer HSS but its pickups were cheaper. The Jackson has Seymour Duncans and no feedback screaming from the single coils at all! Full gain and its dead silent. I have no clue how they did it, but its bad ass. Now I love your Fender, but I just hate the old style 6 bolt bridges Fenders have. But I do like the Ibanez you have and the way the pickups work with the Ultra switch.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Nice! I've seen those Jacksons around but never played one. They look super cool and I bet the Seymour Duncan pickups are brilliant, but I've never had a Floyd Rose guitar. But the DK3M is probably a better guitar on paper than these two. The Fender is super fun, but actually what I might do is get a hardtail bridge for it (I never really use the whammy bar). The Ibanez is actually really brilliant too, and so versatile... would be great if Ibanez were to do a slightly hotter version with a Floyd Rose, actually - I'd love to try that!

[@risingpower3658]

Both of them sound pretty good. I am choosing the Ibanez. For learning, the Ibanez has the learner in mind. The learner s less likely to bleed to death with Ibanez rounded saddles. The sound presentation is more up front. The Fender sounded coweled a bit. I do like to check back to see why the Ibanez is the choice I am making. Every time I hear it, I like it more. The Azes 40 sounds like it's worth every penny. The Ibanez does speak. The Fender also speaks. It sounds okay. It's just different. Half the time, I could not tell the difference except maybe 'apparent volume.'

[@RichWordsMusic]

I spent some more time with the Ibanez this week and I have to say, it has some beautiful pristine tones in it, and you're right - for a beginner, it's the easier guitar to get to grips with. If you can, try one out - that's the only way to 100% know if it 'speaks' to you. However, I've played a few of them now, and they've all been excellent! Really amazing the QC that Ibanez has. So I believe they're worth every penny too :)

[@jkreth]

Nicely done. For tone, I think the Ibanez get's the nod. It has more sparkle in the top at every switch position. At the Humbucker setting, they were similar, but I still prefer the Ibanez. Overall, it's a more versatile guitar (surprisingly) and for a gig, it's unbeatable in it's price range.

[@LookieChannel]

Just wow for this excellent and deep tone comparison. I was surprised how good and similar the Ibanez sounds. Is the feel different? I see it is a bit shorter?

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! The Ibanez feels like a modern Strat to me... I don't really notice the scale length difference, or the slightly smaller body size while playing. It's simply an excellent guitar though - super comfy, sounds great and plays great!

[@craiggartin3360]

Have the same Azes 40, love it man. Switched out the Humbucker with a D'Marzio 36th Anniversary PAF. Got me thinking of dumping my $1700 Fender American ll Stat.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yeah, they're great guitars! Did you keep all the alter switch options when swapping out that pickup? I'd love to try that actually...

[@tumadsvids]

As a USA PRS player I'm considering this Ibanez as a single coil guitar. For the money, no contest.. My PRS still has more twang in the split coil Bridge position for songs like Footloose etc etc however..

[@RichWordsMusic]

The Ibanez would certainly be a different feel - and if you wanted even more twang you could try the AZES30. That has a true single coil pickup in the bridge. Could be worth a look too?

[@johncollins5552]

Love the ibanez value for money and sound options but I do love a proper rosewood neck.

[@michaelw6277]

I like to close my eyes and listen for comparisons and have a peek when I hear a sound I like and the Ibanez won by a pretty wide margin.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yes, these AZES guitars are serious contenders! I have to agree too - I think the Ibanez has a livelier, more vibrant tone than the Fender which I prefer in many contexts. It's more hi-fi and pristine too, which really helps it cut through!

[@Mike_D_5150]

Ibanez are fantastic guitars. So are Fender, mind you my strat is a 91 plus. A quality build model from them back in the day. I've always played Ibanez, Fender and Gibson with Jackson, schecter and Charvel dk in there. My main guitar #1 Ibanez AZ2204 #2 Charvel dk24 #3 which can be number 1 at times is the 91 strat plus

[@RichWordsMusic]

I totally agree! That's a fabulous trio of guitars you've got there... something for every musical occasion! Cheers and rock on :)

[@57RickH]

Have you reviewed a Sterling Cutlass by Music Man/Ernie Ball? I tried searching your channel, couldn't find where you had. Thanks 👍🏻

[@RichWordsMusic]

No, I haven't (yet)! I would love to one day... I've played a few in stores and at shows and they have been excellent, with a totally different feel to say a Fender or a Gibson. Fingers crossed I'll get the chance soon!

[@akjl01]

In all fairness I couldn't tell the difference when not looking at the video. They both sounded good. I'd go for the Ibanez based on value for money and the glowing reviews it gets on KZbin. You can pick it up for like £279 in the UK. How are you finding the Ibanez several months later? Canny review by the way..

[@nh8781]

Hi. For the similiar price range, what is your recommendation for rock/ metal guitar? And also should i just go for full humbucker or HSS / HSH combo? Thanks

[@RichWordsMusic]

Hmm, a couple more questions from my side... can you be more precise in the kind of music? Is it more classic rock/metal sounds, or tight and precise modern metal? And will you also want clean sounds? For me, I prefer HSS, because you get those more vintage clean and crunch tones... but if you want thicker neck tones and maybe want to solo in a classic rock style, I'd say HSH (or even just HH!).

[@nh8781]

@@RichWordsMusic more toward 90s rock and metal, such as metallica GnR etc. Can you recommend beginner HH hardtail guitars best for this genre? Thx

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@nh8781 Well, I think most people would say ESP as the first place to look for things like that. This is certainly ideal for Metallica and will do all hard rock well. The EC-256 is a great guitar: thmn.to/thoprod/310106?offid=1&affid=1250 Also, Epiphone might be worth looking at. There are a bunch of signature Slash Les Pauls, but other Epi LP models with humbuckers will also do that job very well! One other recommendation: Harley Benton. They have loads of guitars that will fit the bill for you here. The one I recently reviewed is the SC DLX Gotoh, and for the money it's amazing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iISpc55plJafa68 But you could also try the Harley Benton Fusion range... those are also great and ideal for hard rock (and many other things!). Hope that helps!

[@nh8781]

Thanks for all the info 👍

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@nh8781 No worries! Any time.

[@RickyClarissa-gv8wv]

Thank you for the video, I'll buy Ibanez for the sound, price and versatility..

[@RichWordsMusic]

Glad you enjoyed it, and yes - the Ibanez is the more complete package for sure in that context. Such a great value for money guitar!

[@Aloysius1966]

I have the AZES40; great guitar for the money.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Nice! I totally agree :) They're awesome!

[@PooNinja]

I’d get the !bsnez and play it into a fender amp. Pia/jem is the ultimate strat style in my book.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yeah you would, and that's a great choice! You know, I saw a Pia in person the other day and thought of you. I was too scared to pick it up :)

[@Kabamaru2000]

Im gonna buy the Ibanez really soon

[@RichWordsMusic]

Awesome, great choice! Hope you enjoy it!

[@mau946]

Can you paly something of RHCP to check sound?

[@RichWordsMusic]

Will make a note to do it in a future video, sure 👍

[@spacepodi]

After pondering for months, I think The Ibanez will do nicely.

[@RichWordsMusic]

It’s always good to ponder and think these things through before spending the money, and I think you’ve made a top decision in the end… these AZES guitars still blow me away! Hope you enjoy yours!

[@ayersbiz6458]

I think the Ibanez is better. Watch out fender.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Watch out Fender indeed! With companies like Ibanez making guitars like this at such great prices, I think it's giving Squier/Fender competition they haven't ever really seen before. It's a great time to be a guitar player, that's for sure!

[@VeitLehmann]

There was a Fender Modern Player Marauder? 🤤

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yeah! I tried it back in the day and really regret not buying one!

[@RusinSvobodov]

Спасибо !

[@RichWordsMusic]

Thanks for watching :)

[@reyntalao6]

do you recommend something better or this is the one?

[@RichWordsMusic]

At these prices, it's hard to find something better, I think. There are a few Harley Bentons that might fit the bill, but it depends on what exactly your criteria are! Let me know and maybe I can make you another recommendation :)

[@reyntalao6]

@@RichWordsMusic this or the pacifica?

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@reyntalao6 Well, you could find a used Pacifica with higher specs than these guitars for the same price, I'm sure. I am a big fan of the Pacifica - it's maybe a slightly more classic Strat than the AZES40 as well, if that's your thing...

[@650thunderbird5]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@RichWordsMusic]

Cheers my friend!

[@ayse241]

I cant decide mint green or blue whelp

[@RichWordsMusic]

Ha ha, for me it's Mint Green all the way on this one! Maybe check them both out in person if you can? Then you'll know...

[@ayse241]

I just bought prb

[@Bovrillor]

Personally I think the Ibanez takes the win here, mainly for the tighter definition when distorted.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Ha ha, you, distortion? Never! But yes, I reckon you'd really like the Ibanez. It generally has a more modern, slick feel to it, even thought the Fender has the Modern in its name!

[@DMSProduktions]

VERY little in it! The Fender was a tad darker or a bit more girthy sounding, but that's it! \m/

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yep, they are super close!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@RichWordsMusic Sure are! Please take a listen to my KISS remix! Cheers!

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@DMSProduktions Just listened to it! Had to listen to the original first too, as I'd never heard it. Prefer yours for the modern chunkiness!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@RichWordsMusic Then I succeeded in my mission! Thanks Rich!

[@post-man23]

I prefer the sound from fender. It feels more natural and thicker

[@RichWordsMusic]

I know what you mean... I think it's a more traditional, warm sound. The Ibanez definitely sounds more modern and pristine, very hi-fi! I go through phases where I prefer one, then the other. Thanks for watching!

[@tiberious_jefferson]

The Ibanez sounds so much better to me. That’s the next guitar I’m getting

[@RichWordsMusic]

It's a great guitar for sure, and I don't think you'll regret it at all 😎 Enjoy!

[@toneranger]

Great review but its a bit hard to listen to if you're not a Grunge fan.

[@RichWordsMusic]

I thought everyone liked grunge?! ;) No, you're right - I guess indie and alternative rock are kind of my preferred genres, although I did try and do as many different styles as possible in this video. Glad you enjoyed it overall anyway :) Cheers!

[@toneranger]

@@RichWordsMusic I love your reviews Rich and the format and you're a great communicator and fab player. I know just how much time you put into these reviews. Just grunge frequencies grate after a while, I remember a grunge band firing their producer because the record was "too hifi sounding" they wanted to sound more gritty or grating, literally 😄

[@Xcorgi]

Not a fair comparison because today the fender modern players sell for $800.00 new.

[@RichWordsMusic]

I get what you're saying, but the guitar here is a Fender Modern Player Series, made in China - they sold for around $400 new when they came out in 2011. The current Fender Players are different: they're made in Mexico and do cost around $800, but they're supposed to be better (at least in theory!). The old Modern Players are really worth looking out if you ever see a used one!

[@Xcorgi]

@@RichWordsMusic Yes but my point is that because of inflation, your $400.00 could buy an much better guitar back in 2011 than it can in 2023. So by that guideline it’s not a fair comparison dollar for dollar.

[@Rikardoz]

I bought Purist Blue AZES40 today. Played it at home for a while but I don''t know. It's easy to play and sounds great, but something about it just don't feel right for me. Might need to play a liitle more next weekend. Good thing I have 30 day return policy for it. My other Strat is Squier Classic Vibe 60's which I ike very much and it feels more like a "real" guitar.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Hmm, interesting. But I agree with you - give it a bit more of a chance, and luckily you have the chance to return it if you don't bond with it. There is no point keeping it if you don't get on with it.

[@019bc3]

Did you keep AZES40 in the end?

[@Rikardoz]

@@019bc3 no, I did not.

[@maJastoL]

​@@RikardozWhat wasn't to like?

[@Rikardoz]

@@maJastoL Nothing particular I guess. Might have been the neck profile. It was ok, but not what I wanted.

[@SamuraiBud]

Ibanez scooped fender more mids

[@RichWordsMusic]

Yeah, I'd say that's a legit way to look at it!

[@Brad143]

Ibanez win 🤟

[@RichWordsMusic]

The Ibanez is a great guitar for sure!

[@Brad143]

@@RichWordsMusic yeah for the worth price too...

[@RichWordsMusic]

@@Brad143 When you consider the price, it's even better!

[@abergreg]

The Fender costs two and a half times the Ibanez.

[@RichWordsMusic]

It would to buy a 2023 Fender Player today, but the Fender guitar I'm using in this video is a much older Fender Modern Player Guitar, made in China - these cost around the same as the Ibanez when they were originally released. Which, with inflation, could well be twice the price of the Ibanez in 2023 money ;)

[@sinefabula]

And the Ibanez still rocks and, in my opinion, sounds better at least for anything overdriven. There is a video by John Nathan Cordy where he compares the AZES to the modern MIM Fender Player Strat, and they too are very close in sound, to the point of preference between the two.

[@piotrkarbowiak1894]

Fajnie gra ten ibanez

[@RichWordsMusic]

The Ibanez is a super fun guitar! I'm a huge fan :)

[@D14V0R05]

Get the Ibanez for $300ish, spend the extra $500 that the fender would cost to get a decent amp, that's a no brainer. Unless you are loaded and a snob, there is no reason to pay 1k+ for Fender guitars when you can get the similar specs and performance from cheaper brands, and more importantly, it is wiser to spend high on a good amp than on a guitar.

[@RichWordsMusic]

Good points! A great amp is essential, I think - I'd pick an expensive amp over an expensive guitar if I could only have one of the two. It's funny with Fender guitars... back in the day they were designed the way they were to make them cheap to produce, affordable to buy, and easy to use and repair with cheap parts if something went wrong. So if you look at Custom Shop Fender prices these days, it's a long way from where Leo Fender started out ;) By the way, the Fedner here is actually one of the cheapest they ever built... the Chinese-made Modern Player series. So the prices are more similar, but many do call that series Squiers with a Fender logo, so there we go :)