Ibanez vs Yamaha vs PJD: What If You Could Only Pick One?

[@thisguy2973]

Yamaha is easily the most underrated guitar brand.

[@theblytonian3906]

Easily. The Ibanez AZES31 is approx $90 (about 15%) more expensive than Yamaha's Pacifica 112V in my country. AZES40 with a humbucker is $120 (20%) more expensive. The Ibanez AZES' are nice guitars, but I confess my bias and preference for the Yamaha 112V out of the three. I own four Pacificas two of which are 112Vs one of which is modified with a Seymour Duncan TB-4 in the bridge.

[@kahfigitar]

Yamaha should make japanese line pacifica with gotoh hardware and roasted maple, price them in-between Az premium and Prestige, I'm sure they'll sell a lot.

[@KingofPho75]

pretty sure they already do but u cant get them unless you are in asia

[@metallica3604]

Here you go

[@Sam_Gowman]

It happened

[@TomoFujitaMusic]

Thank you for sharing!

[@jakemixd]

When Max upload a video, you know it’s a quality.

[@AbigailJoy1111]

I'd choose Ibanez tone-wise and for that series/parallel switch. Hope they have more colors tho. Love your channel Max and your in-depth reviews 😊

[@AbigailJoy1111]

Oh checked the specs. Yamaha is alder and Ibanez is poplar. Altho I have a poplar Squier strat that's very resonant and loud unplugged.

[@cpamiseso]

Tuners is slippery and fret edges can be sharp (some video reviews said so). Yamaha is quite stable and neat in their fret edges and decent tuner I hear.

[@rodvace]

I had this Ibanez.... So Bad Quality :( I sold it. Otherwise I have the Yamaha pacifica since almost 8 years ! Stills rocks, Neck still perfect, frets and no rust anywhere. Might be help someone.

[@clips1071]

@@rodvace you’re the only one I’ve heard of who got one that was bad quality lmao

[@markushajordan9608]

@@rodvace Wow! out of all AZES review, we finally found someone biased

[@thewangster123]

Good stuff Max. Im from Melbourne, Australia. Really liked the look of the Yamaha Pacifica. Cheers mate.

[@MaxSoloMusic]

Hey @Enyaw! Thanks. Australia is definitely on my list of places I'd love to see

[@AlexandruCojocaru27]

Can't wait for the neck measurements on the AZES and of course the full in-depth review. My guess is that this model is going to be a huge success for Ibanez. Cheers from Romania!

[@hustlinc3540]

its a fuller D shape. strong shoulders

[@joetspaulding]

Yamaha, always punches above its class

[@TigerPalmer]

I got the AZES40 but wish I had saved a little more for the Yamaha Pacifica 311.

[@SZKlemen]

Hi Max, greetings from Croatia! I've been playing Yamaha's guitars for a long time now and I wonder not that this one stood out nicely! I love rocktron's Hush and Austin Gold OD pedal.

[@kingstumble]

There is no doubt Yamaha make good quality guitars but I have a problem with their narrow necks and tight string spacing. I would choose the Ibanez.

[@mynameiswesker]

Same problem with me. The neck is so narrow and it is difficult to make vibratos and bends. But the quality is amazing. I have on yamaha floyd rose. Tge whammy bar is what makes things easier.

[@andersbarfodsvaneskolan9378]

my only problem with the yamaha pacificas is their 13.75 radius.. I simply like a 9.5" to 10" better.. my fingers like the rounder fretboard for bar chords

[@thisguy2973]

The larger radius is better for string bends compared to the Fender 9.5” radius. You’d also get less fret buzz.

[@whereandbackagain7059]

@@thisguy2973 who has problems bending on a Fender?

[@thisguy2973]

@@whereandbackagain7059 It’s more about whether it creates a buzz or fretting out. A more rounded fretboard should have a bridge that’s set to the same radius. When doing so, the action on the outside strings tends to be lower than the strings in the middle. So if you’re bending outer strings towards the middle of the fretboard, you have a higher chance of fretting out with lower action. This is a common setup on most vintage strats, and aside from having a narrower string spacing, the fretboard is more rounded than your standard strat. Therefore, unless you’re playing slide, this is a likely issue you’ll run into.

[@theblytonian3906]

@@whereandbackagain7059 buthurt much? It's a preference, and his is different from yours. Why argue tryign to sound somehow more right?

[@cuttingedge1987]

I actually got the same yamaha color etc at the music store over the ibanez, no regret for me, feels so comfortable

[@shannonxia8796]

does the grey look good irl? like I can't tell for sure if its cool/warm toned etc

[@cuttingedge1987]

@@shannonxia8796 it does for real =)

[@cuttingedge1987]

@@shannonxia8796 like creamy grey

[@dicky4435]

I have the exact Yamaha Pacifica, the same color and maple fretboard. Planned to buy Ibanez, but chose Paicifca instead.

[@flyingguitarist4830]

Nice video, I'm from Philippines, Ibanez is always my favorite guitar even though I have a Gibson, PRS, Epiphone, and Fender, I always pickup my Ibanez guitar, is so compy to play, I have 3 Ibanez guitars, Ibanez Prestige 1570, Ibanez Egen18, Ibanez Hollow body, and I'm planning to buy an Ibanez AZES soon

[@おいしいパスター]

Hi. Great comparison video. Really entertaining. How did you like the AZES's neck compared to the real premium and prestige AZ necks? Was it the same? I personally am not a fan of the AZ necks even though I use AZ premium as my main guitar and would like a bit narrower string spacing so, I might get the AZES if you say the neck feels different from the AZ necks, or get the Yamaha if the neck on the AZES is the same as those on the AZs. Thank you. But the PJD just looks premium and more highend. lol Omg the gass!

[@MaxSoloMusic]

Thanks! I didn't play the AZs for a long time and didn't get a chance to compare the new AZES to them. I might be wrong (cause I usually don't really care or pay attention to neck profile or fretboard radius) but I'd say it kinda felt like a standard modern C profile, very round. Which makes sense in a strat context

[@woodschannel6775]

Im from indonesia. Pasifika from here ❤❤❤

[@valueofnothing2487]

I wonder how the frets on the Ibz are. I was checking out your review of the similar GRX40, hopefully you can do that with the AZES?

[@donstewart7445]

Please review the Yamaha

[@bencarpenter3785]

Yamaha will still be playable in 25 yrs time.. Alder n Rosewood,,bonus👍🇦🇺🇦🇺.But both Nice

[@megawd2145]

Which guitar should i take? 1. Ibanez grx40 2. Ibanez grg140 3. Yamaha pacifica 122VM

[@thisisabhishekgoswami]

yamaha

[@alpineorchid6207]

They all sound fine. i loved the pjd, and then right on through the other choices, easily distracted and ready to enjoy them I get so happy when you choose the pacifica because i can actually save up for it.

[@MUROKURA]

Hello from Bulgaria! I stumbled upon your channel looking for a guitar review, and was pleasantly surprised. My all-time favorite guitar is an Ibanez Artist AR300MB in Marine blue, made in Fujigen. Custom shop quality! Unfortunately, I sold it due to GAS but I'm sure I'll get an Artist again at some point. Favorite pedal - polytune ;)

[@antoniolopez6798]

Thanks... LIKE and SUBSCRIBED... Is it true that on the Ibanez, with the built-in switch, it is possible for the single pickups to sound like a humbucker? I will appreciate the answer... I just ordered an AZES and I'm really looking forward to it.

[@MaxSoloMusic]

I don't know how bridge and middle are wired in this guitar. Theoretically, any guitar with single coils can be rewired to have bridge and middle pickups in series and in phase. That might get close to humbucker but won't be a 100% equivalent.

[@hyugajerry5337]

Hey man, will you do the Detailed Review for that AZES?

[@MaxSoloMusic]

I'd love to! It left a very good impression and it would be interesting to take a closer look at it in my lab

[@hristo_panov]

Greetings from Bulgaria. Did you feel the fingerboard radius difference between Ibanez and Yamaha? 10" vs 14"?

[@MaxSoloMusic]

Hey! Not really. I could feel the fret ends though. A 'lower action' might have been a side effect of the 14'' radius

[@Negative.mrb1]

I got an azes it sounds really good !! I had bought a Sterling hss with about 250$ more and it was not as good i was sad I’d been looking at it for few months I returned it and got the Ibanez way better in my view

[@sergeyv4908]

бюджетная Yamaha MIT была первой гитарой, но она реально мне нравилась - через нее прошли несколько Dimarzio, слесарка внешнего вида, замена электроники, тремоло Wilkinson by Gotoh. И даже сейчас (поимев в разное время Treker, Godin, Gibson, Burny, Gibson) я решил ее восстановить и дать ей вторую жизнь, чтобы джемить на репах из-за прекрасного грифа.

[@charliesullivan1886]

i liked the ibanez

[@gooberthoreau]

Whenever people do videos where they don't pick the most expensive item in a blind test there is always a bunch of excuses.

[@altrock86]

I kinda like the Yamaha the most but wish it has sss.

[@adityarahardian2435]

It has coil split

[@coelhocointech9841]

I don’t know why they call these beginner guitars

[@theblytonian3906]

It's because they are at an appealing and affordable price point comfortable to uncommitted beginners and bought by them. And, it doesn't hurt the brands to have them thought of as such as it provides incentive for status seekers to buy their more expensive product so as not to be associated with a "beginner guitar".

[@topavelka]

Ibanez sounds like Fender Bullet 😁

[@딸기커피-z8f]

lbanez is winner

[@RED_CARDINAL.]

Ibanez RGD sieres that is Cool. Really good guitars!

[@dequiarro4417]

Ibanez makes great pickups.

[@hendysetyawan6053]

Please review yamaha....please....🙏😽

[@theblytonian3906]

Owning one for six years, disregarding long past owner pride Yamaha Pacifica 112V by a country mile, although I'd choose the Rosewood fingerboard version if I could only have one. Ibanez falls short with a number of things for me. Single bridge pickup, BQ & QC (IMPE) through ceramic pickups and soft body wood. Tone of Poplar is fine, but it dents too easily. 50 years ago Ibanez were a fantastic guitar at a bargain price. Today you're paying for all the celeb endorsement and name on the headstock. Today the brand is fanboy indulged, overrated and overpriced. PJD was an obvious no sale fail as the link doesn't work any more. Finding the site and specs, it'd obviously be crazy expensive, so not in the same game.

[@ausvaks7682]

Моё знание английского ничтожно мало, поэтому что оказалось лучше Ямаха или Ибанез?

[@daniyairalina3920]

Если очень коротко, то Ямаха лучше Качество и ощущение более гладкие, а также звук намного ярче, а так в принципе особо разницы между Ибанез и Ямахой нет- один сегмент

[@alpineorchid6207]

blindfold is great, i know my opinion is way too easily swayed by the author of the video usually! unless I don't like their playing. Fun party game.

[@alexm66]

Do we love you? yes.

[@AtacamaHumanoid]

That Yamaha sounds awful compared to the others, but I guess it must have a nice response while you're playing it because he instantly loved it.

[@theblytonian3906]

Have your hearing tested.

[@theblytonian3906]

@@AtacamaHumanoid Untrue. For instance, I don't like you. 🖕

[@theblytonian3906]

@@AtacamaHumanoid They're both (Ibanez & Yamaha) good. You don't have to polarise to align with your brand bias.

[@sanu4frndzs]

Yamaha....any day....

[@madeputra8827]

Ibanez win

[@imdannymartins]

Yamaha so underrated don't know why? Is it the Japanese name 🤔 not cool enough?

[@theblytonian3906]

It's predominantly the absence of expensive celebrity artist marketing exacerbated by the layperson's misperception of price point as any real gauge of performance and quality. Adds up as you say to low/no status by association points. i.e. Not cool enough. Yamaha have started marketing their Revstars at much higher price points hard to the mainstream US market this year and it seems to be working. I suspect that if it succeeds as well as it is doing at present, we might see changes in their other lower priced Pacifica segment too. Still little celebrity artist marketing in comparison with Ibanez for example.

[@clareboudtj]

A lot of gearsnobery ...

[@MaxSoloMusic]

Sure, that's what we're here for

[@algreen1231]

I'll buy a PAcifica....after Christmas, Thoman price are higher these days. Thanks Max...now I can sell my Gibson-Fender stuff! :D

[@xxluis179xx8]

The Yamaha sounds much better