Ibanez AZES40B-BK

Ibanez AZES40B-BK: specification review

The Ibanez AZES40B-BK is a black, solid-body electric guitar with a poplar body, bolt-on maple neck, jatoba fingerboard, and an HSS pickup layout. Its listed price is $313. The specification sheet gives it 22 medium frets, a T106 tremolo, and Ibanez machine heads. No bag or case is included.

There are no customer reviews available for this model, so this assessment is based only on the supplied specifications. Those details establish the guitar's materials, controls, and hardware, but do not support claims about its sound, tuning stability, setup, finish quality, or playability in practice.

Body, neck, and fingerboard

The body is made from poplar, with no separate top listed. The black finish is paired with a black pickguard and chrome-plated hardware. The neck is maple and attaches to the body with a bolt-on joint. Its AZES profile measures 21 mm thick at the first fret and 23 mm at the twelfth. Those measurements provide a concrete description of the neck's thickness, but they do not establish how it will feel in a player's hand.

The jatoba fingerboard has white dot inlays and a stated radius of 250 mm, also given as 9.84 inches. The instrument has 22 medium frets and a plastic nut measuring 42 mm, or 1.65 inches, wide. Together, these figures describe the fingerboard's layout and dimensions. The supplied information does not specify fret dimensions, fingerboard edge treatment, or the factory setup.

Scale-length discrepancy

The scale-length information is inconsistent. The summary specifications list 648 mm, while the detailed specifications give 635 mm, or 25 inches. Those are different measurements, and the product data does not explain the discrepancy. Buyers who need a particular scale length should confirm the correct figure with the seller or manufacturer before ordering. This matters when comparing instruments, choosing strings, or checking compatibility with an existing setup.

HSS pickups and switching

The AZES40B-BK uses one humbucker at the bridge and single-coil pickups at the middle and neck positions. The bridge unit is identified as an Accord humbucker, while the two other pickups are Essentials single-coil models. This HSS arrangement provides three pickup positions across the instrument, with selection handled by a five-way switch.

Ibanez lists its dyna-MIX9 system with an Alter Switch. The name indicates an expanded switching arrangement, but the supplied specifications do not explain the individual switch combinations or describe how each setting routes the pickups. It would be unwise to assign particular tones or switching functions without that information. Volume and tone controls are also listed, with no further details about their values or wiring.

Tremolo and included hardware

The bridge is an Ibanez T106 tremolo. The listing does not state what range of movement it is designed for, whether it has a locking mechanism, or what setup adjustments are available. As a result, the hardware designation identifies the bridge model but is not enough to predict tuning performance or how it responds under use.

Ibanez machine heads and chrome-plated hardware complete the listed hardware package. Factory strings are specified as.010,.046 gauge. No case or gig bag is included, so buyers should account for separate protection if they need to transport or store the guitar in one.

What the specifications establish

The published information gives a clear overview of the AZES40B-BK's construction and electronics: poplar body, maple bolt-on neck, jatoba fingerboard, 22 medium frets, HSS pickups, five-way switching, dyna-MIX9 with Alter Switch, and a T106 tremolo. Its main point requiring clarification is the conflicting scale-length data. The listing also leaves important practical questions unanswered, including the exact switching combinations and factory setup.

At a listed price of $313, the specifications describe a black Ibanez electric guitar with a defined pickup layout and tremolo-equipped bridge. Since no customer feedback or hands-on measurements are available here, the most responsible conclusion is limited to what the data confirms. Verify the scale length and check the switching details with the seller if either is important to your purchase.