Head to head
Cort G280 Select vs Ibanez AZES40
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets ($500 - $1,000 against $300 - $500), and the scale lengths are not the same (25.5" against 25"). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 25 rows that actually differ marked out.
G280 Select
Amber
A Stratocaster layout with the upgrades most players end up paying for anyway
AZES40
Purist Blue
Nine pickup sounds from three pickups, and a short scale that suits smaller hands
As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through our links, at no additional cost to you. We do not publish prices, because Amazon prices change constantly and a stale figure helps nobody. Follow the link for the current price and availability.
Score profile
Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.
- Cort G280 Select8.7
- Ibanez AZES408.5
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Specification by specification
| G280 Select | AZES40 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Cort | Ibanez |
| Model | G280 Select | AZES40 |
| Finish | Amber | Purist Blue |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.7 / 10 | 8.5 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 5.0 / 5 (3) | 4.5 / 5 (95) |
| Price | $500 - $1,000 | $300 - $500 |
| Type | Solidbody electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | G-series double-cutaway | AZ double cutaway |
| Body wood | Alder | Poplar |
| Top | Flamed maple | — |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on, two-way truss rod with spoke nut | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Hard maple | Maple (AZES profile) |
| Neck profile | Ergo-V (21 mm at first fret, 23 mm at twelfth) | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25" (635 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood | Jatoba with white dot inlays |
| Radius | 12"-15.75" compound (R305-R400) | 9.84" (250 mm) |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium-jumbo, nickel silver | Medium |
| Nut | Bone | — |
| Nut width | 1.65" (42 mm) | 42 mm |
| Bridge | Cort CFA-III tremolo | T106 tremolo with comfort round steel saddles |
| Tuners | Cort staggered locking | Ibanez machine heads with split shafts |
| Neck pickup | Cort Voiced Tone VTS63 single-coil | Essentials single-coil (passive, ceramic) |
| Bridge pickup | Cort Voiced Tone VTH77 humbucker | Accord humbucker (passive, ceramic) |
| Configuration | HSS | HSS |
| Electronics | Passive | Passive, dyna-MIX9 switching with Alter switch |
| Controls | Volume, tone | Volume, tone, alter switch |
| Switching | Five-way switch | Five-way selector plus alter switch, giving nine pickup combinations |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
| Styles | Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Country, Indie | Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Indie, Metal |
| In the box | — | — |
A marked row is one where the two differ. A highlighted cell is the stronger figure where one can be judged objectively. Empty cells are specifications the manufacturer does not publish — never estimates.
Which one should you buy?
Computed from the specifications and our editorial scores for these two instruments only. It is not a general ranking.
Most versatile
Ibanez AZES40Highest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Cort G280 SelectHighest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for beginners
Ibanez AZES40Strongest overall score among the instruments we rate as beginner-friendly.
Best for the studio
Cort G280 SelectBuild and tone scores combined, with credit for tuning-stability hardware that matters when tracking.
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Want a third opinion?
The comparator takes as many instruments as you like, not just two, and recomputes the whole table and every conclusion as you add them.
Other comparisons
G280 Select vs Affinity Series Stratocaster
Cort · Squier
AZES40 vs Affinity Series Stratocaster
Ibanez · Squier
G280 Select vs X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS
Cort · Jackson
AZES40 vs X Series Dinky DK3XR HSS
Ibanez · Jackson
G280 Select vs Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET7
Cort · Jackson
AZES40 vs Pro Plus Series Signature Misha Mansoor Juggernaut ET7
Ibanez · Jackson