Head to head
Ibanez AZES40 vs Ibanez GIO GRX70QA
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets ($300 - $500 against Under $300), and the pickup layouts differ (HSS against HSH). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 20 rows that actually differ marked out.
AZES40
Purist Blue
Nine pickup sounds from three pickups, and a short scale that suits smaller hands
GIO GRX70QA
Transparent Emerald Burst
The cheapest honest route into a fast neck and a humbucker at each end
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Score profile
Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.
- Ibanez AZES408.5
- Ibanez GIO GRX70QA7.2
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
| AZES40 | GIO GRX70QA | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Ibanez | Ibanez |
| Model | AZES40 | GIO GRX70QA |
| Finish | Purist Blue | Transparent Emerald Burst |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.5 / 10 | 7.2 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 9 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.5 / 5 (95) | 4.6 / 5 (2,568) |
| Price | $300 - $500 | Under $300 |
| Type | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | AZ double cutaway | GRX solidbody, double cutaway |
| Body wood | Poplar | Poplar |
| Top | — | Quilted maple art grain |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Maple (AZES profile) | Maple |
| Neck profile | — | GRX (19.5 mm at 1st fret, 21.5 mm at 12th) |
| Scale length | 25" (635 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Jatoba with white dot inlays | Jatoba |
| Radius | 9.84" (250 mm) | 12" (305 mm) |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium | Medium |
| Nut width | 42 mm | 1.65" (42 mm) |
| Bridge | T106 tremolo with comfort round steel saddles | Ibanez T106 tremolo |
| Tuners | Ibanez machine heads with split shafts | — |
| Neck pickup | Essentials single-coil (passive, ceramic) | Infinity R (H) |
| Bridge pickup | Accord humbucker (passive, ceramic) | Infinity R (H) |
| Configuration | HSS | HSH |
| Electronics | Passive, dyna-MIX9 switching with Alter switch | Passive, ceramic magnets |
| Controls | Volume, tone, alter switch | Volume, tone |
| Switching | Five-way selector plus alter switch, giving nine pickup combinations | 5-way blade |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
| Styles | Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Indie, Metal | Rock, Metal, Blues, Punk, Pop |
| 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
Ibanez AZES40Highest 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
Ibanez AZES40Build 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.
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