Head to head
Ibanez AZES40 vs Jackson Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FR
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets ($300 - $500 against $1,000 - $2,000), and the pickup layouts differ (HSS against HS). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 25 rows that actually differ marked out.
AZES40
Purist Blue
Nine pickup sounds from three pickups, and a short scale that suits smaller hands
Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FR
Yellow Bengal, ebony fingerboard
Jackson rebuilding its own 1985, down to the bengal stripes and the Duncan pair
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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
- Jackson Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FR8.2
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 | Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FR | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Ibanez | Jackson |
| Model | AZES40 | Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FR |
| Finish | Purist Blue | Yellow Bengal, ebony fingerboard |
| Instrument | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.5 / 10 | 8.2 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 7 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.5 / 5 (95) | — |
| Price | $300 - $500 | $1,000 - $2,000 |
| Type | Electric guitar | Electric guitar |
| Body | AZ double cutaway | San Dimas Style 1 solidbody |
| Body wood | Poplar | Alder |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on | Bolt-on, graphite reinforced with scarf joint |
| Neck wood | Maple (AZES profile) | Maple |
| Neck profile | — | Speed Neck |
| Scale length | 25" (635 mm) | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Jatoba with white dot inlays | Ebony |
| Radius | 9.84" (250 mm) | 12" to 16" compound (305 mm to 406 mm) |
| Frets | 22 | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium | Jumbo |
| Nut | — | Floyd Rose 1000 Series locking |
| Nut width | 42 mm | 1.6875" (42.86 mm) |
| Bridge | T106 tremolo with comfort round steel saddles | Floyd Rose 1000 Series double-locking tremolo, top-mounted |
| Tuners | Ibanez machine heads with split shafts | Jackson sealed die-cast |
| Neck pickup | Essentials single-coil (passive, ceramic) | Seymour Duncan Hot Rails SHR-1N |
| Bridge pickup | Accord humbucker (passive, ceramic) | Seymour Duncan JB TB-4 |
| Configuration | HSS | HS |
| Electronics | Passive, dyna-MIX9 switching with Alter switch | Passive |
| Controls | Volume, tone, alter switch | Volume, tone |
| Switching | Five-way selector plus alter switch, giving nine pickup combinations | Three-position toggle |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Intermediate, Advanced, Professional |
| Styles | Rock, Blues, Pop, Funk, Indie, Metal | Metal, Rock, Prog, Punk |
| In the box | — | Jackson gig bag included |
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.
Best build
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FRHighest editorial build-quality score.
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
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 Limited Edition San Dimas SD1 HS FRBuild 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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