AZES40
Purist Blue
Nine pickup sounds from three pickups, and a short scale that suits smaller hands
Amazon rating
4.5 (95)Price band
$300 - $500
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The short version
The dyna-MIX9 system is the reason to look at this guitar. A normal five-way switch on an HSS guitar gives five sounds; adding the Alter switch reconfigures how the coils are wired and takes it to nine, including a mode that runs the neck and middle single-coils in series so they behave like a humbucker. That is a genuinely wide palette from one instrument, and it is the kind of feature that normally appears on guitars several times the price. The other deliberate choice is the 25-inch scale, shorter than the usual 25.5, which reduces string tension slightly and shortens the stretch — Ibanez pitches this at younger players and anyone with smaller hands.
Score profile
Six axes, scored 1-10. These are editorial judgements about what this instrument delivers for the money — not measurements, and not anyone else’s ratings.
- Build
- 8.0
- Tone
- 8.0
- Versatility
- 10.0
- Comfort
- 9.0
- Hardware
- 7.0
- Value
- 9.0
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.
Full specifications
| Brand | Ibanez |
|---|---|
| Model | AZES40Purist Blue |
| Body | |
| Body | AZ double cutaway |
| Body wood | Poplar |
| Neck & fingerboard | |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on |
| Neck wood | Maple (AZES profile) |
| Scale length | 25" (635 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Jatoba with white dot inlays |
| Radius | 9.84" (250 mm) |
| Frets | 22 |
| Fret size | Medium |
| Nut width | 42 mm |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | T106 tremolo with comfort round steel saddles |
| Tuners | Ibanez machine heads with split shafts |
| Hardware finish | Chrome |
| Electronics | |
| Neck pickup | Essentials single-coil (passive, ceramic) |
| Middle pickup | Essentials single-coil (passive, ceramic) |
| Bridge pickup | Accord humbucker (passive, ceramic) |
| Configuration | HSS |
| Electronics | Passive, dyna-MIX9 switching with Alter switch |
| Controls | Volume, tone, alter switch |
| Switching | Five-way selector plus alter switch, giving nine pickup combinations |
| General | |
| Type | Electric guitar |
| Strings | D'Addario EXL110 (.010-.046) |
| Finish | Purist Blue |
| Orientation | Right-handed |
26 verified fields. Specifications come from the manufacturer first, then the Amazon listing, then authorised dealers — sources are listed at the foot of this page. Fields the manufacturer does not publish are omitted rather than estimated.
The good and the bad
What we like
- dyna-MIX9 switching gives nine genuinely distinct sounds from an HSS layout
- 25-inch scale reduces reach and tension, which helps smaller hands
- Comfort round bridge saddles and a slim AZES neck make it easy to play for long periods
- Ships with D'Addario strings and Ibanez's own machine heads with split shafts
What we do not
- T106 tremolo is the same budget unit used on cheaper Ibanez models and drifts under hard use
- Ceramic pickups rather than alnico
- Short scale changes the feel if you later move to a standard 25.5-inch guitar
Who it is for
Skill level
Styles it suits
What owners and reviewers report
Patterns we found across published reviews and owner feedback. These are summaries of recurring themes — we do not reproduce or invent individual testimonials.
What comes up most
- The switching system draws the most consistent praise for the range of sounds it produces
- Neck comfort and the short scale are frequently mentioned as making the guitar easy to play
- Several owners describe it as punching well above its price
Frequent complaints
- Tuning stability with the tremolo is the most common criticism
- Some owners report the pickups sounding thin next to alnico alternatives
Recognised strengths
- Widely reported as unusually versatile for a guitar at this price
- Build and finish quality are generally described as good
Recognised weaknesses
- The tremolo hardware is the recognised limit and the usual first upgrade
The verdict
This is the most versatile guitar in the catalogue under five hundred dollars, and the switching is not a gimmick: the nine positions are usable and distinct rather than nine shades of the same thing. The short scale is worth thinking about honestly — it makes the guitar easier to play but changes the feel, and a player who later moves to a 25.5-inch instrument will notice. The T106 tremolo is the same basic unit fitted to Ibanez's cheaper GIO models and is the weak link, and the pickups are ceramic rather than alnico. For a beginner who wants one guitar to explore many sounds, though, nothing else at this price comes close.
Sources
Amazon rating captured 2026-08-26. ASIN B09G6J6BQC.
Strings for this guitar
All stringsIt ships with D'Addario EXL110 (.010-.046). Staying at that gauge keeps the setup and the neck relief as the factory left them; going a step lighter makes bending easier, a step heavier gives more volume and tension. Anything more than one step either way usually needs the truss rod and the intonation adjusted.
- 8.3/10
Elixir · Strings
NANOWEB Nickel Plated Steel Electric
Same gauge this guitar ships with — a straight swap, no setup changes.
- 7.8/10
D'Addario · Strings
NYXL1046 Nickel Wound Electric
Same gauge this guitar ships with — a straight swap, no setup changes.
- 7.7/10
D'Addario · Strings
EXL110 XL Nickel Wound Electric
Same gauge this guitar ships with — a straight swap, no setup changes.
What else you need
All accessoriesThe highest-scoring option in each category that suits this instrument. If you have never owned a guitar before, the starter guide explains what each of these is for and what you can safely skip.
- 6.6/10
New Bee · Cables
The cable an electric guitar needs on day one, at the price of a coffee
- 7.8/10
Fender · Tuners
FCT-2 Professional Clip-On Tuner
The tuner to buy first, before strings, before a strap, before anything
- 8.2/10
Dunlop · Picks
The Delrin pick that replaced tortoiseshell, in the gauge most people settle on
- 7.4/10
GLEAM · Stands
The accessory that decides whether the guitar gets played at all
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