AZ2204N-PBM (Prussian Blue Metallic) Prestige. Made in Japan.
AZ - Players Player Project - v2
Visually, there isn't much difference between the previous AZ models and the N version, you can see that the fingerboard is rosewood instead of maple and the pickguard is a different color. Gameplay-wise, however, the difference is pretty big.
Many features are the same, alder body, 1-bit necks in amazing S-Tech burnt maple, stainless frets, tuning screws, luminlay sidedots, oil-impregnated bone saddle, dyna-MIX9 switch system and more. Ordensven is probably starting to wonder "what's so new" at this point.
It's new Seymour Duncan pickups called Fortuna.
Nicer, more vintage-smelling pickups than the other models' Hyperion pickups. Think lower output microphones more angled towards clean and less distorted sounds. You get a wider dynamic range with a wider frequency response. They are not better pickups than Hyperion, just different pickups.
The pickups are passive pickups with alnico magnets.
A compound radius fingerboard, from 228mmR to 305mmR.
The other AZ models are 305 across the entire fingerboard.
Simply explained for those not so familiar with radius numbers and meaning. Radius is the curvature of the fretboard, how flat or curved it is. In general, most guitarists find that flatter fretboards are better for soloing and less flat ones make it easier to play chords.
The N-version fretboard is therefore less flat than the previous AZ models' fretboards.
The N-version is ground down, which means it is more curved at the first fret and then gradually becomes flatter the higher up the neck you go.
The saddle is also new and is called T1702B.
In function and appearance it is identical to the previous T1802, it is based on the same plate. The difference is the saddle material, it is a solid block of brass instead of steel and the saddles are brass instead of titanium. The saddle gives the instrument a different tone, warmer and slightly softer attack.
It's also not milled out under the saddle, the saddle on the N version lies flat against the body for a better transmission of string vibrations into the body, giving a different type of tone, more resonance and with more sustain.
- AZ Oval C S-Tech roasted maple neck
- 22 frets
- Alder body
- Rosewood fretboard with moder of pearl dot inlays
- Compound fretboard radius. 228mmR to 305mmR
- Jumbo stailess steel frets with Prestige fret edge treatement
- Bone nut
- Seymour Duncan Fortuna pickups
- dyna.MIX9 switching system
- Gotoh T1702B tremolo
- Goto Magnum Lock machine heads w/H.A.P.
- Luminlay side dots
- Chrome hardware
- Hardcase included
