The AZ Goes Dark — Iron Label Style
Sometimes you want a guitar that means business the moment you pick it up. The Ibanez AZ41B1BKF is exactly that — all-black hardware, a matte Black Flat finish, and a pair of DiMarzio Fusion Edge humbuckers that tell you right away this thing isn't here to play nice. It lives in the AZ Iron Label line, Ibanez's metal-focused corner of a platform already known for its balance of comfort and precision.
The AZ body shape has a reputation for fitting players well — deep waist, forearm contour, rear body contour — and the AZ41B1 keeps all of that. What makes this one stand apart is the S-Tech roasted maple neck with a chunkier Oval C profile that feels more substantial in the hand than the ultra-thin Wizard necks Ibanez is famous for. It's a welcome middle ground for players who want speed without sacrificing grip.
Whether you're hammering out tight, drop-tuned riffs or reaching for articulate lead lines at the top of the neck, this guitar is set up to follow you there.
This item is a B-Stock guitar sourced directly from the manufacturer. It is new and has never been previously owned. The photos shown are of the exact instrument you will receive. Before shipment, our licensed technician will inspect and professionally set up the guitar to ensure it is playing its best. During our inspection, we noticed 1 3/4" finish crack from last screw of pickguard to edge of body. (see pictures) Please note, these may not be the only cosmetic imperfections. As a B-Stock instrument, there may be additional minor blemishes that are small in nature and do not affect playability or performance.
Body and Build: Solid, Contoured, Ready
The AZ41B1BKF is built around a solid American Basswood body — a wood that delivers a natural, flat tonal response and keeps the overall weight very manageable. Basswood isn't flashy, but it's a practical choice that keeps things balanced and lively without adding unnecessary bulk. The Super All Access Neck Joint (AANJ) opens up the heel area so upper-fret access is genuinely unrestricted.
The finish is a satin polyurethane in Black Flat — no gloss, no binding, no inlays on the fretboard. Just clean, no-nonsense aesthetics. All hardware is black, from the Gotoh MG-T locking tuners at the headstock down to the F106 fixed bridge and the knurled metal dome knobs. The F106 hardtail bridge keeps string vibration transfer direct and sustain strong, and the Gotoh locking machines make string changes fast and tuning rock-solid.
The neck joint is bolt-on, and the AZ's ergonomic rear body contour — a shallow back scoop paired with a substantial forearm bevel — means the body sits comfortably whether you're standing through a set or practicing seated for hours.
Neck and Fretboard: Fast and Built to Last
The roasted maple neck uses Ibanez's S-Tech heat-treatment process, which bakes out moisture and increases dimensional stability. The result is a neck that resists humidity swings and temperature changes better than untreated wood. The AZ Oval C profile gives you a comfortable, fuller grip — not a baseball bat, but noticeably more substance than a typical shred neck. Neck dimensions are 20.5mm thick at the first fret and 22.5mm at the twelfth, with a nut width of 42mm.
The fretboard is ebony, which brings tight low-end response, pronounced mids, and a crisp attack — characteristics that pair well with high-gain tones. The 305mm (12") radius is relatively flat, which suits fast single-note playing and wide bends without fretting out. Twenty-four jumbo stainless steel frets line the board, and stainless holds up far longer to wear than nickel-silver while giving bends a smooth, almost frictionless feel. Luminescent side dots handle stage visibility. A Graph Tech nut rounds out the package with reduced friction for consistent tuning during heavy bends or drop-tuning.
Electronics: Ten Sounds From Two Pickups
Both the neck and bridge positions carry DiMarzio Fusion Edge humbuckers — passive, ceramic-magnet pickups developed in collaboration with Ibanez specifically for this platform. They're built to cut through dense mixes at high gain with a tight low end, crisp highs, and mids that don't blur into mush. But they're also capable of clean tones with real clarity, which gives this guitar more range than its Iron Label aesthetic might suggest.
The dyna-MIX10 switching system is the other piece of that versatility equation. A standard 5-way pickup selector covers the basics, and the Alter Switch between the volume and tone knobs engages Power Tap mode — splitting the coils in a way that produces a convincing single-coil character despite the HH layout. Combined, the two controls unlock ten distinct pickup configurations. Controls are straightforward: one global volume knob, one global tone knob, and the 5-way selector.
Product Features:
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Body: Solid American Basswood with ergonomic rear contour and forearm bevel
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Neck: S-Tech Roasted Maple, AZ Oval C profile, bolt-on with Super All Access Neck Joint
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Fretboard: Ebony, 305mm (12") radius, 24 jumbo stainless steel frets, luminescent side dots
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Scale Length: 648mm / 25.5"
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Nut: Graph Tech, 42mm width
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Pickups: DiMarzio Fusion Edge HH — passive/ceramic at neck and bridge
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Switching: dyna-MIX10 with Alter Switch + 5-way lever — 10 pickup configurations including Power Tap single-coil mode
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Bridge: Ibanez F106 fixed hardtail
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Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
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Hardware: All black — knobs, tuners, bridge, pickguard
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Finish: Satin Polyurethane, Black Flat
Brand: Ibanez
Model: AZ Iron Label AZ41B1BKF
SKU: AZ41B1BKF-2ND|I260106948
Condition: B-Stock
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