Ibanez is one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass-produce the seven-string guitar and eight-string guitar. The company has an impressive lineup of products ranging from instruments to pedals and accessories, and have recently raised standards and eyebrows with the new AZ Series, which Josh Smith described as the best superstrat he’s played in a long time.