Reviewed by:
SamiGirl, on january 03, 2005
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: K and C Guitars (my gramps shop)
Features: Made in: Korea, or 'crafted' rather. Fret count: 20. Headstock to base of neck: 24.5". It's got a solid Engelmann spruce top. The side and back woods are mahogany. According to Ibanez, "Mahogany provides rich warm lows and sweet sustain." And for once, advertisement is correct. Because that is precisely what it gives. The back and sides are laminated. It's a cutaway dreadnought, letting you get those high notes (which it gets quite well). It has pearl dot inlays. And its finish, "Resonant Dark Violin" is very nice.
To compliment it's finish and spruce top, it has a nice ring of abalone looping the sound hole. On the backside, it has a nice little line (I forget the terminology) of black and white design. It's got a nice little clear pickguard too. I'm liking resting my pinky finger there for stability, as the prints are easily wiped off. The tuners are Grovers. They are nice, and the color of them compliments it very well. I haven't had to even re-tune it since I got it! I did an initial tuning, and haven't needed or wanted to since. Very nice for a change. The electronics for it are as follows: B-Band / Ibanez SQR pickup w/AEQ-SSR. But basically it's an eq with bass, middle, treble, and middle sliding settings. It also has a phase button, volume knob, and a handy low battery light. // 10
Sound: This guitar suits my style of playing and music perfectly. I play mostly classic rock. It works perfectly for Beatles (and John Lennon solo), Clapton, Led Zep, Bob Dylan, and etc. acoustic tunes. It can also handle bashings of tunes that should be played on electric guitars. It can handle The Who and raunchy electric Beatles tunes. But of course, that sounds better on an electric. This guitar has no fret buzz or rattle at all. When I plug it into my amp, it gives me no buzz or hum. Very nice. My electric does. It's nice to have a break from that. // 10
Action, Fit & Finish: The set-up from straight out of the box was nice. The action is very good for my fingers. It does have heavier than what I'm used to strings, and they have been hurting, but pain is part of the fun of guitar. I'm getting some really raunchy callouses too, which I'm glad for. There are no flaws that I can find. Mine came used, but you would never be able to tell, if it didn't have a "used" stamp on the back of the headstock. There is no fret of neckwear. The body is in perfect condition. No dings or scratches. Whoever had it first couldn't have played it much or at all. // 10
Reliability & Durability: This guitar seems built to last. Everything about it. The wood is light, but sturdy. I can sit on a chair looking at tab on my computer and rest my head or arm on it's side, and I am not worried. There is one strap button, and it doubles as the out-put jack. It is very solid. If I were gigging I would definately use this without a backup. // 10
Impression: I play anything from oldies (Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis), to classic rock (Beatles to Led Zep to the Stones), to metal (Slayer, Iron Maiden), very very very little newer rock (Nirvana, and Radiohead is about it), to old-school punk (Ramones, Sex Pistols). I play Johnny Cash too, but he is punk as hell. This is a nice match for acoustic and some non-acoustic songs that I play. It would be a nice match for a lot of things. My grandfather played classic country with it and it was great sounding (even while that's not my genre of choice). My dad played "Over The Hills and Far Away" on it, and it sounded perfect.
I've been playing for 2 and a half years. Sadly, I've got a shiste strat copy that blows harder than a gale-force wind, and a crappy 10 watt practice amp. They're both brands you've never heard of (Spencer and Indiana), but they're my learning tools and they're all I've got, so I'm glad to have them. If this were stolen, lost, or broken (lord Clapton forbid) I would most definately buy another one. That day. I did not choose this guitar, as it was a gift, but if I had gone to a store and tried them all out (which I happened to do today, as compared to my Ibanez) I would have still chosen this guitar. I love it. // 10
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