ARC300 Review

This new ARC Artist model offers unprecedented affordability in a brand name set-neck guitar. The ARC is the first single-cutaway Artist in 30 years.

Features:	9.7
Sound:	9
Action:	9.3
Reliability:	9.7
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	9.3
Users rating:	8.1
Comments:	4

overall: 9

Featured review by: EnyoAdonai, on june 16, 2008

Price paid: A$ 600

Purchased from: 2nd hand store

Features: This was made in China in 2007. It has 22 moderately sized frets and a rosewood fingerboard, combined with a mahogany neck and body. It's a Les Paul shaped body that has a more rounded point on the cut out and it has the typical Les Paul scale length which is around 24 inches. It comes with a tune-o-matic styled bridge and fine-tuners which are really handy to have but not essential. It has H/H pickup config and a corresponding volume knob for each one, then one tone knob and a 3-way-selector. The tuners are standard, they have no brand name so I assume they are Ibanez branded. Mine came second hand with a soft backpack case, two leads, and a strap. All for $600 NZ. A few reviews have said this guitar is finished with veneer, but mine doesn't seem to be (although I'm not absolutely certain how to tell the difference). I rate this 10 because there's nothing else this guitar could have on it that I want, features wise it is perfect for me. // 10

Sound: I play songs by Led Zeppelin and lots of different bands, I feel this guitar does suit my style but I don't have a decent amp that I can get a good tone out of. I sometimes use it with a Boss V-wah pedal but my 10 watt squire starter pack amp doesn't do it any favours (I'm a student, I can't afford a good amp). When I got it the neck had a lot of relief, it was like a banana. It also had no sustain. but after a set up and replacing the strings it sounded awesome, I took it into the Rockshop and tried it out on a Marshall and a Line6 and it sounded damn awesome! Next time I'm trying it on a Mesa Single Recti, because that's what I really want if I can ever afford it. It sounds fresh and rounded, and has a degree of depth to the sound. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Well as I've already mentioned, when I bought it the neck had gone all banana so naturally you would know that the action was way out, but that's sorted now. I've got the strings really low. The necks a good fit in my hand too. I searched the music stores for months finding a guitar that felt really nice, the guitar I got nearest to buying, but deciding against, was a Gretch. Anyway, I found this and even with the banana neck there was something that really drew me to it. It was pretty good to play as it was anyway, I knew it would be really good after a set up. It exceeds in playabilty and looks, the levels of most guitars I tried, and all in my price range. The finish is also really nice, it's violin burst with paua inlays and the artist inlay in the headstock. There aren't any flaws in this area. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I've never played Live, but I've hit the headstock on stand a few times and no dents, so it could probably take Live playing. The hardware will last for sure though and the strap buttons are the best I've ever come across! The finish will definitely last, if it's veneer it's not coming off anytime soon and if it's finished with varnish or something it feels pretty thick. // 10

Impression: Well I've been playing for a year and this is the newest addition to my guitar gear (excluding my hercules stand). If it were stolen or lost I'd be annoyed, This guitar wasn't made for long so I don't think it's that easy to find, I'd definitely want to get another. I love the colour, violin burst. It's very elegant. I can't think of anything I hate about it, it has everything I want. I compared it to Epiphones, Gibsons, Fenders, ESPs, Deans, Corts. I was looking for a long time. I kept looking until I found an instrument I really needed. I wish it had a hard case, that's probably all. But the back pack case is good. I'll rate this 8, this is because for the price I got it for I could ask for nothing better and it definitely exceeds all expectations, but I know there are better guitars out there. This guitar will always be mine though, it's all I could ask for in an instrument. // 8

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: unregistered, on march 26, 2007

Features: I'm not sure where it was made but I think it was in China or in Taiwan. This guitar has 22 medium frets. It also has a solid top, I think so. It has a mahogany body and also has a mahogany ARC set-in neck. The finish is a brown sunburst (BS) and it is really a nice color on the guitar. The body style is like a Gibson Les Paul but the pointed tip in the Gibson is diff. because the Ibanez has a curved, non- pointed tip. The bridge is a Gibraltar III bridge. I am also not sure if it has active or passive electronics. The controls are volume, tone1 and tone2. It has a 3-way selector. Even if the 3-way selector is okay, I bought a new one from AllParts and replaced the old one with a new 3-way selector. The new selector is almost like the Standard one but this one is a lot softer and only needs a little effort in moving it. This guitar has humbucker pickups and it has ACH1 (H) neck pickup and ACH2 (H) bridge pickup. The tuners are non- locking and I'm not sure with the brand. All I know about it is that it is the tuners that they have when you buy it. It also has fine, tuning in the other end of the guitar and it is really helpful when you are playing and when you find out you're out of tune during the middle of the song. Unfortunately' it does not go with any accessories. // 9

Sound: This guitar really suits my music style because with any kind of music I play, the sound is very clear whether it's clean or distorted. The amp I am using is a Laney 65W amp and the effects I'm using is the Zoom 606 multi-effects. The sound of the amp is very clear and it is really loud and the effects has a lot of those cool sounds which I always use. On any setting, it is not noisy and it gives a full sound and it really sounds good when it is distorted. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was properly set-up in the factory and all parts of the guitar were properly put in place. The neck pickup, at first, was a little loose but after a few adjustments, it was fixed but the bridge pickup was just fine and I did not have any problems with it. The guitar did not contain any flaws and everything was properly placed in the guitar and did not have any problems with the neck, bridge, etc. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will withstand Live playing because the guitar was made with strong and durable wood or materials. The hardware will last because it looks like it is strong enough. The strap buttons are very solid and it can withstand the weight of the guitar, because the guitar is heavier than the usual guitars. I can depend on this guitar because I know that this guitar is strong and does not easily break and I would surely use this guitar on a gig without a backup. The finish looks like it will last a long time and it does not get dameged or scratched easily. // 9

Impression: I play rock music and this is a good match because it really sounds good when it is distorted because it gives a full sound and really gives that sound fit for rock music. I have been playing for a year and a half and I own a Fender Strat and this Ibanez Guitar. I also have a Fender amp and the Laney amp. If this guitar was stolen, I would buy it again because I really like this guitar. I like the design of the guitar and my favorite feauture is the fine tuning and the pickup selector, even though I changed mine. I chose this guitar because it had a good design, an affordable price and good sound. // 9

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: turbopunk2000, on july 11, 2006

Price paid: $ 355.5

Features: The guitar is made in China. The fingerboard is rosewood and has block inlays. 22 frets. The body is mahogany and it has a flamed maple top with "dark violin sunburst" finish. It has a single cutaway and it looks a bit like a more rounded Les Paul. It has a 3-way pickup selecter, two Ibanez humbucker pickups and 2 volume controls and 1 tone controls. // 10

Sound: I play just about anything on the guitar and found it incredibly versitile. I play it through a Vox Valvetronix and the guitar can make a super fast punk sound, to a warm bluesy sound, even on my crappy Fender Frontman amp. The pickups can be a bit better, but for the price, I'm not complaining much. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The action wasn't exactly Gibson style, but it was fine with me since I'm lazy and don't want to change it. There's nothing much to say about this because just about everything is perfect. The only thig that isn't is that the finish is soon a fingerprint mess and you have to polish every 5 seconds if you want it to remain fingerprint-free (I don't 'cause I'm lazy). // 10

Reliability & Durability: The thing is great. Dropped it on the gravel and only got tiny little scratches. I had this for over a year and nothing was wrong with it. I play it at gigs alot and I don't want to play with it in gigs because it will soon be drenched in spit by the crowed, so I have to give up my lazy habits and clean it after every gig. // 10

Impression: I play everything, but I'm in a punk band and it's fine. I've been playing for 4 years and played with a few high end gibsons and the Ibanez can compare quite nicely. If it were lost or stollen, I'd probably buy something else because I like to try new things, but that doesn't mean it's not a great guitar. I love the flame top has got to be the mest guitar me or my friends had ever owned. // 10

Comments

[deacon_3d]

I got one of these in April, reccomended by my teacher, after trying a different guitar every week for a couple months. This one felt so good, and it made me better. My teacher said that it inspired me, thats why I got better. I'm still new and have alot to learn, but this is great for the price. If I were to get another guitar it would be an Ibanez AF75, I played one of them loved it but was likeing les paul looking stuff. hope my opinion helps.

[SKVguitars]

A really good guitar for the price.
Sounds nice and looks amazing.
I only have to disagree with the review that says the finish won't get scratched easily - i played while wearing a jacket with an open zipper, and the bugger managed to make quite a few scratches on the back.
But hell, who's going to look at the back anyway!

[EnyoAdonai]

I just put one of these on laybuy this morning. I found it for $NZ600 and did extensive research to find out whether this was a good guitar and whether this was a good price... it was! and I loved the playablity and looks of it too! I think it's my soul mate. I'm paying off the rest next weekend

[StealthyHayze]

For what i paid, ****ing unbelievable, i have it in drop a atm and it still works really well!