Grateful Dead Music Forum

PostPosted:**Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:44 pm**

Is anyone out there familiar with Ibanez Artcore line? Specifically, I'm refering to the AG95.

Here's a link:
http://www.ibanez.com/hollow/guitar.aspx?m=AG95

A local shop has one on sale for $320.

Seems like a steal, no?

But I'm concerned about the quality of the workshmanship. I have no reason to doubt the quality-- I have an inexpensive Ibanez nylon string which is fantastic-- I'm just wondering if there is anyone who could share the low-down on this particular line...

PostPosted:**Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:32 pm**

Ibanez makes a hell of a hollow body guitar. I play an AS-83 and I couldnt be more satisfied. I love it. I recently saw some pictures of Bobby sitting in with a Dead cover band in Sweden or Norway and he was playing an AS-83. If Bobby Weir likes Ibanez then its gotta be good.

Buy that guitar.

PostPosted:**Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:39 pm**

They do make a nice holow bady, and for a good price like that, you should buy it. Where is that store anyway?

PostPosted:**Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:01 pm**

HATED one I got and returned it. Too neck heavy.
But it was not the same model you are looking to get.

PostPosted:**Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:03 pm**

A friend of mine who's also in one of my side bands has one. It has a decent tone, very comfortable and playable and it looks good. I think he paid about $350 for a new one a few years back. I think it's a good value.

PostPosted:**Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:32 am**

CountryMile Cadillac wrote:They do make a nice holow bady, and for a good price like that, you should buy it. Where is that store anyway?

Liphan's Music in Gainesville, FL.

PostPosted:**Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:01 pm**

My father in law has one. Does not seem to be any issue with build quality. Tone seems ok. Havent played all that extensively with it.
I have an Artwood acoustic and I am perfectly happy with it. The build quality is excellent on it.
Ibanez can be a bit hit or miss, but for the money, you get a quality instrument.

PostPosted:**Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:40 pm**

i have ag 75, i love it, i mean, for me is just great, and it is cheap

so

i recomend it to you

artcore line is great

PostPosted:**Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:25 pm**

never question ibanez build quality, i swear to god even the cheap as shit ones are good.

ive played that one at guitar center and i thought i played really well.

PostPosted:**Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:30 pm**

Hajimemashite!!! wrote:never question ibanez build quality, i swear to god even the cheap as shit ones are good.

ive played that one at guitar center and i thought i played really well.

Question every guitar's build quality.

Yes, they play nicely.

Did you put a strap on this cheap nice one?

Did you realize how disproportionately heavy the neck is on some of them?

PostPosted:**Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:41 pm**

strummin i was talking about build quality. all of their guitars are built solid and seem to play nice. i wasnt talking about how the neck is heavy.
just saying that even the cheaper ibanezes seem to be built like rocks and play nicely. their starter guitars blow any squier or cheap epi out of the water.

the neck is gonna be pretty heavy if its fully hollow. i have an epiphone casino, which is completly hollow and the neck is way heavier than the body. still plays great.

ive played that one that you got and returned too, i loved it.

i guess i'm just used to the heavy neck.

PostPosted:**Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:45 pm**

john scofield has been playing his ibanez as-200 since 83. and when that came out it was not an expensive guitar.

just testament that ibanez builds quality shit.

PostPosted:**Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:12 pm**

Hajimemashite, I'm glad you are happy but I still stand behind my statement of questioning every guitars build quality.

Ibanez makes FANTASTIC gear. However, they've put out some real crap too. Many of the smaller semi-hollow bodies were too neck heavy to play comfortably. I'm not the only one who has said that either.

IMO, a quality build should result in a well balanced guitar.

PostPosted:**Sat Nov 10, 2007 2:39 am**

i've seen a few ibanez guitars with elastic bands holding the cable in the jack... so i don't know how "solid" they really are. i'm sure if you take care of any guitar it will treat you alright and won't crap out on you. of course sometimes you get a lemon and it just falls apart in your hands.

i think what it comes down to is that each individual guitar plays different than any other specimen of the same model. i've played a sweet squire strat and a really shitty one, ya know?

PostPosted:**Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:11 am**

Hajimemashite!!! wrote:strummin i was talking about build quality. all of their guitars are built solid and seem to play nice. i wasnt talking about how the neck is heavy.
just saying that even the cheaper ibanezes seem to be built like rocks and play nicely. their starter guitars blow any squier or cheap epi out of the water.

the neck is gonna be pretty heavy if its fully hollow. i have an epiphone casino, which is completly hollow and the neck is way heavier than the body. still plays great.

ive played that one that you got and returned too, i loved it.

i guess i'm just used to the heavy neck.

i second this being i dont have a lot of money to burn on guitar equip i went for an IBANEZ. was originally going to get the one the guy from moe plays, just because of the look and affordability, but i could not find one to play. i settled on the GAX70 for like 200$ @ guitar center

http://www.ibanez.com/eg/guitar.aspx?m=GAX70

it does the job holds tune (the g string would some times slip but i tightened the tuning peg and fixed that)

all in all a quality inexpensive guitar. I am sure i would get better tone out of a more expensive guitar but on my budget this was perfect