Post by Ol Geezer on Dec 20, 2005 19:34:07 GMT -5
I just got my new birthday toy -- an Ibanez Artcore AK75D jazz box. Full acoustic, deep hollowbody; maple top, back, and sides; two medium-output classic style humbuckers.
Wow! This thing plays almost as easily as my white Tele. I first saw one at Sam Ash (all scratched up, of course) then ordered online from AMS (easy payments). Sam Ash's felt a lot like the Epi Lennon acoustic -- thick neck, medium action -- but the sound was so cool I figured I could learn to adapt for a song's worth of playing (it does not have large frets, despite what any of the specs show). Now I don't have to.
The guitar arrived yesterday afternoon, via UPS Ground from New Jersey; I let it get used to being in Southern California weather overnight before opening it this morning. Beautiful. It went right into tune and held pitch for an hour of playing -- no nut or tuner hangups.
Oh, I also just got a little DRIVE CD200R amp to go along with the new guitar -- I tested it using my blue Tele last week while waiting for the Artcore. The "clean" channel is Fender-like, but the "lead" one goes dirty way too fast and isn't of any use for chords. The reverb is overcooked and can only be used sparingly, but as such adds a nice sparkle.
Anyway, back to the Ibanez...! The bridge pickup is clean, sounding like a 335/DOT but with a lot more high end; the neck pickup is mellow, and captures that traditional jazz sound you can't get any other way; used together, I get the rich, full sound I was looking for. My yearnings for a Gretsch have been satiated. For the time being, at least.
Well, now it's back to finishing writing the new song I plan to use this axe on... so I can record with it!
Wow! This thing plays almost as easily as my white Tele. I first saw one at Sam Ash (all scratched up, of course) then ordered online from AMS (easy payments). Sam Ash's felt a lot like the Epi Lennon acoustic -- thick neck, medium action -- but the sound was so cool I figured I could learn to adapt for a song's worth of playing (it does not have large frets, despite what any of the specs show). Now I don't have to.
The guitar arrived yesterday afternoon, via UPS Ground from New Jersey; I let it get used to being in Southern California weather overnight before opening it this morning. Beautiful. It went right into tune and held pitch for an hour of playing -- no nut or tuner hangups.
Oh, I also just got a little DRIVE CD200R amp to go along with the new guitar -- I tested it using my blue Tele last week while waiting for the Artcore. The "clean" channel is Fender-like, but the "lead" one goes dirty way too fast and isn't of any use for chords. The reverb is overcooked and can only be used sparingly, but as such adds a nice sparkle.
Anyway, back to the Ibanez...! The bridge pickup is clean, sounding like a 335/DOT but with a lot more high end; the neck pickup is mellow, and captures that traditional jazz sound you can't get any other way; used together, I get the rich, full sound I was looking for. My yearnings for a Gretsch have been satiated. For the time being, at least.
Well, now it's back to finishing writing the new song I plan to use this axe on... so I can record with it!
That`s a great way to get a birthday present. You pick it out, you pay for it, and get exactly what you wanted! Thanks for the review, man.