Ibanez AS73 and AS103 guitars rather bright

**Subfeeder** · 03-21-2011, 11:35 AM

I tried an Ibanez AS73 at the weekend and whilst very impressed with the neck and general build quality, not to mention the price, I did find the sound very bright. I was comparing against some Gibson 339/335 guitars and found that to get a similar tone on the Ibanez I had to roll the tone off almost all the way. I tried a couple of AS103s a few months back and, whilst I really liked the feel and look, could not get a very warm sound out of them. However, I did not compare them to anything else at that point. Is this something anyone else has found? Is it the pickups or just the character of these instruments that they are rather bright? I really want to like them because the feel is so good and the price so reasonable, but am dubious about buying a guitar on which I would immediately want to swap the pickups.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-21-2011, 11:43 AM

Well, what about the other 75% of the tone equation--the amp? What was it and how was it EQ'd?

I don't think the stock Ibanez pickups are amazing, but there's plenty of jazz tones in there--you gotta work the amp too...semi hollows aren't solely jazz guitars.

**Subfeeder** · 03-21-2011, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Well, what about the other 75% of the tone equation--the amp? What was it and how was it EQ'd?

In the case of the recent trial of the AS73, exactly the same as the Gibsons. Fender Hot Rod Deluxe set pretty much flat.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-21-2011, 12:31 PM

Those Gibsons might be a little darker in the pup, but I think a HotRod series Fender set flat is a very bright tone to start with.

**pierre richard** · 03-21-2011, 12:45 PM

changing to heavy flatwound strings should help that..

I play a 1977 2355 (es175) ibanez and use thomastick 014's...medium action..through a polytone mini brute...amp settings make the sound very sweet but not bright..

time on the instrument..pierre

**Subfeeder** · 03-21-2011, 01:01 PM

Hmm. All things being equal (amp, settings, my playing)between the Ibanez and Gibson guitars, I just wonder why I found the Ibanez very much brighter. Is this something that other people have found?

**mr. beaumont** · 03-21-2011, 01:05 PM

What I'm saying is, I'm not so much sure that it is the Ibanez's are that much brighter as it is the Gibsons are darker...

That setting on a HRD with say, a strat, would be icepicky.

**EinarG** · 03-21-2011, 02:12 PM

Scott Henderson: "You can't dial in something that's not there to begin with. "

He's partially right, but fat strings and a decent amount of bass and mids help a lot

**paynow** · 03-21-2011, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by EinarG

Scott Henderson: "You can't dial in something that's not there to begin with. "

He's partially right, but fat strings and a decent amount of bass and mids help a lot

+1. I have the AS73 and got it for a couple of the reasons you mention, which is basically to say "quality for the price". It is a bit bright, but putting chromes on it and playing with the low ends on the amp has gotten me a pretty nice sound.

**bkdavidson** · 03-22-2011, 12:36 AM

You'll pay, what, like $3500 or higher for a 335? An AS73 will be about $400 brand new (I think) and then you can get a set of Gibson '57 Classics (or whatever your favorite pup is) for a couple hundred bucks. I understand not wanting to get a guitar and then immediately change it, but the math is pretty hard to argue with. Like paynow said, getting the right sound from an AS73 can definitely be done.

**woyvel** · 03-22-2011, 07:05 AM

I have the AFS75 and have thought about picking up a used AS73. The AFS is thin and has a jangly quality, but also a decent jazz tone. If you get a chance to check one out, it's similar to the AS73.

Changing the strings to flat wound totally changed the character of the guitar for the better. I changed to flats on my tele and it just didn't have nearly the same impact.

**Subfeeder** · 03-22-2011, 11:08 AM

I wonder if it's the case that these Ibanez guitars are just inherently brighter than Gibsons or is it just the pickups that are brighter? Does anyone have experience of swapping out pickups on these guitars?
Here is a Youtube clip comparing AS103 and Epiphone Dot guitars. The AS103 definately sounds quite a lot brighter than the Dot, although I would say it sounds rather more "refined" (sorry, it's difficult describing sounds with words)

**paynow** · 03-22-2011, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by bkdavidson

You'll pay, what, like $3500 or higher for a 335? An AS73 will be about $400 brand new (I think) and then you can get a set of Gibson '57 Classics (or whatever your favorite pup is) for a couple hundred bucks. I understand not wanting to get a guitar and then immediately change it, but the math is pretty hard to argue with. Like paynow said, getting the right sound from an AS73 can definitely be done.

You're right on the money (pun intended) with the price BK. Mine was just slightly over $400, and that was after I added the case which accounts for about $100 of that. Most of these lower priced guitars don't come with a case. I got it from musicians friend but had played one that a buddy of mine has before springing for it. It came with nickel wounds, D'Addario 10s, which I swapped for their Chrome 11s. I may swap out the pickups eventually, but haven't gotten around to it. It's also very easy to adjust the intonation on this guitar, which is great.

**barrymclark** · 03-22-2011, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Those Gibsons might be a little darker in the pup, but I think a HotRod series Fender set flat is a very bright tone to start with.

I owned one for about 2 years and these are indeed very bright amps.

I played a couple of Ibanezes through a Cube 80 like the one I own and, of the semi-hollows I really like the AS93's tone more than the 73. Never got a chance to try the 103.

I also like the AF95 and AK95. Bang for buck I'd go with Ibanez if I was on a budget and needed a hollow or semihollow guitar. That's me though.

**nado64** · 03-23-2011, 04:43 AM

I've tried the AS73 and AS103.
The AS73 pickup is so bad, I can't give an opinion.
I found the AS103 very well, with a very good sound for jazz. I tried with a deluxe reverb, but I think it could have a greater match with a solid-state amp, like a Polytone, jazzkat,...

**Meggy** · 03-23-2011, 06:57 AM

Haven't played one, but I do know that the AS73 (and some of the other less expensive Ibanezes) has ceramic pickups as stock, which are felt to be a bit on the harsh/bright side by many. Good for blues maybe, but not so hot for jazz. So it might be worth considering a pickup change, at least for the neck pickup. Just a thought though!

**burchyk** · 03-23-2011, 05:52 PM

Had an AF105 with a factory floater PU that WAS bright. Installing Kent Armstrong floating humbucker changed the sound quality dramatically. I knew it was worth it as the acoustic sound was mellow, warm and had no twang or excessive brightness to it.

Edit: my KA pickup is a handmade US version bought from archtop.com. Have no experience with licensed versions

**Meggy** · 03-25-2011, 08:07 AM

I have a Kent Armstrong floater on my archtop, just the Korean version, not the handwound US one, but IMO it is still absolutely excellent, I get quite a few complements from other guitarists on my tone (used with a Polytone Minibrute 2 amp).

**oldskoolchop** · 12-09-2011, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by bkdavidson

You'll pay, what, like $3500 or higher for a 335? An AS73 will be about $400 brand new (I think) and then you can get a set of Gibson '57 Classics (or whatever your favorite pup is) for a couple hundred bucks. I understand not wanting to get a guitar and then immediately change it, but the math is pretty hard to argue with. Like paynow said, getting the right sound from an AS73 can definitely be done.

exactly why i got the as73, haven't changed the pups yet but am close to having the money to spare, but i purchased the guitar with the intentions of changing the pups, has anyone changed theres yet, what did you get, I am looking at seymour 59's in both positions, have one in the neck on a solid body and love it

TH · 12-09-2011, 12:50 AM

Ibanez pickups are really bright. They're one of the places they cut corners. I worked at Ibanez, bought a lot of guitars. I bought at least one a month (one day we could buy seconds or new guitars really cheap) and in ALL cases, the pickups were changed within 24 hours. In all cases, they became keepers of the highest standard. I'd buy Duncan 59's and Jazz pu's on ebay during the month, get the guitar and transplant that night. Got a drawer full of Ibanez pickups.
David