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Are there any owners/players of what appears to be an incredible bargain (even in the order of Artcore models )
lurking out there and if so what is their take on this model? I know that Jim Soloway has been an advocate of the Exprsssionist range, but are there others amongst us? Would be grateful for any feedback.
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07-14-2015 04:58 AM
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Hi
I own an AKJ95 and I'm very happy with it. Very well constructed. Pickups are the only thing I'd change, too much highs IMO. I have to play it with tone pot at 3-4. Hear it:
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I have played this guitar in a store. I agree with Barcia's sentiment. Always a taste thing as blackcat alluded to.. but on the more affordable Ibanez guitars, the only thing critical I can think of with those is the pickups. That being said... I don't think they are bad by any means. They are definitely serviceable... but if I was out to mod an Ibanez in this price level, it would be in the electronics.
A guitar I wouldn't mind getting is the LGB30. The only thing about those is... the site says they are Super 58's but the GB demo video says they are the Super 58 Customs. Now... to be fair... the Super 58 Customs are smoother sounding to my ears than the ceramic Custom 58's they once put on this price level. They still aren't the Super 58's. Also to add... I am not one of those that just goes mad for a Super 58. If I was going to swap out a Super 58 Custom for another pickup... it wouldn't be to a Super 58. It'd likely be a Seth Lover or something of the like. If a guitar HAD Super 58's... I'd likely leave it alone.
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Interesting, although I am genuinely confused over the entire Super 58/Super 58 Custom issue. Maybe that's what they set out to do? What do you think of the tone emanating from that model in the video review in my link?
Originally Posted by barrymclark
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I thought it was very nice. Very listenable. It is brighter than what I'd go after, but not annoyingly so. I'd have no issue playing that guitar with that tone. Originally Posted by blackcat
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I've got an AFJ85 -- which I believe is the same body as the AF95, but with the mediorcre ACH (?) pickups.
As stated above -- great build, great looking guitar. However . . .
I've upgraded the pickups a couple of times. First time -- Neck PU gets a Gibson 57. Nice upgrade, but in the long run, I still kept tone searching . . .
2nd time I moved the Gibson 57 to the bridge (just for fun!) and put a Dimarzio 36th anniversary in the neck -- which is where everything stays for now. Way better, but still not my tonal nirvana . . . sure, chasing rainbows I know.
Super nice guitar for sure, but I still haven't found the tone out of that guitar I was searching for.
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I have an older Artcore AF95 VLS (violin sunburst) which I bought as an inexpensive travel guitar. It looks great and feels great (beautiful neck profile). I am not too crazy about the ACH pickups, but they are ok. These guitars certainly are a bargain. Here is a video of me playing mine: Originally Posted by blackcat
Keith
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Very tasteful playing, Keith! Thanks so much for sharing! I too wasn't too wild about the ACH but they'd certainly do in a pinch. I used to grab this model off the wall for a quick play on an amp in stores. Ibanez necks... man or man. They just do those necks right. Originally Posted by floatingpickup
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Terrific playing and very nice tone, Keith! Thanks! This puts paid to the myth of the unsuitability of the ACH pups for clean-tone, sweet-chord jazz. Again, my thanks.
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Oh, they are absolutely serviceable for sure. Pickup selection really is a matter of taste. I have met some that are not fond of the Seth Lover which I really like in my Heritage H575. I found that with rare exception, I can get pretty close to what I want somewhere between the guitar and amp... unless they are both just WAY off. haha. Originally Posted by citizenk74
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Nice tone ( for me ) on first channel of a Superchamp XD here:
Something a little different here:
And if these are the stock pickups the tone is impressive for a guitar that retails under 600€:
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Thanks for the compliments. After I recorded that (straight into GarageBand) I felt that the tone ended up being a little brighter than I like. That was just a result of my recording and mixing settings though. The ACH pickups aren't normally too bright for my tastes. I have a few better humbuckers in my parts drawer, but I really don't think I need to change the pickups on the AF95. They are actually fine for what I use that guitar for. Originally Posted by citizenk74
Keith
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One more thing....I put a wood saddle on mine. I think the expressionist series archtops come with both a wood saddle and a t.o.m. It's nice that they give you the choice. I like the tone better with wood. Originally Posted by floatingpickup
Keith
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In that video ( Circa 2013 perhaps ) from Guitar Interactive Mag the two pickups are clearly both engraved - btm right corner in each case. I can now come clean and reveal that mine has just arrived chez nous and it has no such engravings - ostensibly the same guitar. At the same time, I have a friend's LGB30 here for fret dress etc and his has the engraving Neck p/u - S58 - N and Bridge - S58 - B. To my ear the two guitars sound identical. Are Ibanez trying to tell us something?! Originally Posted by barrymclark
I thought it was very nice. Very listenable. It is brighter than what I'd go after, but not annoyingly so. I'd have no issue playing that guitar with that tone.
For what it's worth, the two bodies are dimensionally the same barring a florentine or venetian cutaway per case, and the only other real difference is an ebony fretboard on the LGB30 and rosewood on the AFJ95. Both laminates and the LGB30 has a maple top veneer and the AFJ95 is spruce. The other difference is..1099€ inc case for the LGB30 and 560€ + 129€ for case for the AFJ95. Horses for courses.
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I think I have it - Super 58 'Customs' ( sic ) are the ones made in China - simple as that. Should have spotted the mktg speak as in 'Custom'! That said, the two guitars sound 95% identical - same strings, amp and player.
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AFJ 95 sounds and looks great judging from the enclosed clips. While not wanting to redirect the thread, does anyone know what the sound difference is between AFJ 95 and the AG 95?
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AG95 is smaller body, same as GB10.
My AFJ75, with new Golden Age Parsons St. pickups from Stewmac sounds quite nice.
I got it for $350 on closeout at Sweetwater, no better deal ever IMO.
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boatleemusic
Thanks and congratulations. Which pick ups did you install? There appear to be 2 different magnets on the Stumacs you mentioned. I too have installed stumac mics on a guitar, though I dont remember which ones now, I was quite pleased with the results though.
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I recently picked up an AFJ95-7 as a "couch/traveler" guitar and I am really very happy with the fit, finish and sound of the instrument. I believe it's a lot of guitar for the money, more than you might expect. The pickups are fine for me.
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The LGB30's have Super 58 Custom pickups. Originally Posted by blackcat
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Hi,
How does the Ibanez AFJ95 sound without plugging it to an amp?
I need some opinions from some Ibanez AFJ95 or AKJ95 owners since I am looking to buy one through Thomann based on the reviews. Unfortunately I can't find any local store nearby that has a guitar to test it before.
I had the luck (or unlucky!!) to test a Gibson ES 175 which sounded really really great. Even unplugged (acoustic), which is the main thing I consider when testing a full hollow-body guitar. Since I will mainly use the guitar without an amp, this is something which I am really looking for. I have tested other Guitars Loan, Guild, Gretsch, etc. and have noticed that many of those sound very "metallic" and "plain".
How will the Ibanez AFJ95 sound without an amp? Just acoustic? Is there a huge difference between the AFJ95 and the Gibson ES 175?
Regards,
p4chuss2
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I'd say this video pretty much settles that question. Wow. I've been working on "Like Someone In Love" for weeks now, and was thinking I had made a lot of progress… Keith, you've sent me back to the woodshed, man. That was some of the most "tasty" playing I've heard in ages! Originally Posted by floatingpickup
And you never cracked a smile! I bet you were grinning on the inside, though!
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Hi, thanks for the answer. However I was asking about the acoustic sound without amplifying. Just without plugging in.
Besides that, what is the difference between the AF95 and the AFJ95?
Regards
p4chuss2
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Two years ago I took a AKJ95 home for evaluation. After testing it for two weeks I bought it and I have played it every day since then. I play it through a Fender Superreverb silverface1973, Peavy classic 30 and Vox 15R.
What I love the most;
Its very even all over the neck. All notes sound the same.
I live in Sweden and I have never felt that the guitar had "periods" during climatechanges. Some people complained on the amount of finish when it first came out. They said it would deaden the sound but I highly doubt that. In fact, allthough my youngest students tend to bump into my guitar with their headstocks there is still not a scratch on it.
There is nothing wrong with the picups. Yes, they are bright but I have not played a guitar with the tone contol on 10 - ever. I guess most people fiddle with the tone all the time to adjust for the current acoustics in the room or postion to the amp. The lower spectrum of the tone is still inbeded in the pickups sound. Just roll of a notch or two and you will be fine.
To me this is a very very high quality guitar! I have played since the begining of the 80ś and I am very happy about the evolution of guitar making. If my guitar got stolen I am quite sure that I could buy a replacement with the exact same quality for the same price. That was not very common when I was young.
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Many thanks Grymtlund. What about the sound used acoustically, without an amp? Originally Posted by Grymtlund
Regards,
p4chuss2
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