Any love for Ibanez archtops.......

StanleyAccrington

......specifically the artcore series. The shorter scalelength is appealing to me. Are they just for 'jazzers'?

richardhomer

I tried one a few years ago - I thought it was superb for not a lot of money. 

I had a lot going on in life at the time but was tempted to buy it and try to study jazz. May be in a few years’ time....

StanleyAccrington

Aye....the price tag is appealing to me too.

antifash

Had the PM2. Great guitar. 

TheMarlin

I’ve got one, love it.  

JDE

Not just for jazzers although that’s mainly what I’ve used them for. There is a noticeable “step up” in feel as the model number and the price tag increases, but they’re all pretty good. I would pick one over, say, an Epiphone archtop if i was buying sight unseen.
i have played most, probably all, of the Artcore line - is there any particular model you’re looking at or any particular tone you want to achieve? 

StanleyAccrington

Cheapest model...AF71F. Dunno what tone that I want or what the guitar can offer. Would play it unamplified or if using amp then no pedals. 

mikem8634

Pretty much the 'best' (or at least the most me-suited) guitar I ever owned was an early 80s Japanese Ibanez Artist AS50 like this



I gigged with it for years teamed up with a Mark III Boogie. It played beautifully, and outshone many a more expensive 335. Never should've sold it and still miss it. If the Artcore range is even half the quality I experienced then I'd say go for it.

meltedbuzzbox

I own one. Great guitar.
Although I am not a fan of the pickups (but hey they are cheap)

I wouldn't say they are a jazz guitar. Sure you can make it sound like mud and play 7th chords and 9ths and all that on it, but any guitar can do that to a point.

Guitars may be commonly played amongst artists of a genre but it's the players note selection that defines the style, not the bit of wood with strings on it

Jalapeno

Good enough for John Scofield, George Benson & Pat Metheny.

Fuengi

Had an Ibanez AS93, gorgeous thing. Only guitar I regret selling. 

stimpsonslostson

meltedbuzzbox said:

I own one. Great guitar.
Although I am not a fan of the pickups (but hey they are cheap)

I wouldn't say they are a jazz guitar. Sure you can make it sound like mud and play 7th chords and 9ths and all that on it, but any guitar can do that to a point.

Guitars may be commonly played amongst artists of a genre but it's the players note selection that defines the style, not the bit of wood with strings on it

I agree about the pickups. They're bland. 
I had a catchily named ASF75T the guitar itself was very good. 
They're not just jazz guitars, I used mine to play rhythm in a GnR covers band for a while- I always preferred Izzy to Slash. 

If you're after a cheap(ish) hollowbody you could do lots worse than a Gretsch Streamliner. Mine had various issues out of the box, but there's a great guitar in there now it's been sorted. 

Sassafras

I've never come across a duff or overpriced Ibanez.

JDE

StanleyAccrington said:

Cheapest model...AF71F. Dunno what tone that I want or what the guitar can offer. Would play it unamplified or if using amp then no pedals. 

A single floating neck pickup will sort of limit your options. Gain is pretty much out of the question, but if you’re going to play it acoustically or clean you’ll be fine. If you’re only going to play it unplugged and you want an archtop, I’d personally look for a second hand Loar. 

StanleyAccrington

Thanks for all the advice chaps. I managed to get my hands on a pre loved (second hand) AF71Ff this afternoon. It was put through an amp and played on with 2 settings. Firstly on a totally 'flat' setting.....only changes being differences ln the amps low mid and high eq settings in conjunction to the guitars vol and tone pots. And through the amp with a bit of reverb on it. And then played acoustically without the amp.
It felt nice under my (small) fingers. It's certainly loud enough acoustically for me to play at home (I don't gig or play in a band).
   Nice sound....to me anyway....but I'm thinking that there may be other guitars out there that could give the same sounds....and more to boot. Maybe a nice electro acoustic!!

I did the usual 'let me sleep on it' and left. And will be tortured over the weekend thinking about it. 

viz

@bigjon may have one of these, not sure

bigjon

Mine's an Artwood I think. Trad styling single cutaway 2 pickups mounted on a solid central block, Les Paul-style controls. Agree that the pickups are a bit bland, I bought it for the looks more than anything so I could get traditional jazz gigs.

TheMarlin

Here is mine. 

https://i.imgur.com/dI9I1ca.jpg

stimpsonslostson

TheMarlin said:

Here is mine. 

https://i.imgur.com/dI9I1ca.jpg

That's a good colour.

The placement of the switch isn't the best is it?!

TheMarlin

Being a predominantly Gretsch player, I have to agree

StanleyAccrington

TheMarlin said:

Here is mine. 

https://i.imgur.com/dI9I1ca.jpg

Unusual colour. Do they come in tobaccoburst......or maybe that lovely (Gretsch) orange.