Suzie's birthday is this Friday and I am on the Monday so we decided, with lots of Spanish and Electric Guitars, a Steel strung one was in order as a joint birthday present.
Well Suzie has been very good to me and understanding with music; helping me get the right tools, so this one was a 'Suzie choice'- mainly for herself while singing folk songs.
I have taken it for a ride too though and here is my impression of it...
Getting the Guitar
This was not easy. Everywhere was out of stock we tried in a 60 mile radius and prices varied greatly.
The only option was something I have been reluctent in the past to do, buy without trying!! Merchant City Music, based in Glasgow delivered the next day. It was well packaged and housed in a stylish and sturdy leather effect brown hard case. I had to stop myself with cast iron will not to rip the box open with my bare hands!!
Construction
It is a solid top Guitar and upon inspection was flawless in its construction. The neck although seemingly glued on, is according to the Ibanez site a bolt on neck. This and many other things are very unique about this great axe.
The body and neck are mahagony while the neck is a rosewood fret board.
The sound much to my pleasure unplugged has a little of the Gypsy Jazz sound. Lots of great mids and highs. Not a Jumbo sound though unplugged. More like a lead or arpeggio guitar for accompaniment than a strummer.
The sound is ressonant and the timbre of each individual string bell like and well balanced tonally.
The resonance I am sure is much to do with the root beer unglossed finish. The tuners are brished grovers and I am surprised how little I have had to tune this Guitar since owning it.
The Neck
The Neck is super cool visually as it has the tree of life growing up in! But most imprtantly it is easy to use and also sports a 24 fret neck!!
With the cut away this has been wonderful fun playing so far up and also completely unhindered!
The lead tone.
I will post some clips up shortly as the old maxim of actions speaking louder than words is certainly true in a review of an instrument but this Guitar has pleasantly surprised me as a jazz and blues guitar
Weight
The Guitar ;like my favourite Classical is very light and comfortable. When you combine this with the real wood feel of the neck, it makes it a very unprtentius instrument to get a long with, just nice abd pure.
The Electronics.
The Guitar comes equiped with anboard tuner, an anti feedback device which doesn't eliminate feedback 100 percent but does go some way into controling the sound at a high level.
The trick this Guitar has up it's sleeve is the 'Fishman Aura pick up device'.
This thing has a round circular button that emulates 6 famous mics, all of which are completely different sounding. So far I haven't expeimented with merging tones although it is something the Guitar is capable.
It cost including delivery a modest £675, my second cheapest Acoustic but up there in quality with the most expensive and well made of my Classicals.
I was very impressed with the hard case. It is tasteful, doesn't have Ibanez or worse still Steve Vai splashed across it LOL...
In fact to the Guitars credit other than a tiny signature visable through the soundhole the name Steve Vai is not in sight...(thankyou God
)Here are some shots too
. But I don't mind 
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