AE goodness

The Ibanez AE series have come a long way in terms of quality. These were offered mostly as starter packs for those of us treading the path of despair when it comes to gear financing. The ones higher up the tier make good electric acoustic models but they are largely non-solid top models with acceptable tones. 

The AE245 model seen here is a solid mahogany top model in the $600 price bracket. This is one of the later inclusions that pay homage to details & tone, effectively shifting away from affordability focus per se. It plays darn well for a cut away model & has some great warmth to the ring, thanks to the mahogany attributes, of course. You'd be hard pressed to find a similar offering from the Big 3 names here (Martin/ Taylor/ Takamine) as they skimp in areas which could have made the instrument more befitting when it comes to unplugged goodness. Some tones in action:

Solid AEs

Not many of us would look up to the Ibanez name for an up-market acoustic performance. The acoustic realm continues to be dominated by the big 3: Martin/ Taylor/ Takamine. The Ibanez acoustic is just another offshoot from the manufacturer's solid body prominence, yes? Not true. If you dig deeper into the Ibanez history, Salvador Ibanez made fine acoustic instruments in his time. Along the way, the commercial aspects of music had the market leveraging more on solid bodies with the advent of amplification. Ibanez AE models weren't quite the manufacturer's firm reference when it comes to great acoustics. The AEGs & AEWs continue to sport non-solid body features for prices which could easily get you solid top/full solid models. The debate continues pertaining to whether a solid top detail would guarantee a more appealing acoustic resonance but we know the solid top has an upper standing in terms of initial body resonance compared to the best laminated top. 

Coming back to the Ibanez AE models, these instruments have come a long way in terms of tonal acoustic deliberation. The manufacturer now has a dedicated series of AEs which are serious tools when it comes to tone. The AE305 seen above feature a solid sitka spruce top.

The AE500, a model higher up in the series tier, is an all solid (top/ back/ sides) instrument. So there we have it, a sign that Ibanez is moving on with quality acoustics & not just being mavericks in the solid body electrics. However, the players' mentality out there continues to be partial with the aforementioned big 3 names as they proved to be the tried & trusted references in the industry. Let's hear the AE900 in action with Cim Frode: