Goodbye: Ibanez AW54JR

First re-string for 2021 & saying goodbye to my Ibanez AW54JR. I'm starting to clear some stuff to fund my chemo which is resuming soon. This guitar is going to a nice gentleman who I considered as a friend. I'm fond of shorter scaled acoustic guitars or those with a diminished body size as these suit my smaller frame better. This had been my most played acoustic guitar for its very warm tone & single note clarity. Hope there will be other opportunities to own another one. 

Return to goodness

Following the coated strings letdown as shared recently (click HERE), I returned to what had been working for me all this while; a good pack of D'Addario strings. Seen here is the 80/20 bronze set, just love the crispy tones from this one. These react especially well with the AW54JR's mahogany, warm & clear tones.  Can't help but relate to it as crispy - keep in mind that a mahogany sound board has more midrange than a spruce-induced top end. Combine this with the 80/20's very bright offerings & you get that wonderful crisp tones. Not quite appealing if you sing & play at the same time.

Junior vs Junior

Folks, as promised, my appraisal of the Martin against the Ibanez. Let's get down to the specifics:

• Martin: Dreadnought Jr (Sapele)
• Ibanez: AW54JR

Coincidentally, both have the 'junior' label in the model reference with Ibanez opting it to be abbreviated & incorporated into the alpha numeric citation. I really had second thoughts about doing this appraisal in this light but I need a reference for the Martin so that if you are new to the scaled-down guitar world, you would know that Martin isn't exclusive in having such guitars in their line-up. It is therefore not a contest per se but a leveraged reference. Let's get going.

Construction/ QC

Martin. We know how it is with this brand name - impeccable standards & there's no compromise here. This wasn't meant to be an entry level offering, just a deviation from the regular offerings for players who prefer scaled down dimensions to avoid wrestling with size. Keep in mind the DJ sports an all solid body construction (sapele) but the fretboard wood is an artificial affair (richlite). The wonderful thing here is that Martin made it a point to convince potential buyers it is wood, visually. The stain & grain on board are hardly artificial at first glance. Nothing amiss here less that bridge strap pin cavity that felt rough around the edges. Some manufacturers avoid installing a protrusive contraption to avoid damage during shipment. This is, of course, a minor set back. Very minor indeed.

Ibanez. The AW54JR isn't lagging behind in terms of construction finesse, in fact, it is on par with the Martin. The scary thing is that the manufacturer managed to incorporate an elbow relief at this price point & it puts Martin to shame in this aspect. The AW54JR has a solid top mahogany body with laminated mahogany sides. The fretboard here is 100% wood (ovankol, together with the bridge) & the overall stain looks more attractive compared to the Martin's rather pale affair. However, the Ibanez (this model, particularly) had two loose tuners but it's not something a screwdriver couldn't handle. OK, so the Ibanez had its body strap pin installed at the factory & was strap-ready out of the box. Hmm...

Playability/ Tone

Martin. The instrument had a slight bow upon unboxing but was quickly fixed at the store - just a minor truss rod tweak, nothing to it. The default action was acceptable but the instrument is neck heavy, even the spruce stop version exhibited this anomaly when I handled it at the store. It could have been due to the compact richlite material manifesting its density. As such, we can hear a deeper low end coming from the DJ with a checked treble response; nothing bright & repulsive, a very warm, Martin affair. Addictive, be warned.

Ibanez. The AW54JR had no bowed neck issue but the guitar had a rather high action setting. I wonder why the manufacturer penalized itself in this department because the guitar's main attraction are arguably playability & tone. A subsequent re-string adventure revealed that the Ibanez's default bridge was a good 3mm thicker than the Martin's so the implication here is, Ibanez left it to the owner to tinker with action settings. However, folks, despite the higher action, the AW54JR manifests that wonderful mahogany warmth purists would appreciate. It has a tad more clarity when it comes to single notes which might be attributable to its lighter being. Feel-wise, the Ibanez has a smoother response & this is why we appreciate real wood for the fretboard material. 

Conclusion

A gentle reminder that this isn't going to end with a clear winner but an appreciation of strength & individual appeal. The Martin is a fault-free player proving its worth in every department; even the artificial fretboard failed to render it as the lesser Martin from the manufacturer's extensive range of guitar goodness. However, please accept the fact that the said artificial component affects the guitar's response in the traditional sense but it isn't excessive. The Ibanez, on the other hand is a surprise package & that elbow relief there is a sign of the times; Ibanez is not about to ignore thoughtful incorporations with the player in mind & a firm statement that cost is definitely not the issue. It also proves that non-solid sides & back do not reduce any tonal appeal. Well, the Ibanez's classic open tuners make for sheer attraction in addition to its spectacular wood grains. 

All in all, the stark reality here is that the Ibanez is less than half of the Martin's original list price. We acknowledge the fact that a solid construction is a costly affair but is richlite adding significantly to the cost as well? How about giving us some elbow comfort, Martin? Especially at this price point. Regardless, some great playing moments can be had with either guitar depending on how deep your pockets are at times. 

Ibanez: AW54JR (owner's take)

Howdy, folks! If you've been hanging out here, you know I'm not much of an acoustic person but I deem owning an acoustic guitar as necessary for serious guitar engagements because the unplugged nature engages the player in a different way as opposed to the drive-centric, amplified responses of a solid body guitar. Here's my take on the Ibanez AW54JR, a 2018 release by Ibanez with simplicity & delivery in mind.

Followers are leaders

It took a while for Ibanez to finally offer a scaled down version of a popular dreadnought without delineating it into a beginner's reference devoid of serious appointments & affordability in mind. The AW54JR here is a mahogany unit (solid top) less the fretboard & bridge which are ovankol. I was fortunate enough to be getting an out-of-the-box unit so it pretty much reflected the factory philosophy of a pre-set up guitar. Nothing bad to say here, every detail was spot on & the nut slot creak I expected wasn't even there to begin with. Tuning was smooth but a little unstable due to the freshness of things; strings look very new & not set in so a little stretching was due & done with. Unlike a travel unit, the AW54JR is devoid of that small frame, it's in fact about 80% of a standard size dreadnought reference & getting accustomed to it was rather immediate (especially for a small-built person like yours truly). 

Let's not kid ourselves by believing Ibanez is at the forefront of this technology with reference to this model but in terms of QC & that forearm relief inclusion, they are indeed one of the leading names when it comes to quality-cost ratio. 

Playability/ tone

We should not measure the AW54JR's performance against a standard dreadnought reference simply because it's conceived to be a different instrument in this aspect. The satin open pore finish is a chief contributor to pleasant playability. In fact, I'd rate this playing experience as excellent but may not appeal to those with larger hands & accustomed to gloss-neck finishes. This was further accentuated by the large frets on board (forgive the pun) so fretting was easy peasy as kids in school would say. Those with shred inclinations would also appreciate the bigger frets for accuracy & light touches. 

One thing that got me the most was volume- this guitar was way louder than expected & manifested a balanced tone not treble-inclined as one would expect from smaller-bodied acoustics. The mahogany is responsible for this impression so all you acoustic-philes who rate spruce top highly, this would be an alternative tonal experience that would not throw you off. Mahogany is also a finger picker's wood  of choice but the AW54JR is one heck of a strummer as well- thumbs up!

Parting words

The AW54JR is not the epitome of acoustic ear candy but it's a top notch offering by Ibanez for players who are not critical when it comes to features. It lists for more than $350 so there are plenty of worthy competitors out there in terms of price but playability & tone are the AW54JR's forte. A scaled down instrument was never designed for ladies or kids exclusively & shouldn't be relegated to such an understanding. The AW54JR is a worthy guitar with lots of inspirational moments waiting to be unlocked by the discerning players. Recommended. 👍

Model: Ibanez AW54JR (bag included)

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

Rating: 90%

Worthy competitors:

• Martin: Dreadnought Jr
• Taylor: Big Baby
• Sigma: TT-12E
• Yamaha: CSF3M
• Veelah: Mini Camper M

Jr re-string

Had some playing time yesterday but chose to attend to this Ibanez AW54JR.

The default action was high. After rectifying the neck bow, the bridge was filed down to make sure I don't struggle during play.

Also, some choking at the nut, they might have equipped the guitar with a set of 11s but did not address the slots.

Finally, a set of 10 - 47 for this one. No idea why I still have Elixirs in the house but this is gonna be my final time using them as they don't sound good despite feeling new. Was never a fan to begin with, trying for variety's sake.

My take on the AW54JR

This is Ibanez's take on the mid-way size factor; it's neither too big nor too travel-sized (PF2MH) to bother a certain playing camp. In all honesty, Ibanez was trying to fit into the down-sized dreadnought market for less money & they did it easily with that classy elbow relief & a deserving solid top feature to boot. The instrument has a healthy volume projection unlike some other brand names in this category which are usually glossed over (satin finish for this AW54JR) & does not feature a solid top. I've played many acoustics & find that the default action are too high for playing comfort, even for the boutique range. Despite the string choke at the nut slots (not all, mind you) & a pair of tuners being scratchy (was rectified  by loosening the tension), I still think this one is good value for money & recommended for those of us in need of a no-frills, scaled down body acoustic we can easily manage while on the move. It's also the perfect answer for players struggling to handle a full-sized acoustic guitar without having to compromise on an instrument that doesn't inspire tone-wise. 

Some price comparisons for your considerations 😁

Ibanez AW54JR: $379

Martin Dreadnought Jr: $744

Taylor Big Baby: $599

Ibanez 2018 (4): Acoustic assault

We have to give it to Ibanez for knowing how to get it done for less. Here's their version of a dreadnought junior-esque acoustic with an all mahogany construction (solid top) & an ovankol fretboard. Also included, a simple elbow bevel because if the competitor could do it, so can Ibanez. Initial figures are suggesting that it'll be more affordable than Martin's Dreadnought Junior. (This model: AW54JR)

We also have to give it to Ibanez for having the guts to try- a fretless, parlour type bass (24.9" scale length). Just a gentle reminder though, they don't make too many strings suitable for this type of bass. (This model: AVNB1FE)

And while they're at it, why not add a stand-up bass? (This model: UB804)