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.
