Ibanez 2025 (6)

Still trolling the Ibanez web page & looking at the 2025 offering, this time veering off into acoustic territory. The thing about Ibanez is, the manufacturer continues to offer good acoustics (nothing boutique) at reasonable prices. No new models in the mean time, just this AAM50 offered in saphire blue burst...

... & a coral red burst iteration. The AAM50 was already in the catalog pre-2025 but offered in a natural finish. Be informed that the AA model sports a slightly shorter scale (25") & this AAM50 comes with a solid spruce top. These are already available at Swee Lee for a good price: $399.

Pics: Ibanez

AE September

Lest we forget, September is also an acoustic month for Ibanez with good new AE models. The one you see above though, is the least attractive (AEG61); non-solid top & a laurel fretboard.

The AE275SPM is, in my opinion, the standard to beat if budget is your thing because this one features a solid spruce top & an ebony fretboard. 

The AP11 pickup at the fretboard edge means it's more adept to taps & pops unlike under-saddle pickups. Also, please be informed that this guitar has a 25.6" scale length, slightly longer than the average AE scale length.

The AE275BT here has an even longer scale length; 27" so that 'B' in the model label might allude to a baritone performance. 

This is perhaps the best feature when it comes to action adjustments - the scalloped bridge. It's designed to accommodate a filed down saddle so those scallops / ridges actually allow the strings to go deeper into the bridge without actually coming into contact with the bridge material itself. This feature should be incorporates into more models, yes? Many of us just give up playing the acoustic because the action is too darn high for playing comfort, a definite put off for those just starting out.

Pics: Ibanez

OS

I think I'm seeing a Schecter acoustic guitar at Davis GMC for the first time. The Orleans Stage model feature a solid spruce top & maple back / sides. It's in the Takamine ball park in terms of playability, tone & price but this one has good clarity. 

Pic: Schecter

The other junior

Not many manufacturers would invest the time & money into shorter-scaled guitars. These models are lesser in demand due to a niche appeal. It is therefore good to see that this Summer, Ibanez has the AE245JR out for those of us who embrace a smaller make acoustic. This isn't a fresh take on a scaled down AE, three years back, Ibanez had the AE205JR which is still in the current catalog (CLICK). This version features a solid okoume top & a katalox fretboard. If you think the latter wood is a synthetic feature, know that it's another name for Mexican ebony.

Selling: Takamine GY93E (parlour) SOLD

Staying away from acoustic guitars in the mean time... My GY93E- well taken care off.

Rosewood back with a maple wedge.

• Takamine GY93E electric-acoustic, parlour sized guitar (generic bag included)
• Condition: 9/10
• No reservations/ trades
• Confirmation/ queries: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Strictly self-collect @ CCK mrt station
• Price: $300 (final)

Sorry, no testing.

Item SOLD, 24th Sept.

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

Worthy FG

Happening now at Sound Alchemy. I've played this model before but it's at the Yamaha PS outlet. Awesome projection & playability. Now that it's going at this price, I'd recommend it to players looking for a reliable instrument on a budget with no compromise in QC. 👍

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:

Shrunken-nought

This is another addition to Ibanez's increasing line up of smaller acoustics. The AW54MINIGB is a simple, shrunken dreadnought with a cool body binding. If you are familiar with Martin's Dreadnought Jr or Taylor's Big Baby, this should be a familiar embrace. Solid mahogany top- please note.

List: $349 (Swee Lee Co.)

Yamaha SALE: Recommendations (2)

You know me- I have limited interest in acoustic guitars. I would mention those outstanding ones every now & then; this is one such guitar. The Yamaha APX models are great value-for-money instruments with a trimmed down top shoulder so if you strap it up a little higher (some of us do that), it'd be equally comfortable as playing it sitting down. The trimmed down specs don't compromise the great acoustic resonance as well but mind you, this isn't a grand orchestra to begin with. Also, the APX is one of the most worthy acoustic to be set up for some tasty shred work. That's right, low action, lots of speed, great playability. Since it's a sale anyway, I'd say you consider the 700 as it sports a solid top unlike its other lower-series siblings.

SALE: $679 $543

Let's understand what a good APX could do, I'll leave you with Antonio Forcione:

Ibanez: AEW120

It took a while but Ibanez finally had a solid top AEW model going- the AEW120. It also had the headstock re-looked this year. Prior to this, the AEWs had some exotic laminated wood tops going but discerning players avoided those for a simple reason; if they were going to fork out that amount of money for an acoustic guitar, a solid top should be the least value-for-money consideration the manufacturer could give them. You'd say that not all solid top makes are appealing tone-wise but this feature determines the overall craftsmanship & longevity of the instrument. All in all, Ibanez acoustics are very under-rated in terms of performance worth granted the manufacturer has a solid body focus in its manufacturing philosophy.