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Ibanez AF105NT
List: $1,250 (hard case included)
When it comes to Ibanez, many of us would associate this brand name with skinny necked, solid body electric guitars which became proverbial during the ‘80s I-can-shred-faster-than-you era. Even today, this brand name gathers a stronger following under its solid body instruments umbrella but the manufacturer did well to launch the Artcore series in 2002 to give the average player a selection of affordable semi/ hollow bodied guitars. This wasn’t alien to the manufacturer as guitars favoured by John Scofield & George Benson, among others, were (still are) of this ilk.
Craftsmanship
The Chinese AF105NT hails from the peak of the Artcore Series offerings, the Artcore Custom. By virtue of this understanding, we know the guitar to be one of the finest the manufacturer has to offer & the instrument virtually speaks for itself. This is a typical, single cut away, hollow body guitar which sports a thick acoustic body (7cm at the body end strap pin) & screams class from head to toe. Besides the alluring cream finish, the guitar is suitably equipped with gold hardware & wooden knobs/ tailpiece. Unlike other single cut away designs, the AF105 has a pickup toggle switch located proximate to the bridge. We also need to remind jazz purists that the guitar is a laminated body product which largely accounts for the mid-pricing despite being the prime model in its series.
Other than the peculiar pickguard outline, the AF105 is truly a testimony of immaculate Chinese craftsmanship.
Rating: 95%
In use
The AF105 is a typical lightweight jazzer which impresses this author with its unplugged resonance. In light of its laminated body construction, we’d be expecting some bland acoustics from this guitar but it proves otherwise. The crisp overtones here might prove to be excessive for the traditionalist but that remains to be assessed from the guitar’s amplified performance. The neck profile, being Ibanez, isn’t as chunky as the average comper would want it to be. Its 12” radius sports a very sumptuous C-profile which gives the illusion of it being narrower than it should be. As the tune-o-matic type bridge is braced by a wooden base mount, the guitar’s body depth might prove to be deceptively thicker than expected. Enough said, some electricity, please…
With reference to the above-mentioned top-end frequency excess, it is indeed apparent from the guitar’s plug-in performance. If you are in need of warm, less brash treble for your jazz applications, a good EQ trimming would help proceedings. With that said, despite this inherent peculiarity, the AF105 has a clear overall voicing from both pickups. Moving on to driven applications, it is only objective to inject mild drive into a guitar of this pedigree & true to its colour, the AF105 offers one of the best note definition across the neck register. It wouldn’t be far fetched to employ this guitar for some solos in recording circumstances as the neck profile inherently induces speed playing but be wary of the upper fret access restrictions (your inner reaches would be hindered from the 16th fret, effectively). The other surprise package here is the instrument’s ability to churn out thick, metal type riffs (in conjunction with an EQ pedal liberty), which was only done because this author has the knack to bleed guitars for such applications; in anyone’s right minds, this guitar is inappropriate for extreme music application exclusively.
Tone test equipment:
• Amplifiers: Epiphone Valve Jr/ Sound Drive SG612R
• Effects: Ibanez TS808/ BOSS OD3/ MXR GT-OD/ Behringer EQ700
Rating: 90%
Final say
This guitar remains to be one of the finest offerings from the manufacturer in its range; fantastic craftsmanship & fine tones in the package. The Chinese origin would put off players who are wary of an instrument’s country of manufacturer especially so when the Chinese market is plagued with illegal copies of various guitar brand names. Ibanez did well to equip the AF105 with its incredible Super 58 humbuckers which project clarity very well & accepts drive with ease. The instrument’s lack of bottom end warmth might not win over Gibson fanatics who are inclined towards the instrument’s wooly tone but such preferences are subjective to the individual preferences. The AF105 is more than a worthy adversary once supplemented by an EQ unit should the tweaking over at the amp prove inadequate. Another praise-worthy Artcore model in the
Overall rating: 90%
Product availability:
• Swee Lee Co
Likes:
• Price (for the performance)
• Neck profile/ construction
• Pickups
• Classy looks
Dislikes:
• Bright voicing
• Pickguard outline
Worthy competitor:
• Epiphone ES-175
