Ibanez AF120

This may seem a bit late to be writing a review of a discontinued guitar, but I just found one used, in immaculate condition, for $400 w/o case. Mine was made in 1999 in Korea (the Artstar series was made from 1996 - 2002. This particular guitar had an MSRP of $1000). Full hollowbody single cutaway jazz box w spruce archtop, maple back and sides, exquisite vintage brownburst color, 3-piece neck made of maple/mahogany. Rosewood fretboard and bridge (floating). Short-scale, shallow neck w beautiful pearl/abalone box inlays and smooth, slick action. Two p/u's are famous Ibanez Super 58s (still used by Ibanez currently), w two vol and two tone controls, 3 position selector switch (smooth as silk and no noise) on the upper bout, trapeze tailpiece w AF "badge" (in Ibanez language, AF means full hollow, AS means semi-hollow). Tuners are stock, smooth, sealed. A perfect jazz box!

Although any true guitarist can play pretty much any type of music w this perfect neck, this guitar was made for playing jazz. And it looks and sounds like it! (Mine is strung w .010s - some may want a thicker gauge.) This is currently my eleventh guitar, and rounds out my collection, but first true jazz box that I've owned, although in my 40+ years of playing, I've played most of them. I would put this Ibanez up against any jazz box out there for excellent sound and playability, any make at any price. The neck p/u is sublime, and the tone controls really do what they're made to do, unlike many, more expensive boxes I've played. Excellent jazz sound w the tone control rolled off to abt 4 or 5. Then blend in the bridge p/u, if desired. I play this particular guitar thru a new Fender Super Champ XD clean, w a touch of delay and reverb (marvelous tube amp!) and a Vox AC15 (one of the best amps ever made!) No unwanted noise at all, except for the natural feedback to be expected w a hollowbody. Excellent!

I'll keep this short: action, fit and finish are superb. Better than many of its ilk that cost much more (I've compared to Gibson, Gretsch, etc...). Couldn't ask for more or better.

I don't play live anymore, nor do much recording. Now mostly hobby. After 40+ years, I know guitars, and whoever owned this one before me took excellent care of it. I've been over it w a magnifying glass, and, except for a very few, barely noticeable hairline "scratches", it's in perfect condition (as I said, made in 1999, so not bad for a nine yr old guitar!). I also own an Ibanez AW-40 acoustic from 1983, and never had any problem w it. Still looks and plays perfectly to this day. Also, a newer Ibanez S520EX, which is a marvelous guitar for classic rock, metal and shredding. I know this AF120 will outlast me.

I've read some complaints abt Ibanez customer support in earlier reviews on here. Here's my two cents worth: Ibanez does not list a phone # on their site, but they do have an 800#, and my Ibanez dealer was glad to give it to me. I called them an hour after I bought my AF120 used, wanting as much info on it as I could get. Now, mind you, this model is discontinued, and Ibanez really had no stake in making a "current" purchaser happy, BUT - the guy at Ibanez was a huge help! He searched out an older catalog and gave me all the information I listed above regarding year, construction (wood, neck, p/u's, etc), pricing, and any other questions I had! We talked for abt 20 minutes! THAT says damn good customer service to me!

After 40+ years of playing, I know guitars, of most any brand or type or style. This Ibanez AF120 is a true musician's instrument. It looks like it's already a collectable, and plays and sounds as good as any competition out there. I prefer it to an ES-175! I couldn't be happier to add this beauty to my collection! If you find one used and in good shape, I highly recommend it!

Artstar AF120, Korean, 2002.. the rest is beautifully outlined by others on this discussion.

I played this AF120 with chrome-flats strings for the first time in a music store in Kansas City and i was completely blown away by its comfort and precision, and i bought one without even plugging it in. I play funk, soul, cumbia, rock, salsa, and jazz-vibes. I am not a jazz guitarist but lllove the jazz sound as i apply it to practically everything i play. I originally played fusion rock with it and it was amazing (Marshall JCM-800 50-watt 2205 with a Marshall Vintage 1960 4x12 cab, a Crybaby Wah 535g, and some DR Nickel Plated, Round Core 10-46 strings, on the neck position... wow!!! its a whole different leval of intensity an tonality) I now play out of a Fender Princeton (marshall clean tone sucks), my Crybaby 535q, and an MXR Phaser P-10 and it plays like a dream.. everyone that hops on my guitar has nothing but great things to say or inspires them to look into getting one. I am looking to buy a Fender Twin Reverb to seal the deal with tone and richness... for life. The only thing i have yet to do is stuff some sponge or something in the f-holes to stop the feedback at loud volumes (even moderately-loud).

The bridge isnt locked in place, which could be a good or bad thing. I believe its rosewood and that simply leaves me wondering if there are other types of bridges that will help the tone/sustain of the guitar. The component that holds the bridge in place is cheesy. The locking nuts are excellent. The action was dead on from the beginning and the fret spacing is wonderful. Finish is beautiful... hell, even the case for the guitar is great! The only two things that REALLY annoy me are the input jack nut that gets loose aaaall the time and the nut for the pick-guard that gets loose aaall the time. I keep having to tighten those all the time.

It will last me a lifetime. The gold color of the pickups is wearing off after so many years of playing, but thats okay with me. I would totally use it at a gig without a back-up, unlike one of those floyd-rose beasts.

never had to deal.

Ive been playing for 10+ years now and this guitar has changed the way i look at music. IT would probably be tuff to replace especially since ibanez mass produces those nasty Chinese made Art-core that feel and sound like a global-corporate compromise. I love the neck position and at first hated the other pickups (i thought the bridge was too bright and thin). But the more i play with it and the tone nobs and use the wah-wah for tone, the more i realize that there is an immense option of sound that can come out of the ax.. all u need to do is be patient.

Well made straightforward Jazz-box. Has exactly what you need and nothing you don't. The necks on these Ibanez guitars are some of the best around. Prefer them over Gibson and Epiphone necks. Fast and solid with well sized frets. Everything was setup perfect.

This guitar will improve your sound no doubt about it. The pickups are incredible for the price. Other people might complain about little things and say they'd switch the pickups but those people aren't really guitarists, they're collectors that like playing with their gear over playing music. I've been gigging several times a week on this guitar for a couple years now and I am consistently amazed that I was able to snag such a solid instrument for the price. I picked this one up over the Pat Metheny model mainly because the pickups were a little more responsive and suited my style better. Absolutely incredible, buy this guitar no matter what your style it's a must have.

Bought it used but it was great when I got it.

I've dropped this guitar, played with it at gigs for a couple years and it's never showed any signs of wear. The pickguard which isn't really needed occassionally needs tightening but other than that everything holds up no problem. Really solid all around.

Wouldn't trade this guitar for the world. I've had flat wound 13s on it and it's a straightup jazz-box that can go round for round with the best of em. I put on 10s or 11s and it can play any rock show and the sustain it gets with the super 58s and solid body makes it a hell of a show. Keep in mind that the AF120 is not the same as the AS120 and the other "AS" Artstar models that dont really stack up to this one.

korean made archtop

The sound is full and warm...still in the process of setting it up to my liking, but so far so good. Its a lovely piece to sit with and jam unplugged...great fun and makes me sound better than I actually am :P

pickups needed lowering...they were too high and contributing to a slight "buzz." They also suffer a from slight oxidization, but that's a given and doesn't bother me.

Can anyone help me with proper setup specs? I'm using # 11-47 flatwound strings at the moment, but still find the upper E too tight...i tried changing it for a # 10, but then it was way too "light and bright."

this guitar will without a doubt last a lifetime...not a real collectors piece, but definately has a character that's unparallel in its price range.

n/a

playing for about 10 years, but more seriously since i go the AF120. I traded in a ugly ass B.C.Rich Bich and Fender Squire (free gift...i would never buy one!)for this beauty. The action is super smooth and the neck is like butter compared to the B.C.Rich. I'm not a jazz musician, but I am more than willing to learn now.

This is an update to a previous review I wrote of this. I've had it for three years now, and I'm still pleased with the sound.

The stock pickups are excellent. I haven't felt the need to change them.

Several other people have noted intonation issues. I had the same problem until I installed a Gotoh tune-o-matic bridge from Stew Mac. Not the one specifically for archtops (the flimsy rosewood mount on that bridge kills the tone) - just get a regular tune-o-matic bridge with standard posts and use the rosewood mount that came with the guitar.

I've also taken off the pickguard and pulled off the cheesy "AF" logo on the tailpiece. Both had a tendency to rattle.

I can nail the Wes Montgomery jazz tone with Gibson Flat Wires strings and my '71 Traynor Bass Mate. The touch sensitivity and sustain are unbelievable. If I hold a single note or a chord, I can hear it "bloom" with the upper harmonics. Nice warm sound.

I've used it at hundreds of gigs without a backup, and it's never failed me. The finish has held up well. Some wear on the gold hardware (especially the pickups), but that's to be expected. The action is still excellent. I replaced the strap buttons with Schaller strap locks - something that is an absolute must if you're going to play an archtop live.

Never had to deal with them.

I don't think they're making these any more, but if you're looking for a good jazz guitar for a good price, it would be well worth looking for one of these used.

This is a Korean made arch-top simi-hollow body jazz box. It has about a 16" lower bout. It has nice binding work even on the F holes and the neck. It has a beautiful arched maple back. It did not measure it but it has a shorter neck scale than I am acustom. 2 humbucker pickups. Gold hardware. 3 way pickup selector switch, 2 volume & 2 tone controls w/ gold speed knobs. Curved gold trapeze tailpiece w/ 3 ply black badge w/ white logo. Raised 3 ply black pickguard. Rosewood bridge (not tuneamatic).

The sound was a very high quality jazz box sound. It is very accustic when played unplugged. Probably about 1/2 the volume of my accustic guild Dreadnought, but much louder than all hollowbody jazz boxes I've play with the only exception of some of the guild jazz boxes. The guitar has a pleasing sound, but I never really enjoyed playing the guitar for two reasons: (1) the guitar's intonation was never on for me, and (2) it constently went out of tune. This guiter has a rosewood bridge which make its tone rich and loud, but it is not a tune-a-matic bridge. I took the guitar in to two separate shops for professional setup. The second shop really improved the intonation and playability, but it still was off enough that I never liked playing the guitar. I would expect that this issue could be resolved by installing a rosewood tune-a-matic bridge. Secondly, for reasons which I could not explain, the guitar kept going out of tune slightly (in addition to the intonation problem), so I was unhappy playing the guitar.

With that said, many of my friends played the guitar and were not bothered by the intonation problem I notice. Consequently, I would take my criticizm with a grain of salt, so long as you do not require perfect intonation. However, I ultimately sold the guitar because it was not fun to play.

Workmanship on the guitar build was outstanding. The finish had no appearent flaws. This guitar is a really beautiful guitar (one of the reasons I bought it in the first place). I only had four criticizms:

(1) as will many guitars, the neck is two piece (the head is a separate piece of wood which method of construction is used to increase strength); however, the sun burst finish exposed this construction feature which I thought would have been avoided.

(2) The pickups on this guitar were not solidly seated which I have seen on many guitars, but I don't like it.

(3) The action (even after professional setup) was not as pleasing to play as I like. I felt that other Jazz box guitars such as the Washburn Jazz boxes are more pleasing to play as far as action is concern; however, many of my friend disagreed with me and said that they really enjoyed the action on it.

(4) The gold hardware showed significant signs of oxidation very early on which was more, in my opinoin, that should have occurred.

I owned it four two years with no problems, but as discussed above, the pickups are not solidly seated which leads me to believe that with heavy use they might really loosen up.

As mentioned above, the intonation problem, tuning problem and great (but not perfect action) made me sell my guitar. I ultimately stopped playing it because of these problems and played my other accustic guitar. I would not purchase this model again unless it did not have these problems. However, nearly everyone I know really liked the guitar and enjoyed playing it. So, if you are looking for a Jazz Box, consider this beautiful, very accustic, well made guitar which is usually sold at a reasonable price, but also consider the Washburn Jazz box or if you can afford a new one or find a used one, considered the Yamaha's jazz box.

'03 Korean hollowbody guitar

Honestly, this guitar sounds every bit as great as any Gibson I have ever played. It's just stupid to bitch about the Super '58's not having their own voice. I have news for anyone that feels this way: the individual sound comes from your fingers MUCH more than from the guitar. Also, if Pat Metheny swears that the Ibanez pickups sound as good as the Gibson ones, who the hell am I to disagree? The neck has a really sweet tone, and the bridge can create some surprisingly nice tones if you roll down the tone a bit. Nice bite for James Brown style funk.

The workmanship is amazing, not just for a Korean guitar, but by Gibson standards as well. A couple problems: The pickguard and Tailpiece. It appears Ibanez skimped on these two areas, and it hurts the overall asthetic of the guitar. I solved this by replacing the parts with ones from the George Benson signature guitar.

You definitely would not get away with any Pete Townsend type antics, but it is an archtop after all.

never dealt with them

Seriously, even if you can afford to fork out $3000+ for a Gibson, this guitar is still worth owning. True, it may not be the equal of a handbuilt D'angelico, but it is a great working, or student musician's guitar.

Hollowbody electric with a laminated top, three piece mahogany neck, 2 volume, 2 tone (more on these later), three way selector, 21 frets, sunburst with creme body and neck binding, two humbuckers, single rounded cutaway, rosewood bridge, square abalone inlay on neck, tailpiece an attempt at artdeco with a hideous plastic model overlay with script AF, gold hardware. Didn't come with a case or gigbag but I bought a hardshell for it.

Sounds great although the tone knobs don't function (explained below), so I can't say how well you can adjust the tone for individual pickups. Neck pickup is nice and full, bridge pickup is nice and sharp. I'm playing it mostly through a 66 Fender Princeton Reverb and it sounds great. I don't crank it up so I can't tell you if feedback is a big problem.

The guitar was set up perfectly for me and the bridge was placed so that the intonation was perfect. The binding is nice and tight, the inlays are nicely done, the fret ends are well polished, the finish is nice. I do have several complaints. The pickup selector seems rather wimpy. After only 6 months the hardware is corroding. That plastic nameplate on the tailpiece is soooo ugly. The tuning knobs are a total mystery to me. They came loose from the body so that they are flopping around so I took the knobs off and the locking nuts had come loose from the threaded stem. There was about 5 layers of teflon tape wrapped around the stem which I removed. Then I put the locking nuts back on. Lo and behold, the nuts were so big they didn't even engage the threads of the stem (in fact, one of the locking nuts was really only half a nut - I assume it was broken at the time of assembly). It seems that they ran out of the right size nuts and instead of ordering more (or going to the local hardware store - don't they have those in Korea?), they just wrapped a bunch of teflon tape around the stem until it was large enough to hold the tuning knob for the duration of the guitar's tenure on the showroom floor. I spent $650 on this guitar and they can't even put on the right size locking nut that probably cost all of a penny????? Giant points off for that. I wonder what's holding the neck on?

I plan on fixing the tuning knobs tomorrow. But I'll play this thing in my livingroom for a while longer before even think of using it live. The finish looks like it can withstand a sandstorm.

Their website doesn't have any contact info, but you can bet I'm going to dredge up their address somewhere and send them a letter about the tuning knobs. That's just plain shoddy.

I've been playing for 30 years, but only seriously for the last 4 years. This is my first hollowbody electric and I guess I shouldn't knock it too much since the sound is great and it wasn't that expensive. But if someone stole it, I'd consider getting an Epiphone Casino instead. Anything I wish it had? Yeah, tuning knobs with the right size nuts.

I believe it's the standard Korean made model. Two Super 58 humbuckers (passive), with a 3-way selector. Archtop. Spruce top. Brown sunburst. Artstar neck.

This is a jazz guitar. But you can truly play anything on it (blues, bossa, folk, and rock). Now, as to the pickups: these Super 58 are not exactly extraordinary, and Ibanez could have done much better. The neck pick-up is good --very decent jazz output; I liked it; however, the bridge pick-up is worthless. That kills 2 out of 3 positions. Not to worry though: these pickups don't do the guitar justice, so a Benedetto A-6 (as suggested by another reviewer --superb jazz pickup)at the neck, will beat by much the already good default, and a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover '55 at the bridge will round up what I think is a fabulous combination (for those tempted, a Duncan JB at the bridge is not appropriate --way too bright and 'clangy'; the Seth Lover is much sweeter, and still 'strong'). That signifies a $250 upgrade, and I think you must take it into account. Otherwise, stick with the neck position, and ignore the other one (something of a waste, however). Last, but certainly not least, the bane of archtops: FEEDBACK. This one, as every other archtop guitar, feddbacks alright. Forget about foam, trying to plug the f-holes, and stuffing the body with folds of rayon or god knows what. Solution: easy, take it to a luthier and have him install two violin-like soundposts underneath the bridge (one at each extremity). The world will change: you will be able to play loud, without emasculating the sound by turning down the gain knobs on the amplifier --this is a must (and it's a $30 job).With the upgrades, the sound is worth 9. Great stuff.

Gorgeous guitar. And everyone seems to agree. It is rather insensible to spend 2, 3 or n grand for something that one never (or seldom) plays unplugged. Yes, there's the glamour and all that, but this Ibanez, with a few upgrades, can hold her own amongst those big and costly American models. The neck is fantastic --fastest thing I have ever played, and with flat wounds, it feels like water (may be too narrow for those with large hands). The finish is exquisite, and the looks are just right. Two things are cheap: the pickguard --black crappy piece of plastic, and the tailpiece with that abominable plastic escutcheon plastered to the brass support, with an AF impression. OK, then: some players, less maniacal, have allegedly put up with the schlocky plastic; I could not, so I replaced the pickguard with a faux tortoise pickguard (for a Gibson L-5), and got a beautiful tailpiece, for the L-5 as well, in brass with adjustable bars for each string (parts avalaible online from a number of stores). With the upgrades, I give it a 9. Without, a 7.

I have had it for a few months --second owner after someone who did not play it. I have had another Ibanez, an Artist AM50 -- for 20 years, and it's as good as ever. These are beautifully crafted instruments (I am a great fan of Ibanez electrics). I expect this AF to be the same.

Don't really know. I know, however, that their parts are outrageously expensive.

I have been playing for 25 years (classical, flamenco and jazz), and I own an arsenal of guitars (2 Ibanez, 2 Godin, G&L Asat, etc.). I haven't tried out every single archtop out there, but this is a great and reliable brand, so you may safely trust the AF-120. Luthiers agree unanimously that they are truly fine guitars(and far better made than Gibsons, for instance). If you are willing to spend an extra $200/350 or so (new pickups AND cosmetic changes), you will, I think, turn a good into a great guitar. I am gigging with it right now, and I am very very happy with it. Recommended.

"My" AF120 was delivered new from the factory in March, 2002 to its original owner, a college kid named Justin who is working his way through school by playing professionally and teaching guitar. The $699 price included a nice hardcase with a shroud. The poor kid had to sell the guitar after only 2 months when he and his roommates had to raise cash for a move. When I got it, the plastic was still on the scratch plate and truss rod cover. Although I only owned the AF120 for 5 months, I wanted to share my comments and what turned out to be a very great experience this guitar made possible.

The AF120 is not a full bodied archtop. It has a 16 inch lower bout but is only 2 and 5/8 inches deep. With its dual humbuckers and 24 and 3/4 inch cale length, the pro quality archtop it most closely resembles is the Gibson ES-350T. The 43 mm width at nut felt about the same as my Les Paul and strat's 1 and 11/16 nut. The guitar's best features are its shallow neck, which is only 20 mm deep at the first fret increasing to 22 mm at the twelth fret, and its sealed tuners. The shallow neck makes the AF120 much easier to play compared to other budget archtops like the Gibson ES-135 or ES-175 copies from Samick. The sealed tuners are better than the Klusons that come stock on even some carved top Gibsons like the L-4. Unlike most budget archtops, the AF120 comes from the factory strung with .013-.056 flatwounds. The rosewood bridge is floating. I think a full 3 inches of body depth would improve the AF120s sound, but the shallow body depth does make the guitar easier to hold and play.

Sound and playaility are the only things that really matter for any guitar, and unfortunately the AF120's sound was a love hate relationship for me. The AF120 is really only useful for jazz on the neck pickup. It lacks the twang and sustain needed for rockabilly on the bridge pickup and the middle position is not warm and sweet. To me, the Super58 pickups can best be described as shrill in all positions. Although I only wanted use the AF120 for jazz, I thought the neck pickup was muddy with open voiced chords and I did not achieve the tone I was looking for on solos. I wanted a Johnny Smith type sound, and the AF120 did get this sound on close voiced chords, particularly between the 5th and 12 fret. The volume balance between the pickups was perfect but the balance between strings was too trebly and required adjusting pickup angle and pole screw height, an easy thing. I tried the guitar with all types of settings through a Line6 POD and good quality Altec near-field monitors, a Fender Blues Junior, and a solid state amp with a 15 inch speaker.

The AF120 had a noticeable dead spot all over the neck with F notes. It is not unusual for even high quality archtops to produce different note durations and you can hear this but you can also check it easily with greater accuracy by playing your guitar through the board and watching the VU meters. On the AF120, all F notes were short, with the note at the 3rd fret on the 4th string being nothing more than a low volume thud. This problem can sometimes be reduced by changing string types (round, ground, or flatwound) or gauges or using something like a FatFinger, but I did not try any of these possible solutions. I ended up thinking my disastisfaction with the AF120's sound was a combination of its shallow body depth, laminate construction, and the Super58s.

But this is where the story gets sweet. Sound is a personal thing, and Justin, the guitar's original owner, was left with only his solid body after selling me the AF120 and was really missing its jazz voice. Although I never met him and he lived halfway across the country, Justin and I were both Christians and we developed a nice friendship through email. Justin was able to buy the AF120 back after a few months. Maybe the real reason I did not like the sound was because the AF120 was supposed to be his guitar.

The action, construction, and finish on the AF120 were absolutely flawless! Nothing rattled, the bridge was perfectly contoured to the body (no foam tape under the bridge like on Hamers), and the action was lower than 4/64 of an inch at the 12th fret low E. The guitar was rock solid at staying in tune and the intonation was perfect on 3 of the 6 strings and only off by a cent or two on the balance, not an audible difference. Before I sold it back, I shopped for an expensive archtop and played the AF120 against the Hofner Jazzica and New President, several Gibsons including the ES-165 and ES-135, and the new Japanese D'Angelicos. Only the Hofners with their ebony fingerboards and hand-carved, asymetically profiled necks could come close to the smooth playability of the AF120's neck, fingerboard, and action. I actually like the AF120's shallow body depth though I hated its effect on tone and ended up buying a Jazzica which has a body that shrinks from 4 inches deep at the lower bout to the same depth as the AF120 at the upper bout.

Of note, the AF120 was not brown sunburst as shown for the 2002 model on Ibanez's website. It was a wine burst, what Gibson calls "Viceroy Brown," amber in the center fading to a very deep wine red at the sides, which I thought was much more attractive than the brown sunburst.

Since I only owned the AF120 for 5 months I can't comment on its long term durability. However I have no reason to suspect it would be much different from other budget archtops like the Epiphone Emperor Regent. Ibanez does seem to have devoted more attention to detail in construction than other makers who sell Korean manufactured archtops. Like many archtops, I think the AF120 comes with a neck strap button that you must install yourself if you choose to use a strap that does not wrap around the headstock. When I got it, the AF120 already had the upper strap button installed.

Ibanez provides more specifications on its website than all other guitar manufacturers with the possible exception of Fender. You can find part numbers and even pictures of most of the guitar's parts, however I understand you cannot buy replacement parts from Ibanez unless you are a dealer.

I got my first guitar in 1969 and took classical lessons from 1970 to 1973. Thanks to a school friend at the bus stop named Dave Pomeroy, now one of the most sought after bass players in Nashville, I played bass in bands in high school. In 1976 I bought a Les Paul and played in bands through 1979, but after graduating from college I went into the Navy and did not touch the guitar for 21 years, a big mistake. In 2000 I bought a strat on a whim and got back to seriously studying music and playing daily. Maybe it is just my "older" tastes, but the AF120 opened the door for me to playing jazz chord melody, which I find much more challenging and satisfying than the rock and blues I mostly played in the 70s. Duane Allman has been knocked off the pedestal he occupied with me for 30 years, replaced by Johnny Smith, Oscar Moore, and Martin Taylor! I am very thankful that there are budget archtops out there like the AF120, but my advice is to play a guitar before you buy it, both to hear the sound and see how the size, shape, and neck of the guitar affect playability for you. I know this can be tough to do, but based on my experience with eBay, you might be able to find a seller as nice as Justin who will let you try the guitar and send it back if you don't like it. If you are looking for a more traditional jazz sound in a cheap archtop I would recommend trying the Epiphone Zephyr or Emperor Regent, but you might like the AF120's brighter sound.