Ibanez AS73

Chinese made (2001) semi-hollow body electric. Black satin finish.

No name tuners and pick-ups.

2 pickups, and a volume and tone control for each.

This guitar sounds ok acoustically. Plugged in, it sounds warm. The pickups are very quiet, and sound decent.

This is my first electric, and I mostly play classical, fingerstyle and soft rock. This guitar suits all of these pretty well. It seems to be able to go from a nice soft tone to an overdriven tone quite easily.

All in all, I quite like the sounds that this guitar can produce.

Action, fit and finish were all good. Could not find any blemishes, or flaws.

This guitar is built superbly. It will definitely withstand live playing.

I do not gig, and if I did, I would use a backup, no matter what.

Never had to deal with customer support.

This is my first electric guitar. I have played others, though - and this is the one I liked the best of the lot.

Other than this guitar, I own 2 acoustics.

If this guitar was lost or stolen, I would buy the same model again.

nice tuners that really keep the axe in tune, pickup switch feels more solid than the one on my gison custom shop. volume knobs are super comfortable and are perfect for doing volume swells.

I'm a jazzer who plays with a clean sound. I've used it with my polytone mini brute II and my fender deville 2x12 and it gets a great jazz sound out of both. it definitely could pass for a much more expensive guitar it doesn't sound like a cheap entry level axe.

nut needed to be sanded down a little bit when I put 12's on it. I thought it needed a fret job, but then I got it set up and it played _perfectly_ and it did not need a fret job. pick up position needed to be adjusted, but thats a preference thing, not a flaw.

I bought this b/c I needed something inexpensive to take to jazz gigs where I didn't like bringing my $2000 custom shop gibson, as I have had some incidents where drunks have tried to play that guitar. I've yet to bring a backup. this seems like it is rugged and will last a long time. as indicated above, the hardware seems extremely solid like it could withstand a lot of wear and tear. for the $280 I paid, this is perfect for an experienced veteran looking for something inexpensive, or a young player who wants their first semi hollow. I expect this axe to last a long time.

I've been playing about 17 years, besides the above mentioned gibson full holow body, I have also have a strat. in some ways I really like the neck on this axe - it is much more narrow than my gibson, so my hand doesn't have to stretch as much before and after playing. of course, my gibson has 13's and I have 12's on the ibanez which is a contributing factor as well.

The only thing I would consider changing is where the pickup switch is - perhaps where the switch goes on a gibson rather than near the volume knob.

I did compare this to other semi hollows in this price range but this one seemed to be of the highest quality and the least like an entry level axe.

Classic sunburst look on my model, though a wine red is available. Made in China, bought through Regent Guitars, a Warwickshire company in the UK. 335 copy in its conception, but has the extra advantage the output jack is not on the belly, but conveniently on the side. Although it has 335 look, it is different, and vastly preferable, with a nice "horn" shape to the cutaways, less rounded than the 335s. 22 frets are all I need. P/ups are Ibanez own, bridge/neck arrangement, and 3-way switch, vol/tone control for each p/up. Set-in neck makes guitar feel like "one instrument" rather than a bit of wood with a neck bolted on! Own tuners, good, keep the thing in tune.

I play latin, jazz and some rock (not that good at the latter!), and use it for gigs but also in church where I lead a worship band. Needed a good jazz guitar that could do open string playing well, and this stands up pretty well. Two Ibanez pickups, both good sounding. Contrast not always that great, but I love the sound made by the middle position on the switch (good for jazz sound with an "edge" to it, and also for playing Latin jazz). Neck p/u with tone pulled down to 6-7 is lovely jazz sound on this guitar. I play through a Roland Cube with no effects or pedals and really enjoy the fantastic straight sound I grt. The sound has really improved since I bought it.

Came with D'Addario 10s on - kept them on to see how the instrument settled - wasn't disappointed. Will move to 11s next change, but the 10s feel good. Set up was first class. The engineers at the shop I got them checked it over before shipping to me, and they did a great job. Early buzz on the frets disappeared in a couple of weeks as guitar settled. The finish is beautiful - mates have commented really favourably, and the weighting and action are first class. Nothing has broken so far, though I am keeping an eye on the pots as others have commented they are not always that durable. And then the frets! Fantastic, smooth and quick, an almost perfect neck for the player. Others have commented on the speed of the neck - I can only agree.

Great for live playing, and the finish seems pretty bombproof. In fact, the downright toughness of this instrument is a major plus. I usually gig with the 73 and a lovely Samick acoustic (also great for jazz). I wouldn't think of taking a back up for the 73. It feels reliable.

Don't know about warranty - but I know where the dealer lives and can corner him in an hour.

I have been playing non-professionally since I was 15 - over 30 years now, have always played jazz on acoustics, and with a folk background, have relied on a succession of Yamaha and Samick acoustics. The AS73 is my first semi - I saw a couple of UK jazz guitarists using this and loved the sound. It has a sweet and open sound for Latin that I have never really heard except on a 335 - I can play Metheny-type "liquid" lines as well as more grungy Ry Cooder rootsy stuff with equal ease. Never tried really murdering the thing with metal, though I am told it does this as well. The competitors for me were the Yamaha SA500 (headpiece too heavy, sound a bit dark, though fantastic looks) and the Washburn HB35 335 copy (more expensive). For under ??220 this has been a fantastic buy, addictive in the extreme, and I would replace it tomorrow if it got stolen.

Semi Hollow 335 style guitar. Two Humbers Neck and bridge. Two tone and volume knobs. 3 way toggle switch. two pice stop tail bridge. It's a 335 copy!

I put new pickups in it, so before this I say a 6. With the new pickups a 10. I put a Seymor duncan (SD) Jazz neck SH-2N (or something like that, i forget the model number) in the neck, and a SD scream'n deamon' in the bridge. I don't really use middle positions to much on toggle switchs, so the contrast between the two is awesome. I get Mellow amazing jazz tone, and crazy in your face metal, in the same guitar. So with the new pickups a strong 10.

Action is great if it is adjusted properly. The guitar is made extremley well

Have had no problems so far and don't expect any. 10.

?

Get it setup real nice, and put new pick ups in it and I promise you will love it. I do. I can't decide now between my PRS or the 73 (which to play on stage that is). Amazing deal for the money.

Bought new on ebay, dark red, with all stock features you can read on the other reviews. Made in China. Have it for a month now.

Sounds very good, stock pickups looks good to me. Real Hollow body sound. Can play very clean or very dirty if you wish. Surpringly good soud for the price paid. Sounds better than an Epiphone dot to me.

The guitar arrive perfectly set up...surprising from an ebay purchase. I adjust the neck and the bridge for personnal taste, but it was playable perfectly when it arrived. The quality of the finish looks a lot more expensive than what the price is. All the hardware looks first class, feel solid and respond perfectly...hope it will continue this way.

This guitar is perfect to gig. ( I did it and it resond like a $2000 guitar. The hardware seems it will last. The finish will stay nice as long as you take care, like any other guitar I presume. You can certainly depend on it, but no guitarist taht gig should take any chance to work without a backup. For instence, this Ibanez is my backup..Lolll

Never have to deal with Ibanez, no warranty, because was bought on ebay from USA dealer and I'm leaving in Canada...so I don't care...

I'm playing for over 40 years, in band over 35 years, giging regularely. My main axe is a Fender american stratocaster, and this Ibanez is the back up,but serve in 15 to 20% of the songs. Amp is a Fender Stage 1600 and both guitars suit with it pretty well, We are playing Classic rock. This Ibanez was a very good surprise to me. I tought I would hang it in my studio and play it a few times, but it really serve me well for more works. I would certainly buy another one if it get stolen. For the price/quality ratio, I don't think you could expect a better guitar in this category. I shopped a lot and I'm happy with my decision to choose that AS73. I would recommended it to anybody.

Set-In Mahogany Neck
Bound Rosewood Finger Board
Laminated Maple top/sides/back Body
22 frets
Tun-o-matic Style Bridge
ACH1 Neck, and ACH2 Bridge Humbucker Pickups
Chrome Hardware
Transparent Cherry Finish

Overall I like the sounds I get from this Guitar. I was thinking about new pickups until I took some time to adjust them up and down and now I am satisfied with the tone I'm getting. I believe it is very versitle.

I find the action, fit and finish great. I have had many nice complements on its appearance. I havn't found any flaws and have had it for 9 months. Some have said the neck is set to high. It wasn't until about a month ago that I noticed that it's not that the neck is set high it is that the body and neck together create a sort of shallow v shape that wraps the guitar around you. At least that's how it appears to me.

I don't play out but I do practice/play every day. All in all it seems solid.

Haven't needed it.

Been playing for about 4 years. Have a Ibanez acoustic, Squire Strat and a SX LP Junior. I have no regrets about buying this guitar. I tried out a few others such as a epiphone dot and a samick RL1 a Peavey JF-1 and a Washburn HB32. I just like the way this felt and played better.

Basic brown tone body. Bought used in excellent condition. Stock pickups, tuners and everything.

I traded/sold this for another import, a Danelctro Convertable. The latter guitar could be a collector's guitar in 30 years, but I just didn't enjoy playing it. I have 3 other "vintage" guitars, to include one Ibanez, Shredder, Tele, Hamer. I don't have any hollow bodies and I expect this to suffice. I believe it has not only met my expectations, but exceeded it. Having dealt with cheaper imports (3 total) before and selling them, I was expecting to sell if disappointed.

I am amazed that the bridge is solid and intonation perfect. I made one neck adjustment, whereas I always play with lowest string setting allowed by God. Volume and tone pots work amazingly fluidly. I'm not a big neck position player. I use 11 guage and I am ready to upgrade to 12.

Most of the guitar seems reliably solid. Due to the fact that it is made in China, I believe that something fatally could go wrong if the guitar is neglected for some odd reason.

No warrenty, bought on Ebay.

This guitar, I think, is a keeper. It looks wonderful and plays well. I play through about 6 boxes and 4 racks, so the pick ups taper off a bit; and I may put quality ones in. But the originals have a certain beauty of its own. I compensate with either a clean boost or GE 7. All of the great 60s and 70s rock classics can be reproduced with this guitar. The feedback response is flawless. I can't compare it to the original because I have always been a student of other classic guitars. But the rosewood neck feels all right and the action smooth.

Part of the Ibanez Artcore, made in China, series. This AS-73 was purchased new in March 2006. Deep burgundy finish, nice wood graining visible, rosewood neck, gold hardware. Attractive cream-colored binding along neck, body, and inside f-holes. Two Ibanez humbuckers and standard tone and volume controls for each. No pickguard, I had a 3-ply black one installed professionally. Basically, this is an entry-level 335-type guitar. The lack of a pick guard is a bit disappointing.

335-type guitars are versatile for pretty much any type of music (blues, country, rock, jazz). These standard pick ups, in my view, are a bit muddy or bland sounding (lacking in definition and clarity) -- but they are fine for this price range. The Ibanez AF103, 105, and other "upper end" Ibanez guitars have better pickups (Super 58s). Up-graded pick ups would greatly improve the character of this guitar. Through a Polytone Mini Brute, with neck pick up, this Ibanez produces a nice sound for jazz (warm and smooth). Through a tube amp (Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with upgraded speaker and tubes), using other pick up seetings, the guitar can crank out good tone for rock and blues (especially with a Tube Screamer or similar effect for a gritty sound). Don't be fooled by the low price, this is a fine instrument. This guitar is incredibly quiet. Ibanez Artcore guitars aren't perfect 10s, but they are above average (esp for the price).

As most Ibanez guitars I've had and played, the set up and quality are spectacular. Neck is easy to play: straight and fast, great finish on frets. The detailing is wonderful and surprising for a guitar in this price range. Workmanship on Ibanez guitars often puts high-priced American axes to shame. Straight off the hanger in the store, this thing was ready to play. I merely put on new strings and gigged that night.

Very solid. Hardware tight, excellent finish (no flaws), very dependable.

So far, no need of repairs, only had an after-market pick guard installed. Standard Ibanez warranty.

Been playing for 40+ years. Now in a jazz ensemble and a classic rock band. This has been a great substitute for high-priced 335 guitars. Only negative would be the pick ups. They are OK, but an up grade is needed. Compared to the Washburn "335" (made in Indonesia and $600) this Ibanez was far superior in every way. The AS73 is smallish, light, and fits comfortably. Simply put, the guitar is easy to play. I have Ric 360/12 and an American Strat. Have had an Ibanez AS120 (1990s Korean-made 335 type), Ibanez AF75 (hollow body akin to a 175), Gibson L5 (a work of art but costly). If this were lost or stolen I'd probably try something new (not that I don't like this guitar--it's an incredible bargain for the price). I'd probably try the new AF103 Ibanez (blonde 335 style with Super 58 pickups).

Everybody else has already filled-in all the details. I'll just add that I bought the Brown Sunburst because it looks so good. I love sunburst finishes, but this one is gorgeous! Stock pickups are great-sounding and compete favorably with most aftermarket p/u's, but I replaced mine with a pair of Jason Lollar P-90 black dog-ears because I love P-90's and his are the best on this planet. Because of the string spacing on the neck of this guitar, I had to have the bridge pickup modified slightly. With the black color and funky dog-ear shape, the guitar now looks better than it did before and sounds like a $10,000.00 semi-hollow archtop from the golden age of jazz and the blues. (Sounds great for rock and hard rock, too.)My only criticism of the standard equipment is the tuners. They're weak, so I had mine replaced. Parts and labor came to $50.00. Now she stays in tune. If it weren't for that, I'd rate this category a 10.

Rock, hard rock, blues, flamenco, jazz and folk plus my own compositions which feature all of the above. My main amp is a Marshall JCM600 with EL34 tubes. I use various pedals, but now with my new Jason Lollar P-90 pickups, I hardly use anything because the guitar, amp and pickups sound so fine together. (See my review of the Jason Lollar P-90 pickups at harmonycentral.com. They really are the best P-90's in the world!) P-90's are often noisy, but in the absence of neon lights and if not played within three feet of the amp, these are nice and quiet. The sound varies significantly according to amp setting and picking style. With a clean setting and a light picking style using a thin pick, the guitar sounds angelic--it reminds me of an acoustic guitar amplified. It's wonderful for delicate picking and strumming. But use a heavier pick and hit it hard and this baby rocks! On the distortion channel, she has lots of bite, bark and authority. If you have an amp with different tubes than EL34's, you'll get a different tone. I played it through a Crate Red Rocker with 6L6's in the store and it sounded fat and smoky, like bacon grease in a Mississippi juke joint. Love that, too! The only thing I disliked about the stock pickups was they just sounded like nice, well-rounded humbuckers; well-behaved and lady-like, but without any significant character of their own. With the P-90's, this girl's got attitude--she can purr, she can pout, she can rip and bite. I'm giving it a 9 with stock pickups and a 10 or 11 with Lollar P-90's.

Action is very good. I read the review by the guy who complained that the neck on his is half an inch high at the joint and wondered what he's been smoking. Mine is maybe a quarter of an inch, if that. But then, semi-hollowbody archtops are supposed to be higher than solidbody flattops, so he should have done the math before he wrote the review. The neck plays very fast. I play some of my best rock leads on this neck. I've also got a Charvel Journeyman and Gibson Les Paul Classic. This one's faster than the Les Paul, but just a touch slower than the Journeyman. That's amazing since Charvel's are among the fastest guitars on the planet! Action is very good for my style.
No complaints at all!

I've been playing this guitar for a year and a half. It has been utterly dependable the whole time. Finish holds up well, although if you bang it, the wood dents or scratches. I've got a couple dings on mine and am trying to be more careful. I often gig with this guitar. It's also my practice guitar of choice and I use it for songwriting and recording as well. Very dependable. I've never had any problem with the strap buttons, but should replace them with straplock units just because that's always the best idea.

Never needed it. That says something very good about Ibanez right there.

I've been playing since I was 12 or 13. Now I'm 54. As mentioned, I also own a Charvel Journeyman and Gibson Les Paul Classic. Both are wonderful guitars, but this one's my favorite to play. I'd buy this one again in a heartbeat if anything happened to it. I'd immediately put Jason Lollar P-90 pickups on it because nothing else gives me this sound. I can hear my guitar breathing with them! The only thing I would like to change, but can't is the weight. It's not a heavy guitar, but since it has the solid wood anti-feedback block inside, it's heavier than say an Epiphone Casino. Still, it doesn't feedback like an Epiphone Casino, so there you are. Having said that, it's not nearly as heavy as my Les Paul. I've never weighed it, but would guess it's halfway between my other two guitars. My favorite features are it's looks, playability and sound. I can rip on this neck, the Brown Sunburst finish looks as tasty as butter and maple syrup on golden brown pancakes the binding and shape of the f-holes look just plain sexy. After playing it, I hang it on the stand and just admire the guitar for its sculptural beauty before turning off the light and heading to bed. You can buy these new online for $239.00. I paid $240.00 for mine and it's a better guitar in every way than the $2,000.00 Gibson ES-335 except one: The Classic '57 pickups on the Gibson are darker and badder. However, you can easily mount '57's on this one or Lollar Imperial Humbuckers or P-90's like I did. This is a phenomenal guitar! Buy one!

The finish is a nice transparent cherry. Double cutaway semi-hollow body along the lines of a Gibson 335. Two humbuckers (ACH1 & ACH2)and pretty standard control setup... 2 vol, 2 tone, 3 way switch. It has a set mahogany neck, bound rosewood fretboard with pearl dot inlays and 22 large frets, a maple body, and chrome hardware. Case was not included, but Ibanez does make a case for these that costs about $70 new.

I play heavy rock along the lines of the Melvins, Queens of the Stone Age, and Sabbath. I play tuned down a full step through a Soldano HR50 and Soldano 4x12 cab w/ 75 watt Eminence speakers and no effects. This guitar sounds great through the Soldano. It's not noisy and gets great sustain. The bridge pickup produces a great distorted tone with a good bite that's not too brittle. The neck pickup gives a nice smooth tone with a good amount of lows without being muddy. When I bought it, I thought I'd possibly need to upgrade the pickups, but as it turned out, the stock PUs sound just fine. Being a semi-hollow body, it get's great, controllable feedback with ease.

The set up was good. I normally set up my guitars when I get them, but I didn't need to do a thing to this one. Even after dropping it down a full step, the intonation stayed true without any adjustments. The frets feel great, the action is nice, and everything feels solid. The finish and binding are perfect. The tuners keep it in tune pretty well even though I do a ton of bending and play pretty hard. The 3 way switch gets a good amount of work and has held up wonderfully. The only thing I would (and will) change is the nut. I've hade no problems from the stock nut, but I think it's the one thing that could stand for an upgrade on these guitars.

I bought it to be a backup for my Travis Bean Artist, but I will sometimes start out a set with the Ibanez and just stick with it for the rest of the show. It's been played at several shows with no problems. Like I said, the hardware and finish seem remarkably solid, especially for a guitar with such a small price tag. I move A LOT when I'm playing, so I wouldn't play any guitar without some kind of strap locks. This guitar has been extremely dependable so far.

Haven't had any problems with the guitar, so I've had no reason to contact them.

I've been playing, touring, recording, etc for 15 years. I needed a backu for my Travis Bean, so I looked at several different guitars... Gibson SG faded, Epi G400, Epi Dot, Casino. I saw the body of the AS73, picked it up, played it, and it immediately blew the others away. I couldn't believe it when I realized it was an Ibanez. Even more shocking was the super low price tag. I don't like taking the Travis Bean on the road, as it's near impossible to replace, and may actually get another one of these Ibanez in another finish for when we're touring. I would encourage any one looking into a good sounding, solid, cheap guitar for any purpose to try one of these.