A lot of guitar for the money

By John Young from Severna Park, MD on 2/21/2011 11:35:31 PM

I've always wanted a Gibson ES-335, but I can't justify the cost. I've been playing for 30 years and I've actually gigged before, but I just play for fun. So when I tried this Ibanez AS73, I decided to give it a try. This has a very smooth action and it sounds great. I actually tried it alongside an ES-335 at a large store, and from a playability standpoint, I could see a difference. If you play rock and blues, try a set of Ernie Ball hybrids (9's and 10's), and adjust the truss rod to eliminate any buzz. Ibanez gives you the entire service manual on their website, outlining the adjustment procedure, but after I set the fret relief to specs, I did a little more by ear, and it plays like lightening. The finish on the cream-colored model (mine), which seems to have a plastic clear-coat, is super durable, and the pickups are decent also. All in all, a great jazz/blues/rock axe, and well worth the money! No wonder I see so many Ibanez guitars on stage at O.C.