2619 versus AR300

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Author Message   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 8:15 am:    I got a 79 2619 (antique violin) today - serial A79.... I just had to post something about it. I love it even though it has bad buckle rash and some chips and dings here and there. It is still a great guitar though. Maybe I'll restore it. I am amazed at the tone and feel of this guitar compared to my other Artists. I compared it to my AR350 which is an AR300 with trem. I reckon I prefer the 2619 in a number of ways: - Better sounding to my ears in all pickup settings and way better sounding in the single coil setting. - Much lighter due to the thinner body. - Better access to higher frets. - Nice original perloid tuners. I think it is a keeper. I might sell off a couple of the AR models now. This thing really is a cool guitar. I love the Super 80s sound - more than the Super 58s I think. The single coil setting is actually really distinct (kind of like a Satriani sound) on this guitar - must be the Super 80s. The brass nut helps I think. Anyone know why Ibanez moved away from this thinner body design to the later AR design? I really reckon the earlier design feels better to play now that I have tried both. I know it's probably been covered before but what do others think about about the 2619 compared to the later ARs?   Michaelkaufman Username: Michaelkaufman Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 10:05 am:    I prefer the thin vs. thick ("fatty") AR's. mk   Craigjc Username: Craigjc Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 - 1:07 pm:    This has probably been covered before as well, but how do the necks compare? Is the 2619 a thinner profile neck?   Pictish Username: Pictish Registered: 5-2007 Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 4:50 am:    For my '77 2619: Likes: The flexibility of the tri-sounds. The smooth neck to body joint. The feel of the neck - especially the ebony fretboard. Dislikes: The flexibility of the tri-sounds (I'm forever ••••••• about with all the combinations). It's neck heavy. Did the thicker body on the AR300 fix the neck-heaviness? It's the only thing that bugs me with this guitar.   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 8:41 am:    Pictish: Besides the thicker body, they pulled the neck into the body more, both contributed to fixing the neck heavy effect. Here's some side-by-side pictures of my 2618 and AR305:   Michaelkaufman Username: Michaelkaufman Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 10:11 am:    Johns: nice side-by-side comparison - good job! Interestingly, my 2680 Weir was heavy and neck heavy. My early '80 AR500 is not. It's lighter and doesn't have a heavy neck. The AR500 has the same thin/neck design as the 2618 above and really qualifies as a 70's guitar with its build and Super 80's pups. We've also mentioned that the 80's neck joint was stronger. The 70's/80's really are quite different. Don't forget the Super 80's vs. Super 58's and the difference in trisound options: phase reversal vs. parallel humbucker. The obvious answer is to own both. mk   Emckenrick Username: Emckenrick Registered: 10-2001 Posted on Friday, November 02, 2007 - 10:52 am:    "The obvious answer is to own both" which I do....but my 2619 is my #1...   Pictish Username: Pictish Registered: 5-2007 Posted on Monday, November 05, 2007 - 3:40 am:    Thanks Johns, those pics explain a lot. When I'm swapping between guitars it always takes me a while to adjust to playing the 2619. That extra bit of reach required has the effect of me standing on tiptoe on my right foot. I need to work on my posture because the guitar sounds too good to put down.   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 5:04 am:    Hey Johns - great photos! Thanks. My 2619 is lighter than my post 80 ARs but I haven't tried playing the 2619 with a strap on yet so can't say if it is neck heavy. From the photos, I bet that it is. I have a 2681 also and it is really neck heavy and the guitar itself is heavy. I actually don't enjoy playing it as it feels so awkward, but love the Super 80's sound, so the 2619 is a good guitar for me....and the tri-sounds have three so much more distinctive sounds than the post 80 models. In answer to craigjc's question, the neck on my 2619 "feels" slightly thicker than my ARs, but they look about the same size. Maybe I'll measure it.   Fox Username: Fox Registered: 2-2003 Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 7:12 pm:    Michael, what comes to the "smooth heel" neck joint, there is one feature that makes it strong, although the neck-body joint is relatively short. If you take a close look, you'll see, that on the both sides of joint there is a round hardwood dowel inserted in a slight angle to "lock" the neck into place. Btw. the lacquer crack that is present in nearly every 26xx Artist is mainly caused by different shrinking of mahogany body and maple neck..not the movement of the neck joint itself.

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