AF105 vs. ??

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Author Message   Sabeking Username: Sabeking Registered: 6-2006 Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 7:54 pm:    I have an AF105 that has flat wound strings on it? I am looking to get a different sound out of it. The sound I get out of both my MIJ AS50's (V2 pickups), with flat wounds is rounder and can get more jazzy sounding than the AF105. So, is their something I can do to help the AF105? Also, how does a the AF105 sound compared to other full hollow body guitars Ibanez has made throughout the years? Please remember, I want a rounder and even less grunge (couldn't think of a better word) sound. Stacey   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 8:40 pm:    I think it's either the nature of the pickups or the age and material and/or gauge of the strings. The modern Custom Super 58's are ceramic and in fact totally different from the old Alnico Super 58's. Old strings loose top high and get less bright. Pure nickel, nickel plated steel and stainless steel all sound different, Thicker gauges give more output The distance between the strings and pole pieces matters too. The potmeters and the capacitors can be crucial for a warm jazzy sound. You could replace the tone capacitor of the neck tone pot by a .47 microfarad, like Gibson uses according to this website: http://www.1728.com/guitar.htm Mike (Ratfinks3) used a .047 microfarad orange drop cap on his AS80 and is very satisfied about the result. BTW, I believe there are two kinds of AF105. Which AF105 do you have? The one with two normal humbuckers or the one with one Johnny Smith style minihumbucker? Because that matters too of course. Ginger   Jastroem Username: Jastroem Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 3:45 am:    On my AF105F i did some pup testing. First i replaced the floating neck pickup with a (supposed to be) Kent Armstrong. This pickup was bought on ebay and it is designed by Kent Armstrong, but manufactured in Korea by SKY. Then i finally could order a hand wired Kent Armstrong by himself in UK, the pickup was actually wired by his son Aaron. I ordered the pickup with a complete set pup + cables + pots. All togehter £90 incl shipping. That really improved the sound of the guitar. The sound got much warmer, and the armstrong pickup has a higer output gain (as i can hear it). The armstrong pickup is some 12 mm thick, and the ibanez factory pickup 8 or 9 mm. I also tested the wooden bridge that came with the instrument, the sound really get's warmer/darker - but in someway i don't like it. However I just can't really get acquainted to that instrument and will sell it off soon. The AF105F with the handwired Kent Armstrong the "stock" Kent Armstrong and the Ibanez factory pup   Sabeking Username: Sabeking Registered: 6-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 8:50 am:    Ginger, thanks for the info. I have a two humbucker AF105. Jastroem, what's missing for you on your AF105 that makes you want to sell it? Stacey   Jastroem Username: Jastroem Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 9:13 am:    i can't really name what i miss on that guitar, perhaps words like depth, intense? but perhaps it's as simple as: it's not the right instrument for me. i bought in a shop very fast after have "falling in love at the first ear-eye-catch" and finally, after that i bought an older es-175 copy that i like much more, and i see no need for having the instrument just laying around here not being played. instruments must be played, at least more often than this one! joergen   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 11:50 am:    I've heard that from more top level bebop jazz guitarists. Somehow the normal fixed humbuckers give the best bebop sound. Floating pickups were designed for acoustic purists who hate to see pu holes in the top of their guitars. There's a market for both. Ginger   Talajuha Username: Talajuha Registered: 11-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 12:30 pm:    Has anyone tested several AF105's? Though they are factory made there could be differences. Or not??? Anybody tried adjusting distance between pups and strings? If the old Super 58's are so all mighty, why hasn't Ibanez ordered all guitars, that have humbuckers, furnished with them? Juha   Sabeking Username: Sabeking Registered: 6-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 1:25 pm:    That's a great question Juha (on the pups)... I haven't had the opportunity to play vintage full hollow body Ibanez, but am interested in one. How is the quality of construction differ on most older ones to the AF105?   Talajuha Username: Talajuha Registered: 11-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 4:59 pm:    ...old Super 58... should be ...alnico Super 58... Old are gone and lost for ever except on still existing old guitars. Juha   Sabeking Username: Sabeking Registered: 6-2006 Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 8:52 pm:    Ace, you have had all of the hollow body Ibanez guitars. How do you compare the AF105 to the Artcore United, and vintage full hollow body's? Talk more about construction than sound. I think sound is completely subjective. If you can talk about sound as far as what is gives as opposed to your personal preference, then that would be helpful. Stacey   Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 9-2003 Posted on Monday, March 26, 2007 - 12:56 am:    Hi Stacey, Ok, I'll try to compare my old AF105NT, my AG195, the Artcore United, and the FG100. The 105 is very well made that I'll give 9.5 to craftsmanship, but only 8.0 to material used. The most obvious is the machine heads and then the pickups are not the best. The biggest problem of the 105 is its finish, which makes the guitar pretty but does not give it the liveliness I look for in an acoustic. The AF195 is one small step above the 105 in terms of craftsmanship and I would give it a 9.8. It was flawless in built quality out of the box. The fit and finish is perfect that I could not find a flaw after spending half an hour looking for one. The neck is absolutely fantastic and the fret work approaches custom standards. The material is better also but the machine heads are the same sub-par units that don't belong. It has the same pretty but tonally deadening finish but the pickups and other hardwares are better. The twenty-five year-old FG100 is quite different. It was well made but unlike the 105 and the 195. you can see the mark of hand finish and the imperfection from it. I only give it a 9.0. The material is good but was dictated by its price-point. The best part is that it breaths, and vibrates. The bottom line is that the vintage FG100 was built to be sold for less than four digits in the eighties which I think is about two thousand plus in today's dollars, and it plays like one. The 105 and 195 are both bargains but if I were to build them, I would give them better hardware and more important, a hand finish that's more suitable for acoustics. But that will probably cost a lot more. If I were a handier person, I would take off the finish of the 105 and the 195 and give a lighter finish like the celloulus(?) finish found on older guitars or at least a thinner finish like the FG100's. I don't have my 105 and FG100 anymore but I still have my AG195 and AF195 and they both have Gotoh 510's and one of these days, I'm going to have them re-finished. Hope this helps. Ace   Jazzzbo Username: Jazzzbo Registered: 9-2005 Posted on Monday, March 26, 2007 - 7:26 pm:    I think there is something to the fact that older vintage guitars , age, mellow and do sound better over time, im convinced of this after playing and owning several old and newer Ibanez guitars i have owned, l5 copy, artist 2630 artcore as73 and others,, Stacey, if you can, you many want to find an older Ibanez jazz box and see if this is true, later, jazzzz

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