LOVING my AS-73!!! who else has artc...

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Author Message Benito1300 Username: Benito1300 Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 3:51 pm:    I just picked up a lovely transparent red AS-73 from my longtime guitar dealer who just started carrying ibanez stuff. i was a little suspicious at the price tag and the stigma of being 'made in china', but these worries were quickly killed when i gave the 73 a test run... this thing is unbe-freakin'-lievable for the price!!! It's my first ibanez, seeing that i only associated the company with cheesy hair metal shredding and pointy headstocks until i saw omar rodriguez-lopez of the mars volta sporting his custom made AX live. right now i'm just stupefied by how this thing plays and sounds. i just played it in church this morning and my buddy (granted, he doesn't have a huge wealth of knowledge in the area of guitars of any sort), couldn't believe that the thing was only 300 bucks. back about four or five years ago, i stupidly spent 600 some bucks on a mexican '70s reissue strat with a neck that can barely handle the strain of .11's and a sound thinner than lindsey lohan compared to this beast. now i know that i don't have to go broke for a sweet guitar. forget gibson, fender, and all those overpriced, elitist BS brands. for what i do, this thing rules. if anybody else been wowed by the artcore line or has any comments regarding anything related, i'd love to hear it. -ben Joevocht Username: Joevocht Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 5:07 pm:    Ben; I too recently purchased a new Ibanez AF75D after missing the Hollowbody feel since I also recently traded my Ibanez Joe Pass for a reissue Gibson 335 (which I love for the incredible tones),but...once youve played a great hollowbody, nothing, even the 335 compares to the warmth both of the playing and the feeling you get when you play something in the jazz vein. Congrats on your purchase, I don't know how the Chinese did it, but they did it!!! These 'artcorps' will go down in history as some of the finest, easy playable, guitars out there. Zismaer Username: Zismaer Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 5:23 pm:    I feel the same about my Artcore AK 85. Man, I really love this guitar. I often give HER a kiss in the neck when nobody's looking I've also been suspicious because of the price, but now I see that when you pay $1000 for a gutar, you pay mostly for that "made in USA" sign. I have a friend, older and experienced gutarist, who is playing a very expensive custom made strat, but he often asks me to borrow him my Ibanez for a gig. But, still I would like to change tuners and pickups, eventually. But, what is most important, wood and craftmanship is very good, and those things can't be replaced easily, while everything else does. Enjoy your guitar Stugotts Username: Stugotts Registered: 07-2005 Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 8:09 pm:    Hey Benito1300, I am having a love affair for sure. I bought an AF85VLS in July. I have been playing for a living for 50 years and I feel like a kid with a new toy. I have not changed a thing, I am happy with it just the way it is ! I play through a "63" Fender Twin Reverb, with Chrome 11s and get a fat jazz tone. Stu Benito1300 Username: Benito1300 Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 9:44 pm:    totally with ya, stu. i MIGHT add a bigsby to my 73, but as far as pickups, tuners, etc., i'm leaving it stock. i do more rock/experimental stuff, but it's cool to have the versatility of jazzish tone. i play through a fender hot rod deluxe with d'addario 11s... sooooo nice! i can get big muff distortion without much feedback or get smooth, fat cleans without compromise. thank you china! Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 10:38 pm:    Benito I have an AF85 and I love it. And soon to have a AF105NT. The Artcores are decent guitars for the money. Craigjc Username: Craigjc Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Monday, September 26, 2005 - 7:44 am:    My recently purchased AF75D is quickly becoming one of my favorite guitars ever!! I love the neck. Looks great, sounds great. I changed the magnets in the stock pickups to Alnico 2 and they sound even better. Rewired the guitar with master vol/tone and remaining 2 controls used for humbucker/single coil switching. I did all this because that's what I do to 2 humbucker guitars - it was still a great guitar without modifications. Best bang for the buck in current production (the Epiphones aren't even close competition). I've thought about adding a Bigsby, too, but they're more than half the price of the guitar. If anyone hears about Ibanez selling their Bigsby-style units, let me know. Pearly_gator Username: Pearly_gator Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Monday, September 26, 2005 - 10:49 pm:    Hey there, Ben! Cool to hear about your AS73. I played my '03 AS73 Blueburst at church this weekend, too. I dig it for both rock and jazz but I did swap the PUPs out for for alnicos. Funny thing, like a fine wine it just gets better with age. Check out the slide on "You Can't Catch Me". Yep, that's my AS73. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=186836 The AS73 gave me GAS for hollow body tone so I also got an AG75. I still need an AFS75T and an AF75TOR to round out my "collection." PG Benito1300 Username: Benito1300 Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 - 9:53 am:    Nice, PG! i've never actually seen a blueburst 73 in person, but they look pretty amazing in the pictures i've witnessed. in your opinion, what are the benefits of switching to alnico pickups? i've read alot about this on different threads, so i'm wondering why you personally made the switch. also, what amp and effects are you using for that sweeeeeeeeet slide work? just curious. -ben Pearly_gator Username: Pearly_gator Registered: 09-2005 Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 - 1:40 pm:    The pickups that I installed are Shaller Golden Age 50's from StewMac. They just give that classic 335 tone to the AS73 - jazzy neck and sweeter highs in the bridge. The stock Artcore bridge was too heavy in the midrange tones to me because it's overwound to around 18K ohms; That's not PAF territory. While in there I did a Gibson 50's tone control wiring mod. My AS73 can even twang real good. The plastic nut was replaced with a bone nut which may have affected slide tone, I dunno. "You Can't Catch Me" was recorded with a homemade copper slide -> AS73 -> Boss SD1 -> Marshall MG15DFX (dialed clean) -> AKG stereo condenser mic -> sound card. I dialed in just a little short delay on the Marshall. Later, Gator

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