"Hi Everybody!" and 2004 AR300 questi...

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Author Message Anindrew Username: Anindrew Registered: 10-2004 Posted on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 4:24 pm:    Hi everybody! I just found ICW today and had to register. I don't know how I missed this place until now! Anyway, I've been playing for a little over four years on a 2000 AX120BK. It's the best $300 guitar you can get, IMNSHO. I promised myself not to buy a second electric until I had been playing for 5 years. That's still several months away. I did that so that my skills would be up to par enough to deserve a nicer guitar. Self discipline, ya know. I played an AR250 a year ago and liked it very much. The upper fret access was world's better than the AX120's because of the set-neck. The pickups in it are the same as my AX120 (AH-1 and AH-2), but looked a little different, and sounded a bit smoother. Once I saw the new 2004 AR300, I knew it would be my next guitar! The product release announcement on HC said it has the AR Prestige neck on it. Is that true? The neck appears to be the same one that is on the AR3000 Prestige. If I could get the AR3000 for $1000 USD or less, I'd buy it. The AR300 for about $600 USD seems like an incredible deal. Does anyone have the new AR300? What do you think of it? Unless Ibanez releases more AR models before May/June 2005, the AR300 will be my next guitar. Thank you in advance to anyone who replies. :-) Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 7:27 pm:    I have the new AR3000 and that is the only one with a Prestige neck. Bluepill Username: Bluepill Registered: 07-2004 Posted on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 11:08 pm:    hey anindrew i have the new 2004 ar300, and have done some write ups on it if you search for "2004 ar300" on this site, you should find them! id say the ar300 is a great deal, i own a couple of 80's artist and id say this guy stands up to em....infact if your planning on gigging with it, youll find it alot easier on the old back. a few things to note before buying one - make sure the neck is straight (mine was twisted) and alot of ar300's i played had the same problem. - as a result of the twisted neck, i had a problem with string tension (over tight and hard to bend to the octave), however when the neck was straightened (shop i bought it at) these issues were fixed - note that the super 58's are not the same as the ar3000 model (korean not japanese), they seem to have a lower output. however when cranked they hold together very well..so thats all opinion really. - the ar300 does not have the prestige neck!! i was a little dissapointed because i too read they had the prestige neck...the neck heel on the ar300 is huge, but i have grown used to it, and you can always get a luthier to sand the neck heel if its a real problem. - the ar300 is a long guitar. the neck heel (where fret meets cutaway) is alot further out than my ar305..im presumming the ar300 is not really an ar reissue, but a 2618 (i think) re-issue. it took me a while to relize this so i guess its not that bad! but all in all the guitar is beyond great!! in autralia the ar3000 sells for around $4500 (rediculous when you can put an old ar500 for less!) and i got my ar300 for $970! i gig with it as my main guitar, and trust me it cops a hiding..yet it still stays in tune, and the neck is like a rock!! (as a good set neck should) the finish is awsome, i never liked honey sunburst guitars before i got mine..i was looking for a black one, but the ar200bi is like playing a graphite tennis racket (my opinion of course). all the craftsmanship is really good too, i cant find a flaw in mine so.... the only thing i would change now would be the pickups, but so far the cleaner output works well in my band. oh and i also colored the inlay on the headstock in black...being the only plain white thing on the whole guitar it stuck out like dogs balls...i guess the other thing is that everyone who plays it loves it!! i hope this helps...let us all know how you go? Anindrew Username: Anindrew Registered: 10-2004 Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 9:42 am:    Hi Bluepill! Thank you very much for your reply. That was very helpful and answered quite a few of my questions/concerns about the AR300. Even if the AR300's neck heel is huge, I'm sure it's still better than the giant, bolt-on block my 2000 AX120 has (note that the 2001 and newer AX120s have a better neck pocket). I played an AR250 from last year. The neck pocket on it seemed nice to me. I'd imagine the AR300's is similar or slightly larger. I can live with that pretty easy. I don't know how picky I am with pickups. I like a smooth AND articulate sound. I play a lot of clean jazzy stuff with some FX. I also play a lot of hard rock and very little metal. I'm not one to haphazardly change pickups. I get really nice sounds out of my AH-1 and AH-2. I've heard that the Super 58s are currently Ibanez's best. I'll probably like them! You colored over the inlay in the headstock! Wow...that's just something I wouldn't do. To each their own. I've not heard the phrase "cops a hiding." Is that an Australian expression? What does that mean? I'll guess it means "it gets noticed" or "receives a lot of respect and attention." I'm in the US, and trust me, we have plenty of odd expressions. Again, thanks for the reply! You've been very helpful! Bluepill Username: Bluepill Registered: 07-2004 Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2004 - 7:00 pm:    hi anindrew sounds like the ar300 will suit you very well! especially if you play clean alot, i forgot to mention those 58 pickups are awsome for jazz & blues!! (my band is sort of fuzz rock - queens of the stone age stuff, but i play all styles at home) and the neck heel is only "huge" compared to my other artist, not a bolt neck.....so im probably over exaduration a bit "cops a hiding" refers to how hard i play it!!! i dont mean smashing it or anything (and shame to those people who abuse their instruments. just i bend the hell out of the strings, and when playing live i really have a heavy strumming hand....and well the other guitarist in the band has a bolt on neck maton mastersound, and that puppy is constantly going out of tune. so good luck with the artist bro, its a good choice, and im loving mine the longer i have it!! ps - dont be talked into buying the ar250 by some salesman, even if he gives you an old stock/cheaper deal. the ar300 kicks its ••• in every way!!

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