The bound, all-maple full hollowbody provides tight resonance without feedback, perfect for that muted jazz tone and fully flexible for everything from alt rock to pounding punk. The mahogany set neck with bound rosewood fretboard is a delight to the digits. An ACH-ST humbucker at the neck and ACH-ST at the bridge provide a beefy, quiet signal with pronounced mids.
Case sold separately.
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SPECIFICATIONSArtcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar
Bound, all-maple full hollowbodyMahogany set neck
Rosewood fretboard
22 frets
ACH-ST humbuckers
Master Volume/Tone
3-way pickup toggle
Tune-o-matic bridge on floating base
Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage
Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.
Gold Coverage Includes:
Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidityOther plan features include:
For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details
Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.
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I really tried to find a reason NOT to like this guitar, but honestly, I couldn't find one, that's how great the AF-55 is!This is a working guitarist's instrument!
The feel, fit and finish is perfect.
The body depth and shape is perfect.
It can be modified into an awesome guitar.
Having said that, nothing really needs modified. I replaced the bridge with a solid, compensated rosewood bridge.
The plain, stained tobacco finish is beautiful (in my opinion). Internet pictures don't do it justice, seriously!
I have NEVER EVER played a new Ibanez guitar that had a twisted neck.
This guitar sounds perfect when played through a Henriksen Jazz amp 110.
I am proud of this guitar, regardless of the negative statements that guitar-snobs have to say about it. After all, it's all about the fingers, right?
I'm never getting rid of mine, unless I lose the ability to play.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.I like the Dot looks and the antique brown flat finish. It's more than just a stuffy looking hollowbody. And with the tone the pickups produce, it can do more than just jazz. I simply don't put this guitar down unless I'm reaching for an acoustic.
The Artcore series from Ibanez is their traditional full-hollow electric series with two f holes on an all maple artchtop and arched back. It has a bound mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard and simple pearl dot markers on the fretboard and the side of the neck. There are 22 smooth frets. The neck heal is carved quite sharply so that there's very little heal to interfere with your hand going up the neck. The headstock is black with an easy access truss rod plate that swings open without have to unscrew it.I had a hard time finding the dimensions, so I'm going to include them here: 11 3/4" upper bout width, 10" waist width, 16" lower bout width, 20" body length, and 2 3/4" body depth. The neck dimensions were very thorough on the Ibanez site: 24.75" scale, 43mm nut, and 57mm at the last fret.This guitar has an Antique Brown flat finish and the binding is more of a creme to match the finish. A bright white would have stood out too much. The f holes have no binding. They're stained black. The hardware is all silver. The Ibanez website says gold. It's not. I think the other AF guitars may be gold.They also show the controls wrong on the Ibanez website. They have them in the wrong order. It has three controls: a volume close to the bridge, a three way pickup toggle, and then a tone control the farthest down on the body. It's like an Epiphone Dot of the archtop world. The two pickups are Ibanez's ACH-ST Humbucking Ceramic pickups. They describe them as "Moderate output ACH pickups, Clean sounding with a rich harmonics." They don't have covers which seems to fit with the spartan Dot look. The electronics are a consistent black theme.The tailpiece is very simple looking and easy to string. The bridge is a Tune-o-matic on floating base. It's Ibanez's ART-1. I'm not sure about the wood, but it's fully adjustable and very easy to get the correct intonation.I give it a 10 for execution. Yes, it is not full featured like other archtops, but for a Dot instrument, it is fantastic. Some people will miss the other volume and tone controls. I like it that way. Less fuss, easier to use. Heck, even some top of the line jazz guitars (Gibson ES 165) have this setup. Some people may not like that the truss rod plate swings open on a hinge. I find it convenient.
I was surprised at how well the AF 55 is constructed. I fully expected some finish flaws or maybe some fit issues. The frets are smooth, there were no rattles or buzzes.
It was also extremely ease to setup. It came very close to perfect intonation from the factory. I had to remove some protective material on the pickups and under the bridge and make two simple minor adjustments on the low E and A bridge to get perfect intonation. The action was just right and the neck is straight.
What a deal. I got the Custom Guitar's Friend pricing less a special holiday discount. This guitar well exceeded my expectations for the price. Thanks, MF for offering it at this price and Ibanez for providing a quality, good featured jazzbox.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.I love the Ibanez AF55. I took my time picking it out. I searched and searched and kept coming back to this one. Nobody else makes such a solid, minimalist guitar, let alone at this price! Pick one up before they're discontinued.
Just the basics, and that's what I was looking for. Not interested in a fancy tailpiece, Bigsby, extraneous controls, or pickguard. I wanted something versatile: plays and sounds good unplugged, and is up for kicking a bit of arse when plugged in. This baby fits the bill: lean, clean, and a bit mean.
Felt and sounded pretty good out of the box from the factory.Took it to my luthier and he made it sing. When I picked it up he said, "That's an awesome guitar!" Coming from a guy looks at guitars all day, this assured me that I made a good choice. Plugged it in at his shop for the first time and was surprised at how much gain I can throw at it without feedback.
Outstanding value. I like it better than the rest of the AF series because of how simple and bare bones it is. It's not trying to be something it's not: it is what it is.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.I cannot see how they get this level of value. OK Gibsons may be better for sound and quality. But for not a lot this is astonishing value. My daughters partner is chuffed and won't leave the guitar alone.
This guitar is a genuine bargain. Got it with my daughter as a christmas present for her partner who is into Jazz bigtime. For the money the quality is astonishing. The retro look is very well accomplished. Pickups are very nice..but very typically jazz. Relatively laidback and the same pickups as lots of other dearer artcores. I put on flats for him as he likes ealy jazz.
Really very good quality. Maybe not finished like a Gibson, but not far off. Although you only get a single volume knob and a couple of tone knobs. It feels beautiful in the hands and is VERY playable. Frets and fretboard finished nicely. Nothing to get in your way. I think it looks lovely.
For not a lot over money I think this is a mad bargain. How do they do it? Not heavy because it is a FULL hollowbody. No hum though and that is quite a feat. Bravo Ibanez. The finish is great and surprised me with the quality. How do they keep the price so low? Weird!
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.Even with the disappointment of the machine head problem, I was so pleased with the guitar I would not send it back for warranty. If warranty had not replaced the loose machine heads, I would have purchased new one and installed them myself.
I am a Happy Camper!
Controls are simple but effective.
Had some issues with three of the machine heads but Ibanez replaced them. Guitar was ready to go straight out of the box. The action and intonation was so close I have not changed them.
The sound from this axe is what I would expect from a more expensive model.
Feels good, plays well and sounds great.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.A whole lot of guitar for the price and better quality than lower end models from competing brands. Arrived well set up with nice low action and no sharp fret ends. Doesn't have a lot of flash and bling but personally I like the flat tobacco finish and plain hardware. The tuners have to go and I plan on replacing them soon! Good tone and sounds good unplugged. It is a little on the HEAVY side for a full hollow body, even heavier than some semi-hollow bodies!
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.This guitar is great for the price. I've had it a few weeks now, and it's beginning to open up a bit now. Right out of the box this guitar exudes attitude. The simple, straightfoward, look of a guitar with minimal featres and finish always seem to catch a person's eye. Still, the fretboard is bound, and the frets have no sharp edges. The shorter scale & 20 frets might turn some off, but if you need more frets for what you're playing then this is not the guitar you want...Ibanez has better shredders anyway. Personally, I think the inside of the f-holes should have been at least finished in the same hue as the binding. But beyond looks the AF-55 has a good feel & sound. The naked 'buckers will pretty much provide the crunch or sizzle that you want, but the hollow body will give it it's own tone. I played everything from jazz, to country, to funk, to rock, to blues, & even tried some punk and metal. As you'd expect, it excels in jazz as well as country, and with a bit of effects can lay down some nice blues tones. Not so much in the other genres, but again, that's not what you buy this guitar for. One thing I WILL change soon, is the tuners. The gear ratio isn't what I'd like on it, & they're not locking tuners. The D & G tuners on my guitar are particularly sloppy...and no, it's not loose tuners. Tuners are an inexpensive solution, & as I'll eventually have my guitar guy set this up for me, I'll get some tuners for him to replace as well.
All in all, a GREAT value, & I'm glad I snatched one up. I think you would be too.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.LOOK IT DOES NOT HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF BLING...but if you want honest tone, some true grit and balls to the walls....this is for you.
I have been playing for oh so long...and my first guitar ever was a 1964 GIBSON ES 125 TDC with the old 'dog ear' P90s...that was a thin bodied fully hollow guitar. The AF55 is fully hollow as well but is about an inch and a half deeper...and it makes the difference. I am fed up with solid body guitars with their cold, brittle sound and their lack of chord articulation. I have come home to the sound I started with long ago. If you happen to be a "shredder" this may not be for you...but if you play mostly with soul, heart and pure emotion...then this is for you....now it ain't fancy schmancy...but who cares....
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.I love it, I really do. Hardly a professional guitar, but there is no point in spending four times as much for a hobbyist like myself. This is my first guitar, only had it for two weeks. So keep in mind that I don't really know much at the moment.
It is obvious that the price point was achieved by skimping on unimportant things. Note the lack of a pick guard, and use of a simple floating tailpiece. On close inspection, other cost saving measures become apparent. Plastic is used extensively, the neck edges, nut and inlays. The truss rod cover is also plastic, and distressingly thin. Volume and tone knobs are clear plastic with a black and white pattern on the inside. Switch has a plastic piece screwed onto it. Discovered this after it unthreaded and came off in my hands. Threads are plastic acting on metal threads, probably won't last long.
Cheap black paint is used to line the sound holes. A rather disgusting finish can be found in the hole for the truss rod and very bottom of the neck, behind the pickup. Not that many people look there.
The neck, back and sides of the body have a very weird feeling finish, almost like plastic. Back of the headstock has a different weird texture, partially black painted.
Not sure what the tuner knobs are made out of, but it feels cold, looks chromed and does not attract a magnet. I would not expect Austenitic stainless in this application, so I think it is a cheap metal with a chrome finish. Frets are chromed, but not cold or magnetic. Not sure what material they are, but hey don't seem to be wearing in any way.
Again, I love it. This is a cheap guitar for hobbyists like me.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
.If you are looking for a simple, low-cost jazz box, this guitar will fit the bill. It's a great option for someone new to playing or, like myself, simply playing in a living room for fun. Not a touring guitar, in my opinion, but I don't think that's it's purpose. So far I'm very pleased with my purchase.
This is a really pared down hollow-body guitar, so features are purposely limited. That said, its got everything you need to come up with some nice tones. Binding is a nice touch, too, for such a low price.
I have been pleased with the quality, though there is something that rattles when I play certain notes. It's not fret buzz, so I figure there are wires in the guitar that are bouncing around when specific frequencies are played. It doesn't come through the amp, so I'm good with it. For the price, it's a decent quality guitar. If it matters to you, the guitar is made in China.
The price point for this guitar is great, especially compared to other hollow-bodies out there. This is really one of best selling points, actually.
Ibanez Artcore AF55 Hollow-Body Electric Guitar Flat Tobacco
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