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Interesting new "Jazz" Semi by Ibanez. With a bone/brass nut, around 1300€ in Europe.
ASH300 | AS | HOLLOW BODIES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars
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01-15-2026 06:38 AM
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I really like the aesthetic. I wonder if it's really a semi, or actually fully hollow, like a 330. The description says "hollow," and it has a solid spruce top. $1800.
Last edited by Woody Sound; 01-15-2026 at 11:19 AM.
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nice!!!!
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ooh, that's a really good looking guitar.
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I love the aesthetic too. They demo it a bit in this Andertons vid @ 30:12, but only wide open on vol and tone so it sounds really bright.
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Much better tone demo at the end of this video, 13:11
Sounds real nice!
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Sweetwater page says it's fully hollow: Ibanez Artstar ASH300 @ Sweetwater.com
Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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Yep, at around 6 lbs it's definately fully hollow. Very tempting !
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Now that is a lot of guitar for a relatively low price! Very tempting...
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Love the look of that! That said, I always love the look of 335 type guitars, but I never end up keeping them for long. This would get P90s if I bought it.
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This guitar will appeal to many of us. But both demos appear to show sample with maple top and full-glossy finish, unlike the photo, which shows a spruce top and a more antique-type finish enhancing the wood grains. Gear4Music claim to have one for 1,739€, while Thomann promises 1,455€ but 15 weeks from now. I'm sure the tone will be great. Super 58s just are... an axiom.
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JNC in his video clearly stated that it was semi hollow. (Somewhere around the 11 minute mark?) Possibly there are two variations or maybe a support block like the Eastman Romeo’s. No stoptail piece but that bridge looks like it is sitting with posts screwed into inserts. If it were fully hollow would they not have named it a AFHxxx? Originally Posted by Gitterbug
Last edited by EastwoodMike; 01-15-2026 at 06:24 PM.
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The bridge here is not floating. It has to be sunk into something - if it is like PRS, there is a small block connecting the top and back, making it 'semi' despite the moniker. I have seen a few builds where there is very thick brace on the top, allowing for Bigbsy or ABR non floating, but not actually touching or bonded with the back, keeping it fully hollow.
That last demo sounded nice. If they made this in a natural color, I would be on it in a second. Cool new release.
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That's how an ES-330 is built. Possibly like this. Originally Posted by Rodney Gene
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Good point. The 330 parallel braces is not what I had in mind, but who knows. It requires more work and the price here doesn't really seem to match. But I can see CNC machine cut tops that leave wood in the top for the bridge. Some modern 330/335/hollow style builders use a full solid piece keeping it fully hollow. Josh Williams does that with the Montgomery. Basically the same approach as the 330 / 335 braces. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
That's how an ES-330 is built. Possibly like this.
Some Casinos used a block, some didn't.
Either way, Ibanez is an intelligent and tone conscious company. My favorite big brand by far, I expect this to be excellent.
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There are 2 new semis, the maple one is the baritone model. This one is spruce, probably pressed top.
It seems to be much cheaper around here (CH) and it seems to be in stock: Ibanez ASH300-TBC << E-Gitarre | Musik Produktiv
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Full Hollow vs Semi Hollow. from the Ibanez website directly : Originally Posted by Mick-7
The AF is the most traditional design within the Artcore series. The full-hollow body construction means there are no sound blocks in the body. This construction method produces a rich, complex tone, expressed with a pure voice and full body, the tonal characteristics most highly desired among the discerning Jazz player.
And
The AS is a semi-acoustic guitar built to tackle just about any genre of music you throw at it. The pickups are mounted directly to the center block for increased sustain and feedback elimination.
I live in hope though- looks and sounds really nice. I like the binding choice too.
Remember when Fender had the custom built Stradivarius Tele? An attempt at a F-hole floating tailpiece (semi?) hollow but with a nod to violin construction detail? This has a little bit of that vibe going on.
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Not sure, it's much higher priced than the other AS models and it's specs are pretty similar to them. Originally Posted by EastwoodMike
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PS - ICBW, but I believe they used this for both the 330 and the 335. Of course in the 335, they secure the block to that thin top brace. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
That's how an ES-330 is built. Possibly like this.
Last edited by Woody Sound; 01-16-2026 at 10:33 AM.
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Actually I don't need another guitar, but this one I must is a hard one to resist... sigh
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Although the light weight suggests it's fully hollow, we won't be able to know if there's some kind of sound post until someone actually takes a look under the hood..
I don't think a small piece of wood making contact between top and back changes the sound a lot.
This design with a solid top is quite unique.
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It depends on the size, shape, location and material. Connecting the top to the back will always dampen the top, sometimes for the better with certain builds, sometimes not. In some cases a block increases sustain, but darkens the tone. From a players point of view, the change can likely be felt more than heard when amplified and would seem to be more significant if one were going from one to the other, back to back so to speak. Myself, I'd like to see more fully hollow thin body guitars. Originally Posted by Jx30510
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I've ordered one from Sweetwater and will report back.
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looking forward to reading abt your impressions trailmixer.
as for construction... really?? it's semihollow... AS series, specs have been posted several times, what is the confusion?!
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Great! A Guinea P.., er.... tester! Originally Posted by trailmixer
Seriously, looking forward to reading your impressions. I know SW is pretty generous about returns.
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