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For those of us curious of the recent Ibanez Jazzers
http://www.iguitarmag.com/magazine-e...300_reviewmp4/
Enjoy......
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05-02-2015 02:57 AM
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Good review. They look like good guitars, though a bit on the treble side, perhaps. It would be useful to hear them through a good jazz amp, and with a variety of settings of the neck pickup.
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I love Ibanez guitars!
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Very interesting guitars, looks and sounds wonderful.
And more important, You can afford to think in these guitars.
I wonder what happened to these if they showed a Gibson Logo in the headstock.
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so glad you put this up jazzbow. I have been frothing over this guitar for the last week. I have put a deposit down on the ss300. going out on a limb though, because I have purchased online. I hope it meets my expectations. :S
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You should be fine, Ibanez QC is fantastic and I'm sure there's a return policy if you dinnae like.
Originally Posted by Chappylovesjazz
BTW, how much did it cost?
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Yeah, I am pretty excited all the same �� it is selling for $1,540 AUD. it seems to retail for $1,300 USD in most places I have seen it, so it's about right.
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I thought Tom Q. played some nice stuff on the demos! (Okay, back to the guitars ...)
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Great review with some very nice playing indeed. The tone however doesn't make me run to the next shop and buy one. To be honest, I've expected a little livelier and woodier tone. Maybe the guitars are too new and would sound better after some playing.
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I bought one about 5 wks ago. Originally Posted by Chappylovesjazz
The only problem I had with it was a bit of fret sprout.
The guitar was made in Jan 15 which is the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
So I'm assuming the change in climate may have had something to do with it.
Sent it back and it was repaired so all is good.
The rest of the guitar is much better than I expected as I bought it sight unseen
as well. It seems bright but I still need to restring it with a heavier gauge.
The only thing that bothers me with it is that I would have preferred a tapered heel.
There is a Johnny Smith transcription I'm learning with a couple of voicings above the 12th fret and
a tapered heel would make for a little less pain in the thumb muscle.
But you adapt as you must to play it.
The other thing I really detest is that deco on the back of the headstock.
The one with the CE and triangle.
You see them on just about anything electrical and they don't belong on a musical instrument.
There is a solution that doesn't mark the guitar.
Apply a lick of saliva on the ball of your thumb and rub it out as you would with a pencil erasure.
Don't overdo the pressure as you may burn your thumb from the friction.
A simple repair and it looks so much better.
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Which shop in Aus??? Originally Posted by Chappylovesjazz
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The only thing that I don't like is the finish colors on this model. I do expect an artchtop should have a traditional color like these:
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Thanks ColMc. I was a bit perplexed as to why they put a stamp on the headstock. Sorry to hear about the fret busting out. I'm buying from icon music in NSW, falling leaves.
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They spend months in a container on a ship so some probably would have problems.
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Just to take the opportunity, not sure what these new 'lower model' versions are going for but I've just reduced my SJ500 to £799. Its basically brand new. Needs a set up but thats about it. Truss rod works perfectly, neck is good.
Pm me if interested. These models can be quite bright so the bigger version which this is, adds that lower end. it is also quite feedback resistant, more so than an Es-175.
Solid Top, Solid Back, Ebony Fretboard, 3piece neck and Nitro Cellulose Finish.
Last edited by Archie; 05-04-2015 at 12:06 PM.
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I had an SJ500 that was one of the nicest guitars that I had ever owned and like an idiot, I sold it. One of the dumbest things that I've ever done. I literally lost sleep over it until earlier this year when I was able to buy another. That is an awesome guitar. Then Ibanez released the SJ300, which is basically the same guitar with different cosmetics, so I had to buy one of those as well. Both are fantastic instruments.
Ibanez says that the top is solid, but makes no mention of the back being solid, so I assumed that it was laminate. When you look in both of these guitars, you can see the same grain as the back. Either the back is also solid, or they very carefully used the same sheet on both side of the laminate, which I doubt.
Just for comparison, I recently picked up the AF200 Prestige model, which is supposed to be their top of the line non-signature archtop. It IS outstanding, but I have to say that I like the SJ300 and SJ500 better.
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Nice price Rich, what is the lower bout width? the SS300 and SJ300 are currently going for £929/$1299.99
@djelley I have an AF200 and no way would I say the ss300 and sj300 are better but thats my opinion.
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The back is definitely solid. Originally Posted by djelley
I agree with para.
Lower bout is 16" T
Its basically a Gibson L4CES but wouldn't compare them for quality.
The Sj500 is nice. It's a solid guitar for the money and actually feels like a piece of wood which is good considering its from the Artcore Range. It wont set the world on fire but do any of the Chinese solid wood guitars?
Would rather have this though than anything else I can think of in that price range. IMO change the neck pup (although its not bad at all), get it set up and tweaked by a pro and its an extremely easy playing pleasant sounding archtop. The fit and finish is flawless although the frets need a touch of work and the finish is a little thick, although you could that taken down I guess.
It setter quality than the Guild stuff and sounds a little more standard compared to an Eastmen. Very practical too.Last edited by Archie; 05-04-2015 at 02:18 PM.
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The reason that I like the SJ300 (and SJ500) SLIGHTLY more is that they are solid and I prefer that to laminate. They both feel a lot more substantial. The workmanship on the AF200 is better, although not by a lot. The pickups are better on the AF200. I like the beefier necks on the SJ's more. Aesthetics on the SJ500 are best of all three IMO. The backs of the SJ's are both stunning, but the SJ300 is harder to see because of the dark finish. Originally Posted by Para
I love all three - why choose?
Last edited by djelley; 05-04-2015 at 04:42 PM.
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How do you compare this with other Gibson archtop and George Benson's models in term of the jazz tones?
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Thats a beauty! You own quite an array of guitars there too. Holy! Is that a new Am 205 or the 1982 version?
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Its the original early 80's series. I also have an 82 Artist 305 exactly the same model but solid :-) Originally Posted by Chappylovesjazz
@Falling_Leaves
I would compare it favourably to the GB range although i little brighter in tone due to the solid top as opposed to the Lam spruce of stay the GB-10.
In regards to Gibson, it doesn't have the more sophisticated tone of the L4 but then its not as dark sounding either.
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That's a good one! Great Sjl! Originally Posted by sjl
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I own the AK95-DVS which I like very much, but I tried the SJ300 last spring when I was looking for a DV Mark amp and saw the guitar hanging in the shop. Didn't know this model, but to me, being only a beginner trying to learn some jazz, it sounded great and I find it a stunningly beautiful guitar. Since two month's I own the DV Mark Jazz 12 amp, which adds to my AK95 a great jazz tone, great ampflifier. Imagine hearing the SJ300 through this amp. I envy those of you who own the 300 or 500.
Greetings to you all.
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Yeah very nice guitars those they should do a lighter coloured one too, Originally Posted by M-ster
but ...... who's that guy Tom Q ???
Is that 'Stella' at the top till 1.48
maan that country boy can plaay like he's ringin a bell !
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