Ibanez AFC151 Contemporary Archtop

**rolijen** · 05-15-2018, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by woofcyn

Hello,

I recently purchased the Ibanez AFC 151 and encountered the same problem: the bridge does not fit the body of the archtop and has a gap.

It looks like you custom fitted a new ebony bridge but kept the original saddle. How did you do it? Alternatively, how do I reshape the current bridge, if possible?

Thank you for your assistance.

Here’s how you do it:

if you’re really careful and steady, you can do this without a jig. Good luck!

Roli

**Biggreg** · 07-17-2018, 08:41 PM

I'm new to this. But I think I may have got it down. So here's a couple of pics of my new AFC151. The Red never seems to come out it pictures as it looks in real time, but here they are. I will say if you thinking about one; don't hesitate they're great. Also, I was checking out the forum here and I read where folks were saying that the bridge was not properly seated on the body. So I check mine and I noticed that it has a new style bridge that has a small cut-out in the center and the outer portion of the bridge sits on two feet with no contact in the middle. I think Ibanez might have heard the complaints and replaced the "straight thru" bridge with this new type. It seems to work fine. I love the tone.

Thanks for posting back at me!

Attached Images

**Biggreg** · 07-18-2018, 09:13 AM

Hello, I just received my Ibanez AFC151 yesterday, and I love it. After reading your post on the bridge-I deceided to check mine out. I found my bridge has a cut-out center and bridge rest on 2 feet on either end of the bridge. I not sure how this affect the over-all sound of the guitar; but I love the sound right out of the box. Maybe Ibanez has heard the complaints about the bridge not fitting flush with the body and has tried this new style to correct the problem. I have to assume that the guitar I received is a later build than the ones with the straight thru bridge. Enjoy.

**DRS** · 07-18-2018, 09:47 AM

The colour is either coral or Pepto-Bismol but I like it.

**rolijen** · 07-18-2018, 10:48 AM

The bridge that came on mine originally was the two-footed type just like yours. Unfortunately, the technician who installed the bridge did not match it to the curve of the guitar's top. Thus, the treble side had a 2-3mm gap on the inboard side of the foot. It was a total fail. Not only that, but they had ground the wood down to the point where the bottom of the metal bridge post was exposed. Since there was not enough material left, I could not fix it. So I fit a new bridge and everything turned out ok.

I'm sure the production line is doing better quality work now that this model is fairly well established. I ordered mine the first day they were available so it may have been one of the first ones they produced.

**Gitterbug** · 07-18-2018, 04:42 PM

I tested a red single-PU sample extensively, because it was so stylish, well finished and appealing in all respects. Had the opportunity to play it through several amps and against other Ibanez jazz boxes. Just could not find the mellow, dark jazz voice I was after. Cheaper Super 58 equipped Ibanezes (and I gig with an AFJ-91 a lot) did deliver. I'm sure that a different pickup would make this beauty a dream machine.

**rolijen** · 07-21-2018, 05:59 PM

I’m waiting for the first brave soul to route the top for a full size humbucker. If you think about it, with its laminate construction and volume and tone pots mounted in the body, the AFC151 is just begging for an inset humbucker. A nice ebony trim ring would make it gorgeous.

**rio** · 07-22-2018, 12:01 AM

If I still had mine I would have been willing to try that. I was also just about to put in an Armstrong floating PAF to see how it would sound and I bet it would have been good (much bigger than the mini humbucker floaters) but then I sold the guitar to a student. Not because I didn’t like it - it was a great guitar - but because she seemed to really connect with it.

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**JCat** · 07-22-2018, 06:19 AM

I've played the AFC151 (single floating neck PU). It had a very strong acoustic projection, loud, clear and cutting. Awesome. Amped tone was good, warmth without mud, using standard amp jazz setting. Finish appeared somewhat plastic, especially the "AFC wood" tailpiece cover (that surely can't be wood?).
It appears like bright red is the only color available on the single PU model. A statement! Jazz is hip, nothing for grumpy old men.

**JCat** · 07-22-2018, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by rolijen

Not only that, but they had ground the wood down to the point where the bottom of the metal bridge post was exposed. Since there was not enough material left, I could not fix it. So I fit a new bridge and everything turned out ok.

I'm sure the production line is doing better quality work now that this model is fairly well established. I ordered mine the first day they were available so it may have been one of the first ones they produced.

The one I played had a two-feet ebony base. Good contact. Please explain the problem if the bridge post hole is drilled all the way through/ or the base is sanded so that the posts become visible. -Could the post damage the top when the bridge is lowered? (The post itself turns, not just the thumbwheel?) -What about fixing the post to the base with a drop of glue? (Or filling the hole with some wood dust mixed with glue?)

**jazzimprov** · 07-22-2018, 06:46 PM

Hmmm Ibanez says there has been no changes to the bridge...

still ///plays great but needs minor setup

**ZedThou** · 01-27-2019, 05:39 PM

I just picked up the black version - an AFC125. Is there a trick to removing the tailpiece cover? I'm putting a lot of pressure on it, trying to slide it backwards, but it's not budging.

**rolijen** · 01-28-2019, 02:09 PM

I don’t think it comes off easily. There are screws attaching the cover to the metal tailpiece underneath.

**deacon Mark** · 01-28-2019, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by rolijen

Here’s how you do it:

if you’re really careful and steady, you can do this without a jig. Good luck!

Roli

I don't use a jig for this but probably makes sense that it would be a bit quicker. I suppose I could fashion one from the looks of it Stew-Mac is always a bit pricey but at times they are the only game in town for some items.

**mr. beaumont** · 01-28-2019, 03:49 PM

I'm not much for red guitars, but this is an exception. Ibanez hit a real home run with this one, from a design standpoint.

I'm guessing they sound good too.

**Gitterbug** · 01-28-2019, 03:53 PM

Sorry I haven't read all the comments, so I may be repeating some. Several months ago, I had an opportunity to test this guitar against a host of other Ibanezes. The design and the color are very appealing. Playability as well. The less expensive matte violin burst is classy, too. However, I found the mini-humbucker very thin and trebly, compared to the Super 58s of the other models. I posted these remarks on some Ibanez-sponsored pages, and they were never published.

**ESCC** · 01-28-2019, 03:59 PM

If Ibanez offered this guitar with a set Super 58, I'd be interested.

**Adam C.** · 08-16-2020, 03:04 PM

Got mine a month back or so for a trade. I really like the playability of the neck, the sound of the floating pickup is really good for the price and the design is very attractive. The one thing I didn't like was the gold hardware. I changed the bridge to a tune-o-matic Gotoh one, for a more precise intonation, the tuning keys also from Gotoh matching the color of the bridge and then spray painted all the gold hardware and the pickup to a matt black. I think it turned out great!

**Rob MacKillop** · 08-16-2020, 03:26 PM

Better, I'd say. Well done.

**jazzimprov** · 08-16-2020, 05:01 PM

Yes , far better! ..giving me ideas now.....

**rolijen** · 08-16-2020, 05:24 PM

Looks nice blacked out like this. The red color just does not photograph well. Those who’ve seen this guitar finish in person know it’s stunningly beautiful. I wish I still had mine. By now, I certainly would have routed the top and installed a Seth Lover.

**marno** · 07-11-2022, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by rolijen

I don’t think it comes off easily. There are screws attaching the cover to the metal tailpiece underneath.

Hello everyone! A new owner of an AFC151 here, very happy with the guitar - it looks gorgeous and plays exacly how I imagined it would.
Even though this thread is very old, I thought I'd try to say hi and ask for advice -
The first thing I wanted to do with my guitar was to change strings. The ones it came with are probably the original ones it was shipped with 6 years ago (it's an ex-display model, I was lucky to find it). I have no idea though how it can be done without removing all strings at once and lifting the tailpiece. I wanted to be clever and change them one by one, so that the bridge doesn't move (took me a while to intonate it correctly), but with the black plastic cover on, there's no easy access to the tailpiece.

Did anyone find a way to remove the cover without having to detach all strings and lifting the tailpiece? Is it even possible - the previous poster mentioned it was attached with screws?

Any help will be much appreciated!

**JohanAbrandt** · 07-11-2022, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by marno

Hello everyone! A new owner of an AFC151 here, very happy with the guitar - it looks gorgeous and plays exacly how I imagined it would.
Even though this thread is very old, I thought I'd try to say hi and ask for advice -
The first thing I wanted to do with my guitar was to change strings. The ones it came with are probably the original ones it was shipped with 6 years ago (it's an ex-display model, I was lucky to find it). I have no idea though how it can be done without removing all strings at once and lifting the tailpiece. I wanted to be clever and change them one by one, so that the bridge doesn't move (took me a while to intonate it correctly), but with the black plastic cover on, there's no easy access to the tailpiece.

Did anyone find a way to remove the cover without having to detach all strings and lifting the tailpiece? Is it even possible - the previous poster mentioned it was attached with screws?

Any help will be much appreciated!

There is usually a way to hook the ball end of the strings from below on archtop tailpieces, doesnt that work?

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**marno** · 07-11-2022, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by JohanAbrandt

There is usually a way to hook the ball end of the strings from below on archtop tailpieces, doesnt that work?

Skickat från min iPad med Tapatalk

The gap between the tailpiece and the top of the guitar is quite narrow, so I don't even see the metal part of the tailpiece, that's why I'm a bit reluctant to try fitting the strings blindly, as I don't want to scratch the lacquer. I wrote to Ibanez support in the UK asking for their advice and waiting for a reply... Will certainly share here what they tell me, but in the meantime, if someone found a solution too, I'd be interested to learn. Cheers.

**jazzkritter** · 07-11-2022, 06:54 AM

FWIW I know the tailpiece to body gap is tight, but ive never had a problem by using the tip of my index/pointer finger. Hold the ball so it’s on the tip of your finger start sliding the ball from the neck side of the tailpiece and it will slip into the indent as you move it towards the end pin side of the tailpiece. (Dunno if that made sense)))
Works on both an AF151 and a AG95.
Good luck!
jk