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Hi everyone!
I got a chance to buy a pre-used AS103 for about 500 bucks, it's got this beautiful custom map design on it. Then there's a new AS153, which is a 1000 bucks. Does anyone have any experience with either of these guitars? Is it worth paying double for the AS153?
Thanks in advance!
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07-01-2018 09:18 AM
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Well, I have both in natural and for the most part I can say they're nearly equal in just about every respect in terms of top/back/side and pickguard wood selection, playability and sound.
They really only differ in some of the woods used. The 153 has ebony FB and mahogany/maple/mahogany neck while the 103 has rosewood FB and maple/maple/maple with dark wood strips separators, and the 153 also has the "tri sound" switch. The 153 was / is available in a few more (IMO) elegant color variations (notably the blue burst and darker natural amber) than the 103.
Is the 153 worth double? It depends much on whether you like the little uplifts of the 153's materials, electronics and colors. You can't go wrong with either.
PS, the 103 with the map is pretty rare, and rather desirable.
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Can only say that I love my 153. I did change the neck Pu to a Seth Lover.
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Little update: here's what the seller responded when I asked about the black hardware:
"Hello,Tuner, Pickups, Bridge and the stop tailpiece were exchanged. Original its all in gold, here on the guitar everything is in black.
The guitar has grover Tuner, Tonerider Humbucker, a Schaller Bridge and a Gotoh stop tailpiece.
Best regards"
What do you guys think? Is it still worth it, or can it even be considered an upgrade?
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The AS103EE is from a very limited run of Ibanez AS103S... Ibanez decided to give a VERY high end spec'ed guitar to a company in China... the company met the spec nicely. These are fancier than the normal run of AS103s because they used spalted or burled maple laminates, wood knobs, wood pickguard, flamed maple bindings everywhere. The tuners were a sort of Velve tuner copy (nice as can be) and the bridge had individual micro tuners. They only made 240 of them. 60 in blonde spalted maple, 60 in blonde burled maple, 60 in dark stain buried maplel and 60 in dark stain spalted maple. I've owed 4 blonde burls, one blonde spalted and one dark stain burl... They're pretty hard to find.
Then along came a run of the AS103EE's and AF103EE's in blonde and dark stain burl and spalted maple... These were only in Japan and Europe with the exception of a few shops in Alaska and Montana having been offered them. I got my first spaltie from a shop in Montana (he also had the AF103's).
Now this guitar for $500 is a decent deal. Too bad the guitar got all modded, but grover tuners are nice, don't know about those pickups (sorry) and changing that micro tune bridge seems dumb... BUT you have a good core instrument of lovely wood and you COULD spend $240.00 on a set of Gold Seth Lover 4 wires and do other cosmetic changes as your budget allows... If it was stock and $500.00 I would try to find it and steal it out from under you... The spalties are tough as hell to find. Even with that EE map on it...
As for comparing it to the AS153, never had one. Also a great guitar. One thing that amazes me on all these AS103's is the fret work... doggone they're nice...
Good luck deciding...
Big
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Thanks so much for the great reply! I'm a bit bummed about all of the modifications too now, after reading what you said. I'm gonna ask a little more about the pickups. My budget is around €1000, so I wouldn't be going for the 103 simply because it's cheaper. The design just spoke to me and after hearing your legendary tale it spoke to me even more. I'm just gonna let it all sink in for a while.
Heck, maybe I'll even spring for a 1984 AS200 I saw for 1200 bucks!
Have a great one
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?
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lol
Fair warning, I’m a certified guitar enabler....
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Thanks very much, Michael, you sound like a great guy!
The pickups are a 60 dollar humbucker with relatively positive reputation and a 60 dollar P90 from the same brand (both made in USA). Nothing outstanding, but good enough. I love a guitar with a story and a personality, so I might be going for the 103!
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One of the AS103 burls had 57 Classic pickups in it and a new harness. I lost my Mom in 2016 and moved here to the Chicago area. I'm here a couple months and one of my buddies from the Ibanez Collector's World forum has his house burn down. This is a very active reggae player and music contributor, Tough Lion... Read the rest...
Play It Forward, or Hellfire Reggae
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Don’t think you’ll be unhappy with either. Solid nicely built guitars.
Originally Posted by CarlvGent
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Can any owners of the AS153 please describe the neck profile? Thx.
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Personally, I'd go with the 153 because of the ebony fingerboard. I've been looking at a new one but am not convinced I can live with the weight - it seems to be in LP territory. Not sure why a mostly hollow guitar has to weigh so much. Also the JSM10 could be a good choice for an extra $100 or so - you get a nicer looking peghead and the jack is on the top which I like.
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God-damn, that's a handsome ax. I don't normally go in for figured woods much, either. Sweet tones, too. Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
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My AS153 at 8 lbs. is 8 ounces lighter than my two 335's which are at 8 lb. 8 oz. As a matter of fact. It is also lighter than my 345, midtown custom and most of my full sized semis except the HRF which has a balsa block. Originally Posted by Skip Ellis
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Love my 2010 AS103NT, it's a great guitar. Resonates superbly and the notes really sing. Very well made. I believe fairly bright in overall character compared to many other semi-acoustics, but that suits me fine. Changed the pickups to a set from a UK maker, and the wiring/pots also have been upgraded - the stock pickups weren't at all bad to be honest, but I would say the stock wiring can definitely be improved. I'm sure the AS153's are excellent also.
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You can go with either of these guitars with no regrets. Ever. I had a 103 until it was stolen from me. That really hurt because of all the guitars I acquired while I worked for Ibanez, that one was one that embodied the best qualities of that AS line. It's a really classy instrument and I do like a rosewood fingerboard over ebony these days. It's a personal choice, mind you, but I find the resonant quality of rosewood boards to impart a more musical ring to a neck and the sometimes dubious quality of the present stocks of ebony in a world of dwindling ebony resources to be reason enough to steer me from the 153. A very personal choice in that though, and I'd never steer anyone from a choice to buy a 153. I've tried a 153 and yeah, I loved it; it felt great.
I will say that I've had quite a few Ibanez guitars and in each of them I've always changed the neck pickup to a Duncan. Always it's been an operation that has transformed that guitar from really remarkable to a well balanced warm voiced and clearly articulate professional instrument.
Not much help swaying you either way, I know. I will say that when those map guitars came out, I remember the feeling I had unboxing the first shipment. They were all absolutely unique and they went out of their way to pick the most stunning pieces of wood to showcase that very limited edition guitar. Had they not been such a limited edition, I would have snatched one up myself, but they all had claims in the retail world and they were quickly gone. It's an aesthetic consideration, whether you like that figure.
The artstar neck is a little more even across, a smooth sweep in the contour close to the AS200 that Scofield's guitar has. The 103 is also very comfortable but has a little more drop off after a flatter centre line; also well carved and comfortable.
Oh yeah, does that 103 have the original grey elephant skin case with it? I don't know what they were thinking on that one but I gotta love the funkiness of it!
Good luck with whatever you choose and please share your decision and photos with us.
David
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I decided to get the AS103 today, the experienced members on this forum had so much good to say about it and I just can't say no to a guitar with a story and a personality (I'd also looked at some Gretsch 5422 models, but decided against them because I can't see any of them truly becoming MY guitar.) The ebony fretwork of the AS153 was also very interesting, but in the end the 103 won me over.
Many thanks to all of the contributors to this thread! I'll be sure to post some pics when I get the guitar!
Have a great one.
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Congrats. Pics indeed! Originally Posted by CarlvGent
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It was a hard choice... Be sure to take some good outdoor shots so folks can really see the lovely woods...
Good choice. Like I said to you privately either is a good choice. You'll be very pleased.
Right now there is a lovely AF105bm in eBay France, very reasonable, replaced wiring, Duncan P Rail in the neck, Dirty Fingers in the bridge... A beauty... I have too many guitars but man it's calling out... No affiliation.
Ibanez Artcore AF-105 Hollow Body 2007 Dirty Fingers Seymour Duncan SHPR1 Flycas | eBay
The one thing about that limited run of AS103s and AF105s... they really hold their resale value.
Big
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The one in France looks beautiful. Love the dirty fingers pickup as well, I can see why this one is calling out to you. No wiring on the fourth knob, if I read that correctly? Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
Do you already have a 105 lying around, or not?
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I’m done buying for a while
Got more archtop than sense.
Big
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Ha! That's a good one. Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ
Thanks for brightening my day with that piece of well timed humour. Send pictures of YOUR next guitar.
David
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If I could find Hank Garlands early Byrdland with the Charlie Christian in the neck I’d go for it. Meanwhile I wanna play this instead Originally Posted by TruthHertz
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Sorry for the thread divert, but Big Mike, I'm just curious - as someone who I know has some really fantastic high end archtop guitars, how do you rate the humble Ibanez AF series in comparison?
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