Ibanez Family Tree - Ibanez AF120, Ibanez AF200, Ibanez GB200

[chasranney]

I've owned an AF120 for almost a decade. Mine was also made in 1998. It's a well made guitar and I like it very much. It is completely original (but for strings).

This guitar has a thicker top than my Eastman AR403 and I'd say its sound is brighter than the Eastman. That said, with 2 onboard pickups, 2 onboard tone controls, and the amp tone controls, it's easy to get a very nice tone.

The Ibanez's nut width is probably 1 11/16". The neck neck is on the thin side but that has given me no problem whatsoever. I only notice it when I switch between the Ibanez and the Eastman - which has a thicker neck.

Let me know if you have any specific questions. I think you can email me via this forum if you like.

Good luck!

[Archie]

Reviving this old(ish) thread to ask something.

I have found an (Artstar) AF120 on sale nearby, made in 1998, Korean;

was wondering if it's worth it as an upgrade to my (Artcore) AJK85 made in 2012, China.

I know that the biggest difference is the Super 58s vs the Artcore ACH humbuckers
and perhaps the neck profile? I can see from the pictures that the neck in the Artstar is one piece maple where at my Artcore is three piece, but I am not sure if they share the same neck profile? In any case, from what I read online, people say they like the neck of the AF120.

I can negotiate the price to 500 Euros - vs 300 Euros I paid for my Artcore- including hard case (original)

note: I'm a newbie to jazz, I play classical...

any comments much appreciated, thanks

(edit: I cannot test the guitar as it is nearly a two-hour drive from where I live. There is a possibility to meet halfway for the handover, but obviously I won't have the opportunity to test it amplified)

In reality, the AF-120 is a bottom of the range guitar. I would say it's on par with, or lower quality, than the average Artcore but they are incredibly easy to play and sound bloody good.
They have some what of a cult following and in spite of their flaws and cheapness, I think they're great.
I never bonded with Artcores but would happily play an AF120.
500 EUR sounds about right.
The neck on the Artstar is 2 piece but doesn't matter. The profile is thin.
I don't think it would be a step up from your Artcore, more of a shuffle sideways but you might prefer having done so.

[jazzkritter]

Here’s a few things to consider. Given its a Korean build it’s probably a nice guitar. It’s an Artstar, not an Artcore according to the wiki below. Artcores were and are the cheaper, Artstars (should) have the ‘Artstar fret edge treatment’ tho In ‘98 I don’t know. 1998 saw only four Artstar hollows: AF 120, 207, 200 and 220. Only the 120 was a Korea build, the rest were MIJ. As to pickups there is almost no way to know what Super58 is installed except you can clearly hear the difference between the true MIJ 58 and any others. A very astute Ibanez dealer said they treat the 58’s like a state secret. Of course all you have to do is scope out parts costs and the MIJs are $$$. Or play it)
I’ve seen some very odd ‘woods’ in Artcores, but not in Artstars.
Good luck and hope it works out for you!
jk
(AF200, PM200, LGB300, AF95FM, AF151, AG95). (Too many!)

Here’s the Ibanez wiki page on the 98 AF120: AF120 | Ibanez Wiki | Fandom

Some text:
The AF series is a line of hollow body electric guitars produced for Hoshino Gakki and sold under the Ibanez brand. The AF body type is a full-size, full-hollow, electric guitar body with a single Venetian cutaway. The AF body was introduced for 1988 as a replacement for the earlier FG series models. The initial AF model was the flagship AF200. The AF line has been in production consistently since 1988 with a variety of variations.

[pingu]

my Af120 is my main gigging guitar
it is quite easy to play and sounds good
(I’ve half stuffed it with foam)

I practice at home on an Af81
the neck is (slightly) bigger and
for me , slightly more difficult to play
so if I can play a thing at home
its gonna be ok on the gig ....

PS
mine is the older narrow headstock af120 which (i believe) has the older super 50 pickups

[Grigoris]

thanks for your replies,

I'm a bit baffled by your comment ArchtopHeaven that the AF120 is a bottom of the range guitar, yet you seem to say that you prefer it to the average Artcore Ibanez. And everybody else agrees that they are nice to play - I never knew they have a cult following, anybody knows why it is so?

Since there is probably no chance of me testing the guitar amplified, would you say that the main difference between this and my Artcore would be the Super 58s, that everybody says are wonderful?
And - a bit of a silly question - is there a way to make sure (not that I don't trust the seller) that the guitar still has the original pickups? Although to be fair, I can't imagine why would anyone change pickups only to replace them with lower quality ones...

[Archie]

I'm not an expert but I'll shoot from the hip.

Ibanez Japan made the AF series for some years before having a budget version made in Korea. This is likely in between their move to China.
I don't think the Artcore range had been introduced at this point and thus this brief run of Korean Af-120's, was the bridge between the Japanese AF series and the lead into the Korean/Chinese Artcore (if they made any Korean Artcores at all?).

For whatever reason, Ibanez didn't stick with the Korean manufacturing for long. Likely the Chinese factories were coming on line and offered far better markups and cost savings. Korean Archtops, for the most part are all much the same. They have the same finish the same orange 'vintage blonde' colour, the same scarf joint necks and pretty much the same tone. Likely all made in one of the big Korean manufactures (Samick etc..).

Korean models are deliberately cheap. Ibanez didn't go to Korea to make great guitars, they went there to make cheap guitars at Korean costs (no ebony fingerboards for you etc..).
This is where the AF-120 comes in. It has all the cheap manufacturing properties of Korean guitars from that era. The pressing of the arched plates is the cheapest I've seen. The arch is only around the bridge. The top shoulder and cutaway have no shape at all; they are flat. They pressed the plates on a circular dome and called it a day.
The electronics are the cheapest I've seen. They have cheap wire connectors (plastic blocks) to connect the pickups. The pickups are not MIJ 58's.
The neck is a scarf joint and the tuners just about work.

That being said, my old jazz teacher used to have one and he sounded great. A real classic tone.
I came across a cheap one some years after I left college and bought it, because I remember how good Dave made it sound.
I had George Benson sign is after a gig in London, so it's more of a novelty now but if I had no other guitar, or actually many other guitars that I didn't like, I would happily put a new set of strings on the AF-120 and take it to a gig.

I would never buy an Artcore; I personally can't stand them but I am a MIJ snob. I did buy an AF-120 though so.. I don't know what that means for you but good luck in your search.

Someone has made a good clip.

[John A.]

I'm not an expert but I'll shoot from the hip.

Ibanez Japan made the AF series for some years before having a budget version made in Korea. This is likely in between their move to China.
I don't think the Artcore range had been introduced at this point and thus this brief run of Korean Af-120's, was the bridge between the Japanese AF series and the lead into the Korean/Chinese Artcore (if they made any Korean Artcores at all?).

For whatever reason, Ibanez didn't stick with the Korean manufacturing for long. Likely the Chinese factories were coming on line and offered far better markups and cost savings. Korean Archtops, for the most part are all much the same. They have the same finish the same orange 'vintage blonde' colour, the same scarf joint necks and pretty much the same tone. Likely all made in one of the big Korean manufactures (Samick etc..).

Korean models are deliberately cheap. Ibanez didn't go to Korea to make great guitars, they went there to make cheap guitars at Korean costs (no ebony fingerboards for you etc..).
This is where the AF-120 comes in. It has all the cheap manufacturing properties of Korean guitars from that era. The pressing of the arched plates is the cheapest I've seen. The arch is only around the bridge. The top shoulder and cutaway have no shape at all; they are flat. They pressed the plates on a circular dome and called it a day.
The electronics are the cheapest I've seen. They have cheap wire connectors (plastic blocks) to connect the pickups. The pickups are not MIJ 58's.
The neck is a scarf joint and the tuners just about work.

That being said, my old jazz teacher used to have one and he sounded great. A real classic tone.
I came across a cheap one some years after I left college and bought it, because I remember how good Dave made it sound.
I had George Benson sign is after a gig in London, so it's more of a novelty now but if I had no other guitar, or actually many other guitars that I didn't like, I would happily put a new set of strings on the AF-120 and take it to a gig.

I would never buy an Artcore; I personally can't stand them but I am a MIJ snob. I did buy an AF-120 though so.. I don't know what that means for you but good luck in your search.

Someone has made a good clip.

My Korean-made guitar with a non-scarf-joint neck, ebony fretboard, high quality electronics, and not-orange finish is giving you dirty looks.

[jazzkritter]

Well my China AG95 Artcore and my Indo AF95FM Artcore appreciate me giving them a loving home, even if they’re not MIJ and to some guitars they’d never touch. Great axes to play, sound fine in fact that AG can kick blues butt. But of course neither cost me more than $450, have rosewood boards, pickups from who knows where, that horrible poly finish, great necks.
But what do I know, I’m no expert, just a player.

Here give an Artcore a listen.

[Grigoris]

I bought the guitar over the weekend, it was a long drive to the seller's house but I think it was worth it.
The guitar is very beautiful to my eyes; I love the vintage/orange tint and all the inlays and the golden humbucker covers (but I don't like the pickguard).

It feels very different in the hand than my artcore does. I find the neck a lot nicer, I think it was the neck that sold it to me to be honest.

However the guitar has been laying dormant in her hard case for eight long years, with the same set of strings on (the previous owner passed away recently) and I found that there was a problem with the electronics, the neck pickup was not responding in the beginning - later on it was fine. Also there was a fret buzz on the second fret and the fretboard needed a good cleaning - he must have had very sweaty hands.

So I am taking it to the luthier today and see how much it would cost to change the wires and the pots and maybe see if there's something to be done about that fret. The sound of the pickup is really mellow, I can't wait to be able to play her once she is ready.

Also, maybe some of you might be able to help me determine the correct age of the guitar. When I asked for the serial number the seller gave me this: 8030169 which on the ibanez serial identification page comes up with two possible dates 1998 and 2008, but the guitar was bought new in 1998 so I assumed it was 1998 and that's what I wrote on my first message here.

However, some days later the seller send me a copy of the receipt from the guitar shop that gives another serial number: F030169 which dates the guitar in 1990, and made in Japan! Now I admit that the handwriting on the label is not properly legible, but it does say: Korea on it, so I toyed around on the website by replacing the F with all the similar letters of the alphabet and come up with P030169 which gives a production year of 1990 and the Peerless factory in Korea as results.

Anyone familiar with the AF120s factory date details, I would very much appreciate any input. Also if the guitar was made before 1996 that means that it is equipped with Super 50s and not Super 58s (made in Korea ones, of course) if I'm not mistaken.

[chasranney]

I bought the guitar over the weekend, it was a long drive to the seller's house but I think it was worth it.
The guitar is very beautiful to my eyes; I love the vintage/orange tint and all the inlays and the golden humbucker covers (but I don't like the pickguard).

It feels very different in the hand than my artcore does. I find the neck a lot nicer, I think it was the neck that sold it to me to be honest.

However the guitar has been laying dormant in her hard case for eight long years, with the same set of strings on (the previous owner passed away recently) and I found that there was a problem with the electronics, the neck pickup was not responding in the beginning - later on it was fine. Also there was a fret buzz on the second fret and the fretboard needed a good cleaning - he must have had very sweaty hands.

So I am taking it to the luthier today and see how much it would cost to change the wires and the pots and maybe see if there's something to be done about that fret. The sound of the pickup is really mellow, I can't wait to be able to play her once she is ready.

Also, maybe some of you might be able to help me determine the correct age of the guitar. When I asked for the serial number the seller gave me this: 8030169 which on the ibanez serial identification page comes up with two possible dates 1998 and 2008, but the guitar was bought new in 1998 so I assumed it was 1998 and that's what I wrote on my first message here.

However, some days later the seller send me a copy of the receipt from the guitar shop that gives another serial number: F030169 which dates the guitar in 1990, and made in Japan! Now I admit that the handwriting on the label is not properly legible, but it does say: Korea on it, so I toyed around on the website by replacing the F with all the similar letters of the alphabet and come up with P030169 which gives a production year of 1990 and the Peerless factory in Korea as results.

Anyone familiar with the AF120s factory date details, I would very much appreciate any input. Also if the guitar was made before 1996 that means that it is equipped with Super 50s and not Super 58s (made in Korea ones, of course) if I'm not mistaken.

Dear Grigoris,

Congratulations on your new guitar!

I replied to your post on May 28 and included pics of my AF120. Our two guitars are identical but for the missing "AF" medallion on your tailpiece. I understand these often fall off.

As for dating your guitar via the serial #, forget about dropping digits and prepending letters, Your guitar was manufactured in Korea, not Japan. The label clearly indicates that. And the Ibanez wiki, link provided by jazzkritter on May 31, indicates your guitar couldn't have been manufactured prior to 1995 as production of the model began in that year.

From what I recall finding on the web after I bought mine, the Ibanez serial # format makes your guitar the 169th one built in that factory in March of 1998. Mine (8120122) is the 122nd guitar built in December of 1998.

The problems with your guitar that you mentioned are almost certainly not serious. The neck pickup might be cured simply by cleaning the pots. The fact that there is fret buzz only on the 2nd fret is actually surprising given that it sat for 8 years unplayed & unadjusted for normal seasonal changes. I predict you will soon have a very playable instrument.

I took a pic of the label inside mine. I'll edit this post to include it after I post this reply. The pic is on my phone but I'm on a computer at the moment.

Again, congratulations!

Pic attached:

[Grigoris]

Thanks chasranney,

when you actually look at the label it's not really easy to make out what is (hand)written but your explanation makes sense, it has had to be a new guitar back in 1998.

[chasranney]

Thanks chasranney,

when you actually look at the label it's not really easy to make out what is (hand)written but your explanation makes sense, it has had to be a new guitar back in 1998.

NOW I understand! I hadn't considered that your serial# was hand-written, very poorly, on your label. I hope I didn't come across as condescending!

Still, I believe that we own the 2nd version of this model - with Super 58 pickups. Click the link below and you'll see a pic of what is being sold as a 1995 AF120. Note the headstock and tailpiece; they're not what we have. That narrow headstock is an indicator of year of manufacture across the entire AF line (and AS?) I believe.

I hope you come to love your new guitar! Let us know how it fares with your luthier.

Ibanez Artstar AF120 AF-120 1995 Sunburst | Reverb

[Grigoris]

No, I didn't take your message as condescending at all, I appreciate you took the time to comment.

Thanks for the reverb link, well I think ours look a lot prettier than that - don't you agree?

[chasranney]

No, I didn't take your message as condescending at all, I appreciate you took the time to comment.

Thanks for the reverb link, well I think ours look a lot prettier than that - don't you agree?

Absolutely! There is no doubt!

...And they sound much better too!

[Archie]

Congrats on your purchase!

You need to post a [NGD]

I hope you enjoy yours as much as we enjoy ours! Now you can become part of our little cult following.

Interested to know the differences you ultimately find between the Artcore and this.

P.s Now you need to get your hands on a JP-20!

[Archie]

My Korean-made guitar with a non-scarf-joint neck, ebony fretboard, high quality electronics, and not-orange finish is giving you dirty looks.

If the company who made it isn't based out of Japan it doesn't count

[pingu]

i’ve got the earlier 95-96 narrow headstock
af 120
i believe it has a slightly narrower waist too

(also i believe the super 50 pickups have
a bit less top end to them , unconfirmed tho)

nice guitar tho .....got mine cheap ages ago , they were cheap then and they’re still
pretty good bang for the buck

maybe when i grow up , i’ll get myself a nice af200or af220 or a jp20
but they’re proper money

[chasranney]

Grigoris,
The link below was just given in a new thread about an Ibanez Pat Metheny model. Scroll down to the section concerning Korean-made guitars with 7-digit serial numbers. This seems to explain what we're seeing in our guitars.

Ibanez serial numbers | Ibanez Wiki | Fandom

[Grigoris]

thanks chasranney,

I guess that settles it with regard to dating; the shop that sold it to the previous owner got the code wrong!

The guitar stayed with the luthier and the pots seemed to both work fine! The neck pickup is alive and well.
He said that it needed a big setup because the neck was completely flat (I thought this was actually a good thing, no?) or maybe I misunderstood since french is not my mother tongue.

Looking to get her back by tomorrow, with a brand new set of Thomastik Swing 12-50s on her.

The only eyesore is this pickguard which frankly is the cheapest looking thing on an otherwise beautiful instrument...

[chasranney]

thanks chasranney,

I guess that settles it with regard to dating; the shop that sold it to the previous owner got the code wrong!

The guitar stayed with the luthier and the pots seemed to both work fine! The neck pickup is alive and well.
He said that it needed a big setup because the neck was completely flat (I thought this was actually a good thing, no?) or maybe I misunderstood since french is not my mother tongue.

Looking to get her back by tomorrow, with a brand new set of Thomastik Swing 12-50s on her.

The only eyesore is this pickguard which frankly is the cheapest looking thing on an otherwise beautiful instrument...

Grigoris,

Sorry for my late response.

I agree with your opinion on the pickguard. It is cheap-looking.

Regarding a flat neck, that requires a perfect setup and is more likely to need adjusting as the seasons/humidity changes - because the string height is so low. In post #11 of the current thread "Trussrod Adjustment", member Sgosnell talks about this. I think you would find that thread to be interesting.

I was playing my AF-120 this morning after having not done so for a week or two. I was thinking that it sounds great and plays very well too. How are you getting along with yours?

[chasranney]

Grigoris,

Check out this link. I think you'll find it interesting.

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