Yamaha Revstar and Ibanez Artcore

[PiazaJazz]

Hey there!

Reaching out for all your advice on whether to steer the GAS-mobile towards the latest Revstar. I've been thinking of switching over to it - chambered body and top notch hardware options making it an all rounder.

What's your take on this?

[citizenk74]

Nice playing!

[jazzkritter]

Go with one that makes you want to play it.

[Marcel_A]

The AM seems like a great guitar. I wouldn't let it go just because you like the picture of the revstar.

[fep]

The Ibanez sounds great.

On the other hand, I love my Revstar. The Revstar I got really plays well, I can't find a thing wrong with it. If I could only have one guitar it would probably be the Revsatr.

I'd keep the Ibanez and buy the Revstar. (I actually have both)

[John A.]

Hey there!

Reaching out for all your advice on which way to steer the GAS mobile.

I've been playing a hollow body jazz archtop along with a semi-hollow ibanez artcore am 93, the past couple of years.
Ever since the latest Revstar Standard series came out, I've been thinking of switching it around a bit, i.e., selling the Ibanez artcore and getting the Revstar rss20 from its proceeds.

I wanted to know if there's any good reason in hanging onto the Ibanez (other than its sentimental value). It's a 2016 model, and I'm not sure if they used the right woods and hardware config to make an instrument that'll last a lifetime. Although the flamed maple does look quite stunning.

I don't think you have to worry about the wood and hardware lasting a lifetime. In terms of durability, odds are they'll be fine (guitars rarely fall apart unless they're treated roughly). In terms of whether you'll like the guitar 20 years from now, that has nothing to do with the wood or the hardware. That's a matter of your preferences. I don't think it makes much sense to get rid of a guitar that you like now because there's some possibility you won't like it in the future. If at some point in the future you don't like it, get rid of it then. If you like it now, keep it.

I did switch out the stock pickups for a pair of Bareknuckle Mules, and they work like a charm. Plays beautifully but I there's quite a lot of difference between my hollow body custom archtop and the industrial ibanez.

In my view, the main reason to have more than one guitar is to have different options.

In my mind I feel like the chambered body of the new Revstar standard series along with its overall construction and hardware options, make it quite a good instrument, able to tackle all sorts of genres, while managing to pull of some smooth jazz tones as well.

The sort minimal chambering shown in those pictures doesn't make the guitar sound hollow, especially not with a thick maple cap. What you're getting there is solid-body guitar that weighs a little less than it would without the chambering. I haven't played one, but based on specs the tones will be a lot like a Les Paul. There's nothing wrong with that. I don't know if it would be more versatile than your Ibanez; you can really only figure that out by trying both on different kinds of music.

For the music I play, I love the idea of a semi-hollow and will get an Gibson ES339 in the future to secure a formidable semi-solid.
But for now, what's your take on this? Keep the Ibanez AM93 or sell and move onto the Revstar?

I haven't played an AM93 or a Revstar, so I really couldn't say which I'd prefer. In general, I think it makes the most sense to save up for what you actually want, as opposed to buying and selling a bunch of guitars you don't want as much. In the end, that usually turns out to take less time and cost less money than doing a bunch of horse trading. So if what you really want is an ES 339 instead of either of those, focus on how to get there financially.

[John A.]

Thanks John

So one can't expect too much of a tonal difference with the chambered as you've said.
Does this point still stand valid in guitars such as the carvin/kiesel hh2 that has chambered alder?
Or does Alder and Mahogany react differently to chambering?

I don't think it's a function of the type of wood. Rather, if the chambering is extensive enough so that the chambers are as big as they would be on a traditional semi-hollow and the back and sides are thinned out enough to have some resonance, and if the top is thin enough to have some resonance, then a chambered body guitar will sound similar to a traditional semi-hollow. I tried an HH2 once, and IIRC, it didn't have much of an acoustic sound to it, but I could be mis-remembering.

You're right on prepping financially to get to a 339-esque guitar.
But in the meantime, the revstar would be a good choice for all genre playing.

If you want it, get it. Wanting it (and being able to afford it) is in the end sufficient rationale for most of us (even if we know it's not financially optimal).

[mad dog]

That's a tough choice. I just traded an Ibanez AM93QM. For several reasons, none having to do with the quality of the Ibanez. I found it impressive. An excellent semi-hollow at a modest price. Not too heavy, well balanced. Mine was years old but had never or rarely ever been played. I even liked the pickups.

That said, curiosity leads to sales and trades, at least for me. Especially when there's not much money on the table. That Revstar looks really interesting. I would be tempted too.

Sounds like a decision that's not wrong either way.

[lammie200]

Matteo Mancuso sounds good with a Revstar IMHO.

[fep]

Hey Fep

Thanks for your inputs!

Do you have the chambered revstar? And how do you find the stock pups on the Yamaha?

My Revstar is not chambered, I bought it a couple years ago before the chambered ones came out.

My Ibanez is similar to yours but it is a 1978 or 1977 model, the same one Scofield orginally used before there was a Scofield model... or so I've read. At the time, Ritenour was also playing that model. I like the stock pickups. I bought it new around 1978.

Interestingly, Ritenour has been seem in the last few years playing a Revstar.

They are both great, the revstar is a bit more comfortable for me to play (I'm almost always sitting when playing so the weight is not an issue).