Ibanez AFJ-95 - Need Some Info

[EllenGtrGrl]

Hi people, it's been a while. Last week I got my hands on a 2013, Ibanez AFJ95 from my favorite guitar shop. The price was right (I was able to swing an even up trade for it, with an MIM Tele I had that wasn't doing much for me [I've also come to realize that I find the standard 1.650"/42mm nut width Fender neck to be too narrow/crowded for my playing preference), the Super 58 humbuckers were good sounding (yes, I know they aren't quite the same as the original 70s and 80s Super 58s - but they sounded good just like the Super 58s my old AS120 Artstar had), and being an older Ibanez, it had a neck that was slightly chunkier than today's Ibanezes - enough to be a Medium C that felt comfortable in my hand.

Unfortunately for me - it came with chrome flatwound strings, and as some of you may remember, I have major allergies to nickel, and chromium (which is of course in stainless steel and chrome strings), so the only electric guitar strings I can use are Ernie Ball Cobalts (which are cobalt alloy strings). Ibanez lists on their website, that the AF95 (which is similar to the AFJ95) uses 11s, but I'm not sure what gauge strings my AFJ95 is set up with (I keep on forgetting to bring a caliper or micrometer home with me from work [I'm a Quality Engineer] to measure the string diameter). Throw in the fact that I have Cobalt sets that are both 11s, and 12s (along with the proper size replacement wound 3rd/G strings - I don't like plain 3rd strings), and I'm in a little quandry. I don't know if I should put 11s on the AFJ95, or if I should put the 12s on instead because:

1. I don't know if flatwounds have more tension than roundwounds, meaning 12s would be better to use (due to them eliminating or reducing the need for me to screw around with truss rod, and bridge height adjustment [I've done more than a few guitar setups over the years, but they can be tedious to do - you don't rush setting up a guitar, otherwise you can screw it up]).

2. The guitar will sound better with 12s than 11s?

Feel free to chime in with input.

[pingu]

Congrats Ellen

12s will work best in my
experience
but either will work fine

and you probably won’t have to
adjust the truss rod
the neck on my similar AF81
and two other AFs are very stable ….

have fun
BTW does the fretwire give
you trouble ?

[EllenGtrGrl]

Congrats Ellen

12s will work best in my
experience
but either will work fine

and you probably won’t have to
adjust the truss rod
the neck on my similar AF81
and two other AFs are very stable ….

have fun
BTW does the fretwire give
you trouble ?

Yep, the fretwire can give me grief, considering that most fretwire contains nickel or chromium (stainless steel fretwire). I can deal with it to an extent, if I limit my playing time, and if possible, wash my hands after playing guitar. The best way for me to deal with fretwire, is to get my guitars refretted with nickel and chromium free fretwire. It's expensive (about $350-$400 per guitar, for the guitars I've had it done to), and unfortunately, it's going to get more difficult to do - Jescar announced recently that they're no longer going to make EVO Gold fretwire (which is nickel and chromium free, and what I've had guitars refretted with) . StewMac used to sell a fretwire like EVO Gold, but they quit doing so in 2020, or 2021, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

[thelostboss]

Yep, the fretwire can give me grief, considering that most fretwire contains nickel or chromium (stainless steel fretwire). I can deal with it to an extent, if I limit my playing time, and if possible, wash my hands after playing guitar. The best way for me to deal with fretwire, is to get my guitars refretted with nickel and chromium free fretwire. It's expensive (about $350-$400 per guitar, for the guitars I've had it done to), and unfortunately, it's going to get more difficult to do - Jescar announced recently that they're no longer going to make EVO Gold fretwire (which is nickel and chromium free, and what I've had guitars refretted with) . StewMac used to sell a fretwire like EVO Gold, but they quit doing so in 2020, or 2021, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

Are you able to use the "Musicians Practice Glove" to minimize flesh-to-metal contact?

Musician's Practice Glove(R)

[Brian859]

Here is what ibanez wiki lists as the factory string gages for afj95.

[John A.]

I don't know if I should put 11s on the AFJ95, or if I should put the 12s on instead because:

1. I don't know if flatwounds have more tension than roundwounds, meaning 12s would be better to use (due to them eliminating or reducing the need for me to screw around with truss rod, and bridge height adjustment [I've done more than a few guitar setups over the years, but they can be tedious to do - you don't rush setting up a guitar, otherwise you can screw it up]).

I don't think you can generalize; it depends on how the strings are made, hex vs round core, specific metals, etc. That said, my experience is that flats generally feel a little stiffer than rounds all else equal.

2. The guitar will sound better with 12s than 11s?

That's subjective. Heavier strings will generally have more bass and midrange content than lighter strings. But the difference depends a lot on the specific strings you're comparing and how you play. My experience is that there's not all that much difference in sound, but there's more of a difference in feel. i have 10's (rounds) on my sem-hollow and 13's (flats) on my archtop. I can get surprisingly similar clean tones out the two. To the the extent they're different, I wouldn't say one is better than other other; they're just different.

Feel free to chime in with input.

I think the only way to figure what gauge you like is through trial and error. The one thing I wouldn't worry about is what's on the guitar right now. It'll definitely accomodate either 11's or 12's, and you might not have to make any adjustments.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

12-50 is where I'd start (13-56 if it's purely for jazz). Have you seen an allergist / immunologist about possible desensitization to the allergens that cause your problems? I don't know if it works for metal sensitivities, but it's worth an inquiry.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Are you able to use the "Musicians Practice Glove" to minimize flesh-to-metal contact?

Musician's Practice Glove(R)

Possibly - I'm just not wild about playing with gloves.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Brian, John, and Nevershouldhavesoldit - I think I'll try 12's first, and see how they feel setup-wise. They'll definitely help anchor the rosewood bridge in place, and they also might be a little punchier sound-wise.

Normally for roundwounds, going up a string gauge doesn't make much difference for the neck relief, and maybe some small changes in intonation, but considering I'm changing from flatwounds to roundwounds, I wasn't sure if there was much of a difference in the tension between the two different string types. I may have to file the nut slots a little wider.

[Cavalier]

There is a difference in tension. 12 flats are about like 13 rounds. That round wire gets polished down.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Brian, John, and Nevershouldhavesoldit - I think I'll try 12's first, and see how they feel setup-wise. They'll definitely help anchor the rosewood bridge in place, and they also might be a little punchier sound-wise.

Normally for roundwounds, going up a string gauge doesn't make much difference for the neck relief, and maybe some small changes in intonation, but considering I'm changing from flatwounds to roundwounds, I wasn't sure if there was much of a difference in the tension between the two different string types. I may have to file the nut slots a little wider.

It depends on the specific strings you choose. So you need to look at string tension charts for your choices, and you can easily find them courtesy of Mr Google.

Hex core strings are most often higher tension than round core strike vs of the same diameter. Some metals are stiffer & higher tension than others. Don't guess - the numbers are readily available.

Anchoring the bridge is not a relevant concern. It's not going anywhere.

[Dave24309]

Would D'Angelico Electrozinc strings help with your allergy? They seem to have a unique makeup.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I just looked up desensitization for nickel allergy. It's commonly done and seems to be effective in a high enough percentage of attempts to make it practical. If I were you, I'd consider a consultation with an allergist.

[John A.]

Brian, John, and Nevershouldhavesoldit - I think I'll try 12's first, and see how they feel setup-wise. They'll definitely help anchor the rosewood bridge in place, and they also might be a little punchier sound-wise.

Normally for roundwounds, going up a string gauge doesn't make much difference for the neck relief, and maybe some small changes in intonation, but considering I'm changing from flatwounds to roundwounds, I wasn't sure if there was much of a difference in the tension between the two different string types. I may have to file the nut slots a little wider.

These are all in the realm of "maybe." I've gone up and down gauges and switched back and forth between rounds and flats on several guitars. IIRC, I've never had to touch the nut or adjust action and intonation. Relief depends on the guitar (some necks move more than other under tension). But I tweak action, intonation, and relief fairly often anyway, so this just falls with the realm of normal fussing.

[blackcat]

Hi people, it's been a while. Last week I got my hands on a 2013, Ibanez AFJ95 from my favorite guitar shop. The price was right (I was able to swing an even up trade for it, with an MIM Tele I had that wasn't doing much for me [I've also come to realize that I find the standard 1.650"/42mm nut width Fender neck to be too narrow/crowded for my playing preference), the Super 58 humbuckers were good sounding (yes, I know they aren't quite the same as the original 70s and 80s Super 58s - but they sounded good just like the Super 58s my old AS120 Artstar had), and being an older Ibanez, it had a neck that was slightly chunkier than today's Ibanezes - enough to be a Medium C that felt comfortable in my hand.

Unfortunately for me - it came with chrome flatwound strings, and as some of you may remember, I have major allergies to nickel, and chromium (which is of course in stainless steel and chrome strings), so the only electric guitar strings I can use are Ernie Ball Cobalts (which are cobalt alloy strings). Ibanez lists on their website, that the AF95 (which is similar to the AFJ95) uses 11s, but I'm not sure what gauge strings my AFJ95 is set up with (I keep on forgetting to bring a caliper or micrometer home with me from work [I'm a Quality Engineer] to measure the string diameter). Throw in the fact that I have Cobalt sets that are both 11s, and 12s (along with the proper size replacement wound 3rd/G strings - I don't like plain 3rd strings), and I'm in a little quandry. I don't know if I should put 11s on the AFJ95, or if I should put the 12s on instead because:

1. I don't know if flatwounds have more tension than roundwounds, meaning 12s would be better to use (due to them eliminating or reducing the need for me to screw around with truss rod, and bridge height adjustment [I've done more than a few guitar setups over the years, but they can be tedious to do - you don't rush setting up a guitar, otherwise you can screw it up]).


2. The guitar will sound better with 12s than 11s?

Feel free to chime in with input.

Ellen,

I have that guitar and although a rather heavy build, with a Seth lover in the neck it is one of my favourites. Have had 12s ( TI Jazz Swings flats ) on there for close on 7 years now and only ever had to give the t.rod a tiny tweak. Fairly chunky neck, but a comfy profile. Don't forget to mark the bridge position with masking ( painters? ) tape before moving strings although it may need a slightly different position anyway for intonation purposes if you change guage.

Good luck

David

[Gladders]

I have an af105f which I string with flat 12s. It is the best set up and most stable guitsr I own. With thinner strings it sounds a bit, well, thin.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk