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OT: Two more join the herd

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Auriemma
Posted 2012-01-23 6:13 PM (#52)
Subject: OT: Two more join the herd



Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 639

Location: NW of Philadelphia		I've always wanted a jazz box. I came close to a 60's Gibson Barney Kessel a few times, always just missed it. 2 weeks ago, I was perusing CL when I saw this among a few others. A 2004 Ibanez AK85 DVS. The price was right. After checking it out and a short haggle session, I decided it was worth it. After a SERIOUS cleaning and polish, fretboard conditioning, a new set of DiAddario .012 flat wounds and a full setup, she plays SWEET. Plugged in, she has that cool jazz tone you hear out of those old hollow body Gibbys and Guilds. Nice low action, no buzzes. I am surprised how well she is built. Very light, but solid, nice binding all around, 3 piece maple neck, spruce top and maple sides and back (Lam I think), walnut bridge. Nice resonant acoustic sound. I like it.









Last weekend I pulled the trigger on a guitar I was looking at in November. Its been hanging in used section at my local GC. A 2007 Epi Sheraton II NA. I liked it when I saw it, I loved it when I played it, and it sent me on a search for a hollow or semi-hollow body. So last week I found an Ibanez AK85. A very nice full hollow indeed. But something sent me back to GC. It was still there hanging up at ceiling level. After looking and playing others for a while, I had it pulled down... then played it for 30 minutes. I decided I should have bought back in November. The wife wasn't pleased with me... but I had to do it! I even managed to haggle the price down (yes, you can haggle at GC... even on used gear).

After a complete cleaning and set-up... NICE! It's very clean, only 2 tiny blems that I can find, it polished up really well. Beautiful Maple grain all around, fully bound. Maple 5 piece neck with Rosewood fretboard, Abalone Vs inside MOP blocks. The action is great, the sound was amazing (think "Rock Around the Clock"). Nice beefy neck (reminded me of my Studio Deluxe 60s). Frets are in great shape, Grover tuners work well, electronics work fine and are crackle free. And did I mention the weight? Lighter than you would expect. Comfortable and well balanced. It's missing a pick guard, which I will add later.









Its been a good month!
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Darkbar
Posted 2012-01-23 6:44 PM (#53 - in reply to #52)
Subject: Re: OT: Two more join the herd



Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535

Location: Flahdaw		I like the old Ibanez. Not sure how great the p'ups are, but those are nice for jazz and blues.
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ProfessorBB
Posted 2012-01-23 7:29 PM (#54 - in reply to #52)
Subject: Re: OT: Two more join the herd



Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881

Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains		About six years ago, we did a special jazz concert with a some jazz music students from the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music rotating in and out of our sets. I didn't know what to play so I took all my archtops to rehearsals and asked the other musicians to help choose whichever one they thought sounded the best. To select from, I took my '79 Gibson ES-335 CRSTD, '90 Gibson ES-135 with P90s, '75 Gretsch Country Gentleman, '98 maple Guild Starfire IV, and '01 maple Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II (I hadn't yet purchased the Hamer Monoco III custom). I used Thomastik BeBop round-wound jazz strings on each model. To my surprise, they almost unanimously chose the Epiphone, the least expensive model in the bunch and the only one made outside the USA, which is what I used in the concert. The experience taught me not to underestimate the value and excellent tone of the Epiphone jazz archtops with good jazz strings.
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Designzilla
Posted 2012-01-23 10:48 PM (#55 - in reply to #52)
Subject: Re: OT: Two more join the herd


Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150

Location: Orlando, FL		Congratulations on the new acquisitions! Those are a couple of pretty ones. I love a nice archtop.
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CanterburyStrings
Posted 2012-01-24 12:03 AM (#56 - in reply to #52)
Subject: Re: OT: Two more join the herd


Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683

Location: Hot Springs, S.D.		I used to have one of each. The Ibanez was really pretty, but it didn't come close to the quality of the Sheraton II. That guitar was wonderful, and I would still own it if the guy I had bought it from didn't beg me to sell it back to him a few weeks later. He's been a good customer so I felt it was in my best interest to sell it back.
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Auriemma
Posted 2012-01-24 2:47 PM (#57 - in reply to #52)
Subject: Re: OT: Two more join the herd



Joined:
October 2008
Posts: 639

Location: NW of Philadelphia		Thanks all. I've been having a blast playing these two. They are just SO different in feel and sound. When I play my Campbell or Elite-T now, they sound so bright by comparison.

Darkbar: The pups in the Ibanez aren't bad. They give the sound you would expect from a jazz box... muted to cool. They aren't as loud as the Sheraton. It's been suggested to swap them out for Gibby 57s.

ProfBB: I have never shied away from "inexpensive" guitars. Its easier to spend a little money and find the diamond in the rough, than to spend a fortune on a "high end" guitar.

Canturbury: I thought the Ibanez was very well built when I bought it. It is a solid build. But the Epi does seem a better build. That being said, its not a real apples to apples comparison. The Ibanez is a full hollow with a deep body, The Epi is a semi-hollow with a thin body. So being thinner with a center support would give that impression. You should find one again.
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