Light ´n´ Funky Ibanez Artcore AS103 SM Soundcheck

[manattta]

hi there :) i have the same guitar, i put Thomastik .012 strings on it, can the neck handle them (I mean, will these strings bend the neck?)??

If not, what can i do?

Apreciate your help.

[alfacosmic]

@manattta every set of string bends the neck slight - the .012 Thomastik surely a little bit more as their tension is higher than some .009 set - the AS-103 will stand that - a friend of mine uses this set on a AS-103 for Jazz - if neccessary the neck can be tilted slightly back - no big deal - try it..... regards Alfred

[ALESSANDROSORRENTINO]

Yeah!

[TheSchoolsux345]

im playing an as73 right now!! i love these guitars!!!!!

[jack01284769]

oh man, dropping ur axe is the worst, i dropped my gibson on its headstock, notihng happened but i shit my pants

[4eyed4stringer]

Did you ever try the Benson flatwound strings? Man, I dropped my AS103 BM on it's headstock the other day (straplock slipped out...ironic!)....the neck cracked, but I glued it back and it's fine now. BUT...I bought another AS103 natural maple for a backup, because these are the finest guitars. Nice playing!

[alfacosmic]

oh. .. I´m sorry for you - It´s a nightmare for me .. thinking of droppin´ one of my babies ;>( Ok, well done - you found a backup - Heh, my first electric had a glued neck (1973, oh my god) but I liked it.

I never tried the Bensons - I use Thomastik-Infields on some of my Jazz Guitars - what is it that you like so much on the Bensons - can you compare them to some other well known strings? I really would like to know?! Greetings and peace - Alfred from Germany...

[nastramos71]

im a fan of the semi hollowbodies, and im looking to buy an artcore. i want a great blues feel/sound does any one have any suggestions to help me? please.

[Chucke99]

Um, the AS103 is what you need!

[joeydoit1423]

@nastramos71 play before you buy! most of the ones i have played have been great! but i have played one or two that are just dead for some reason. it might just be the slab of wood they used to make it but they had no tone. so it is an awesome guitar but play before you buy.

[joeypaint]

I gotta ask opinions. I'm getting a Epi Sheraton Semi-hollow and I want to change the stock pickups because they didnt sound too good when I played them in-store. Does anyone, have any suggestions on what I should get?

[alfacosmic]

Joeypaint - my list (from bright to dark)

SD SH-55 Seth Lover (warm but crisp)

SD SH59 (average neutral)

DiMarzio DP 103 (very neutral)

SD Alnico Pro II (most creamy)

Gibson Classic 57 (darker, mellow good for jazz)

..all of them are serious and way better than the stock epis - Greetings from Germany - Don Alfredo

[Hyronimus89]

Gibson P94 Pupps;-) best ya can do.

[thomasguitartube]

Great axe!!! Great groove! I have the blonde AS103. I really love the neck on it...just solid!

[alfacosmic]

...korrekt mein Freund ;>)

Grüße, Alfred (Don Alfredo)

[cjballendine]

nice playing. I have a natural finish 103 and it plays as well as any gibson semi-hollow at one fourth the price

[JikoMuskato]

I really like that "woody" sound. And it looks good as well.

[alfacosmic]

...yeah, gorgeous ;>)

Greetings, Don Alfredo

[4eyed4stringer]

I love the as-103 as well. I have the antique brown Burl Maple LTD EDITION AS-103. The neck is really great. I recently put Benson (T-Infeld) 14-55 flats on it, and the neck holds straight! Sounds great with the George Bensons, if you're into the jazz tones.

[alfacosmic]

Hi - are the Bensons flat or halfwound - how is the feeling of your fingertips on the strings - they are thick...

Greeting from Germany

alfacosmic

[4eyed4stringer]

They're the best of all worlds to me. They're flatwound, with a wound G string. They are thick, but the tension is such that they fell like 10-46 rounds. The quiet chord changes are a real pleasure, and they really have a sweet tone.

[alfacosmic]

Thanks, good to know - sounds good - I´ll ckeck them out

[4eyed4stringer]

My pleasure!

[alfacosmic]

Hi my friend, well....

The PGM401 (Ibanez) is not a semi - as far as I know it is solid with painted f-holes - it might be chambered but I don´t have any info about this. The pickups of this guitar are the DiMarzios AirClassics - I know and like this pup. On the other side: A pickup is only a kind of microphone to that what the body, strings and guitar player delivers! If you have a guitar with same shape, wood and constuction of the PGM401 - take the DiMarzios - the rest is in your fingers!

[paulignacius]

Paul has a semi hollow guitar, the brown one...You're talking about the new guitar of Paul, search the vid Straight to the telephone pole and you will know..

[danukenator123]

paul gilberts' signature is a solid body with painted f-holes your right

[paulignacius]

Hey I want the tone of the semi hollow guitar of paul gilbert...what pickup should I buy?

[hokahey4]

I own the AS103 and I have to disagree with Don Alfredo on the quality of the Super 58. It is a fine pickup, but doesnt hold water against the 57 classic. in fact, I swapped out the super 58 for the 57 classic and NOW the guitar screams, 57's are brighter, louder and cleaner than the super 58 hands down.

Thanks ,,, Greg

[alfacosmic]

Greg,

your comment is welcome since it reveals one dilemma - the amount of parameters controlling the final sound impresson - from the fingers of the player to the reflections and damping behaviour of the listening room is so large that an isolated review of just the guitar and a pickup can deliver wrong impressions. My AS103 is made of spalted maple and sounds thru my 82 Blackface Concert quite bright - agreed - the 57 is louder and moore creamy - at least it´s a matter of taste; greetings

[kbilbou]

Very nice playing. I'm about to buy a new guitar and i was wondering if this guitar would sound good with distortion to play some fusion stuff but i still want to play some montgomery and pass also thanx

[alfacosmic]

..sorry for my very late reply - there ist another of my clips with the AS103 mor distorted - judge by yourself - Joe Pass and especially Wes Montgomery style is very soft and warm - both playing big hollow bodies which are quite different in tone compared to the smaller AS103. As Grg (above) stated - the pups of the AS103 are quite bright - you could come close to your desired sound with a set of Duncan SH Alnico II pro - but I recommend a full hollow body - greetings

[amarr1]

how are the pickups man?

[alfacosmic]

Hi my friend - there is something specific about this guitar - or better about these pickups - ....don´t touch them! The super 58 humbucker made by Ibanez for their HiEnd guitar segment is an extremely good sounding pickup. Please keep in mind - you will find these pickups in the Artcore and Artist series only (IBZ top level guitars) - It is brighter and more defined than the Gibson 57 classic and delivers a brillant but warm and smooth tone - peace, alfacosmic aka Guitarrista Don Alfredo

[bluesenight]

its a really beautiful guitar, and its sounds great. but is she any good for jazz?

[alfacosmic]

Hello bluesnight - yes, yes, yes it´s absolutely able givin you a nice 335 kinda tone - many jazz guitarist like John Scofield or the German Phillip van Endert playing AS200 guitars - ant the AS103 is very close to that - Greetings

[bluesenight]

thanks, i was planing on buying an archtop, but now i think i buy a Semi Hollow. i heard they have some feedback problems.

i will go to check this guitar tomorrow. and i just wonder, how much did you pay for it?

[alfacosmic]

Hi There - sorry for my late reply. Feedback problems are less compared to full hollow bodies but more likly compared to solids (eg. Les Paul). In practice I didn´t have feedbacks during live gigs due to the fact that I use low to medium gain amps to achive a most natural to light cruched sounds. I paid 769 Euros including a nice case at soundland in Germany - hope this helps - Greetings - Don Alfredo

[bluesenight]

hi,

the solids have the feedback problem? really? all of my guitars were shred and i lie if i say i had problems, this days i own a js1000.

funny story... because of the holly days in my country(israel),or because of some other reason. they stopped the in-port of musical instruments for 4 mounts, im still waiting for it, it should arrive this month(December). if i wouldn't like it, im planning on the joe pass epiphone. i just hope it will sound ok on my cube 60.

well, tnhx for your help.

[alfacosmic]

...you got it wrong my friend - I said: ...."(with semis it is) more likely (to have feedback problems) compared to solids.." - solids normaly do not have feedback problems ;>) ....sorry if I put it wrong - it was ment that way - peace

alfacosmic

[Foxxie55]

I just ordered the Ibanez AS93 after hearing these Ibanez guitars.. I have Epi Casino and cheap Jay Tursar

What Amp were you using there.. I have 3 amps, but think I might get a Peavey Bandit 112 or Peavey ValveKing 112 (Tube)..

What's your thoughts on that..

Thanks

[alfacosmic]

The AS93 ist different (ACH1&2 instead of Super58 Pickups on the AS103) but a good guitar anyway - I was playin´g thru a Behring V-AMP II Modeller (clean tube preamp setting) and a Epiphone Junior head & box - The Casino is a very good guitar (I own one too ;>) - but again I swaped the pickups to aDS Antiquities P-90. All semi hollows in Gibson ES335 allow a wide varitity of amps - just check with your dealer which one ist best - peace - Don Aldredo

[carvin1657]

Hows the distorted sound?

[junka22]

search youtube for video title "Paul Gilbert - Get Out Of My Yard (14)" and you'll hear this baby distorted, played by paul gilbert.