Ibanez Review: EP7 Steve Vai Euphoria Acoustic-Electric

History:

Purchase: I played this guitar for about 15 minutes at Guitar Center in Hollywood, CA.

What I Like About This Ibanez EP7 Steve Vai Euphoria Acoustic-Electric: Uh...nice colour and cosmetics, with tree of life inlay, beautiful emerald finish and brass rosette. Very light.

What I Do NOT Like About The Ibanez EP7 Steve Vai Euphoria Acoustic-Electric: Sound. One word says it all. For a guitar with a street price of $999 (and a list price probably much higher), this is one horrible-sounding piece of wood. The volume is tinny, even in an enclosed space; there is no wood, warmth, depth or body in the sound, just a feeble clang; and the bottom strings on this sucker are probably the worst I've ever played. Bass response is horrible, like playing a nylon string stretched on a wooden plank, and the trebles are a harsh squeal. I've played some acoustics I consider weak -- the Line 6 Variax, the Takamine Garth Brooks model -- but the Euphoria has them all beat for sonic ineptitude. I tried fingerstyle, strumming as well as single notes with plectrum, and the results are the same -- a papery, one-dimensional wheeze with absolutely no complexity or body. I'd be embarrassed even to play this at a campfire or at a friend's house.

Ibanez EP7 Steve Vai Euphoria Acoustic-Electric Quality Rating: Good, aesthetically pleasing. If you value looks and not sound, you might go for this guitar.

Review Summary: No acoustic guitar at any price has ever made me as disgusted as this one. Even a Martin Backpacker, arguably, has better tone than this. not to mention my old, stolen $230 AE-series Ibanez. Shame on Ibanez: The company has generally produced solid quality on its acoustic range, but this Vai signature model is a $999 guitar with the tone of an $80 junk-brand acoustic. And made in Korea, to boot. Korea's made some awfully nice guitars in the last couple of years; this ain't one of them.

Rating of this Ibanez product: 1

This Ibanez EP7 Steve Vai Euphoria Acoustic-Electric Acoustic Guitars Review Submitted By: Derek Mok

Review Date: 2005-06-11