Ibanez AW-10CENT Reviews 5

I picked this guitar up at Sam Ash Music in NJ for $310. I asked for a recommendation from the staff for a reasonably priced accoustic-electric and he recommended the Artwoods. I tried the more expensive AW-100CE first but thought the sound, and the fit and finish were less impressive for about $180 more. I received several unsolicited complements on the sound from fellow customers while playing at the store.

The sound of this guitar is excellent. My first strum right out of the box was brilliant and well-balanced. The whole insturment seemed to hum like a tuning fork. This is a cutaway model, but it doesn't seem to have an adverse effect on the sound. The Fishman pickup and EQ setup sounded very solid and provided a wide range of sound options through an amp.

The neck is narrower than my previous guitar so it's taking a bit of adjustment. Not a defect, just a design difference. The action is a tad high also. It looks like there is some room to lower this but I'm getting used to it as well.

This guitar feels very solid. There are a few minor blemishes in the wood on the neck. But this is nitpicking. The joints are all smooth and solid. It hasn't been put through any physical punishment yet, but it should hold up well.

If all of the AW-10's sound this good, there is no reason to spend the extra money on the AW-100. If you're not a professional musician but appreciate a solid value for the money, this is an unbeatable combination of sparkling sound, solid workmanship, and the added ability to plug in!

Todd Ingves rated this unit 5 on 2002-04-18.

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