Ibanez AM73B Artcore Electric Guitar
With its set mahogany neck, double cutaway design, and smaller body size, the AM73B Artcore is a super-comfortable, super-playable semi-acoustic guitar.
Overall User Ratings (based on 6 ratings)
Submitted October 20, 2011 by a customer from yahoo.com
"You owe it to yourself to check this guitar out!"
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zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I plan on keeping this guitar and passing it on to my grandaughter when I move on from this life. If I do anything to it, I would change the ceramic pickups to maybe some Gibson classic 57's.
I have just ordered a Fender Classic Player 60's Strat from Zzounds in order to satisfy my craving for for both single coil and humbucker tone.
Between the two, I have my tone pallette satisfied!
Sound
Pickups sound articulate, clear and bright. Different, of course, from alnico magnet pickups. Tone is in the head of the player. I like alnico II magnets, but these pickups sound nice.
Ease of Use
The AM 73 came set up well. The only adjustment I made was to straighten the neck slightly to my own specs.
Quality
Finish is the Tobaco Flat, which I love! The neck is also a satin finish and easy to move around on. One of the reasons I chose this semi hollow body over the others is it's neck profile. It is what I like. I played Gibsons, Epiphones, Corts and found the Artcore neck to be the most comfortable for me.
Value
You cannot beat the value of these Artcore guitars. The economy forced me to sell my guitars to pay bills. When it came time to rebuild, this was my humbucker tone choice.
Manufacturer Support
Never needed support from Ibanez.
The Wow Factor
Looks sexy to me!
Musical Background:
Hobbyist
Musical Style:
Blues, Classic Rock
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Submitted April 12, 2015 by Billy C
"A hidden gem in the Artcore series."
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This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
The Artcore series is a great entry into the world semi-hollow body guitars and this one is no exception. This makes the third that I've owned and by far my favorite.
The smaller body size makes it really comfortable to play sitting or standing up. Usually reduced size means reduced tone but the AM73B has nice mid-rangey sound with enough low-end resonance to be full sounding.
The stock pickups are not that impressive to my ears but they are functional. You get a lot of tonal options being able to mix the two at different volumes. I may eventually upgrade them but they're fine as is. They can produce everything from mellow-jazz to jangly pop to hard rock/metal sounds with a decent amount of clarity.
The finish on mine is immaculate, love the non-glossy feel that makes the wood grain show through. Binding is top-notch and fretwork is spot on.
I had reservations about the the shorter-scale neck but it's a beauty to play. I can access the upper frets without feeling constrained and no dead spots to speak of.
The tuners feel smooth and responsive, intonation is good, stays in tune even aggressive playing styles.
Overall, the AM73B is good well-balanced guitar with a good natural resonance. The smaller body size and shorter neck give it a unique but comfortable feel even for someone with larger hands.
Cheers to Ibanez for doing a smash-up job on this one!
Musical Background:
Playing for almost 30 years in a variety of situations. Currently in an electric duo.
Musical Style:
Pop,rock,garage,punk,heavy metal,experimental,jazz,funk,blues.
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Submitted December 9, 2011 by a customer from yahoo.ca
"Ibanez Artcorte AM73TBR"
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
I can't see me outgrowing the Artcore. I'd replace it with the current model in a heartbeat if necessary.
Sound
My first electric - a semi-hollowbody - and it does all I ask of it - great range of sounds, from soft and jazzy to punchy and crisp...fingerpicks nicely, too...
Features
My AM73TBR is a sharp-looking guitar, tobacco finish with cream binding - great action, very playable. I especially like its size - smaller than the usual semi-acoustic, and very comfortable to hold. While upgraded pickups are a common modification in the Ibanex Artcores, I find the stock pickups are more than adequate for my purposes.
Ease of Use
Highly playable - after decades of beating the sound out of acoustic guitars, the Artcore is a pleasure to play. The strings fret so easily that it has expanded the range of music I can play - and I'm finding that things I work out on on the electric can be transferred back to the acoustics. I'm still exploring all the combinations that are available thru the guitar and amp - it's like having a whole roomful of guitars to play...
Quality
So far, it has been perfect - no problems at all, save for a tendency for the input jack to loosen off occasionally. I did have some initial problems in getting it into tune, but lubricating the nut slots with a bit of graphite has resolved that.
Value
For sure - the Artcotre series has to be one of the best bang-for-the-buck semi-acoustics out there...
Manufacturer Support
I haven't dealt with Ibanez, but their website is a good one - lots of info - and several of their employees are active on websites devoted to their products.
The Wow Factor
High appeal - plays nicely, sounds great,looks sharp, all at a reasonable cost.
Musical Background:
Decades, on and off . Guitar only, play for pleasure.
Musical Style:
like all sorts of blends of blues, folk, country, jazz... etc.
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Submitted November 20, 2011 by a customer from yahoo.ca
"Plays Like a Draem, Well Worth the Money"
This one's a keeper. If anything happened to it, I'd replace it with another AM73 in a heartbeat.
Sound
The AM73 is my first electric guitar, after decades of playing acoustics. The amp is a Peavey Bandit 112 Redline, and I'm till exploring the multitude of voices this guitar has. Blues, jazzy riffs, bare-wire leads - they're all there, and while I lack experience with other electric guitars, they all sound good to me.
Features
Everything seems solid - can be touchy re tuning, especially after a change of location.
Ease of Use
The action is great - after years of beating the sound out of acoustics, it is sooo easy to play. The neck just felt 'right' the first time I played it. The smaller-than=usual size is perfect for me.
Quality
I can't see any potential problem so far - mine is an '06 model, fairly new to me, and it's been well cared for.
Value
Definitely!
Manufacturer Support
Haven't dealt with them - no need.
The Wow Factor
Love the look of it, the action, and the variety of sounds it can produce
Musical Background:
Decades - guitar - definitely not a pro :->))
Musical Style:
Folk, blues, a little jazzy stuff
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