Ibanez SAS36FM Flame Top Electric Guitar
SA set-in neck. 3-piece maple neck material. Mahogany w/flamed maple top body.
Overall User Ratings (based on 36 ratings)
Submitted April 15, 2007 by a customer from ovro.caltech.edu
"Look at buying this or the SA260M before you buy any Stratocaster."
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I have the transparent grey version of this guitar. It is a very beautiful guitar. One of the things I like most about it is that it is extremely comfortable to carry. It's very light and the thin edges make it even more comfortable. This guitar is replacing my Standard Fender HSS Strat so I'm going to compare this guitar with it. The quality of this guitar is so much better. To me, the sound of these pickups produce a much more realistic string sound then my MIM Strat. But, pickup sound is so subjective. Also, the headstock has a much larger tilt angle then the MIM Strat so you don't need the ugly string tree. To get that in a Strat, you have to buy the America version (Much more expensive.) The body is much nicer than the MIM Strat; a mahogany body with a flamed maple top compared to my MIM Strat that is an Alder body with Brown Sunburst color. The fretboard is much flatter than the MIM Strat; this makes for slightly easier bending. My MIM Strat has a slightly narrower neck with a more rounded fretboard. (Some folks prefer this feel.) Perhaps the biggest difference is the Tremolo; this setup is far superior to my MIM Strat. I believe the design is very close to the PRS tremolo. There is so much play in the MIM Strat Tremolo that it's almost useless. People have told me to wrap something around the threads of the tremolo bar to cure this but why should I have to do that? Personally, the Floyd Rose type Tremolos on most of the other Ibanez guitars is too complicated to work with so I bought this guitar over the RG's. This guitar has a single coil tap for the bridge humbucker while my MIM Strat does not. Finally, this is a set neck guitar. My MIM is a bolt on. You can get an Ibanez version of this guitar with a bolt on neck for much less money(SA260M). I almost bought that guitar because it has a maple fretboard which I prefer. I believe I got a steal on this guitar as I paid $390 for a new one on ebay. I posted the review here as an aid to my fellow musicians.
Musical Background:
Active Musician (Non-Pro)
Musical Style:
I play in a Big Band and Jazz combo group but like to listen to Rock and Roll.
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Submitted February 11, 2006 by a customer from YAHOO.COM
"IBANEZ HELPED MUSICIANS"
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i learned a lot on this guitar and i reached a lot of success in terms of music so his my budy now his always with me where ever i go for gigs.
Sound
the sound of this guitar is so great. sounds like any other expensive guitar in the market. to blues,rock,heavy metal, in any kind of music its so great!!!
Features
its all in their, just plug it to your power amp. and play loud your type of music
Quality
its Ibanez!!! one of the cooliest brand of guitar men!!! what are u takin about? you can used it untillllllllllll you dieeeee!!!
Value
what i say is "THANK YOU IBANEZ" you helped a lot of musicians like me who can not afford expensive guitar just to have a nice and beautiful sound.
Manufacturer Support
no need to answer this cause i didnt have any problem to my guitar and the more i play my Ibanez the more its sounds good to me. thats what i called guitar!!!!!!!!!
The Wow Factor
its very unique cause no pick guard and its very cool too!!!
Musical Background:
HOBBYIST
Musical Style:
ROCK N ROLL, HEAVY METAL, HARD CORE AND ACID ROCK
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Submitted February 6, 2007 by a customer from yahoo.com
"awsome"
the best guitar iv'e ever played
Sound
sounds awsome even with the stock pickups
Features
the wammy bar is the best iv'e ever used and the playability is great
Ease of Use
extreamely easy to play and with a little set-up has no buzzes, and is extreamily light
Quality
for the 600 dollar price tag it's the best your gonna get, better than my 2000 dollar SG gibson, and just as good, if not better than my Fender Strat
Value
best deal you will ever get
Manufacturer Support
I dont know about company support, i havent needed any
The Wow Factor
extreamily good looking, and slim, the neck is so easy and the pearl trim around the edges is awsome
Musical Background:
playa'
Musical Style:
rock, metal
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Submitted September 1, 2006 by a customer from yahoo.com
"top of the line"
Sound
This is one of the best guitars i have used/owned. when used on clean, the notes are fluent and beautiful. distorted, it can sound as heavy as a BC Rich.
Features
it has this feature when you pull out the volume knob, it only uses one part of the humbucker. it does sound cool, but i have never had to use it.
Ease of Use
pretty self explanitory. if you can play a guitar, you can play this one.
Quality
beautiful finish. and the electronics have not failed at all/.
Value
feels like a profesional guitar, for less than 600 bucks. i dont see myself getting anything else for a long time.
Manufacturer Support
never had to deal with ibanez.
The Wow Factor
super great finish, in the red or the grey.
Musical Background:
Guitarist in a band for a good while
Musical Style:
Alternative, Rock, Metal,
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Submitted August 2, 2009
"Beautiful"
Sound
surprisingly good for a guitar that cheap! my first guitar and one of the best Ive played.
Features
true duo pickups are great for this guitar.The SAT Pro III tremolo is a good addition
Ease of Use
it is very easy to get great sounds from this guitar.
Quality
AAA quality. Period.
Value
I don't think the price is a good price for alot of the ting it has to offer
The Wow Factor
very beautiful guitar.
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Submitted September 27, 2006
"This guitar is for beginners. Anyone whose ever touched a guitar shouldn't buy this guitar. But those who want to get into pla"
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zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I'll never ever ever be satisfied with this product ever until Ibanez comes out with something like an Esp or Gibson or Epiphone or something like that.
Sound
I don't like the tone this guitar gives. I have a Epiphone SG and a Epiphone Les Paul and those have better tone for half the price. This is definately not the guitar for me and a lot of friends I have that play.
Features
The one and only thing I like about this guitar is that its wammy bar is awesome its the best I've used but everything else isn't that great.
Ease of Use
This guitar is easy to use, but almost too easy. If you have ever played a guitar before than this is definately not the guitar for you. But those who haven't you'll be money a head buying a cheap fender in one of those fender packs.
Quality
This guitar is way too thin! Every time I go to play it I think Its gonna snap in half so I don't play with it anymore.
Value
Not really. I'd go for something else.
Manufacturer Support
Well I have dealt with Ibanez with this guitar about 4 times because of the rear bridge where the whammy hooks on has came out of the guitar once or twice but they were very helpful and supportive.
The Wow Factor
This guitar sucks I'm not going to lie to you. I've been playing for about 5 years and I exspected alot more from Ibanez. It's a shame.
Musical Background:
Active musician
Musical Style:
rock mostly
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