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Ibanez AGB140 Artcore Semi-Hollowbody Electric Bass
"The New "Dream Machine" For You Olde School Bass Players"
Feature:
This Bass has all the features it needs. A volume and tone knob is all you need. Simply a straight up approach and I'd be hard pressed to improve on their configuration. I just wouldn't want to change the natural tones of this guitar.
Quality:
The fit and finish, attention to detail, solid feel, very stable intonation, great action and a down-right sexy looking guitar. It has all the features I expected when I had my Custom 5 String made to order, only about $2,800.00 cheaper.
Value:
Get One Quick!! They won't stay this cheap for long!!
Desirability:
This Bass is beautiful from head to toe, but being the tone hound that I am, I found it's tone to be the most attractive feature. I've heard some complaints regarding the lack of tone control on this guitar but, I feel the perameters of the tone pots are just perfect, it doesn't add too much color to the already wonderful tonal characteristics.
Sound:
Sound, What a sound. This Bass has the true 60's Hollow Body thump and ring I had hoped for. I play through a couple of different cab/amp combinations and Love it. The sweet high's and mellow, woody mid tones are normally found in instruments costing 2-3 times as much. The double humbucker pick-up is very hot for a passive system and compliments the tonal attributes beautifully.
Ease of Use:
Plug and ...........Play, Play, Play.
Support:
Short of leaving this Bass out in the rain or dropping down a flight of stairs, I don't anticipate a need for support. To me that is "Great Support". Do order the Ibanez case though, You'll have a hard time finding a generic case or gig bag that it will fit into.
Overall:
I Love It !! This Bass is a real player, whether it's slow and mellow or it's hot and growley, this is a great performer.
This Bass has all the features it needs. A volume and tone knob is all you need. Simply a straight up approach and I'd be hard pressed to improve on their configuration. I just wouldn't want to change the natural tones of this guitar.
Quality:
The fit and finish, attention to detail, solid feel, very stable intonation, great action and a down-right sexy looking guitar. It has all the features I expected when I had my Custom 5 String made to order, only about $2,800.00 cheaper.
Value:
Get One Quick!! They won't stay this cheap for long!!
Desirability:
This Bass is beautiful from head to toe, but being the tone hound that I am, I found it's tone to be the most attractive feature. I've heard some complaints regarding the lack of tone control on this guitar but, I feel the perameters of the tone pots are just perfect, it doesn't add too much color to the already wonderful tonal characteristics.
Sound:
Sound, What a sound. This Bass has the true 60's Hollow Body thump and ring I had hoped for. I play through a couple of different cab/amp combinations and Love it. The sweet high's and mellow, woody mid tones are normally found in instruments costing 2-3 times as much. The double humbucker pick-up is very hot for a passive system and compliments the tonal attributes beautifully.
Ease of Use:
Plug and ...........Play, Play, Play.
Support:
Short of leaving this Bass out in the rain or dropping down a flight of stairs, I don't anticipate a need for support. To me that is "Great Support". Do order the Ibanez case though, You'll have a hard time finding a generic case or gig bag that it will fit into.
Overall:
I Love It !! This Bass is a real player, whether it's slow and mellow or it's hot and growley, this is a great performer.
"Buy it, Play it, Feel it, LOVE IT!!!"
Feature:
Nah. My bass didn't come with accessories, case nor gig bag. It's great for a passive bass. I basically use all of it's features when I play it! I really wish it were active though, as well as had a 5 string version with molded hardshell case! I'm also thinking a transparent oak finish with gold hadrware & hunter green marable topped dome knobs! Man, thats Pretty! If I had that, I'd just stand there & just smile at it! I think I would actually Marry It!
Quality:
Well, I kinda put mine through some rough times, not purposly. On the road it's been left in the hot or cold van or car, gotten wet while doing a few outside gigs, it's been bumped quite a few times(hard),I even play harmonics while bending the neck & it's still verry straight, in tune, & the resolution is still perfect after multiple string changes!! It's up to you to make your own blemishes if desired to do so, but I don't recommend! One thing that I noticed I after a while you will get a dust buildup in the potts because they can be exposed the air. Thats the only thing but not really a big problem that I've noticed with mine.
Value:
Verry worth it!!!!!
Desirability:
Everytime I play it somewhere, people want to buy it off of me!!!! It might as well be our featured guest! Just put it on a stand & sit it in the middle of the stage!!! Hmmmm, I just gave myself an idea. I would like to have one signed & put in a trophy case on my wall! At first I was just going for the looks! But I grew on it, & it grew on me & now, when I go to play somewhere, I grab this bass without even thinking! Everything else is now starting to grow hair, I mean dust, even the ones that I made! That's a great statement on Ibanez behalf!
Sound:
Normally, I would carry different basses for different groups or gigs due to different styles of music. This bass is just compatible for everything I do, if u know how to really get the sounds out of it! But other than that, I love the sound, just as long as I keep the strings fresh!!! It's not too studio friendly though, only because I couldn't adjust the tone too much, or maybe the tech didn't like the fact that my track sounded better than his so he declined :+]
Ease of Use:
Verry playable, esspecially when u get the action where u want it!!!!! Other than that, if you really mastered the bass well enough & or know how to produce different sounds from guitars without using effects, it's verry easy to work with! Due to the fact that it's a 4 string, I use a ZOOM 506II sometimes for my low octive in church or when needed & it also sounds verry clear & cuts through with all of the other sounds in my pedal. It even sounds great through all kind of amp settups that I played through on the road, with or without a tweeter or horn driver which leads to the quality od the bass!
Support:
Not yet, but I do want an upgrade! 5 string/active.
Overall:
I think it will be a while even though I make my own basses from time to time, I just had to get it, and if I were to get another bass, it will be one of these (5 string version), or a different color to match some outfits.
Nah. My bass didn't come with accessories, case nor gig bag. It's great for a passive bass. I basically use all of it's features when I play it! I really wish it were active though, as well as had a 5 string version with molded hardshell case! I'm also thinking a transparent oak finish with gold hadrware & hunter green marable topped dome knobs! Man, thats Pretty! If I had that, I'd just stand there & just smile at it! I think I would actually Marry It!
Quality:
Well, I kinda put mine through some rough times, not purposly. On the road it's been left in the hot or cold van or car, gotten wet while doing a few outside gigs, it's been bumped quite a few times(hard),I even play harmonics while bending the neck & it's still verry straight, in tune, & the resolution is still perfect after multiple string changes!! It's up to you to make your own blemishes if desired to do so, but I don't recommend! One thing that I noticed I after a while you will get a dust buildup in the potts because they can be exposed the air. Thats the only thing but not really a big problem that I've noticed with mine.
Value:
Verry worth it!!!!!
Desirability:
Everytime I play it somewhere, people want to buy it off of me!!!! It might as well be our featured guest! Just put it on a stand & sit it in the middle of the stage!!! Hmmmm, I just gave myself an idea. I would like to have one signed & put in a trophy case on my wall! At first I was just going for the looks! But I grew on it, & it grew on me & now, when I go to play somewhere, I grab this bass without even thinking! Everything else is now starting to grow hair, I mean dust, even the ones that I made! That's a great statement on Ibanez behalf!
Sound:
Normally, I would carry different basses for different groups or gigs due to different styles of music. This bass is just compatible for everything I do, if u know how to really get the sounds out of it! But other than that, I love the sound, just as long as I keep the strings fresh!!! It's not too studio friendly though, only because I couldn't adjust the tone too much, or maybe the tech didn't like the fact that my track sounded better than his so he declined :+]
Ease of Use:
Verry playable, esspecially when u get the action where u want it!!!!! Other than that, if you really mastered the bass well enough & or know how to produce different sounds from guitars without using effects, it's verry easy to work with! Due to the fact that it's a 4 string, I use a ZOOM 506II sometimes for my low octive in church or when needed & it also sounds verry clear & cuts through with all of the other sounds in my pedal. It even sounds great through all kind of amp settups that I played through on the road, with or without a tweeter or horn driver which leads to the quality od the bass!
Support:
Not yet, but I do want an upgrade! 5 string/active.
Overall:
I think it will be a while even though I make my own basses from time to time, I just had to get it, and if I were to get another bass, it will be one of these (5 string version), or a different color to match some outfits.
"people dig this bass"
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:tone knob doesnt seem to do much. no frills but does it's job well.
Quality:
other than that loose input that tightened really easily it's pretty solid.
Value:
looked like a solid value to me. so i bought it.
Desirability:
people dig this bass. they go right to it. it's a beauty & sounds good to boot.
Sound:
sounds great. the output jack was a little loose & buzzed when i first got it but that was easy to fix.
Overall:
this is my second bass. my first is a real clunker i picked up for $50 just to see if i was interested. i wont be needing another bass for a while. might want one with more frills at some point but this wil definitely stay in the arsenal.
"Beatiful Looks and Sound"
Feature:
One tone knob doesn't do much. Nice pickup.
Quality:
Mine is a "factory second" but I still can't find a flaw on it anywhere. Incredibly well made.
Value:
No other semi-hollow bass is anywhere near the street price on this one.
Desirability:
This bass practically defines "sex appeal." You could frame it, it looks so good, but it plays just as well.
Sound:
Very smooth. Nice and mellow, but can handle harder stuff fine. My lead-guitar playing friend wants to borrow it for his next recording session because it sounds so good.
Overall:
I'm keeping this one forever, even if I add to my collection. It looks and sounds beautiful. If only they made a five-string.
One tone knob doesn't do much. Nice pickup.
Quality:
Mine is a "factory second" but I still can't find a flaw on it anywhere. Incredibly well made.
Value:
No other semi-hollow bass is anywhere near the street price on this one.
Desirability:
This bass practically defines "sex appeal." You could frame it, it looks so good, but it plays just as well.
Sound:
Very smooth. Nice and mellow, but can handle harder stuff fine. My lead-guitar playing friend wants to borrow it for his next recording session because it sounds so good.
Overall:
I'm keeping this one forever, even if I add to my collection. It looks and sounds beautiful. If only they made a five-string.
"Looks are deceiving (but in this case its hard to care)"
Feature:
I was generally happy with this guitar. On bad days, the single pickup annoyed me with the little variety produced with the tone knobs but overall it was fine. It really should have came with the hard case, it took me 5 months to get it from the factory and I would have been glad to pay the extra $100 up front.
Quality:
My bass came with a cloudy finish near the cutout, which doesn't bother me but for the especaially anal I would check the finish with a magnifying glass because I actually get quite a few comments about the bad finishing job. Also, the action vs. string tension always feels off to me.
Value:
I have to hand it to Ibanez, I love the cutout design and the cream edging on the f holes really gets me. I payed about $500 I think and would say the price is fair (although some great deals can be made with that $500 on some used instruments).
Desirability:
I think the "I want it" factor for shape is about a 9 but would be a 6 if I knew more about the specs when I bought it.
Sound:
I found the overall sound of this bass to be a dream for slow-moving, accompaniment bass parts. This was my first bass, and it was all I really needed for the first year or so. I played mostly blues and rock and strung with D'addario flatwounds it was great (I hated the factory roundwounds it came with--- so dead and just lame). However, once I began learning funk I found that the bass had very temperamental high-end, especially on the g. After changing to rotosounds (highly recommended, by the way) this problem was improved but the tone still seems scooped out at times in the high register. I play through an SWR 400 with a 300W yorkville cab and it sounds great with Ibanez 5 strings I've tried, but that sound eludes me with the Artcore on the same setup.
Ease of Use:
It is easy to modify from the amp, but controls on the guitar are extremely limiting. I love the shape but feel it is too long when I want to play low, like my arms are too short (and I am 6'3"). Practicality is sacrificed for style.
Support:
I have had no devastating problems that needed the company's help. However, I have always been scared of the inaccessability of the pots, through the f hole.
Overall:
I have a Jazz bass in the works as this bass' successor, and I doubt I will be disappointed but will bust my Artcore out to spice up my instrument lineup.
I was generally happy with this guitar. On bad days, the single pickup annoyed me with the little variety produced with the tone knobs but overall it was fine. It really should have came with the hard case, it took me 5 months to get it from the factory and I would have been glad to pay the extra $100 up front.
Quality:
My bass came with a cloudy finish near the cutout, which doesn't bother me but for the especaially anal I would check the finish with a magnifying glass because I actually get quite a few comments about the bad finishing job. Also, the action vs. string tension always feels off to me.
Value:
I have to hand it to Ibanez, I love the cutout design and the cream edging on the f holes really gets me. I payed about $500 I think and would say the price is fair (although some great deals can be made with that $500 on some used instruments).
Desirability:
I think the "I want it" factor for shape is about a 9 but would be a 6 if I knew more about the specs when I bought it.
Sound:
I found the overall sound of this bass to be a dream for slow-moving, accompaniment bass parts. This was my first bass, and it was all I really needed for the first year or so. I played mostly blues and rock and strung with D'addario flatwounds it was great (I hated the factory roundwounds it came with--- so dead and just lame). However, once I began learning funk I found that the bass had very temperamental high-end, especially on the g. After changing to rotosounds (highly recommended, by the way) this problem was improved but the tone still seems scooped out at times in the high register. I play through an SWR 400 with a 300W yorkville cab and it sounds great with Ibanez 5 strings I've tried, but that sound eludes me with the Artcore on the same setup.
Ease of Use:
It is easy to modify from the amp, but controls on the guitar are extremely limiting. I love the shape but feel it is too long when I want to play low, like my arms are too short (and I am 6'3"). Practicality is sacrificed for style.
Support:
I have had no devastating problems that needed the company's help. However, I have always been scared of the inaccessability of the pots, through the f hole.
Overall:
I have a Jazz bass in the works as this bass' successor, and I doubt I will be disappointed but will bust my Artcore out to spice up my instrument lineup.
"An excellent deal."
Feature:
Tone knob nearly useless. Would have liked more size in the sound box for more volume acoustically.
Quality:
No issues at all
Value:
Fantastic. I'd be stunned if there is a better bass for twice the price.
Sound:
Since I don't plan on playing deathmetal, I won't comment on the heavily driven ability, but for everything else, I can't beleive how good this sounds.
Tone knob nearly useless. Would have liked more size in the sound box for more volume acoustically.
Quality:
No issues at all
Value:
Fantastic. I'd be stunned if there is a better bass for twice the price.
Sound:
Since I don't plan on playing deathmetal, I won't comment on the heavily driven ability, but for everything else, I can't beleive how good this sounds.
"sexy, oh so sexy"
Quality:
The bass is made very well. The finish is gorgeous and I love the natural look and feel of it. If it were a woman, I'd take it to bed and stay there for a week
Overall:
I love it for a semi-hollow body bass. The look is comperable to the likes of Halle Berry. I love the tone too. My only hitch about it is the balance of it when on a strap. It is really neck heavy, but then again plays a bass without both hands? I fell in love with it at the first pluck and snatched it up and played it at every gig ever since.
The bass is made very well. The finish is gorgeous and I love the natural look and feel of it. If it were a woman, I'd take it to bed and stay there for a week
Overall:
I love it for a semi-hollow body bass. The look is comperable to the likes of Halle Berry. I love the tone too. My only hitch about it is the balance of it when on a strap. It is really neck heavy, but then again plays a bass without both hands? I fell in love with it at the first pluck and snatched it up and played it at every gig ever since.
Ibanez AGB140 Artcore Customer Review
Ibanez AGB140 Artcore Customer Review
"One of the best guitars this year no matter what style you play"
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