Ibanez AEWC400 - Transparent Black Sunburst High Gloss Review

Only one issue.

This is a very solid, reliable, gigging guitar. The only reason I am not giving it 4 stars is because the sound hole is slightly smaller than what is common. This has made it impossible to find a sound hold cover / feedback suppressor to fit this guitar. I've even tried the adjustable one made by Ibanez. No luck so far.

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I Love This Guitar!!!

Title says it all! Sweetwater rocks, too!!!

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Great Acoustic/Electric for playing in a live band

I play in a rock band and need to be able to change weapons quickly. The Ibanez has a smaller body (fits in a 000 case) and light weight. It's a very comfortable acoustic to play live. The contoured upper front is very natural feeling and comfortable for finger-picking. The asymmetric neck works out great for me - I have a couple Schecters with this and it really improves your reach… read more across the neck the higher up you play. The contoured back with this style cutaway really lets you get up to the top of the fretboard. Even the neck heel is contoured, which I don't think I've ever seen. This guitar is easy to play the full length of the neck. Unplugged it is bright and projects well, though without much on the lower end. This is to be expected on a smaller body guitar. Plugged in you've got all the bass you need. The electronics are straightforward and easy to use, and work well. I was expecting to add more bass to the acoustic EQ on the pedalboard, but this wasn't needed as the signal from the guitar is rich and full. Have I mentioned that the finish is gorgeous? Love the flamed top, back, and sides - it has a very high end look. I really like having the XLR output for plugging in to record on a computer. This is not an expensive guitar, but that's the point. The more bars our band plays in, the less inclined I am to take high-end gear out to play. This fits my needs perfectly, and probably should cost more. And, as always, many thanks to the staff and crew at Sweetwater. Guitar arrived well-packaged, in tune, with perfect intonation. Recommend this guitar And Sweetwater to everyone.

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Easy on the fingers.

Get one. I have been playing guitar since 1965. Just purchased the Ibeneze AEWC400. Love it. Played it over 7 hours the first 2 days. Very comfortable to play. Perfect to play in a recliner too. Sounds as good or better than my Martin through my Fishman Mini. The thinner sound, when unplugged, is just what my old ears with hearing aids needed. Easiest guitar I have ever played.… read more Mr. Nolan Dye provided me with stress free sales and service. Just the guitar I needed to get me through the pandemic.

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Great Budget Lead Acoustic

As I'm sure you're aware, many buy the Ibanez acoustics for their distinct finishes most other brands don't bother to try. Sure, you could buy a similarly priced Yamaha or Ovation and get a better sound, but it's still going to be a standard acoustic finish, and I'm of the mindset that you need to really like how your guitar looks, as well as how it plays. There is no question this… read more acoustic is a looker, and this entire line of Ibanez acoustics visually blow away the competition under the $1000 price point. But, you ask, how does it play and sound in this price range?Good question.In terms of playability, wowza this is an easy to play neck. The neck is easily one of the thinnest and most accessible out there for an acoustic, making leads and fingerpicking a breeze. I definitely think it plays better than pretty much all other guitars in this price range because of my preference for a slick and fast neck. If you like standard, fat acoustic necks, this will not be for you.The cutaway also opens up lead playing on the higher frets.Now the sound...Well, this guitar is obviously a thinline model, and thus the sound is a bit treble heavy with a somewhat lacking low end and volume projection. This is simply due to the body being so thin. These downsides aren't worse than the other thinlines out there, but it's hard for me to recommend this guitar over thicker bodied models that deliver a nicer tone if you're looking to buy one for strumming-heavy play-style. You're better off with the sub $ Epiphone model for that. That said, this guitar sounds great amped up, and the controls work well to get the sound at least somewhat close to where you want. It also does well with pedals while still retaining an acoustic charm. Leads and Fingerpicking styles are where this guitar shines, and I will easily recommend it if you're looking for a different looking model than all the others in the price range. I will say that the Ernie Ball Earthwood Strings are a MUST for this model to counter the downsides of a thin body. With stock strings it can be very harsh, especially amp'd/mic'd up. Using the controls to counter this does not produce desirable results. As it stands, this guitar with the Earthwood's is an extremely solid lead acoustic that I would recommend for those who want a different finish.

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