Anyone with experience on the Ibanez SA160?

MadKeithV · #1 11-08-2002, 08:20 AM

I've been looking around for a new 6-stringer for a while now, not too pricey 'cause I'm a little broke.
I'd been looking at a LOT of stuff, from the Jackson SLSMG to Schecters to custom built models, but now this has caught my eye:

The Ibanez SA160 (in trans grey). It looks YUMMY. Yet it's a cheap guitar. I know I can scrap the pickups, those will be mediocre, but what about the rest of the guitar? The trem appeals to me, I'd like something non-floyd for a change. I love the looks, and the mahogany body is one of the features I really wanted...

So can anyone give me a serious lowdown on the pros and cons of this guitar? Bear in mind that my current main player is a UV777PBK, so you're allowed to hit me hard with quality issues and the like

Globbits · #2 11-08-2002, 08:29 AM

You'll find that the pickups will want to make you kill yourself- don't expect ANYTHING like dimarzios. Crappy powersounds. The sattelite trem's pretty fenderish, and it will take you quite a while to adjust to the fact that its no lo-pro edge. About a half tone up and 3 tones down before the tuning gives up the ghost. Bog-standard tuners, nut, pots, jack and p'up swich. Give it a professional set up-the action's none too clever, and the frets and board could use some TLC. Not a great expert on it, but that's a general outline.

stratoskier · #3 11-08-2002, 12:17 PM

Yo MadKeith,
Some of the regulars may disagree with me here, but I'm a big advocate of these guitars. I have a bunch of Ibanez now: some with Edges (S540, 540R, S2540...), and some without (RT650, RV470, BL1025, SV470...). I also have an SA160, and most of the time this is the guitar I grab to play. The body is thicker than the regular S-series and has more "natural" resonance. The neck is definitely thicker than my other guitars, but sometimes that feels SO nice. Playing live, I always grab the SA160 for the bluesy stuff. And the trem! Big positive here. I'd liken it more to a Wilkinson than to a Fender. I think it's super stable, no hassle, and built very well. The pickups?: According to the catalogs (Ibanez Rules site), they used the Powersounds in 2000 only. Since then they've used the AS2 and AH4 which are WAY better. The Powersounds are really abrasive, but the A-series are smoother. Still, you'll want to swap em out eventually. Oh yeah, the input jack (Grrr...): Ibanez could do better here.

One additional point, though. Like many people have said here, the Korean guitars are hit-or-miss. I've tried some SA160s that felt way clunkier than others. There's no telling how much a good setup would rectify things, but mail order for the Korean Ibanez is potentially risky. The good news is that I see these used for a little over 2 bills. Hard to beat and far better than the lower end Jacksons I've played. They actually feel cheaply made; the SA160 doesn't.
stratoskier

pawel · #4 11-08-2002, 05:28 PM

I played one of these, they seem like a good bang for the buck, especially the quilt top models. I liked the way it played and the tremolo seemed pretty decent. I think that for that kind of money you cant really go wrong, you can always change the pikups/tuners/trem/nut and end up with a fully functional reliabe guitar...

spacenuke · #5 11-08-2002, 05:46 PM

I've only played this guitar unplugged at GC, but I liked it a lot. If money is tight, maybe you can consider getting it used. I like used gear since I don't have to pay the premium and it doesn't hurt that much if I cause a nick here or there. and no tax, at least not directly.

germX · #6 11-15-2002, 08:59 AM

i definitely like the feel of the SA160, however, the frets, if they are a little bigger, would be nice.

rty13ibz98 · #7 11-17-2002, 12:03 AM

nice axe, but it has a huge ass neck. nice workhorse axe. i would drop some good pickups in it, put a graphite nut and locking tuners, and shave the neck down, but a damn good mahogany strat copy to gig with. pretty good tone...even from the stock pickups.

rich

Sephiroth000 · #8 11-24-2002, 08:24 PM

I've got the SA-160QMTG..It didn't come with powersounds..Ah1 and AH2's, With alinco magnets..very nice for stock..The SAT 30 Is the most stable non-locking trem I have used..Very smooth fulcrum design..