arc300?

[rty13ibz98]

anyone have anymore info on this axe. i feel that this will be my next axe. i was going to get the ar300, but i wanted more of a les paul type vibe, minus all the BS involved with the switching. i already have an sz520qm and an ax220qm to get the majority of my LP tones and was wondering if anyone has played the arc300 and the other 2, how does it compare? the pickups are not going to be an issue as all my guitars get aftermarkets in them. i already plan on getting the alnico2 pro and jb for it as well as the JPM switch and a push pull pot(custom mods i do for all my 3 way toggles). i was wondering the quality, origin, playability, weight, and balance of the guitar. i plan on getting it when my tax cash gets here...in a few weeks, but wanted to see if anyone has had any experience with it.


rich

[mfergel]

I just bought one last week. Great guitar. Obviously, because it's made in China, the cost is a bit cheaper than many of the other Ibanez guitars. However, the quality on mine is top notch. Extremely comfortable. The back edges have a nice smooth rounded bevel, the neck is extremely comfortable and upper fret access is quite good. The fine tuning tail piece is excellent. A real gem of a guitar. I had actually gone into the store with the intention of getting an SZ but felt this was a better guitar. Pickups are ok...nothing to write home about. I actually have a Duncan JB/Jazz combo on order and will install those with the next string change.

[rty13ibz98]

cool, man. i'd love to see more pics. i ordered mine a little over a week ago from GC, so it should be in this week. i was going to get an artist this year, but was torn between that and a les paul of some type(except for the price). the arc was a dream come true. i was debating on if i really wanted to put the alnico 2/jb rig in it as i can more than likely get the jazz/jb box for cheap. i am really looking forward to it as i don't have any real LP type axes. question for you, though. how does it feel when your wearing it? is it weighted well? is it neck heavy? i know that it won't feel near as balanced as a strat of rg, but my biggest gripe about my ax's (ax220 and ax7521) is the fact that they are neck heavy. my tele suffers a bit of it, too. not as bad, tho.


rich

[mfergel]

Nice even weight. Not neck heavy at all. Very comfortable to play, especially because the back edges are all rounded off like a Fender Strat. Not like the RG's or a Les Paul. The set neck is also rounded as is the body where it joins with the neck.

I did put my JB/Jazz combo in this weekend. Sounds great. The JB gives it more edge and gain in the bridge and the Jazz is much fuller and fatter in the neck. I had seriously considered (and maybe will down the road) consider throwing push/pull pots in place of the current volume knobs and using those to coil split. That would really open up the combinations.

Ultimately, I'd consider buying another one (if I didn't already own 8 electrics already) of these as I like it that much.

[rty13ibz98]

just got mine in today, but haven't gotten to play it much. it took two weeks from the initial order from GC, but to save an extra $50, no big deal. i'm like you with the abundance of electrics...i got 21 electrics. most of which are rgs. so it wasn't like i was hurting. haven't had much time to check it out, but i did noticed the more rounded heel and the tummy cut. really a plus for me considering i am a strat guy. the switching is almost exactly like my sz520 and it has a barrel jack, which totally surprised me. the guys at GC had no idea this guitar even existed. when i pulled it out of the box, they were pretty impressed at it. played it a bit and the neck felt like a cross between my sz520 and am73. more flat like the sz, but wide like the am. i like it. i will score the pickups either this month or next month, depending on how quickly i can free up the finances. immediately following will be the electrical parts. for $350, though, i can't gripe about this guitar in anywany in the least.


rich

[chris101]

Is the Ar-300 made in Korea? If so are there any similar style (AR) Ibanez guitars still made in Japan?

[the.godfather]

Originally Posted by mfergel

because it's made in China

Theres your answer dude.

[chris101]

So are all the AR series made in China? Are there no MIJ AR models anymore? Oh Crap! I've got the Masa electro-acoustic, its made in China, its actually not too bad (nice neck) but no good if you want real acoustic amplification at a decent level.

[rty13ibz98]

OMG, i had forgotten that i had even started this thread! i have bought like 10 guitars since this thread was opened. i still have the arc300. it is my les paul. that not saying much considering that i use rg's typically. it has since received a pair of duncans: jazz and jb, a petrucci switch, and a push/pull pot for the neck hum. controls are setup like a strat, too: v/t/t. it kills. i do love this guitar. but since this thread i have gotten several strats, some rt's, a few more rg's(including a rg7ct), and several artcore's(including an af105). not to mention a few new acoustics...there is probably more. this guitar is a killer, not to mention its a workhorse with mad tone...even with the stock axes. being that it is a chinese ibanez, the artcores that i have are all really good quality-wise. the pickups were the only down side, not so much a disappointment there, either. just not the duncans i swapped them with. they are great vintage sounding pickups, odd due to being ceramic, but really pleasant. i still have all my artcores stock with them. am73, afs75, ag85. the arc300 is by far the best deal for a LP type axe for under $500. i love it. the next axe i would buy like it would be an ar300, but for now the need is not there.

rich

[mfergel]

Mine is for the most part still my main guitar. Essentially, I gig with this and a Squier Tele (despite having half a dozen more expensive guitars). I've only done the JB/Jazz combo on it. At home, I've mostly been playing my Kramer LP copies and the ARC300 is really close to those. The ARC is probably a little more comfortable.