ITS HERE!!! - My reviewish thing, and thoughts on the AR250

BZ Beetle · #1 03-21-2002, 05:20 PM

Well, after 4 days of eager anticipation, my Ibanez AR250 artist (honeyburst) has finally arrived. Right out of the box, i loved it and hated it at the same time. The finish on it is GORGEOUS. a nice transparent topped flamed maple top, over a solid mahogany body. After i put my tounge back in my mouth, I tuned it up. the nut was a little dry, but nothin a little chapstick didnt take care of (i know i know, im getting a good nut lube soon.......errr.....that sounds kinda bad). Then i went to put in on. MAN what a letdown. because of the shallow cutaways, the strap attaches much closer to the center of the guitars gravity. so from where im used to playing my RG, it feels WAY out of place. but nothing a little playing cant get used to. then, i let go of the neck to grab a pick, and let down #2. its horribly balanced for such a heavy guitar! as soon as you let go of the neck it slides neck down. nothing i cant over come, i just hafta get used to it. it does, however, sound amazing. especially clean tone, with the AH1 pickups.
overall, yes there are some things i dont like about it, but the likes more than make up for it. and for 600 bux, its nothing i regret

bduersch · #2 03-21-2002, 10:46 PM

I know what you mean about the "balance" thing--I have a Les Paul Double Cutaway, which is a really sweet guitar, but it just doesn't feel or "hang" right after I've been playing RG's pretty much exclusively for the past few years.

--B

BZ Beetle · #3 03-21-2002, 11:17 PM

oh one thing i forgot to mention. the pickup switch is HORRIBLY positioned. i played it for about 2 minutes, before i took the switch out, and put it in sideways so i wouldnt hit it while i played

again, the fix took me like 30 seconds, but you would think they would have changed that by now.

nuno · #4 03-22-2002, 03:54 AM

congrats Ken!
any pix?

BZ Beetle · #5 03-22-2002, 11:24 PM

not yet, i want to get some tho with a good camera to capture the AMAZING finish on it tho nuno. its gorgeous!!!

with a nifty set of electronics it will play and SOUND just as good as any half assed les paul

littlegreenman · #6 03-22-2002, 11:38 PM

Well, Congrats, I'm sure you'll learn to love it!

gkelm · #7 03-23-2002, 01:44 AM

Sounds like issues you can adjust to...it will make you a more versatile player.

Is the 250 Korean or MIJ?
Greg

BZ Beetle · #8 03-24-2002, 08:51 PM

i wanna say korean *but i havnt checked yet

after playin for a few days, it could probably use some new pickups, i havnt decided yet tho. the axis 1 humbucker just sounds too overpowering, and the Axis 2 sounds almost a little thin. im still playing with my amp settings too. nice smooth pick attack on both, unlike my RG. but the RG was MADE for distortion (after i was done with it LOL)

one thing that strikes me as odd tho, i have an axis 1 in the neck of my RG. its all black and has hex head pole pieces. the axis 1 on my artist has chrome pole pieces, with a flat head screw driver top to em. did they change them?

(Edited by BZ Beetle at 7:53 pm on Mar. 24, 2002)