Artcore AM73T Review

Artcore Set-In neck. Mahogany Neck. Maple Body. 22 Large frets. Bound Rosewood Finger Board. Pearl Dot Inlay.

Features:	9
Sound:	9.3
Action:	8
Reliability:	8.5
Impression:	8.8
Overall rating:	8.7
Users rating:	6.4
Comments:	2

overall: 8.4

Reviewed by: jrw619, on october 07, 2008

Purchased from: Columbus Music

Features: This Semi-hollow body guitar has 22 frets on the neck, which has Dot marks. It has a dark blue color, and a glossy finish to it. It has several control knobs on the body. Volume, High, Bass, and Mid. It also has a three-way selector for the different pick ups. I bought it used, and it did not come with any accessories. // 8

Sound: It has a more jazzy or blues style of sound to it. That is what I was looking for.I play mostly classic rock, and some modern rock, but I love that blues sound. I use just a small Peavey Starter Kit amp with it, and no effects, except for a little distortion on the amp every once in a while. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything seems to be built very sturdily. There is one little nick on the back of it, but I am 100% positive this was from the previous owner.Everything on this guitar seemed pretty much perfect. But this could also be because it came from a very good shop too. I have had no problems with it at all. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I have not played with this guitar Live yet, but I have no doubts that it will hold up well. It seems very sturdy. I replaced the strap buttons with locking ones, so that should not be a problem. The finish is holding up very well, and there doesn't seem to be hardly any wear on it. // 8

Impression: Like I stated earlier, I play mostly classic rock, but I love the blues sound, and this guitar delivers it very well. I have been playing it for about a month and have had no problems with it what'soever. If it were stolen, I would probably find a different guitar, but that is just because I like to try new things.It would be worth buying over again though. // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: Rock TABer-><, on december 02, 2005

Price paid: $ 528.87

Purchased from: GAK

Features: This is a semi/jazz style axx that can be used for all walks of music. It has an Artcore neck (with small frets) providing amazing action when soloing or when playing rythem all over the neck. It is nearly all made out of maple (Japans fines). The axe has an ArtI bridge and a quick change III tail piece. ACH I pickup at the neck providing near unsurpassable tone and an ACH II pickup at the bridge giving one hell of a kick to any distortion and feel to any sound. The only finnish available is transparant brown, but you wouldn't want any other. For a hollow body it is surprisingly thin and comfertable to old and to play (the neck width and body are around the same as a LP). There is a three way toggle and 4 controls (a volume and tone for each pickup). Its only let down is that it only has 22 frets and hasn't got a whamy bar as standard, but the available frets are easily accesible and if you want to go higher it is very easy to use a slide. // 10

Sound: I play all sorts of music because I am in a rock band and I am a session musician and I always use my '73 as my NO. 1 Gtr (and often don't need a back up (infact it has never failed me)). I hav played it as an acoustic but it best it 2 ways. Iether as a clean sounding guitar sound (I played mine, the first time live, playing hotel california and it sounded superb). I also find that the pickups work brilliantly as distorted rocky pick ps (from Slayer to Queen your prety much sorted). The only let down is that it has only got humbuckers so you cant get a trebaly half distortion (like in most indy rock). // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: All I can say are 3 words 'Good God Allmighty' it is amazing. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It's amazing live, as previously stated but I can't say what its like over time as I have only had it for little over a year. But when playing live I always have a backup but never have to use it. // 10

Impression: In my time guitaring life I'v played on thousands of world famouse guitars (i.e. LPs, Parkers, SGs, Explorers, Flying Vs, Telecasters, Stratocasters, 335s and many other) and this is up with them, I got it purly on looks and was astounded by everything it has to offer. My advice - buy one. // 10

overall: 8.4

Reviewed by: rustyburrito55, on january 03, 2005

Purchased from: Daddy's Junky Music

Features: This guitar has 22 frets an a transparent finish that looks really nice. It has a Tune-O-Matic bridge which is nice. Passive electronics. It has volume and tone controls for both pickups and a 3 way selector Switch. It has Ibanez Art1 and Art2 ceramic humbuckers which are ok for stock pickups. The tuners are alright. Nothing special but they get the job done. // 8

Sound: I play stuff that ranges to classical and jazz to metal. I run this guitar through a Crate GLX65 amp. This guitar is not noisy or buzzy at all. The bridge humbucker doesnt give as bright of a sound as I would like but that can easyli be changed. Clean sounds are really nice when you use the neck pickup. The only thing that kind of bugs me is that you get a lot of feedback if you turn up your gain too high but thats just because it's a semi hollow. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: When I got this guitar everything seemed to be in order. The frets were polished and filed extremely well and everything was tight and setup pretty good. The action was a bit higher then I prefer but thats just because I like low action. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar has been alright. It broke twice on me within the first year I had it. Once durong band practice the bottom strap button stripped out of the guitar and the guitar fell facedown on the floor. This pushed one side o the bridge into the body of the guitar a little bit but didnt effect the sound. If you buy this guitar I highly recomend securing the screws with liquid nail or epoxy. The finish is good it doesn't show any signs of wear. The output jack also stopped working. // 8

Impression: This is a great guitar for any style of music. It is one of the most versatile guitars I've played. If this guitar were stolen or lost I would buy the same one except it would have a tremolo it wouldnt be a HardTail. The one thign I hate about this guitar is how difficult it is to change the output jack. On most guitars theres a plate in the back but on this one you have to do all the work through one of the f holes and its really hard to do. // 8

overall: 8

Reviewed by: timgiberson, on january 27, 2004

Purchased from: Manahawkin Music, NJ

Features: Here are the specs right from the Ibanez site:

Artcore Set-In neck
Mahogany Neck Material
Maple top/ sides/back Body
22/Large frets
Bound Rosewood Finger Board
ART2 w/VBS80 Vintage Vibrato bridge
ACH1 (H) Neck PU
ACH2 (H) Bridge PU
Pearl Dot Inlay
CH : Hardware Color // 10

Sound: The sound on the guitar is pretty damn good. I play a lot of hardcore and metal through it, and I do like the sound when I run it through the amp. When I want a very clean sound also, this guitar delivers. The sound is very nice, but there are better. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Great parts and everything, good make. Though the Bridge piece on the guitar is by far the worst bridge piece I have ever played but it is playable. The other parts on the guitar and great though. The paintjob on it was also greatly done too. Great design, just that the bridge sucks. // 6

Reliability & Durability: Well, it is a pretty durable guitar though I already had to fix one part which should not have had to. The bottom strap screw stripped out and I had to fix that. That is the only thing that has needed to be fixed so far, and I do like the guitar. // 8

Impression: Great guitar, a must buy for beggining. // 8

Comments

[rock_and_blues]

you CANNOT play all kinds of music on this guitar....this is a genre based instrument...i know i bought one thinking i could play all kinds, but it is soley for blues/jazz/and classic/modern rock. Nothing in the metal genres can be played through this because it gets atrocious feedback at higher volumes, and I have tried that as well. The bridge makes it very hard to shred, or play fast alternate picked rythmns. The non-locking tremelo also adds to its uselessness in the shred genre. I'm not trying to bash it...its a beautiful instrument, when used in the right context...just beware and make sure your getting it for the right reason.

[Quicksand15]

rock_and_blues wrote:...the shred genre...just beware and make sure your getting it for the right reason.

if you use a jazz guitar for shredding, your simply got something wrong...its just dumb^^

of course its not perfect for shredding, but very good for so many other genres:
i use it for funk, progressive music, post-rock, jazz, blues...and this guitar can manage those genres perfectly!