AXS32 Review

Raw simplicity and power in a crystal cut body of Mahogany or Agathis. D-tuner models in AX offer the simple solution for achieving alternate tunings.

Features:	9
Sound:	9.5
Action:	9.5
Reliability:	8
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.2
Users rating:	8.8
Comments:	14

Featured review by: unregistered, on march 07, 2005

Purchased from: Sam Ash

Features:
- Mahoganey body
- 3 piece mahogoney neck w/rosewood fretboard
- Flat satin finish
- String-thur body bridge style
- 2 volume, 2 tone knobs and a 3-way selector
- Double humbuckers
- Stainless stell pick guard. // 10

Sound: Been plaing bass for 10 years guitar for a little over 2. Been trying to the right guitar for awhile now. Nothing ever really stuck to me, or if it did it was way too expensive. This thing didn't really catch my eye at first. But as soon as I pulled it off the shelf and plugged it in, I knew it was the one. Wow amazing sound. Has the tone of a LP and with the strung-thru body bridge the sustain on this thing is awesome. Double humbuckers sound great. Fret pick-up was a little muddy, but nothing too noticable. You could tell this thing was made with quality. It had a very full tone, like I said similar to an LP. I've been looking for a Lp style gutar for awhile now. Can't afford $2000 for a real one, so I been looking at some nice Epiphones and LTDs. Man this Ibanez blows then all out of the water, and for a bargain price. You cant beat the sound on this thing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The neck on this thing is like butter. So smooth man. No gloss finish so you can run your hands down this puppy in no time. Set in neck as well. No fret buzz. I mean you have to seriuosly miss a note to hear some buzz. Pickups sounded great fresh out of the box. was thinking about up grading them, but I dont this its really nessecary. Them Koreans can build em. Never would of thought it came off an assembly line. Fit and finish is like a hand made guitar. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Seem pretty reliable, haven't dropped it yet to make sure. And I don't plan too. But it feels real solid. Never had a loose bolt or nut or anything. Only thing is the satin finish, like I said it's a flat finish, so I'm thinking it might scratch easily. Only time will tell. Other than that it seems real sturdy. Should last for a long time. // 8

Impression: I play modern rock, classic rock, some heavier metal from time to time too. Hell, I'll even dabble in the blues. Most modern rock songs have blues chord progessions or some similar variation. So I try to play all kinds of different styles. While its not gonna sound like a Strat, you can still malipulate the tone a little on this. But if you want the full tone of a LP, this thing gives it to you by the truckload. Great for modern and cassic rock. This thing can sound down right mean. Best $400 I've ever spent. I'd recommend it to anyone. // 10

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: CE49, on december 13, 2007

Price paid: $ 494.1

Purchased from: www.thinkmusic.co.uk

Features: My Ibanez AXS32 was made in July 2004 at the World factory in Korea and bought just Christmas the same year. There are 22 large frets on a rosewood fretboard. Interestingly, there are just to small inlays on the fretboard to mark the 12th fret. But don't worry, there is the regular style of fret markings shown on the beautiful binding between the fretboard and the rest of the neck. The neck itself is so smooth it's unbelievable. A favourite feature of mine is the string-thru bridge. It gives the guitar that extra bit of sustain whilst looking a bir different. Unfortunately, the pick guard and pick bezels are plastic. My pick up bezels quickly started to turn black so I decided to replace them with chrome ones which really sets this guitar off! Though, the pick guard has not yet turned black it look worse for wear and if there were a chrome one available I would buy it immediately. The flat paintwork on this guitar is flat, meaning that despite the many times I've accidentally hit it against tables or walls with some force, the guitar has come out unscathed whereas there are various red paint marks on the furniture and walls around my home. If you want to buy a proper fitted AM50C Ibanez case to protect this beautiful guitar then be prepared to pay out a lot of money. // 8

Sound: I would say that this guitar is not specifically designed to play one type of music. If you are the type of guitarist Who has one guitar for cleans, another for dirty sounds and another for right out distortion then this guitar isn't for you. However, if you want one versatile guitar this is just the guitar for you! The only type of music I don't think would suit the AXS32 is metal. As I am not interested in this genre, this doesn't affect me but if you are interested in playing metal more than once in a while I would recommend you look else where. The pick ups are pretty good. I like how different the neck is from the bridge pick up. This has not been the case in some guitars I've played which has left me thinking "why not just have the one?". I tend to use the bridge pick up for cleans, both for distortion and the neck pick up for soloing. One thing I would say is that if you are playing clean do not have the volume knobs turned up to full because you do start to hear a bit of crackle. If I ever do end up buying new pick ups for this guitar it won't be for necessity but just curiosity of how the guitar would sound different. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: From the factory this guitar came surprisingly well set up but after a few months I fiddled around to see how everything worked (I was still relatively new to guitar at the time) and now it is set up perfectly. I recently played a new Gibson and I would say the action on my Ibanez is much lower without buzzing. Every so often the jack socket becomes loose but that's easily dealt with. There were no factory faults and I was 100% happy when I received the item. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have used this guitar at several gigs and never even considered a backup. I'm pretty sure that, electronically, this guitar will outlive me. The only thing I would say again is that the bezels and pick guard are plastic and start to change colour with time. The paint on the other hand I don't see ever even having one blemish. // 8

Impression: If I say: Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, Nirvana you will get a rough idea of the type of music I like to play. All those bands are quite versatile between each other and within themselves and I feel confident with this guitar in all those situations. If this guitar was stolen, I would find another without a second thought. I wouldn't, however, buy its successor, the AXS42. Though I have never played this guitar I don't find it as attractive as the AXS32 as it has fret inlays and no string-thru bridge though I'm sure it sounds exactly the same. I will definitely stick with this guitar for a long time because I think I will have to spend over 1000GBP before I can get a guitar which is significantly better. // 10

Comments

[jesman76]

This is the guitar I have, and I LOVE it. Fantastic guitar.

[Arlabester]

i just played it at my local music store and it PWNS the sh*t out of my MIM Strat, this guitar rocks

[gign]

The only problem i found with this was i couldnt reach the highest fret, but it seemed like a fairly good guitar otherwise

[KYLE3222]

great guitar, i own it, i plan on installing an EMG 81 in the bridge.

[PinkFloydrulez]

me waaant

[CE49]

I own this guitar - great value for money! Worth every penny!

[nibbleschew]

I have a AXS42, I think the AXS32 model replaced mine, but I don't know what the difference, all that I know is that either of these 2 guitars are amazing.

[Random-rab]

i just bought an AXS42 and i am actually in love with it!!!! it plays and sounds better that an epiphone sg!!! (havent had the chance to play a gibson but still!!!) woop!

[in_keios]

Hi...
I own this guitar for 3 years and i liked a lot.
here a got some points about it.

the pick guard is not Stainless stell
is plastic...i have 3 years with this guitar and the time as reclaimed his price, as i said before the pick guard is fading to black, and the flat color has gone almost completely, the guitar is shine now after so many use, its doesn't scrash that easy, every thing is in his place like the first day,(except for the flat color)

[nibbleschew]

yea I have an AXS42, and I too haven't noticed a difference between the 32 or 42, but mine is glorious, had it for almost a year, no flaws, whatsoever, definately worth every penny.

[TechieDan]

Im looking for a replacement for my Fullerton Fender. It's not a real Metal guitar which is a large chunk of what I play. My VOX Valvetronix amp kind makes up for that, but I'm looking for something between like 200 and 400 USD.

[mattman25]

i just bought one of these for half price! ($550 nz )

they got another 1 in and selling for $1095

love the sound of it highly recomemd buying

[ibikinz]

look
s cool.

[I Shot Kurt]

i bought this guitar about three years ago and love it. The pickups have a bit of a muddy quality to them, but i kinda like it; sounds almost drop tuned sometimes. i recently bought an epiphone les paul which has much better action on the fretboard, and has much crisper pickups, but i still break the old ibanez out once in awhile, just to get that sound out of her.