Ibanez AM73

I wanted to buy a high quality, play at home, guitar. I asked a local Yamaha for a few different guitars I was considering and he brought them all into his shop for me to try. I paid $299 for my Artcore

The Artcore was impressive right out of the box and has only improved with more use. I have a Strat too, which is an exceptional instrument, but the vibe from the Artcore, although entirely different, is just as brilliant.

Although the factory PUPs are very good, I’ve now installed a set of Seymour Duncan ‘59s that compliment the AM73 perfectly. The Artcore now positively glows and the variety of sounds that can be coaxed from it are amazing. It can go from dark and sweet, to badass raunchy, along with everything else in between.


I was disappointed this classy guitar didn’t include a pickguard and really detested the knobs for tone and volume. Finding a case for it has also been a hassle. Aside from those minor details, this guitar is perfect. For the price, you just know some corners had to be cut. Ibanez was smart to reduce production costs on these minor and easily corrected details, instead of on the quality of construction (which is superb), wood or electronics. Good job Ibanez!

I haven’t been playing that long, so I’m not yet biased by brand loyalty or image and I take very special care when buying a guitar. I’m not embarrassed to ask more experience players for advise either. Before buying my Artcore, I did a LOT of strumming on EVERYTHING available on the showroom floor. I had narrowed it down to two guitars, The AM73 and an Epiphone Sheraton. I played both and asked some other players to do the same. EVERYONE liked the Artcore more, even though the Sheraton costs twice as much. I think that’s a pretty good endorsement. The neck just pours itself into your hand. This is a very, very, special instrument.

Quality is very important to me and it just oozes from this guitar! The blue finish is perfect. Nothing was skimped in the construction, the build is top notch. The pots and switch feel solid and it stays in tune no matter what. The black headstock looks classy with the Ibanez name in mother of pearl and silver logo. I didn’t find this quality even on guitars that were MUCH more expensive. It’s a set neck and interior kerfing. This sucker is solid!



This is a perfect beginners guitar. The price is right and this axe will lead you down the road a loooooong ways. In the hands of an experienced player, it can do anything! Twenty years from now, the AM73 will be a classic; it really is a sexy beast. Everyone who has seen mine, think it cost me at least three times more than I paid for it.

It’s stunning. I know a lot of people like the brown, but the blue is gorgeous. My next-door neighbor is a Sound Engineer and says it has great “stage presence”… all I can say is that it looks impressive in my practice room!

If for some reason I lost my Artcore, I would unquestionably get another immediately. Heck, buy a bunch of them now while they’re cheap and make a truckload of money off them twenty years down the road.


This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com