Ibanez ARC100

I have owned this guitar for over a year, and it became my primary go-to guitar quickly after it's purchase. I've been a big fan of Ibanez's guitars, but have always liked the Les Paul body type, with its shorter scale length of 24.75". The problem being that Ibanez is most widely known for the shredders that endorse their signature guiars (the Vais, Satrianis and Gilberts of the world) makes it less than easy to find a proper substitute for a Gibson.

Made by Ibanez's Korean factory this comes really close to being a Les Paul for those on too much of a budget to get the faded finish series guitars. It's 22 fret, set neck is perfect for those Kiss style riffs, and the block inlays really look great.

The bridge is a Wilkinson III that has fine tuning knobs, and allows for incredibly fast string changes. The three knobs are (from top to bottom) volume, neck tone and bridge tone, with the pickup selector right there for easy access.

UTILIZATION

The neck plays very smoothly, and provides easy access to the last frets.

The design of the guitar is very light, being made of mahogany. It's much easier on the shoulder than a Standard LEs Paul, and most certainly more so than a Les Paul Custom. The edges also allow for a bit more comfortability on the wrist, with a nice contour for the arm to rest while doing whatever kind of strumming you find yourself doing.

I've never had any amount of trouble getting a good sound from this guitar, and that's even with stock pickups. The pickups allow for plenty of variation and modification in tone, and have always left me satisfied.

SOUNDS

The hotter bridge pickup is good for harsher distorted sounds suitable for punk rock or any sort of hard and heavy rock, which is good. However, for a softer, more mellow tone, the neck pickup is fantastic. It's a dream for bluesy rock sounds and jazz stylings.

I run this guitar through a Line 6 Spider 2x10 combo amp, and couldn't be happier, even with the older amp. I use a Bad Horsie Wah pedal for most extended solos if I find they need a bit of variation to them, and the result is usually positive.

I usually like getting a dirtier clean tone with the twang setting of my Line 6 with the bridge pickup, which is perfect for Minutemen style songs, where as the neck pickup is good with just about any setting. No lie.

Favorite sounds of mine are the neck pickup with the wah pedal and the twang tone setting on the Line 6.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had this guitar since December of 2007, and I've loved it since I first laid eyes on it. It's been my main guitar ever since, usurping my Ibanez IC-300, and my solid body acoustic Fernandes. The thing I like most about the guitar is it's versatility. It is amazing, and I've never had a complaint about the playability.

My least favorite, however would be the color of the guitar itself. i bought this used, and did not have much of a choice, but I wouldn't have been in the market for another black guitar anyway. I may do a repaint on this once I have the money to do so.

I have a habit of trying any guitar in my price range (or lack thereof), so I tried a lot of guitars before settling for this one. I have to say it's a great guitar and has fantastic value to it, and I would undoubtedly make the same choice down the road if anything hapened to it. i may go for a higher end model, even.

Body and mahogany neck
Maple table
Set neck
Micro Humbucker ACH1 and ACH2
Three knob: 1 volume, 2 tone, 3-position micro selcteur
Medium Cargo
Quick Change Ultra system to bridge with a refined tuning as the floyd

UTILIZATION

The neck is super nice and we battle not with the volume if you want to mute the (practice). Access to acute is the same a few details on a Gibson Les Paul. It is lighter than a Gibson Les Paul but still has a heavy weight (weight ca mahogany).

SOUNDS

I play everything from vintage, punk, metal, blues, etc. .... This scratch is very good for all the stuff, not to mention that unlike other ibanez has a versatile but its not very typical Les Paul. I played on a Vox AC 60s and gives much. It's a very fat as a Les Paul Gibson. The microphone of the handle is hot, the bridge that sounds really great too.

OVERALL OPINION

I tried it once with my seller! It's thunder! For that price, a guitar that sounds really quite as well as a Les Paul is a bargain! 340 euros and you have a great Les Paul.

PS: anecdote: the vendor of which I speak has received a guy with Gibson Les Paul Standard, he has closed his eyes and played two guitars. The guy has not been able to find his own scratch !!!!!!!!

Solid Body

- Handle (glued): Mahogany type ARC
- Body: Mahogany
_ 22 Cases
- Frets: Medium
- Bridge: Gibraltar III and Quik Change Ultra
- Neck pickup: ACH1 (Humbucker)
- Bridge pickup: ACH2 (Humbucker)
_ 3 knobs: Volume / tone / tone and a selector 3 positions

UTILIZATION

The neck is super fun to play for the price of this skyscraper is a remarkable asset. Les Paul I have long tried to find it like before, I tried the Epiphone, but frankly the Cort arrived they did not hold a candle. It's a guitar, Les Paul shape so the access to high frequencies are difficult at the beginning but it very quickly and as a Les Paul, it is very heavy but good. The finishes are really beautiful, my guitar still shines even after a year of torture ... Only the knobs are a bit tacky to me. Otherwise the mechanical oil bath are good, it does not Disagree facillement lool.

Edit: more level guitar I admit the lack of ability to twist that is felt especially in the acute, not easy to make a good solo ... but it draws more than glory

SOUNDS

Ok, you plug the beast ... EH YEAHH, nan lol the sound is beautiful.
In the neck position, the sound is very warm, round ... sustain a good, fairly mild.
Middle position ... bof no change in egg.
In his position Chevallet a vintage type a crystal-clear coat.

To summarize the sounds are very good qualities but I think the pickups are a bit feeble (especially in the treble).

I play on an all-tube amp and a KMD cube15x.
With the microphones have obtained c sounds good enough to make the disto-HARD ROCK ^ ^
But despite the lack of microphones have what is fun in every style from the softer (folk, pop) than hard (metal, etc. ..)

OVERALL OPINION

It is now over 8 months since I played with and it did not blurry .. no problem in particular.
I like this guitar and I advise all small budget who can not afford a Gibson (arf). For less than € 300 it is really cool.

Edit: I always advise to start with this guitar

Body and mahogany neck
Maple table
Set neck
Micro Humbucker ACH1 and ACH2
Three knob: 1 volume, 2 tone, 3-position micro selcteur
Medium Cargo
Quick Change Ultra system to bridge with a refined tuning as the floyd

This is a very beautiful instrument. One feels that he has benefited from all the technological advances in guitar. Beautiful materials, pleasant to the touch and sight. Big positive. Lespaul look but yet has her little personality nice.

UTILIZATION

The handle is a real highway and access to acute is pure pleasure. Truly a round of thunder for the wildest solos. The guitar is very comfortable, I just wish the fineness of the handle, which is a little too exgérée for me while the rest of the body is impressive.

And indeed small complaint, the guitar is very heavy, or too much. But it fits it very quickly.

SOUNDS

I think it is best suited for metal and hard rock heavy. The sound is clear but no more, I find it too sharp. We regret the lack of precision in adjusting knobs. But the sound palette is very nice once you gets boosted channel.

OVERALL OPINION

I have this instrument for four months. I am very happy for everything that comes out in sonsaturé. We enjoy to play metallica or guns on it. But for the blues, it is another guitar that sounds a little better. In fact it lacks a little fishing in the clear. When tested without the plug into an amp, the sound is not that big of a gibson Les Paul model, but for that price should not be abused.

In conclusion, guitar super hard to make it a face of thunder and the price is unbeatable. If you want a guitar that pleases everyone in look and sound on Wecome to the jungle and you can stay friends with your bank, please.