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Ratfinks3
Username: Ratfinks3

Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 1:04 am:   

OK Pro's I have a "K" made AS80 w/S58's and am considering getting a 335. Just what is the big differance for those of you who have or had both. Is it the 335 neck material. I love the Ibanez neck shape, and it plays/sounds great. I can only compare from my past 68 orange lable 335 that I sold years ago. From what I have been told the Gibby has a mahogany neck and the as80 had a maple neck. I also hear the gibs are made really lousy now. For an amp I'm using a Fender Hot Rod Delux with 1960 RCA black face 6L6's. How about some advise, and confirm the Ibanez neck and body material please. Thanks for the help in past issues. Mike
Joevocht
Username: Joevocht

Registered: 08-2005
Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 10:19 am:   

Not sure what you mean by pro, but I've been playing for over 53 years and have played practically every kind of guitar out there. I had a 2000 reissue dot neck and got rid of it because it was too heavy and the neck was too thin for my liking. I now have an Ibanez AS120, a more delux version of yours...all I can say is 'this is what Gibson should have made' it is incredibly better than the Gibson in feel, tonewise, playability etc...for me. It really feels more like an extension of my arm...the Gibson felt like a milestone.
Funkle
Username: Funkle

Registered: 12-2001
Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 11:36 am:   

My teacher plays nothing but 335s (left handed) but used to own an '80 AS200. I was giving him a hard time for recently buying a 335 for $3000 vs. an AS200 for half the price. He said he thought the AS200 played way better, but the 335 had a "far superior" tone.

Just an interesting opinion I thought I'd throw into the mix. I don't agree with him. I prefer the tone of my AS200. I had an AS80 which was a very well made instrument.
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim

Registered: 04-2001
Posted on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 8:56 pm:   

Ratfink,
Just another old timer (non-pro) here with my 2 cents for ya. The neck materials on your Korean AS80 is maple. Gibsons are mahogany. Mahogany is a slightly warmer sounding hardwood than maple. The biggest issue to me between Gibsons and Ibanez semi-hollows is consistency. Ibanez' are consistently high quality while Gibsons are all over the boards and usually need a pro setup out of the box...even their high end Historic Custom Shop models. You must play a bunch of Gibbys to find one as good as an Ibanez.

Here are the specs for your AS80:

BODY MAPLE TOP
MAPLE BACK & SIDES
NECK ARTSTAR MAPLE
SCALE
FRETBOARD BOUND EBONY
INLAY ABALONE DOT
BRIDGE FULL TUNE
HARDWARE CHROME
PICKUP CONFIG H-H
PICKUP'S SUPER 58 (N)
SUPER 58 (B)
CONTROL 2VOL 2TONE
3WAY
FINISHES VS (VINTAGE SUNBURST)
Gak
Username: Gak

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 04, 2006 - 11:47 am:   

I agree that the Korean AS models - mine's a trans red 120 - are superior, at least in terms of consistency from what I've seen, and overall quality (read-on regarding pickguards however!). I like the AS better subjectively as well, as a player as well as the Ibanez' pointy "devil ear" horns!--maybe the lawsuits were a good thing after-all, as these now set the Ibz apart). I got my 120 near-new from a shop and someone had tossed the original pickguard and installed a cheap LP one! After much searching for a replacement original pickguard (Ibz no help--they are not much at being a parts supplier) and even contacting Scofield's luthier on a solution, about which he was very accomodating if I ultimately needed, even offering "next time John's 200 is in, I'll take his off and pattern off of"-!)--I had a 335's cloned, including shape (with no other AS to go off of) locally --on high quality Gibson-ordered triple white material) with astounding results (suggest you do this even on the Ibz pattern! vs the cheaper-looking thin and single stripe Ibz one)

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