Ibanez AKJ95 review

Serious jazzers love their Gibson archtop guitars but Ibanez has almost as much cache with grassroots players, not least because of the endorsement by greats like George Benson, Pat Metheny and John Scofield.

While it shares a similar depth, scale length and pointed Florentine cutaway as its Gibson ES-175 inspiration, the body is slightly smaller; 400mm (15.75 inches) as opposed to 413mm (16.25 inches) across its rounded lower bouts. Manufactured in China, it's made from laminated maple, and the outer veneers have a subtle figuring enhanced by the classic dark 'burst hue and rather thick-looking gloss.

Instead of the typical choice of a mahogany neck, we get a three-piece mahogany/maple/ mahogany laminate topped with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard here, with what we'd call medium, not narrow, gauge frets.

Sounds

Acoustically, it's a little light and bright but plugged in, the Super 58 humbuckers, along with flatwound strings, produce a bright-edged, ultra-modern 'jazz' voice until you back off the tones.

With dual pickups and four controls, of course, in mixed pickup positions there are numerous tonal shades achieved with the volume and tones - the neck pickup certainly works very well with some clarity from the bridge pickup.

Through an acoustic amp a more velveteen smooth jazz texture emerges; when it's shown the front end of a crunchy valve amp (watch the feedback), the thickness is impressive, and ideal for more contemporary grit.

A great start-up jazz box for the serious student - or a cool-toned, evocative-looking electric for the rest of us.