A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

This morning I was on the GC Used site, not minding my own business like I should, and I ran across an Ibanez AS73 listed in "Great" condition for $249.99. The pictures were almost useless, except to tell it's the same finish and generation of AS73 I already have. So pass, right? Not so fast. I took out my AS73 and played for a while. I have other Ibanez hollow bodies too, all of which cost more, so my AS73 often makes me wonder why it was so cheap. Each model gets different pickups, and that's ok, I use them for different styles. In my opinion, the AS73 is less fancy, but not less well made. I like the pickups in every one of my Ibbys. Likewise, I love the action on every one of them. But my cheaper Ibanez guitars have something the others lack - an "I don't care" attitude. They have no pickguard, and I prefer that. I don't scrape up the body, but have a bit more wiggle room without a pickguard. And the cheaper Ibanez pickups tend to be microphonic. I record but I don't gig, so to me, volume is only about tone and these guitars are right up there with my favorites to play just over the edge of breakup. It's like playing chicken with the amp, and it just oozes character.

For better reference, here's a picture of the AS73 I already have... So yeah, I decided to pull the trigger and get a second AS73 in exactly the same finish as the one I already have. Given GC's track record of accurately listing conditions, it has maybe a 50% chance of being returned for undocumented issues. But if it's even close to the AS73 I already have, it's a keeper at that price. If it comes with a case, it will be a backup for my current AS73, allowing me to play out a bit more with one of them. But if it has no case, I was thinking I might just replace the stoptail with a Duesenberg Les Trem II. I think that would be great on a semihollow. How does a case make that difference? A Les Trem II is very tall and not at all case friendly. So we'll see. Either way, I think people don't come close to valuing Ibanez semihollows highly enough!

Edit: I just remembered my current AS73 has upgraded pickups - "Golden Age Parsons Street", so now I don't know what to expect from the differences.

Those are great guitars. Congrats and happy new Ibby Day.

I think I have told this story here before but it was a long time ago so I will tell it again. Back in the day when I first started a band I played a Telecaster. I decided I wanted a semi-hollow. I was doing ok at the time financially so I decided I was going to hit all the music stores in the Tampa Bay area and buy the semi-hollow that I like the best and to a certain extent money was no issue. After hours of travel and play it came down to an Ibanez AS model and the Rickenbacker 330. In the end I bought the Ric and it was a wonderful guitar that I played for years. Over the years I have often picked up an AS but for some reason I just never have bought one. Maybe I should reconsider, I play a semi a lot with the guys I play with.

Congrats, hope it is a keeper!!

I bought my 2005 ,(or '06?) AS-73 used 5 or so years ago for a pretty good price. I didn't like the stock pickups and the nut and tuners were not great. Not disappointed, as I know going in what the weaknesses are with budget guitars. The bones / overall build quality is really good.

Now it has a bone nut, much better but import / budget Jin-Ho tuners, a used Dimarzio PAF PRO in the neck, and a Gretsch Filtertron bridge pickup.
Haven't played it lately with the other newer purchases getting most of the attention.
I was thinking of replacing it with something with a more rounded neck profile, somewhat GASsing for a Firefly FF338.

Pulled it off the rack over the weekend, fresh strings, go over the setup, intonation etc.
I love this guitar, GAS is gone, it stays.

(Insert any early AC/DC song here).

The AS-73 arrived yesterday. I said "Eek" as I was unpacking it and found they packed it with the back of the headstock right up against the box, and there was no outer box. Happily, there was no damage at all from that. I let it warm up a couple hours, then checked it out. Everything works perfectly and to my surprise, it was already set up exactly how I would have set it up aside from different strings. It came with a layer of crud to clean up, but it was just used, not abused. Very good deal. It plays very well and I'm starting to expect that from Ibanezes anymore. If I closed my eyes, the only way I could tell this from my other Ibbies would be by tone. These are probably the ACH pickups, but they sound very good, just a bit brighter than the others. It will be worth it to swap the tailpiece for a Duesenberg Les Trem II and finally have a trem-equipped hollow body.