Acoustic Guitar Review: Ibanez AEG10BK

Ask any avid guitar player about the first guitar they learned how to play and most will entertain you with countless hours of stories and tales of past instrumental love. For the majority of musicians, music is as much of an art form and exercise as it is an emotional experience and performance of the heart. Music is to be felt.

Personal experience led me to the Ibanez AEG10BK acoustic/electric model guitar for my first six-stringed instrument. Lightweight, portable, and comfortable to play, this particular model is constructed in true thin-body style and comes outfitted with a signature Fishman Sonicore ® electronics pickup system. This will come in handy for concert and auditorium performances where crowds are large, singers are amplified by microphones, and instruments are meant to be heard loud and clear. As a thin body guitar, the AEG10 has less an ability to be heard when absent from an amplification system, but still retains a rather enjoyable acoustic sound.

This one of a kind instrument is handcrafted from gorgeous mahogany and spruce, topped off with a beautiful rosewood bridge and fretboard, and darkened with a black, high gloss finish. While highly attractive, the one downside to a black, gloss finish lies within the abundance of visible fingerprints likely to manifest themselves upon your instrument. Be wary of this occurrence and always keep a bottle of guitar polish and a soft material cloth in your case or gig bag. Any guitar player should never find himself or herself without one. Remain cautious of how you handle your instrument and avoid touching the body whenever possible, particularly after eating. This is typical advice across the board for any instrumentalist.

According to the official specifications and dimensions from the official Ibanez website (www.ibanez.com), the neck measurements of the acoustic Ibanez AEG10BK are as follows:

Scale/Length: 648mm

a: Width at Nut: 43mm

b: Width at Joint: 55mm

c: Thickness 1st Fret: 20mm

d: Thickness 7th Fret: 21mm

Radius: 300mm

Additionally, this particular model has been upgraded to include the highly durable Ivorex II series bridge nuts. More durable than human bone and virtually impossible to break, they provide a substantial strength and sustainability to an otherwise thin, small acoustic guitar. Ivorex II attachments will also allow for "brilliant highs and more pronounced lows with less mid-range, which makes Ivorex II-fitted guitars perfect for amplification." (www.ibanez.com).

Speaking from personal experience, I highly recommend purchasing a hard shell, thin body acoustic guitar case for safe, reliable, and easy storage and transportation. Thin body guitars will require thin body cases. Avoid storing them in cases meant for full body guitars, as they will slide around and be more susceptible to potential damage. In terms of strings, the Ibanez AEG10BK will likely come outfitted with Ibanez coated strings upon purchase. My personal recommendation is Elixir acoustic strings. Your personal preference will lead you to select the gauge best suited for your performance needs and playing style.

A nice final touch and accessory to any guitar is a strap. I recommend a Levy's soft suede strap, black in color, to match the guitar itself. Avoid army greens, red, blues, yellows, or other highly unattractive fluorescent colors, as these will naturally clash against black and lead to unnecessary ridiculing of your otherwise beautiful Ibanez acoustic thin body guitar.