Ibanez Artstar AS120 Review

The Ibanez AS120 is an Artstar family Semi-hollow guitar that has received very high praise for its value. Specifically, the 1995-2003 Korean-made model, this guitar is designed to be a more tangible priced alternative to top models like the AS200, but retains similar production standards and tone.

Highlights that make the Ibanez AS120 interesting

Warm and varied tones: Comes with Super 58 pickups (on most models), which are known for their soft sound and answer jazz, blues to rock genres.

Exquisite Assembly Job Quality: Models manufactured from the Samick or Cort factory in Korea have very good fret work and finishing details (Binding). Many see it as playing as well as or better than the Gibson ES-335 at a price several times cheaper.

Easy-to-Play Neck: The Maple Wooden Neck has a relatively slender (Slim) shape, allowing for streamlined play and easy access to inside frets.

Beautiful Look: There are Split Block Inlays, made of Abalone clams and pearls, plus elegant gold parts.

Considerations

Weight: Despite being Semi-hollow, with a maple wood center block inside, it weighs about 3.5 - 4 kilograms, which may be heavy for some.

Current status: This model has been out of production since 2003, so it is only available for used.

Different specs: Some early production models (1995 from the Samick factory) may have used Super 50 pickups, which gave a slightly different tone than the Super 58.

Summary: If you're looking for a 335-shaped guitar that works well on a budget worth it, the Ibanez AS120 is a "very good" option and is often referred to as a "Rare Treasure" for Jazz / Blues line collectors and musicians.