I sold this guitar.
While Thomann gave me a significant discount for the cosmetic defects, I couldn't resolve the other issues.
1) The problem is that this guitar has a flat midrange.
2) Without the cable, it sounds very quiet and thin, even with the strings raised high above the frets.
Perhaps it's because of the steel frets (and guitars with steel frets seem to suffer more from the fretboard than with regular frets).
Perhaps because of the lightweight basswood and the neck-through maple neck.
Perhaps because of the large number of different pieces of wood.
Perhaps because the bridge is separate for each string (it's comfortable, a smooth slab, nothing sticks out, just perfect! But they were all installed crooked!).
3) The neck is heavier than the body.
Yes, a wide strap helps, but it constantly pulls you to the left. A balanced guitar is much more enjoyable to play.
4) The lower part of the body is lighter than the upper part. If you put the guitar higher, the lower part starts to rise. (I don't look at the neck when I play... that way, even the neck gets thicker when I wrap my arms around it.)
5) After six months, the finish under the thumb on the fretboard and near the switch became glossy, and the guitar clearly looked used. (I moved the volume knob; who the hell puts it there anyway...)
I spent the first six months trying different solutions.
The second six months were spent selling it.
It seems modern guitars are a competition between manufacturers to see who has the hardest frets, the most wood, the most beautiful guitar, and the most expensive components.
This Ibanez is a waste of money...
It's better to buy guitars only after inspecting them in person!
It's a shame that Thomann can only weigh and photograph a guitar if it costs more than 2,500 euros (for example, one competitor does this for $300. (And you buy the guitar knowing its serial number.) Two identical guitars of the same color can vary greatly in tone and pattern. And weight. Sometimes the weight can vary by 1.5-2.2 kg.
