Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN is an affordable acoustic-electric dreadnought guitar that packs some nice features into an entry-level instrument. Part of Ibanez's Artwood series, the AW54CEOPN has a classic dreadnought body shape made from mahogany back and sides with a solid spruce top. This combination produces a balanced and articulate acoustic tone.

The guitar comes equipped with a Fishman Sonicore pickup system that includes an undersaddle piezo pickup and preamp with tuner, letting you easily amplify your acoustic tone or plug into a PA system. Other features like the mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, and chrome die-cast tuners make this a versatile and playable instrument for beginners and beyond.

Overall, the Ibanez AW54CEOPN provides great bang for your buck if you're looking for an affordable acoustic-electric with classic looks and a balanced acoustic sound. While not a top-tier instrument, it brings nice specs and electronics to the entry-level price range.

Body Style and Construction

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN features the classic dreadnought body shape that provides a balanced and powerful tone. This makes it a versatile choice suitable for various music genres.

The top is made of solid spruce, which gives you clear articulation and responsiveness. Spruce is a popular choice on acoustic guitars as it produces a bright and open sound.

The back and sides are made from mahogany, which gives a smooth and warm character to the tone. Mahogany is known for its rich low-end as well as refined highs. The combination of spruce top with mahogany back and sides results in great tonal balance.

The dreadnought body with solid spruce top and mahogany back/sides makes this an excellent choice for both strumming chords and fingerstyle playing. It projects very well unplugged while also having the electronics to let you plug into an amplifier or PA system. Overall, the Ibanez offers a versatile and quality build for the price.

Neck and Fretboard

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN features a mahogany neck paired with a rosewood fretboard. Mahogany is a popular choice for acoustic guitar necks thanks to its strength and rich, warm tones that complement the dreadnought body shape. The mahogany neck provides a smooth feel and facilitates comfortable hand positions up and down the fretboard.

The rosewood fretboard on the AW54CEOPN has a 12" radius and abalone and pearloid inlay dot position markers. Rosewood is prized by fingerstyle players for its comfortable playability. The rich overtones from the rosewood fretboard add depth and complexity to the AW54CEOPN's overall voice. The abalone and pearloid inlays provide an attractive visual flair.

Overall, the mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard give the Ibanez AW54CEOPN a great feel and help produce balanced, dynamic tones. Players will appreciate the smooth playability up and down the neck when soloing, riffing, or strumming chords. The neck and fretboard work together to provide a responsive and comfortable playing experience.

For players looking for an alternative, the WINZZ AC309CE is an acoustic-electric guitar worth considering. It features a nato neck and rosewood fretboard. Nato is tonally similar to mahogany, providing warmth and resonance. The fretboard has a 12" radius for smooth playability. Dot inlays help with positional references while playing. The WINZZ AC309CE produces balanced tone across the tonal spectrum, with good bass, mids, and crisp treble. The onboard preamp and tuner make it easy to plug in and amplify your sound. Overall, the WINZZ AC309CE is a quality acoustic-electric guitar with great playability and versatile tone.

When comparing the Ibanez AW54CEOPN and WINZZ AC309CE, they have some key similarities and differences. Both feature all-solid wood construction with rosewood fretboards for great feel and tone. The Ibanez has an attractive abalone and pearloid inlay, while the WINZZ uses more traditional dot inlays. The Ibanez has a mahogany neck, while the WINZZ has a nato neck. Both woods provide a smooth playing experience with balanced, warm tone. The WINZZ AC309CE represents a more affordable option while retaining quality construction and versatile acoustic-electric performance. Either guitar would make a fantastic addition to a player's collection.

Pickups and Electronics

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN features an Ibanez AEQ2T preamp and a piezo pickup under the saddle to capture the guitar's acoustic tone. The AEQ2T preamp provides 2-band EQ control with both High and Low tone shaping knobs to help dial in your sound. There is also an onboard tuner for quickly tuning up on the fly.

The preamp offers natural amplification and shaping of the piezo signal, without adding unwanted noise or hum. It has a simple control layout that is easy to operate, while still providing some tone shaping ability. The piezo pickup combined with the preamp produces a balanced, full-range tone.

The piezo pickup allows this acoustic-electric guitar to be plugged into an amplifier or PA system for stage use. It captures the nuances of the guitar's natural acoustic tone, while the preamp provides signal boost and EQ control. Together they give you the ability to project your acoustic tone in live situations.

Having a good pickup and preamp system is crucial for an acoustic-electric guitar intended for performance use. You want the acoustic tone to come through naturally and cleanly when plugged in. The Ibanez AEQ2T preamp and saddle piezo pickup provide a high quality amplification and shaping of the AW54CEOPN's inherent acoustic voice.

There are other acoustic-electric guitar options out there too, like the Yamaha C40 PKG. This is an affordable entry-level acoustic-electric that comes bundled with useful accessories. It has a passive undersaddle piezo pickup and preamp system. While not as full-featured as the Ibanez preamp, it provides basic acoustic amplification and EQ control.

The Yamaha utilizes their proprietary System55T preamp and pickup combo. It delivers a balanced and natural acoustic tone suitable for live performance. The undersaddle piezo senses the guitar's vibrations for a dynamic sound. Since it's passive, there is no need for batteries or external power.

The preamp has a simple 3-band EQ for tone shaping, plus a tuner. It gives you essential controls for dialing in your amplified acoustic tone, without complex parameter tweaking. The Yamaha C40 PKG provides an affordable way to get into amplified acoustic guitar playing for beginners.

In the end, both the Ibanez and Yamaha systems aim to produce quality acoustic amplification and shaping. The choice comes down to your budget and needs. The Ibanez offers more advanced preamp controls, while the Yamaha provides an entry-level option. Testing them yourself is the best way to decide which acoustic-electric fits your playing style and requirements.

Hardware

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN is equipped with quality hardware that complements its design and sound. It has chrome die-cast tuners that are high-quality and precise, ensuring the guitar stays in tune through repeated playing sessions. The tuners are mounted on a tortoiseshell pickguard which matches the body binding and rosette, adding an elegant visual flair.

The tortoiseshell pickguard helps protect the spruce top from scratches and dings. It's made from celluloid and has an attractive brownish-red tortoiseshell pattern. The pickguard not only looks great, but also adds a layer of protection to the guitar top when strumming.

Overall, the hardware appointments on the AW54CEOPN are thoughtfully chosen to provide visual appeal, tuning accuracy, and durability. The chromatic tuners and tortoiseshell pickguard give this acoustic-electric guitar a refined and distinctive look.

Sound and Playability

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN produces a very warm, balanced tone that works well for a variety of musical styles. The mahogany top contributes to a rich low end, while the sapele back and sides provide crisp and detailed mids and highs. The guitar has a comfortable neck shape and narrow 1.69" nut width, making it easy for players with smaller hands to chord and fret notes up the neck.

Action on the Ibanez is set very low from the factory, resulting in easy and fast playability across the fretboard. The low action allows for extremely comfortable barre chords and rapid lead riffs without buzzing. The AW54CEOPN plays fast while still retaining a full bodied and resonant tone. Overall, the guitar offers an excellent blend of warm, balanced tone and comfortable playability that makes it versatile for both rhythm and lead playing.

Pros

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN dreadnought acoustic-electric guitar has several notable pros worth highlighting:

• Quality Materials - The guitar features a solid mahogany top, back and sides, resulting in a beautifully rich and resonant acoustic tone. The mahogany construction gives the guitar a balanced, warm sound that works well for various music genres.

• Solid Electronics - The guitar comes equipped with an Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp and onboard tuner. The preamp provides clear amplification and EQ control, allowing you to shape your amplified tone. The tuner is convenient for quick on-stage tuning. Overall, the electronics package performs reliably.

• Warm Balanced Tone - As mentioned above, the all-mahogany body construction gives this guitar a lush, warm and balanced tone. The mahogany produces a balanced tonal response across the frequency spectrum, with slight boosts in the lows and highs. This makes the AW54CEOPN exceptionally versatile for playing anything from pop and rock to blues and jazz. The tone remains clear whether playing acoustically or plugged in.

Cons

Some downsides to consider with the Ibanez AW54CEOPN acoustic-electric guitar:

• The onboard electronics can be a bit noisy at times. The preamp and pickup may introduce some hum and interference, especially when using a lot of gain or effects. This can make the amplified tone sound harsh or buzzy in some cases. The electronics seem to be the weak point of this guitar.

• The action may be too high for some players' preferences, especially on certain production models. The strings can be quite far from the fretboard, making it harder to press down notes and chords. This may lead to some fret buzzing as well on lower positions of the neck. Players with a lighter touch may find the high action fatiguing over longer practice or play sessions.

Alternatives

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN is a great acoustic-electric guitar, but there are some alternatives worth considering as well:

Yamaha FGX800C

The Yamaha FGX800C is a very popular acoustic-electric guitar known for its solid Sitka spruce top and Nato back and sides. It produces a balanced acoustic tone with enhanced bass and volume from the dreadnought body shape. The sound is amplified clearly through the passive undersaddle piezo pickup. The FGX800C has a comfortable, slim neck and smooth matte finish. Overall, it's an excellent entry-level acoustic-electric with Yamaha's quality and playability at an affordable price.

Epiphone AJ-100CE

For those looking for a jumbo acoustic-electric, the Epiphone AJ-100CE is a top choice. It has a Select spruce top with mahogany back and sides for a full, rich acoustic tone. The cutaway mahogany neck allows easy access to higher frets, and the Shadow ePerformer preamp provides quality plugged-in sound. The vintage styling looks great on stage. A sturdy hardshell case is also included. The AJ-100CE delivers big sound and value.

Taylor Big Baby

The Taylor Big Baby offers Taylor craftsmanship in a smaller, more affordable package. It has a solid Sitka spruce top and layered Sapele back and sides. The tone is focused and articulate, sounding more like a full-size guitar. It also features Taylor's ES-B pickup for amplified sound. While diminutive in size, the Big Baby produces big Taylor acoustic sound. It's ideal for travel or players with smaller hands.

Conclusion

The Ibanez AW54CEOPN is a great value acoustic-electric guitar that strikes an excellent balance between affordability and quality. With its classic dreadnought body shape, spruce top and mahogany back and sides, it delivers balanced warm tones well-suited to a wide range of musical genres.

The guitar's onboard electronics with Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp and Ibanez T-Bar undersaddle pickup provide great plugged-in tones, while not altering the guitar's inherent unplugged acoustic voice. Controls are simple and intuitive for live performance use.

Overall, the Ibanez AW54CEOPN is an excellent choice as a first acoustic-electric guitar for beginners, or as an affordable stage-ready electro-acoustic for intermediates. While not as premium as higher-priced models, it provides great bang-for-buck with its quality appointments, versatile sound, and reliable electronics. For those looking for an accessible stepping stone into the world of amplified acoustic guitars, the Ibanez AW54CEOPN gets top marks.