Ibanez AF55TKF Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Ibanez AF55TKF is an affordable, hollow-body electric guitar that punches above its weight class in terms of tone and playability. Part of Ibanez's Artcore series, the AF55TKF model features a thinline double-cutaway body shape made from mahogany back and sides with a spruce top. The combination of tonewoods produces a focused, balanced tone that works well for jazz, blues, rock, country and more.

With its arched maple top and back binding, pearl block fretboard inlays and all-chrome hardware, the AF55TKF has an elegant and sophisticated look. But beneath its classy exterior lies a modern hollow-body electric with powerful pickups and fast playability, making it a versatile choice for guitarists who want an inspiring instrument without breaking the bank.

Beautiful Body and Neck Construction

The Ibanez AF55TKF features an artcore mahogany body and neck. Artcore is Ibanez's original semi-hollowbody design that first appeared in 2002. The mahogany construction gives this guitar a rich, full-bodied tone while still being lightweight enough for comfort during long practice or gigging sessions.

The neck is also made of mahogany and has a smooth, fast feel thanks to the fretwork and slim profile. It uses a 25.5" scale length with 22 medium frets, providing excellent playability across the entire fretboard. The neck joint with traditional tenon construction increases resonance for enhanced acoustic character and sustain.

Overall, the body and neck provide a perfect blend of rich, nuanced tone and easy, comfortable playing feel that you would expect in a higher-end semi-hollow guitar. Yet the Ibanez AF55 manages to offer these features at an entry-level price point.

Speaking of iconic semi-hollow body designs, another classic is the Epiphone 1958 Flying V. With its angular, futuristic shape, the Flying V was truly ahead of its time when first released in 1958. The Epiphone reissue captures the vibe and attitude of the original, featuring a mahogany body and set mahogany neck for resonant tone. It has dual humbucker pickups for everything from clean jazzy tones to high-gain rock crunch. The Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece provide solid tuning stability during heavy playing. At under $500, the Epiphone Flying V is an affordable way to get your hands on this legendary guitar design. Pair it up with the Ibanez Artcore AF55 for a versatile semi-hollow and solid body electric duo.

The AF55 and Flying V make a great contrasting pair for the guitarist seeking both traditional hollowbody jazz tones and aggressive rock crunch. With its arched top and f-holes, the AF55 delivers on warm, nuanced tone. The Flying V provides the sustain and output for searing leads and heavy riffing. Together, they cover a wide range of sonic territory while still coming in at a budget-friendly price point. Both guitars offer comfortable, fast-playing necks and quality hardware and electronics. So you get pro performance and features without breaking the bank.

For guitarists into classic designs with contemporary affordability, the Ibanez AF55 Artcore and Epiphone Flying V are a perfect match. You can move seamlessly from mellow jazz comping to wailing classic rock leads, all on iconic hollow and solidbody instruments. The AF55 and Flying V represent the past and future of electric guitar design, now made accessible to today's players. With this pair of affordable Epiphone and Ibanez axes, you've got both ends of the style spectrum covered.

Pickups Provide a Versatile Range of Tones

The Ibanez Artcore AF55 hollowbody electric guitar comes equipped with Roswell humbucking pickups in both the neck and bridge positions. These pickups are designed to offer a diverse palette of tones, from warm, round cleans to growling overdrive.

The neck pickup provides a smooth, mellow tone that excels for jazz, blues, and clean chordal playing. Notes have a soft attack and a rich sustain, even when playing complex chords. The bridge pickup packs more bite and punch, allowing the AF55 to cut through a mix when overdriven. It has a tighter low end and more pronounced mids than the neck pickup, lending itself to solos and riffing.

While designed primarily for jazz and blues, the versatile Roswell pickups allow the AF55 to cross over into rock, indie, funk, and other genres. Toggling between the two pickups shapes the guitar's overall voicing, while blending them together produces complex in-between tones. The pickups complement each other nicely and give players the flexibility to craft diverse tones from clean to distorted.

If you're looking for versatile pickups on a hollowbody electric guitar, the Yamaha CG162C is another great option. It comes equipped with Yamaha's Vintage Alnico V pickups, which provide a dynamic range of tones perfect for jazz, blues, rock, and more. The neck pickup delivers a warm, rounded tone, while the bridge pickup has increased output and bite for soloing. Between the two, you can shape everything from smooth cleans to raunchy overdrive.

Like the Ibanez AF55, the CG162C excels as a do-it-all hollowbody electric thanks to its flexible pickup configuration. The Vintage Alnico V pickups are voiced specifically to complement the warm, airy tone of the hollow body. This allows the CG162C to produce fat, resonant tones reminiscent of an archtop jazz box, while still having the grit to handle higher-gain styles. Whether you need a velvety jazz tone or searing rock leads, the CG162C can deliver.

When comparing the Ibanez AF55 and Yamaha CG162C, the main differences come down to body style and electronics. The AF55 has a symmetrical double-cutaway design more suited for rock and pop playing. The CG162C has a traditional jazz box shape with one cutaway optimized for chordal work. Both guitars have excellent pickups, but the Yamaha offers slightly more classic hollowbody tones.

Overall, guitarists looking for versatility would be well served by either the Ibanez Artcore AF55 or the Yamaha CG162C. The flexible pickup configurations allow you to craft a wide range of tones, from jazz and blues to contemporary genres. Whether you prefer modern or vintage styling, both hollowbody electrics deliver exceptional sound and value.

Hardware

The ART-1 bridge is a highlight of the AF55TKF model. This bridge is prized for its sturdy construction and precise intonation, allowing for confident chording and stays in tune through dynamic playing.

The bridge's adjustable saddles enable fine-tuning of string lengths to perfectly match the fretboard's intonation. Combined with quality tuners, this guitar holds tuning exceptionally well even during long practice sessions or live performances.

The hardware components feel solid and road-worthy, built to withstand the rigors of regular gigging and transportation. While budget-focused, Ibanez didn't cut corners on hardware and it shows in the tuning stability and resonant tones.

Overall, the hardware punches above its weight class with the smooth and reliable ART-1 bridge anchoring precise tuning across the neck and strings. This is a key factor in the AF55TKF's reputation for versatility and playability at an affordable price point.

Sound

The Ibanez Artcore AF55 has a warm, full tone that's great for blues and rock playing. The mahogany body and maple neck produce a rich, resonant sound.

The dual Infinity R pickups provide a balanced tonal palette. The neck pickup delivers a smooth, round sound that's perfect for jazz and blues. The bridge pickup has increased output for a punchy midrange, nice for classic rock riffs.

There's good note definition across the frequency spectrum. The lows have a solid bass response without muddiness. Mids are articulate without being overly harsh. Highs come through with shimmer and clarity, not brittleness.

This guitar sounds fantastic for the price point. The pickups and woods combination give it a versatile voice that works for practice, recording, or live performance. While some budget models can sound dull or lifeless, the AF55 has impressive warmth and character.

Overall, the Ibanez Artcore AF55 produces highly musical tone, balanced across frequencies and responsive to playing dynamics. For blues, rock, jazz, and other genres, it provides exceptional sound quality.

Playability

The Ibanez Artcore AF55 has excellent playability thanks to its thin, fast maple neck and comfortable body shape. The neck is crafted from maple, which is appreciated for its rigidity and bright, articulate tone. It has a slim profile that allows for fast, smooth runs up and down the fretboard.

Most guitarists find the AF55 very comfortable to play while seated or standing. The double cutaway body style provides easy access to the higher frets. The fretwork from the factory is impressive for an affordable guitar, with smoothly finished medium jumbo frets. The shorter 24.7" scale length reduces string tension, making string bending a breeze.

Overall, the Ibanez AF55 offers a very fast playing experience right out of the box. The thin neck profile and shorter scale length allow for effortless riffing, while the double cutaway body grants ample upper fret access. The AF55 excels as a lead guitar and will appeal to players looking for high playability without breaking the bank.

Versatility

The Ibanez Artcore AF55 brings versatility to the table, making it a great choice for players of many musical genres. The combination of design, hardware, and electronics gives it a voice that can fit into a variety of styles.

The semi-hollow body provides some of the warmth and resonance of a full hollowbody, but still has enough bite for sharper tones. This lets the AF55 move seamlessly from jazz to blues to rock. The pickups have decent output while retaining clarity, giving you the power you need without getting too muddy.

The hardware also lends itself to versatility. The stopbar tailpiece and Adjusto-Matic bridge allow for solid tuning stability even with aggressive playing. The chrome covers on the pickups keep things looking classy whether you're playing an uptempo funk tune or slow, moody piece.

Overall, the Ibanez Artcore AF55 can chameleon its way into any musical style. It has the resonant voice for jazz, the punch for rock, and the glassy tones for arpeggio-driven pieces. This flexibility makes it an exceptional value for guitarists who play an eclectic range of genres.

Quality

The AF55 has excellent build and component quality that punches above its price range. The arched maple top and back along with the mahogany body produce a resonant and full tone.

The neck feels smooth and comfortable thanks to its hand-rolled frets and slim taper. The hardware is also high quality with precise machine heads and a Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece for great tuning stability and intonation.

Even smaller details like the pearloid block inlays and binding show attention to detail and craftsmanship. Overall the AF55 delivers professional grade quality and playability rivaling guitars costing much more.

Drawbacks

None really at this price range. The Ibanez Artcore AF55 is an excellent beginner or intermediate hollow body electric guitar that provides fantastic value. While it may not have the bells and whistles of a high-end instrument, it's tough to find any major flaws given the accessible price point.

The main things a more advanced player might miss are coil splitting capabilities on the pickups and more high-end hardware. However, these features aren't expected at this level. Ibanez saves costs in the right places to deliver an inspiring and playable instrument.

Most of the guitar is well-made, with a few exceptions. The tuners feel a bit loose compared to higher end models. The pickguard is also rather thin and prone to warping over time. But again, these are small tradeoffs considering the wallet-friendly price tag.

Experienced musicians may desire upgraded electronics down the line. The stock pickups and wiring don't allow for more nuanced tone shaping abilities. This guitar is best suited for beginner to intermediate players focused on fundamentals rather than advanced controls.

Overall though, the Ibanez Artcore AF55 punches way above its weight class. The flaws are negligible for a guitar at this range. It's an excellent value purchase for the money.

Summary

The Ibanez Artcore AF55 hollowbody electric guitar provides great value for the price. With its warm yet lively tone, smooth playability, and stylish looks, this guitar punches above its weight class.

The AF55's solid mahogany body and maple top produce a balanced, nuanced tone. The Super 58 pickups offer plenty of warmth and articulation. Hardware like the ART-ST bridge contribute to the guitar's resonance and sustain.

While it may not have the build quality of more expensive models, the AF55 provides impressive performance for an affordable instrument. The playability makes it accessible for beginners, while offering versatility for more experienced guitarists.

Overall, the Ibanez Artcore AF55 is an excellent choice as a gig-worthy guitar that won't break the bank. Players looking for great tone and easy playability in an eye-catching hollowbody will find tremendous value in this model. The AF55 exceeds expectations, providing features and sound reminiscent of more costly guitars.