Ibanez AM93QM Artcore Expressionist – Stylish Intro To Semi-Hollow Guitars

Body And Neck:
Electronics:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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If there's one thing experienced guitar players will tell you, it's that semi-hollow guitars are anything but cheap. Now, while that is generally true, we are seeing an influx of rather affordable models on the market. Sure, you can't expect a top tier performance from one of these, but they are a great way to introduce yourself to the world of semi-hollow guitars, and get accustomed to all of their unique quirks. Ibanez AM93QM Artcore Expressionist is a perfect example of a better semi-hollow design in its price range.

Body And Neck

Classic semi-hollows usually feature a larger body that some find pretty hard to adjust to. Ibanez took a different route and has decided to keep the dimensions closer to your standard solid body instead. This merger of two worlds yielded some pretty interesting results. The tonewood of choice for the top back and sides is quilted maple. Center block also seems to be made of the same tonewood, while the neck is a three-piece mahogany and maple unit.

Hardware

This aspect of the Ibanez AM93QM Artcore Expressionist is another where Ibanez broke protocol. Instead of going for a vintage Bigsby style configuration, they've installed a standard Tune-o-Matic bridge with a stop bar. While it's not canon, this setup greatly increases the reliability of hardware, not to mention the ease of use. Cheap Bigsby setups are never a good idea and Ibanez is fully aware of this. Tuners are made in-house and are more than decent. Overall, the hardware works pretty well.

Electronics

One look at the top of the guitar reveals a set of two Super 58 Custom humbuckers. As their name indicates, these are vintage style pickups designed in such a way that allows you to enter jazz territory and not feel ill-equipped. With that said, there is no lack of versatility here either. Capable of amplifying even the most subtle of details, these pickups are just a perfect fit for AM93QM.

Sound

Here's the thing. We have already established that this is not your regular semi-hollow guitar. With that said, tone wise you can expect the same pattern to continue repeating. The combination of electronics and tonewood allows you to play a wide variety of genres. Jazz, as we've already mentioned, works pretty well, but you can also plug the AM93QM into a TubeScreamer and start laying down some heavy riffs. There's just no limit. The sheer versatility of tone is the main selling point for this model, without a doubt.

Conclusion

Entry level semi-hollows come in a variety of shapes and configurations. Some are better than others and some step away from the conservative design. Ibanez AM93QM Artcore Expressionist is somewhere in the middle. It has a lot of features found on solid body guitars, but it's still one heck of a semi-hollow. It's a versatile, affordable and honestly, pretty gorgeous guitar that deserves all the attention it can get.

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