Cheap & cheerful (3): Ibanez GAX011LTD

So the documentation continues, this is a limited offering Ibanez Spring Special model, the GAX011LTD. AT $195, it's definitely one of the most affordable guitars out there with enough eccentricity to deem it somewhat attractive... to some of us. Please do not expect a typical shred affair just because it says 'Ibanez' at the headstock. On the contrary, it sports a rather sumptuous & rounded neck but still very comfortable & playable. The solitary F-hole there is a gouged portion of the body, it's probably the most intriguing feature there.

The tone of this guitar makes it rather cheerful. If you are bothered by the sharp sounding tone of budget guitars, the Powersound humbuckers in this GAX are acceptable. Strangely, they sound more forgiving with the light instrument & would appease the distortion inclined among us. But the winning factor here has to be the instrument's manifestation of controlled QC for the money. It wasn't repulsive upon initial handling so it makes for a cheerful experience indeed.

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It's Friday the 13th...

Ibanez Talman: Spring Special 2011

This is one of the acoustic additions to the Spring special, an Ibanez Talman model with a maple fretboard. The pickguard there looks a little desperate in trying to blend in with the astral theme (the finish here is called the Aurora Sparkle) but I'd like to hear how this performs considering the maple fretboard isn't the standard spec for an acoustic.