Ibanez AEWC400 Acoustic-Electric Guitar - Transparent Black Sunburst High Gloss Reviews

This little number from Ibanez is a dream come true. The contoured body I amazing and very aestheticly pleasing to the eye.The transparent black finish really sets off the flame maple top and bottom. The neck is absolutely perfect it plays like butter,no fret buzz every thing is as it should be. Ibanez tuners are precise and firm when turning and it stays in tune. As far as the sound goes it will hold its own against larger body guitars, especially in the mid and high ranges when unplugged. The Ibanez AEWC400 is a beautiful sounding instrument. However when plugged in it really shines. I am totally surprised not knowing how it would really feel and sound in my hands.I did put a tortoise shell pick guard on to protect the finish and it actually looks better than I thought it would. The built in tuner works well. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I upgraded from an Ibanez nylon string guitar; I am completely satisfied with this instrument; getting adjusted to the large frets and all steel strings has not been a major problem. I really like the deep cutaway which makes it easier to reach the high notes.

Sweetwater's service was excellent from the day I talked with my customer rep until it arrived at my home in 3 days. No tuning adjustments were necessary as it was ready to play as soon as I unpacked it.

Title says it all! Sweetwater rocks, too!!!

I play in a rock band and need to be able to change weapons quickly. The Ibanez has a smaller body (fits in a 000 case) and light weight. It's a very comfortable acoustic to play live. The contoured upper front is very natural feeling and comfortable for finger-picking. The asymmetric neck works out great for me - I have a couple Schecters with this and it really improves your reach across the neck the higher up you play. The contoured back with this style cutaway really lets you get up to the top of the fretboard. Even the neck heel is contoured, which I don't think I've ever seen. This guitar is easy to play the full length of the neck. Unplugged it is bright and projects well, though without much on the lower end. This is to be expected on a smaller body guitar. Plugged in you've got all the bass you need. The electronics are straightforward and easy to use, and work well. I was expecting to add more bass to the acoustic EQ on the pedalboard, but this wasn't needed as the signal from the guitar is rich and full. Have I mentioned that the finish is gorgeous? Love the flamed top, back, and sides - it has a very high end look. I really like having the XLR output for plugging in to record on a computer. This is not an expensive guitar, but that's the point. The more bars our band plays in, the less inclined I am to take high-end gear out to play. This fits my needs perfectly, and probably should cost more. And, as always, many thanks to the staff and crew at Sweetwater. Guitar arrived well-packaged, in tune, with perfect intonation. Recommend this guitar And Sweetwater to everyone.

Get one.
I have been playing guitar since 1965.
Just purchased the Ibeneze AEWC400. Love it. Played it over 7 hours the first 2 days. Very comfortable to play. Perfect to play in a recliner too. Sounds as good or better than my Martin through my Fishman Mini.
The thinner sound, when unplugged, is just what my old ears with hearing aids needed. Easiest guitar I have ever played. Mr. Nolan Dye provided me with stress free sales and service.
Just the guitar I needed to get me through the pandemic.

As I'm sure you're aware, many buy the Ibanez acoustics for their distinct finishes most other brands don't bother to try. Sure, you could buy a similarly priced Yamaha or Ovation and get a better sound, but it's still going to be a standard acoustic finish, and I'm of the mindset that you need to really like how your guitar looks, as well as how it plays. There is no question this acoustic is a looker, and this entire line of Ibanez acoustics visually blow away the competition under the $1000 price point.

But, you ask, how does it play and sound in this price range?
Good question.

In terms of playability, wowza this is an easy to play neck. The neck is easily one of the thinnest and most accessible out there for an acoustic, making leads and fingerpicking a breeze. I definitely think it plays better than pretty much all other guitars in this price range because of my preference for a slick and fast neck. If you like standard, fat acoustic necks, this will not be for you.The cutaway also opens up lead playing on the higher frets.

Now the sound...
Well, this guitar is obviously a thinline model, and thus the sound is a bit treble heavy with a somewhat lacking low end and volume projection. This is simply due to the body being so thin. These downsides aren't worse than the other thinlines out there, but it's hard for me to recommend this guitar over thicker bodied models that deliver a nicer tone if you're looking to buy one for strumming-heavy play-style. You're better off with the sub $ Epiphone model for that. That said, this guitar sounds great amped up, and the controls work well to get the sound at least somewhat close to where you want. It also does well with pedals while still retaining an acoustic charm. Leads and Fingerpicking styles are where this guitar shines, and I will easily recommend it if you're looking for a different looking model than all the others in the price range.

I will say that the Ernie Ball Earthwood Strings are a MUST for this model to counter the downsides of a thin body. With stock strings it can be very harsh, especially amp'd/mic'd up. Using the controls to counter this does not produce desirable results.

As it stands, this guitar with the Earthwood's is an extremely solid lead acoustic that I would recommend for those who want a different finish.

This is a very solid, reliable, gigging guitar. The only reason I am not giving it 4 stars is because the sound hole is slightly smaller than what is common. This has made it impossible to find a sound hold cover / feedback suppressor to fit this guitar. I've even tried the adjustable one made by Ibanez. No luck so far.

Thanks to Covid protocols, it's nearly impossible to find a guitar in a store that you can hold and feel and play and hear. We're forced to purchase online based on reviews and photos and videos. First, I LOVE my Sweetwater rep. This guitar was recommended based on my "wish list." When I took it out of the box I was not disappointed. Without a doubt, the most beautiful guitar added to my collection of over a dozen instruments. The contours and bevels and arched back are gorgeous! The satin neck felt so smooth. Playability is second to none. Very comfortable and well balanced. The guitar actually has some weight to it. Heavier than I would have expected.
Unfortunately for me, that's where it ends. I was really hoping for a deeper, warmer tone. I know it's not a jumbo or even a dreadnought. But my Fender Hellcat (which has a smaller body) produces more bottom end tones. I thought I could live with it since it would be plugged in most of the time. However, I couldn't produce the tones I was hoping for through my amps and processors. I'm returning it and spending a little extra to get the jumbo.
To be very clear: Gorgeous guitar, beautiful finish, neck and fretboard are fantastic, well made instrument. Sound is personal preference. It may be the tones someone is looking for. My acoustic style is more old school country and bluegrass.

Looks good. Comfortable to play. Fretboard is nice and smooth. Has built in electronics and tuner.

The sound is terrible. I read descriptions and reviews that the sound was very mid-range tone. What I didn't find was that this thing resonates like crazy! I have tested this thing all over the fretboard. You pick one string and mute it, most of the other strings are still ringing. This is not a big deal when your just playing at home. But I wouldn't use this live. And it would never work for recording. I bought it for the cut-away and look, and I regret it. For this price it shouldn't have this issue. I guess I'll have to see what I can sell this off for and get something else.