Ibanez AW54 - Open Pore Natural Reviews

Great sounding guitar. Resonant and full sound. Low action, easy transition to playing for beginners like me!

One of the best guitar purchases I've made! Great full, balanced sound and comfortable to play. I own a lot of guitars that are way more expensive, but this is my go to, everyday.
I've also installed an LR Baggs pickup from Sweetwater that just made it even better!
This is probably the best guitar you can buy in this price range and it sounds like a high end, all mahogany instrument.

I bought this as a second acoustic to play around with. Needed something that I wouldn't feel bad about my young kids messing with. But I was wrong. This is amazing. Sounds great, not the loudest thing ever but the tones are rich and warm, I imagine it'll get a bit brighter as it plays in. Playability is a 10/10. Action is low but no fret buzz, setup out of the box was spot on. Neck finish is perfect, no glossy surface for your hand to stick to. Overall finish is great. I do wish the fretboard inlays were a bit bigger but honestly that's nitpicking a bit. Also this is my first time buying from Sweetwater and the transaction couldn't have been smoother.

I have hd28, d-18 , J-45 among many others high end and mid range guitars. Can't believe the sound you get from this acoustic guitar. If their was ever a diamond in the rough) Well it's this guitar. Isn't nothing rough about it at all. Playability better than all my other ones. Don't know why it's not more popular. Every review you can find on it the player is just amazing surprised. I get it out of its case every now and then and compare sound back to back with my other guitars. After a year it's still right there with them.

We're really happy with this purchase for our son. He loves the finish and action - and the tone is beautiful. It's a very well made guitar.

Really enjoying the guitar, it sounds great but replaced the strings with one made from silk, and doing so makes playing oh so much better plus better tones.

Really amazed at how good this sounds for the price point. I was looking for a decent guitar for recording purposes that had a slighter brighter tone, wasn't insanely priced, and this was it. I also had Sweetwater set it up and am shocked at how low they got the action without it buzzing. This plays flawlessly and just has a great, classic tone to it. Has a decent low end, but, it really shines on how bright it is without sounding tinny. Definitely recommend this if you just want a solid sounding guitar that isn't crazy expensive.

I was skeptical of the other reviews until I received the guitar, which looks gorgeous and sounds great. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

I really like this guitar. The strings it comes with do not do this guitar justice and make it sound a bit tinny out in the room. When recorded it sounds better. Someone that is new to guitars might return it thinking it has bad sound, but in fact it has a beautiful sound. I switched the strings to La Bella Acoustic Medium Silk and Steel. Don't be fooled by the sound of the silk. Each string rings out perfectly with no one string louder than the other. In my opinion these are some of the best strings out there. I Like full mahogany because of the natural reverb it produces. I also have a Baby Taylor and a Yamaha cedar top with mahogany sides and bottom. The Taylor has an arched bottom and produces more natural reverb where the cedar topped Yamaha produces less reverb. Each comes in handy in different situations. If you want to get an electric sound you can mic it through foot pedals too. Things like heavy metal, overdrive and even the Trace Elliot Dual Compressor which was designed for bass has amazing sound. Never be afraid to experiment. All our tastes differ. Anything is possible.

For the price, even a Martin gets a run for it's money. Enough said. 5 stars overall.

Beginner here loved the look of this guitar and the sound I heard online. Once it was in my hand I loved it even more. The setup is perfect, cords I was having trouble with became almost easy. The guitar rings out really well with a rich sound. Full notes sound out for an entire 4 count. The only issue is I have to change up my practice time because the guitar is a little loud for late evening play because it rings throughout the house

I bought this guitar with little expectation that it would be good and after the first strum I was amazed. Great sustain, great feel, set up was perfect. This guitar sounds better than my martin d28 no joke. Buy one and thank me later.

I am a guitar newbie, not a professional, so take this for what it's worth, but I *love* this guitar. I was looking for something to learn on that wasn't expensive but also wasn't a piece of junk. This guitar has a lovely sound, and the guitar itself is quite pretty, which is an added bonus. I was looking in the $150 range, and the only guitar I liked was only sold in Germany. The extra bump in price is totally worth it for a real, well built guitar with a solid top, which was important to me for the sound. I also am specifically interested in blues guitar and this guitar was recommended for "budget blues," a recommendation which I would second. I have upgraded Elixir strings for it, but I haven't put them on yet, because the strings it comes with are totally serviceable at least to start. I highly recommend this guitar if you're looking for low end but still high quality.

This is a great guitar. Great tone, great action. Goes perfect with my country band. And with pretty much any other music I play. Highly recommend it.

I just got mine today and I love the sound of this guitar and even more the neck, the action is really low and easy to play. The intonation is spot on. I am surprised the guitar doesn't cost a lot more. I never write reviews and not sure what to say except it is a great guitar at a great price.

Plays great. Sounds great. Price-point for this quality is amazingly low.
The stock tuning keys aren't bad, but an upgrade will help, and you will still have a great guitar...
Thank you Sweetwater!

This guitar is got to be the best deal of the century. I own several Martin s and other top brands. And I'am talking acoustic guitars wayyyy more expensive .

Just opened the box. Looks amazing and was almost perfectly in tune.. Still can't believe that. Did a slight truss rod adjustment (I like a little less neck relief) VERY happy with this.

I have several guitars that are more expensive than this but this guitar sounds way above its price. I am very impressed with the sound, action and feel of this guitar. Well worth the money and comparable to guitars in the 5-600 dollar range.

Great guitar. Came ready to play out of the box.

This guitar has plenty of volume, good looks, and a nice change from the tone of spruce. It is not overly bright, and has good bottom end. The guitar has a tonal clarity you do not get with spruce. From what I understand, these are superb for recording. The tuners are not Grover's like you get with other Ibanez Artwood guitars, but they work just fine. I almost always replace Tusq nuts and saddles with bone, but Tusq sounds great on this guitar, so it is staying. For a straight price comparison, I personally prefer this guitar to a FG 800 series Yamaha, even after I have modified them. You will want to take a bit off the saddle for string height and double check the neck relief. Mine came with an extra saddle and a long reach wrench. Remember Phosphorus Bronze are the only strings you want to use on Mahogany guitars. This guitar is right up there with the real mahogany Martins and way better than any of their "HPL" guitars. A bit of thin build, but the box really resonates. I would buy another in a heart beat. I do plan on adding a little tasteful bling here and there, and may add a flashier pickguard even though I do not strike the guitar. After a set-up, your spruce tops will start gathering dust. This is a singer/songwriters dream.

I saw this online looked at all the reviews and pulled the trigger. Best Dam guitar for the money. Plays awesome and very well built. love the wood. You can't go wrong with this one. Plays as good as a 1000 dollar guitar. Ibanez AW54-opn try one you will amazed.

This is a really great guitar for the money. I would recommend i this one for beginera up to more advanced players. Its not anything fancy but its done very well. I peraonally prefer a brighter tone from my acoustics so 5his one really delivers. I cant say enough good things about this peice 10 out of 10.

Awesome guitar. It's loud, much louder than I thought it would be, and it's also super bright. Great craftsmanship, especially at this price point. The harmonics are killer.

However, if there is ONE element that this guitar falls down on, it's the tuners. They don't seem to want to hold the note. Normal, I guess... but that's the ONLY thing I can think of that is subpar. I love this guitbox.

This guitar is spectacular!!! And it sounds beautiful. Just like the expensive guitars and I haven’t had a problem with it. A good gig guitar or for beginners. I highly recommend this guitar if money is an issue or not. You won’t be disappointed!!!

So i got this guitar for my daughter , im teaching her how to play guitar so i was looking for a non expensive guitar to start but also good quality, let me tell you that im in love with the sound, is super bright and loud. I have a Martin 000-10E Road Series, and when i want to play loud i use this Ibanez, because mine sounds low and also is better for fingerstyle a sound that i love, but its cool that this Ibanez sound is bright , we have 2 different guitars at home :)

This guitar is very lightweight and comfortable. As other reviewers have stated, it is a beautiful instrument. Years ago I suffered a freak accident and broke fingers on my left hand, nearly severing the finger tips. Only recently has the desire to play outweighed the discomfort. So, for all practical purposes I am a beginner. Around the nut the action is low and very playable. Even for me playing basic G - C - D - E - A, etc....is easy. As you work your way up the fingerboard toward the bridge, the action is a little higher than what I consider normal. I bought this as a 2nd guitar for open tunings and possibly a little slide, so for now I plan to leave the action alone. If you choose to lower the action or pay someone to set it up, this guitar is worth the extra money. I've felt no sharp fret edges. It is well built and I haven't noticed any flaws. ...the tuning machines are good. I changed the strings to GHS ultra lights. I prefer light strings for tender fingers, but I think it actually improved the overall tones. Slightly less bass response, but a little bit crisper mids and highs. Entry level or not, this guitar sounds great. Very pleased.

First thoughts out of the box - Phenomenal! Warm and lush tone right of that bat. It feels very well built, there were no flaws that I could find. I was gonna put some polywebs on it but I'm in no hurry too, the playability and sound is that good. Great instrument that I would recommend easily. I couldn't have been happier with the customer service as well. The sales engineer (Kevin) and the sweetwater team made sure I was satisfied with my order and they paid 3 day select shipping for my first order. Truly a wonderful online retailer for quality instruments that I can trust. And the candy... That was icing on the cake.

This fiddle is sweet!
It is exactly what I was looking for but, far beyond what I expected.
I wanted something to pickup, throw around and play at will and this guitar is it!

The guitar has a RAW feel to it. It gives you that cave-person type feeling when you play it.
But, being raw, it is also beautiful and flawless. It makes you want to take care of her because she can sing like and angel. No joke!

You will fall in love with this guitar!
and NO, they didn't ruin the guitar by butchering it up for useless electronics.

This Guitar is the real deal with a solid top.
Ibanez never fails to amaze me! Thank you to the fine crafts-people that build these.

My only criticism is that the tuners have a bit of play in them, which might be able to be adjusted, I do not know?

They could probably leave the pick guard off as well, but It's an accent either way.

I am considering buying another for alt tuning, because I love them so much and because Sweetwater is the shiz.

I"ve had 2 acoustics before this purchase both at this price point. Yamaha SG700 and a Samick Greg Bennett, both of which have been great acoustics. Was in need of a new guitar because of fret wear. Not worth paying money to re-dress... Thought I would try something different and I am not disappointed. Love the finish, sound and playability and would buy again. Someday would love to get a Taylor or Martin, but for now, loving this guitar!

The AW54 is an Incredible Guitar Period! Open pore top rings out beautifully. It has a loud but restrained sound. Playability is top notch. Nice low action. Barre chords are much easier than many acoustics I have played. I own an all solid Martin DJr Sapele for my house and wanted an affordable full sized Dreadnought to keep in my work office. The price is ridiculously low for the quality of this instrument. It is beautiful, playable and stays in tune well. It is very light weight as well. Do not hesitate to get one. Well done Ibanez.

I love this guitar. It is beautiful. This is my guitar. It will be played everywhere, and hard. It is fun to play. It is just right. Sometimes I run it through an amp with some (usually Hendrix like) distortion. Lovely. Perfect weight. It feels special. Solid. It sounds gorgeous, complete even. Not only is it a great design, but Sweetwater's people sent me a good one. Thanks folks. I have received lemons in the past from other online retailers. This is why I only buy guitars online from Sweetwater. Ibanez should get an award for this one. If you do not have one, well, you are missing out.

This is the first time I'be reviewed anything online and this just goes to show you how good this guitar is.

I bought it about a year ago or so and was blown away. At first, I was concerned the quality might not be great because guitar center only carries the concert body and the cutaway version of this guitar so I wasn't entirely confident on my purchase. But seriously, believe all the reviews you're reading.

Now, I don't know much about guitars but I've been told plenty of times that this guitar really does sound like a $600-$700 guitar. The action on it is stellar (and even better if you switch the stock bridge for the spare bridge that came with mine-it lowered the action by half!). It also has enough umph to be picked up on stage when it's mic'd and it is picked up well.

I finally got around to reviewing this guitar and it is and will definitely be a treasured item for me for a long time...

So if you're concerned about the quality of this guitar, you shouldn't worry.

If there are any cons to this guitar, i'd say is that it': not set up so that would have to be done. After almost two years of having this guitar, I'm still really happy with it.

PS I'd suggest throwing on elixir poly or nanowed strings to really bring out an incredible sound. I prefer the polyweb but both sound great with it.

I know the price tag reads 199 but when i close my eyes my ears hear 700-800. This is my first all mahogany acoustic and I am a little ashamed to say its taken 35 yrs of playing to realize that no guitar collection is truly complete with out at least one.The tone, the feel of the open pore finish,Heck the guitar even SMELLS good.For 200 bones ya cant go wrong

Gave my eldest daughter my 1968 Martin D 35 for her 43rd birthday last year.
I got extremely lonesome for the Martin and got a beautiful AW 54 today and can only say it is so awesome to hear that brassy big Dreadnaught sound again. Truly as ballsy and loud as the Martin...especially when you try to buzz the bass strings and cant...just gets louder and more clear.
I live on the Central Cali Coast and it is nice to hear the guitar over the sound of the waves while playing at beach bonfires and checking the surf.
Ibanez craftsman ship exudes attention to detail with x bracing underneath and warm, soft-brown mahogany body and neck. It is good, that great musical instruments are affordable for all to enjoy.....Ibanez Rocks!!

rating a cheap guitar at a 5 is risky, but, at $200 new, this solid mahogany top intro plays easier, richer, buzzlessly, over my vintage gibson j50. it gets a 5 (and maybe i got lucky on a good one) cuz the gib is always on the work bench getting tweaked or repaired. this china built thing is beautiful and loud and rich and plays like butter.... my callouses are softening. for the low investment, its the one to get for anyone, whether just starting or seasoned. i've had at least 20 different acoustics in search of sound and playability .... don't waste your money and time. you can buy the martin when you have to, mean time, just play a good machine and at this price, theres no excuse not to be a star.

Okoume Wood Produces a brighter, more bold and articulate sound as opposed to it's closest comparison. You do not get the fullness as much or the richness amount that you would get with Mahogany but you do get is an alternate of a sound (an alternative or another option). This guitar stays in tune and is plenty loud. I am very happy with the purchase. It is also an easy guitar to play with no buzzing. It looks pretty serious too (does not look inexpensive). It doesn't look expensive .. but at the same time it doesn't look feeble or low quality. See my video link for a major explanation of Okoume and the AW54's details (and tone analysis). Tuners are diecast Chrome and turn nicely and look sharp (without looking cheesy). Again this is a very happy purchase both product wise and from the good service I always get with Sweetwater. You will not regret buying the Ibanez AW54.

Good guitar ... especially considering the price. This guitar is quite loud .. with a 'rock' based sound .. (though it is an acoustic). It is generally easy to play .. and feels of 'decent' build quality. The open pore finish and the wood used is IMO better than Mahogany .. at least for what it is within this price range. I've had this guitar for about eight months and it stays in tune very well. Great guitar to have laying around in or out of the case to just grab and play. Like I mention it has a loud, rock based tone to it. Good Feel on the finish (Open Pore). Looks fairly nice as well. For $ dollars it is a good buy. I am not ashamed to play it at all in front of anyone ... The sound is 'strong' and punchy. It does not sound thin or weak at all. I showcased it at a music store for a few guitar junkies who work there. The stores music teacher said 'pretty sweet' in response to hearing me play it. I truly like it for a grab and go guitar and I own several guitars.

I bought this as a gift for my 20 year old son, who is a self taught novice. It is a beautiful guitar with a full sound. The wood is a little thin, making it very light, but also easy to damage. He will have to be more careful with it than some other guitars. For the price, it is excellent, and it makes for a great step up from the First Act guitar from is childhood and also a great companion guitar for his fender knockoff electric. Just a note, the service with Sweetwater has been second to none. I am really impressed. Keep up the good work.

So when I review or rate a guitar I do it based on price and quality level expected.

With this Ibanez, I… did not plan on comparing it to my Gibson or Guild. I don"t think that"s a fair approach.

However, this guitar surprised me very much. Almost every review I read or watched had nothing but great things to say. I was in the market for a new guitar to take around all summer to parks and on weekend trips so I didn"t want to spend a lot. I also had been wanting all mahogany for a while.

This guitar got me excited so I took a shot. I was surprised right away. Most guitar players know the quality level right away when they hold a guitar for the first time. This thing feels great and is very comfortable. I personally love satin finishes and this open pore concept is great. I"m not vouching for the theories behind open pore necessarily but it looks and feels awesome.

The wood grain varies from guitar to guitar but mine has some interesting patters on the top and is pretty simple on the back.

It"s not necessary but I changed the tuners to Grover, added a bone nut and saddle and removed the pickguard.

The tuners on it are fine but I added tortoise Grover"s to give it a unique look. The nut and saddle are also pretty good (not just cheap plastic but seem similar to TUSQ brand) but I prefer bone. And I play a fingerpicking style usually so I wanted the beauty of the mahogany to show and not be covered by the pickguard.

The action was just ok out of the box. Do yourself a favor and learn how to sand down a saddle. It wasn"t super high but I just don"t understand why guitars don"t ship with lower action. Not a deal breaker just a few minutes to bring it down to a good level.

The guitars sound is super balanced. Maybe lacks in bass a little but the sustain is really good so that"s why I feel it"s balanced.

I use Martin Retro strings and I think the sound is unique. For those that compare it to a high end Martin, I"m not sure I can go there...

Try and grab this on sale... like it did and you"re even better off. But don"t hesitate like I did, I swore I"d never buy an Ibanez acoustic but the reviews pulled me in.

I"m glad I bought this guitar, the quality and value are worth every penny.

This guitar is most likely the best at this price point. It's all mahogany inside and out providing a warm, thunderous sound, with rosewood fingerboard and tailpiece. The body and neck has a satin finish on them thin enough so the guitar can breathe and age properly over time. The head-stock also has a satin finish, but looks to be a rosewood veneer on the top. The tuners are your basic locking tuners that keep the guitar in tune for a long time under any amount of bending or strumming.

The only problems I had with this guitar are the strings. The high E broke within a week, but, this shouldn't happen with a beginner guitarist.

All in all, this is a fantastic and diverse guitar that i recommend to anyone wanting the first guitar, or another guitar with a unique sound on a budget.

I would give it five stars but I've never played a different open pore guitar, that being said this is truly worthwhile buy.

I've owned this guitar for about a month, as a complete beginner myself I love the sound that comes out of this guitar compared to other ones I tested out. The open pore top seems to be responsible for the great sound. The finish of the guitar is top notch! I knocked half a star off the rating due to the guitar needing to be tuned every couple of days. But as a beginner dont let that discourage you from choosing this guitar it truly is a great choice.

I recently bought one online, and thought Id give it a try. I played on it for less than 5 minutes and I was impressed by the tone, the way the fretboard plays, the feel of it... Really everything except for the cheap paper advert sticker they put on the pickguard. Those are a pain to remove. Seriously, spend the extra 15 cents and get a vinyl one that peels off right, or dont put it on there at all,

But back to the guitar. My favorite acoustic that isnt a Martin. Seriously, Im picky. I play Fano's on electric. The open pore sounds sooooo good. The strum sounds like a pro guitar. Im amazed this thing was made in china. Anyhow, you cant go wrong. Fyi - the body is just a little smaller than a dreadnaught. Eaaier to handle. Perfect to me.

Half star off for that dang paper sticker that has to be removed. I dont have any feedback yet on how durable it is since I just got it.

Spent some good time playing as a novice. The guitar is better than I am. Holds tune, good tones, No defects, good appearance. Everything I would want in a guitar to learn on, and I don't worry if my kids play on it as well.

Plays awesome great sound grrrreat action intonation awesome great size. Great all around

When I first got the guitar, I found it to be reasonably playable. The action was low, and it felt pretty good in my hands. I noticed a couple of problems right away: There was a lot of fret buzz on a couple of the strings on the higher frets. That was really disappointing, especially for an Ibanez. Oh well, I figured, that's why truss rods exist, right? So, I made the truss rod adjustment, little by little, until the fret buzz went away. Of course, the action was a little higher, but it was still playable. Of course, when I first received the guitar, I immediately replaced the strings with Elixirs, which yielded a far better tone.

Next, the tuning: When I tune the strings perfectly, it sounds off. I found that I had to tune the B string slightly flat in order to get the guitar to sound decent. This is not a good. The same problem existed before and after the truss rod adjustment, and I'm not quite sure how to fix it, or even if it can be fixed.

Finally, the overall depth of the sound: There isn't any. In fact, no matter how I play, the sound is just tinny, even with the best strings. There's no depth. The fullness just isn't there.

I regret not sending the guitar back, and that's totally on me.