Love and hate with my new Ibanez AC-240 opn

[gip111]

As the title says, I'm struggling with my new AC-240. Love the feel, playability, comfy to play, looks gorgeous but my issue with it is that its LOUD! It has good tone but this thing is in your face loud with no depth, especially when strumming.
This is where my inexperience comes through... I'm mostly an at home couch player and have been using nothing but dreadnoughts all my life, but when I saw this Ibanez, just had to have it.
So far I've tried D'Addario phosphor bronze light and custom light, Martin SP lights and custom lights with D'Addario EXP 16's being the better sounding.
Perhaps this is more of a blues finger picking kind of guitar?
I use only a pick and mostly strumming up and down the neck.
I'll take any input, abuse, suggestions etc.
Thanks for reading.

[Norml]

Try some round core strings: DR Sumbeams, Pyramid Western Folk, Thomastik Spectrum.

Try some Nickel wrapped strings.

Try a thicker pick with a very round bevel on the edges or use the shoulder of your current pick.

D'Addario strings, in my experience, are very brash sounding no matter what gauge.

[Rosewood99]

Anytime you want to part with it just let me know.

[zmf]

Lighter touch?

[bancika]

thicker and/or more beveled pick should help. Which pick are you using?

Might be the body size. I had a Martin 00016R that was sublime when fingerpicked, but just SHOUTED when strummed even a little hard. I eventually concluded that a deeper and larger-bodied guitar suited that style better.

Try a Jim Dunlop Genuine Celluloid Medium or a Jim Dunlop Tortex standard .73mm or .60 mm or even .50mm for a start go easy, stay loose.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

Might be the body size. I had a Martin 00016R that was sublime when fingerpicked, but just SHOUTED when strummed even a little hard. I eventually concluded that a deeper and larger-bodied guitar suited that style better.

I have a Quilted Maple Taylor 422 which is a Grand Concert size guitar and I just can`t bond with it for the very same reason. Fine with finger-style and pick but just lacks depth when strummed. I`ve tried many different string brands, types and guages but at the end of the day, it is what it is and one of the reasons why I like larger bodied guitars.

[zmf]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

Might be the body size.

Good point.

Took me a while to adjust to a very responsive Lowden O23 (jumbo), but now it sounds great. My wife recently bought the much smaller S25, and I have a tough time playing it -- really have to lighten my touch.

Smaller guitars tend to have a more focused projection, and it can really feel "in your face".

[gip111]

I'm not ready to give up on this one yet, I will adjust. I always used a thin pick but trying a heavier one did take the edge off a little. The guitar came with the original strings... EXP11"s 80/20 and sounded the best so far but who knows how long they were strung on the guitar so I switched them and that's when I noticed this guitar is picky with strings. I never spent so much time and attention to strings before, buying a set of strings used to be a set of D'Addarios PB lights or Martin SP lights and I was ready to go.
I will try a set of DR Sunbeam next.

[roylor4]

Lighter pick.
Martin FX Silk and phosphor strings - super mellow and light. DR Rares are much louder and brighter imo.

I really like the ac240 stock. Very nice little guitar

[Molder]

I am also on a quest to mellow out some of my guitars. I have been using the John Pearse 600L's and I love the tone but they drown out my voice when I sing unplugged.

I tried the Martin Marquis M1400 Silk and Steel on my Eastman HE422CE and so far they seem real nice. They brought the volume just a little and mellowed it out. Today I even played it plugged in and they still sounded good. Only on day three though, so I can't testify to their longevity.

as far as the pick goes, I use a 1mm pick most of the time and I strum a lot. When I use a thinner pick it seems just as loud if not louder. The pick flexes more so the string snaps back harder. It does change the tone, though, and I prefer the deeper/smoother tone from a thicker pick.

One other little tidbit. When I went to GC to get the strings on Sunday, I got to play the Ibanez AC300 Grand Concert with the Engelmann Spruce top, and I really dug it.

[email4eric]

I agree that it's a loud guitar when strummed! I mostly finger pick which is something at which this guitar excels.

I tried some other strings and ended-up back with the EXPs that came with it. I don't like their feel so much but do appreciate the sound that they produce.

I'm starting to appreciate factory decisions on guitar strings. After much experimentation, all three of my primary guitars are happily back to their stock strings. Only my Yamaha strayed to MSPs for better sound (try to find Yamaha strings, BTW!).

I'm attributing this phenomenon to the fact that the stock strings where on these guitars when I fell for them and took them home. Makes sense that they would be a good choice.

I'd keep trying lots of different strings and keep good notes (or recordings) until you find "the ones."

[TBman]

Put the pick down. Play fingerstyle. You're allowed to play guitar with more than one technique.

[ricfreak]

Try using a soundhole cover. Those that are used to cut down feedback.