Ibanez AC240 (All Mahogany) Changed Woods

[Waxer]

I have been considering an Ibanez all mahogany. Possibly the AC240. I read a recent post that a member commented on a disappointment with the new arrival of an AC340. The tone did not compare well to an older AC240. I believe Ibanez just updated their specifications page for the Artwood series. All the mahogany has been changed to Okoume wood.
Okoume wood has about 1/2 the hardness of mahogany on the wood data base chart. I have written Ibanez to find out when the wood change happened.

[Rudy4]

I think it depends on what "stage" you are as a guitar player.

After reading all of the posts here on the forum about the AC240 I happened to be in the local Guitar Center and picked one up to try out. It was the mahogany model and had good quality Grover sealed tuners on it, which surprised me a bit at the price level of this guitar.

It did not jump out at me for fit and finish, but it played reasonably well. The thing that really stood out was the harsh and boxy tone. It wasn't anything that I'd prefer to play often. I peeked in the soundhole and noticed rather large squared off bracing which might have been a contributing factor to the tone. It's possible that given multiple choices that the one I played might have been non-representitive of the model.

NOW, before I get all the enraged responses from AC240 owners, I'm used to guitars that are considerably higher up the food chain.

Given that the AC240 is a $300 guitar I'd have to qualify my observations by noting that it seems to be a really good factory guitar with an acceptable level of finish and quality and the tone is certainly pleasant enough, especially if this was a first instrument or if I played only occasionally.

I'd go so far as to say it would make a nice couch guitar to keep out for immediate accessibility, and a superb choice as a first guitar.

[fazool]

At least they published their change instead of just calling other woods all "mahogany", then relabeling mahogany as "genuine mahogany". I resent that move.

At least Ibanez was up-front about the change.


Mine is listed as mahogany (pre-change) but does have a weird grain and pattern - unlike mahogany I am used to. It isn't striped like sapele or even sipo.

I presume mine is some low-grade of mahogany (sort of the opposite of AAAA).

[cryptochiral]

I was just about to start a new thread about this. Seems like they had to cut some corners or something. I'm lucky to have an all-mahogany AW54 with rosewood fretboard and bridge. What they currently sell as an 'AW54' is an all-okoume guitar with ovangkol fretboard and bridge.

Maybe some day I'll get my hands on the also discontinued AVD9MH with the famous "thermo-aged" torrefied top. I am really curious how that sounds.

[guitargeak99]

Do you think the label on these newer versions will actually say “Okoume” instead of Mahogany?
I just recently played a new one that sounded great for a $300, but was labeled Mahogany.

[takamineGD93]

Hmm ...got mine today. Thomann takes it back if I wan't to. Smaller than my jumbo and dreads, wider nut, gibson scale length.
Some play in the tuners....

[fazool]

Originally Posted by takamineGD93

...Smaller than my jumbo and dreads...

Yep that's what it's supposed to be.

Originally Posted by takamineGD93

...wider nut...

Yep.

Originally Posted by takamineGD93

...gibson scale length....

Well, not Gibson's scale length but one that is the "same" as the one Gibson uses, and close to a lot of short scale makers.

I guess I'm confused by the post though. It sounds like you got it and are thinking about it and noticing the specs. It's a OM/000 size body with a wide nut and short scale. Were those specs a surprise ?

Originally Posted by takamineGD93

... Some play in the tuners....

I imagine they are cheap tuners. Mine feel snug and precise but I imagine there is a lot of variation in cheaply manufactured parts.

[takamineGD93]

No, surprised they change wood...that's all.

[pickitPaul]

When did this occur? So if I was out looking at the AC240, what year would have the new spec of Okume wood?

How can you tell if the guitar has the Okume vs. Mahogany? The finger board / bridge is stained dark, so hard to tell the change from Rosewood to Ovankol.