Introduction
Ibanez has been crafting high-quality guitars since the late 1950s, when the company first began importing copies of classic American guitar designs to Japan. Though initially focused on more affordable instruments, Ibanez steadily built a reputation for innovation and quality. Today, the brand is known for its diverse catalog of electric, acoustic, and bass guitars suitable for all playing styles and genres.
The Ibanez AEW40ZW acoustic-electric guitar demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to pushing boundaries. Part of Ibanez’s Exotic Wood series, the AEW40ZW combines a stunning zebrawood body with expert electronics and playability. Zebrawood is known for its unique striped appearance and balanced tonal characteristics. Paired with a mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard, the AEW40ZW produces a warm yet articulate unplugged tone. The onboard Fishman pickup and preamp system provides the versatility to plug in and amplify your sound for live performances or recordings. Between its exotic visual appeal and flexible acoustic-electric capabilities, the Ibanez AEW40ZW stands out as a one-of-a-kind instrument.
The Exotic Zebrawood Body
The Ibanez AEW40ZW features a stunning zebrawood body that gives this guitar its exotic and unique aesthetic appeal. Zebrawood is a visually striking tonewood that originates from South America and Africa. It gets its name from the dramatic striped patterning that resembles a zebra’s stripes. The wood exhibits alternating layers of light and dark color that undulate across the body and create an eye-catching look.
More than just a pretty face, zebrawood also brings compelling tonal characteristics to the AEW40ZW. The wood’s density and hardness contribute to a guitar body that resonates beautifully. Reviewers often describe the zebrawood body as producing warm, rounded lows with sparkling and clear highs. The solid zebrawood construction allows the guitar to sing with full-bodied and rich tones that project well.
Compared to other tonewoods used in the Ibanez AEW series like ovangkol and sapele, the zebrawood body stands out. Zebrawood tends to emphasize the midrange frequencies more than ovangkol, giving it a focused voice-like quality. It also sustains longer than sapele, allowing notes to ring out. Ultimately, the zebrawood provides a unique voice to the AEW40ZW that is exotic, resonant, and defined.
Neck, Fretboard, and Playability
The Ibanez AEW40ZW features a mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard that provide smooth playability and enhanced sustain. Mahogany is a popular tonewood for guitar necks thanks to its stability, durability, and warm resonant tones. The mahogany neck has a comfortable slim profile that feels great in the hand. It provides easy access to the higher frets while remaining smooth and inviting to chord shapes and lead playing across the neck.
The fretboard is made of rosewood, prized as a fretboard material for its hardness and ability to promote long, singing sustain. The rosewood has a rich brown color and smooth feel that is very comfortable to play. The fretwork from Ibanez is impeccable as expected, with smoothly finished frets for effortless bending and vibrato. Overall, the neck and fretboard offer an exceptional playing experience.
Electronics and Plugged-In Sound
The Ibanez AEW40ZW is equipped with a Fishman Sonicore pickup system and AEQ-SP2 preamp, providing exceptional amplified tone and versatility. The Sonicore pickup utilizes an under-saddle transducer to accurately capture the guitar’s natural acoustic resonance, while the preamp allows you to shape the EQ and dial in just the right amount of reverb and chorus effects.
When plugged in, the AEW40ZW really shines thanks to its Fishman electronics. The amplified tone is very balanced across the frequency spectrum, with articulate highs, warm mids, and tight low end. The guitar is able to reproduce complex chords very clearly in the mix, while single-note runs have excellent note separation. Whether you need to cut through a full band mix or want pristine amplified tone for recording, the AEW40ZW delivers excellent plugged-in sound.
The preamp also provides useful features like an onboard tuner, phase switch, and easy-to-navigate controls. There’s even an aux input so you can jam along to tracks from a smartphone or audio player. Overall, the Fishman electronics package equips this guitar for amplified playing scenarios of all kinds.
Unplugged Sound and Projection
When played unplugged, the Ibanez AEW40ZW produces a warm, balanced acoustic tone with excellent projection and sustain. The zebrawood body resonates beautifully, emphasizing the guitar’s natural acoustic voice. Treble notes have clarity and definition, while the midrange is focused yet warm. The low end provides enough bass response for rhythm playing without muddiness.
Overall, the AEW40ZW projects very well for an acoustic-electric in its price range. It has no trouble filling a room with its acoustic volume when played unplugged. The sound is balanced across the tonal spectrum, making this a great guitar for fingerstyle playing or strumming full chords.
Compared to its plugged-in tone, the unplugged sound has a more organic, woody character. The Fishman pickup and preamp system add versatility for live performances, but some players may prefer the natural acoustic resonance of the zebrawood when playing unplugged. The AEW40ZW works well in both realms, offering an excellent unplugged experience alongside its amplified capabilities.
Build Quality and Aesthetics
The Ibanez AEW40ZW offers excellent build quality and visual appeal thanks to its exotic zebrawood construction and high-end appointments.
The guitar features a solid zebrawood top, back, and sides. Zebrawood is known for its distinctive striped grain pattern, but it also contributes to the instrument’s sturdy construction. The wood is nicely bookmatched on the top and back for a symmetrical appearance.
In terms of craftsmanship, all joints and seams on the AEW40ZW are clean and tight. The neck joint allows for excellent resonance, while the dovetail neck construction provides stability. The mahogany neck itself feels smooth and solidly attached to the body.
The hardware includes quality die-cast chrome tuners and a rosewood bridge and saddle for bright, focused tones. The nut and fretwork are neatly executed for comfortable playability up and down the rosewood fretboard.
Visually, the zebrawood grain is the star of the show. Its eye-catching stripes and contrast make for a unique acoustic guitar aesthetic. The natural high-gloss finish allows the wood’s beauty to shine. Small touches like the abalone rosette and maple body binding add a touch of elegance.
Overall, the Ibanez AEW40ZW demonstrates careful attention to detail and premium build quality. Its exotic wood construction gives it visual flair while also forming the foundation for great acoustic tone and performance. This is a guitar built to last thanks to quality components and expert craftsmanship.
Value for Money
The Ibanez AEW40ZW has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $799.99, though it can sometimes be found from various retailers for $100-200 less. For a quality exotic wood acoustic-electric guitar with solid tonewood construction, this price point lands squarely in the mid-range. It’s more affordable than premium models like the Taylor 814ce, which can cost over $2,000, but pricier than entry-level acoustic-electrics that go for under $400.
When considering what you get for the price, the AEW40ZW represents a good value overall. The use of solid zebrawood is unusual for this price point, as are the Fishman electronics. The excellent playability and comfortable neck also compete well with more expensive instruments. The guitar feels solidly built and crafted with care.
That said, there are a couple factors that impacts the value proposition. For one, zebrawood may not be as familiar or desirable to some players as traditional tonewoods like mahogany or rosewood. The exotic wood helps justify the cost, but not all guitarists will appreciate it. Additionally, the AEW40ZW only comes in one color and finish option, unlike some other models that offer greater customization.
Overall though, the superb acoustic tone, quality amplified sound, striking looks, and high level of craftsmanship make the Ibanez AEW40ZW a great value. While not cheap, it delivers features and performance comparable to guitars well above its price range. For intermediate players seeking to invest in their first serious acoustic-electric, the AEW40ZW hits a sweet spot of quality and affordability.
Reviews
The Ibanez AEW40ZW has received very positive reviews from customers for its stunning exotic zebrawood body and quality amplified sound. Many reviewers praise the smooth playability, comfortable neck, and balanced tone.
One satisfied customer said the AEW40ZW has become his go-to acoustic guitar for gigs, commenting on its "gorgeous zebrawood top" and "rich, resonant sound." He was impressed with the Fishman electronics, which allow the guitar’s natural tone to shine through when plugged in.
Some users mention a break-in period of a few weeks before the guitar fully opens up, but say the tone becomes deeper and richer over time. Others say the AEW40ZW has impressive volume and sustain unplugged, making it a great guitar for practice and jam sessions.
A few reviews point out the relatively high action on the AEW40ZW out of the box, though this can be adjusted. There are also some mixed opinions on the preamp EQ, with some feeling it is not as intuitive to dial in compared to other models.
Overall though, most users seem enamored with the exotic zebrawood aesthetics and amplified versatility of the Ibanez AEW40ZW. It receives consistent praise as a quality guitar that looks, sounds, and plays beautifully.
Comparison to Other Ibanez Acoustic-Electrics
The Ibanez AEW40ZW stands out from other acoustic-electric guitars in the Ibanez catalog thanks to its stunning zebrawood body. While models like the AEW40AS and AEW40CD offer great value for money, the AEW40ZW provides an exotic and unique aesthetic that really makes it pop.
The zebrawood top gives the AEW40ZW a distinctive look and sound that provides excellent warmth, resonance, and articulation. Other tonewoods used in the AEW series like ovangkol and sapele have their own tonal strengths, but zebrawood brings out balanced and detailed tones perfect for fingerstyle playing.
Another advantage of the AEW40ZW is the Fishman pickup and preamp system, which gives it studio-quality amplified tones. Other Ibanez models may use more basic pickup systems that don’t capture the nuances of the guitar as accurately. The AEQ-SP2 preamp in the AEW40ZW provides exceptional control over the EQ when plugged in.
Some players may prefer the wider nut width of 1.69" on the AEW40ZW compared to 1.65" on other models like the AEW40CD. This slight difference can benefit fingerstyle players in particular. The AEW40ZW also comes equipped with higher quality die-cast tuners compared to the open gear tuners on other Ibanez acoustic-electrics.
Overall, while other Ibanez acoustic-electric guitars offer great quality for the price, the Ibanez AEW40ZW stands out with its exotic zebrawood body, Fishman electronics, and features tailored for discerning fingerstyle players. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking top-notch aesthetics, tone, and amplified performance.
Conclusion
The Ibanez AEW40ZW Exotic Wood Zebrawood Acoustic-Electric Guitar offers a stunning visual appearance combined with warm, balanced acoustic tones and versatile plugged-in sounds. Its zebrawood body not only looks beautiful, but also helps produce excellent resonance, projection, and sustain. While the guitar may be more expensive than entry-level models, overall it provides great value with its high-end appointments, quality electronics, and exceptional playability.
The AEW40ZW is best suited for intermediate to advanced acoustic players who want an instrument that stands out visually yet still delivers impressive tones. Fingerstyle guitarists will appreciate the dynamic range and harmonic complexity from the zebrawood body. Singer-songwriters will find it provides excellent support both on stage and in the studio. For any player seeking a unique looking and great sounding acoustic-electric, the Ibanez AEW40ZW is definitely worth checking out. Its striking appearance combined with resonant acoustic voice and flexible amplified tones make it a versatile guitar that covers all the bases.