Introduction
The Ibanez AVD60 Artwood Vintage Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar offers the impressive tone and vintage vibe of a well-played acoustic, thanks to its solid wood construction and specialized Thermo Aging process. This guitar is part of Ibanez’s Artwood Vintage series, which aims to recreate the rich, complex sound of vintage instruments at an affordable price point.
Some of the AVD60’s key features include its solid Adirondack spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, and high gloss natural finish. The solid tonewood construction allows for excellent resonance, while the aging treatment gives this guitar the look and feel of a vintage acoustic that has been lovingly played for years. Despite its lower price point, the AVD60 has the features of a pro-level instrument.
The Thermo Aging process is what really sets this guitar apart, giving it the soulful voice and vintage vibe that players love. Through a specialized treatment involving heat, vibration and moisture, the woods are ‘played-in’ and take on the visual and tonal qualities of a vintage instrument. This helps unlock the AVD60’s full potential right out of the box.
Ibanez Thermo Aged Technology
Ibanez utilizes a proprietary Thermo Aging process to give the AVD60 an authentic vintage look and feel. This specialized treatment involves exposing the guitar’s solid wood construction to graduated cycles of heat, humidity, and mechanical stress.
The woods are essentially "cooked" to mimic the molecular changes that occur through decades of playing and handling. This has a dramatic effect on the instrument’s tone, creating the warm, organic resonance of a well-played vintage acoustic.
On a sonic level, the Thermo Aging process opens up the wood grain to enhance vibration, resonance and improve tonal balance across the frequency range. Many players feel it gives the AVD60 the lived-in sound of a vintage guitar straight from the factory.
Visually, Thermo Aging recreates the look of a naturally aged instrument. The wood develops fine cracks and takes on a deeper patina, while the pores become more open. It gives the appearance of a guitar that has been lovingly played for years, rather than right off the production line. This vintage vibe is enhanced by the AVD60’s high gloss finish.
Overall, Ibanez’s Thermo Aging treatment allows the AVD60 to achieve the holy grail of impressive vintage tone and aesthetics at an affordable price point. It’s this combination of solid woods and proprietary aging that make the Artwood Vintage series special.
Construction and Materials
The Ibanez AVD60 utilizes a solid Adirondack spruce top, providing a dynamic and responsive tone with impressive projection. Adirondack spruce is renowned for its use on many high-end acoustic guitars thanks to its clear, complex tone.
The back and sides are made from solid mahogany, which contributes a pleasing warmth and richness to the overall tone. Mahogany is a classic pairing with spruce tops, providing excellent sustain and resonance.
The smooth feeling cultured maple fretboard enhances the guitar’s clarity and note articulation. Maple is a common choice due to its familiar feel that most players prefer.
For optimal transfer of string vibrations, the AVD60 uses a quality bone nut and saddle. This helps maximize the guitar’s resonance and sustain.
Finally, the AVD60 has a high gloss natural finish that allows the beautiful wood grain to shine through. This type of finish often improves with age, giving the guitar a distinctive vintage appeal over time.
Sound and Tonal Characteristics
The Ibanez AVD60 produces a rich, full-bodied dreadnought tone, as one would expect from its solid wood construction. There is a powerful projection and volume that allows the guitar to fill a room, making it a great choice for live performances.
The sound is nicely balanced across the tonal spectrum, with good articulation in the mids and highs. It’s not overly bass-heavy like some dreadnoughts can be. The notes come through clean and defined. There is also a pleasing musicality to the AVD60, with rich overtones that ring out when strummed or picked.
The solid Adirondack spruce top makes the AVD60 very responsive to playing dynamics. It has a dynamic range that allows the guitar to sound delicate during soft fingerpicking passages yet project with authority when strummed hard. The guitar comes alive based on the player’s touch.
Overall the tonal character is vintage-inspired, especially after the aging process. There is a pleasing warmth and complexity to the sound that develops over time, the mark of a quality solid wood acoustic guitar.
Playability
The Ibanez AVD60 features a smooth, easy playing cultured maple fretboard that provides a familiar and comfortable feel for most players. The action on this guitar is set nice and low from the factory, with excellent string height and buzz-free notes across the fretboard. It also comes well set up with accurate intonation right out of the box.
The neck has a substantial, chunky "D" profile that feels great for both fretting hand control and comfort. This extra girth allows for secure grip and makes it easy to play chords and single notes cleanly. The profile works well for a diverse range of playing styles too. Whether you’re a strummer, fingerstylist or hybrid picker, your fretting hand will feel right at home.
Overall, the AVD60 provides a very playable experience for acoustic guitarists. The smooth fretboard, low action and chunky profile all combine to make this a guitar that you can play for hours on end with ease. It accommodates and excels at various techniques too, offering versatility for players who like to mix up strumming, flatpicking, fingerpicking and more.
Aesthetics and Design
The Ibanez AVD60 has an understated yet elegant aesthetic that calls back to vintage acoustic guitars of yesteryear. The Thermo Aging process gives the guitar a beautifully aged finish, with an open-pored look to the Adirondack Spruce top that enhances its vintage vibe.
Rather than lots of bling, the AVD60 focuses on classic and refined appointments. It has a simple wooden rosette around the soundhole, and a tortoise pickguard that complements the natural finish. The fretboard inlays are basic dot markers rather than anything flashy.
Overall, the AVD60 has a timeless appeal. The natural gloss finish allows the wood grain to shine through, showcasing the guitar’s solid wood construction. Paired with the aged finish, this creates a classy vintage look. While some modern acoustics have lots of binding and bright colors, the AVD60 opts for a more mature, understated appearance. This refined design language helps it appeal to a wide range of players.
Value for Money
The Ibanez AVD60 Artwood Vintage Dreadnought offers exceptional value for money given its impressive specs and vintage-inspired build. At its current street price of around $400, this all-solid-wood guitar costs significantly less than other dreadnoughts built from solid tonewoods like Spruce and Mahogany. The specialized Thermo Aging process used on the AVD60 is also a feature typically found on more expensive acoustic guitars, as the labor-intensive aging treatment adds to manufacturing costs. However, Ibanez manages to keep the price accessible, making this a fantastic option for players who want pro-level materials and vintage vibe without the premium price tag. Overall, the AVD60 exceeds expectations for its price range, feeling and sounding like a more expensive instrument. The solid wood construction and aging treatment help it achieve a rich, complex tone that belies its affordable cost. For guitarists wanting great value along with vintage aesthetics and resonance, the AVD60 is an excellent choice.
Ideal For…
The Ibanez AVD60 Artwood Vintage dreadnought is ideal for guitarists seeking a vintage-inspired acoustic guitar at an accessible price point. Specifically, it’s a great choice for:
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Players who love the warm, rich tone of vintage acoustic guitars. The Thermo Aged solid wood construction gives the AVD60 the complex overtones and pleasing resonance of a well-played vintage instrument.
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Guitarists who want the character of an aged acoustic but don’t want to pay premium vintage prices. At its affordable street price, the AVD60 delivers impressive vintage acoustic tone and vibe.
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Singer-songwriters and musicians looking for a dynamic, full-sounding dreadnought. The AVD60’s solid Adirondack spruce top provides excellent projection, while the mahogany back and sides offer balanced warmth and sustain.
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Flatpicking guitarists who require volume, articulation and dynamic range. The AVD60’s solid wood construction allows it to keep up with aggressive flatpicking styles.
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Fingerstyle players seeking a responsive, nuanced instrument. The AVD60 provides dynamic sensitivity, allowing for expressive fingerstyle playing.
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Working musicians in need of a stage-ready, pro-level dreadnought acoustic. With its high-end materials and construction, the AVD60 can handle the demands of frequent gigging and performing.
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Recording artists wanting a guitar with rich, complex acoustic tone. The AVD60’s vintage vibe will add character and depth to any recording or album.
With its authentic vintage acoustic tone, playability and affordable price point, the Ibanez AVD60 Artwood Vintage dreadnought is an excellent choice for players who value classic acoustic guitar sound and vibe. Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of musical styles and applications.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
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The Adirondack spruce top and mahogany back and sides give the AVD60 a rich, resonant tone with impressive projection and dynamics. The solid wood construction allows the guitar to vibrate freely for superior sustain.
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The Thermo Aging process results in a guitar that sounds and feels broken-in and mature right out of the box. The aging gives it the warm, open tone you’d expect from a quality vintage acoustic.
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At its price point, the all solid wood construction and aging treatment make the AVD60 an exceptional value. It has the look, feel and sound of a more expensive instrument.
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The smooth maple fretboard and neck profile provide easy, comfortable playability that accommodates various playing styles. The action is low and buzz-free.
Cons:
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Some players may not be drawn to the worn, aged aesthetic of a "relic’d" instrument. Those wanting a pristine, modern looking guitar may prefer the non-aged models.
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The large dreadnought body produces impressive volume and projection, but may be too boomy or overpowering for some players or applications. The bass response can overwhelm in small spaces.
Conclusion
The Ibanez AVD60 Artwood Vintage Dreadnought stands out with its superb combination of vintage vibe, resonant tone, and accessible price point. This guitar punches well above its weight, offering pro-level build quality and sound at a mid-tier cost.
The AVD60’s strengths lie in its solid wood construction paired with Ibanez’s proprietary Thermo Aging process. The Adirondack spruce top and mahogany back/sides produce a rich, complex tone, while the aging treatment gives it the look and feel of a well-played vintage instrument. This guitar boasts impressive volume and projection thanks to the large dreadnought body, while still retaining balanced articulation and responsive dynamics.
For players seeking an affordable workhorse acoustic with vintage appeal, the AVD60 is a versatile choice suitable for various musical genres and playing styles. Singer-songwriters will appreciate its warm, intimate voice, while flatpickers can take advantage of its dynamic range. The chunky neck and low action facilitate complex fingerstyle techniques just as well as aggressive strumming.
With pro-grade specs and materials at this accessible price point, the Ibanez AVD60 Artwood Vintage dreadnought is an exceptional value. For guitarists who want the vintage vibe without the premium price tag, it’s hard to beat what this impressive instrument offers.