Introduction
The Ibanez AEG10NII is a versatile nylon string acoustic-electric guitar well suited for a variety of players and genres. This guitar features a spruce top and mahogany back and sides, delivering a warm, balanced tone. The slim neck and single cutaway design provide comfortable playability and easy upper fret access. Key specs include Fishman electronics, 20 frets, and a 25.6” scale length.
With its compact body and nylon strings, the AEG10NII works great for fingerstyle and classical guitar techniques. The onboard electronics also make it stage-ready for gigging guitarists. This Ibanez appeals to everyone from beginners looking for their first classical guitar to intermediate players seeking to upgrade. It’s a versatile option for classical, flamenco, Latin, and folk musical styles.
The AEG10NII combines high-end features like solid wood construction and Fishman electronics while keeping the price relatively affordable. Overall, it hits a sweet spot between quality and value, appealing to players who want excellent classical guitar tone and playability without breaking the bank. Let’s dive deeper into the design, features, sound, and real-world performance of this impressive nylon string acoustic-electric.
Design and Construction
The Ibanez AEG10NII features a classic Spanish guitar aesthetic with modern appointments like the single cutaway. This gives it a stylish look that will appeal to both traditional and contemporary players.
For its tonewood construction, Ibanez chose a solid Engelmann spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides. The spruce contributes brightness and volume, while the mahogany provides a rich, warm resonance. Together these tonewoods give the AEG10NII a nicely balanced acoustic voice.
In terms of body shape, this is a compact classical guitar with refined curves and proportions. The single cutaway allows easy access to the upper frets, making this a versatile instrument for various techniques and styles. Ibanez offers the AEG10NII in a single Natural High Gloss finish, which allows the beauty of the mahogany and spruce to shine through.
Overall the design choices on the AEG10NII highlight Ibanez’s attention to detail. While keeping with traditional nylon string aesthetics, they’ve added thoughtful modern touches for playability and performance. This is a guitar that looks as good as it sounds.
Playability
The Ibanez AEG10NII features a slim taper C-shaped neck profile that provides comfort and playability. The nut width of 2 1/4" is a standard classical guitar width, allowing comfortable fingering of chords and single note lines.
The fretboard is made of laurel wood and has a 400mm radius, along with 20 frets. The curved fretboard radius and medium jumbo frets make it easy to fret notes and chords, even for players with smaller hands. The action from the factory is set to a nice low height that facilitates intricate fingerstyle playing without buzzing.
This guitar feels great to play, whether you are gently fingerpicking melodies and arpeggios or strumming chords. The slim neck and comfortable string action allow for fast runs and fretting agility. The Ibanez AEG10NII excels at various fingerstyle techniques, and is well suited to classical, flamenco, Latin, and folk genres. However, the playability allows for solid performance even with more aggressive rhythmic strumming.
Overall, the Ibanez AEG10NII offers outstanding playability right out of the box. From the slim taper neck to the optimized action and fretboard radius, this guitar feels comfortable and inviting to play for long periods of time. The versatility to handle both fingerstyle nuance and rhythmic strumming makes this a very playable choice for a range of players.
Sound and Tone
The Ibanez AEG10NII produces a beautifully balanced and warm unplugged tone, as one would expect from a quality nylon string acoustic guitar. The solid spruce top provides sweet and articulate highs, while the mahogany back and sides add a rich low-end resonance.
Volume-wise, the AEG10NII projects well enough for solo practice or playing for a small crowd without amplification. It’s not as loud as a steel string dreadnought, but has enough punch to be heard over light accompaniment. Notes ring out with excellent sustain, and the mahogany body offers a pleasing bloom to each note’s decay.
Compared to other nylon string acoustics in this price range, the AEG10NII stands out for its resonant voice-like tone and balanced frequency response across the fretboard. It lacks some of the booming bass of an all-mahogany guitar, but makes up for it with the spruce top’s shimmer and clarity. Overall, the guitar captures the warm, rounded sound that nylon strings are known for in an impressively responsive and nuanced way.
Electronics
The Ibanez AEG10NII features a Fishman Sonicore pickup and Ibanez AEQ-SP1 preamp system, designed to accurately capture the warm, resonant acoustic tone of the guitar.
The Sonicore pickup utilizes a patented undersaddle transducer that collects sound from each individual string. This allows it to capture the guitar’s natural dynamics and nuances. The pickup blends seamlessly with the acoustic tone, rather than sounding like an electric pickup slapped on an acoustic.
The preamp packs a lot of control options into a small footprint. It has volume and tone knobs, plus a built-in tuner with LED display. The volume control allows you to find the right amplified volume, while the tone knob cuts some treble if needed for a warmer, less harsh output. The tuner is highly accurate and easy to see on stage.
When plugged in, the AEG10NII retains the balanced, warm tone of the all-mahogany body. There’s no quackiness or thinness to the amplified tone, as can happen with lesser acoustic-electric systems. The tone is clear and robust, responding dynamically to your playing technique.
The guitar is not completely immune from feedback when plugged in at higher volumes. But the solid wood body prevents the harsh, ringing feedback that can plague other acoustic-electrics. With careful mic placement and gain staging, feedback can be minimized for stage playing.
Accessories
The Ibanez AEG10NII comes with a few useful accessories included in the package. Most notably, it includes a padded gig bag for safely transporting and protecting the guitar. The included gig bag is well-made with quality padding and durable fabric exterior. It has backpack straps for easy carrying and a front pocket for storing small accessories or sheet music. Overall, the gig bag should provide adequate protection for the guitar during transportation and storage.
Aside from the gig bag, the Ibanez AEG10NII does not come with any other accessories like a strap, picks, strings, etc. You would need to purchase these separately if you want extras beyond what comes in the box. Some guitarists may want to upgrade to a higher quality padded case for even more protection. The guitar also does not come with any instructional DVDs or resources, so beginners would need to seek out lessons or tutorials separately.
Additional accessories you may want to buy separately include:
- Guitar strap – A basic nylon strap or premium padded neoprene strap
- Picks – Nylon picks are ideal for classical guitar playing
- Extra strings – Such as D’Addario Pro-Arte nylon strings
- Guitar stand – For keeping the guitar upright at home
- Humidifier – For maintaining optimal humidity levels
So while the included padded gig bag is a nice bonus, you will likely need to budget for various other accessories not included with the Ibanez AEG10NII. The essentials like a strap, picks, and extra strings shouldn’t add too much to the overall cost though.
Price and Value
The Ibanez AEG10NII has a street price that ranges from $300 to $400 USD. This positions it as a very competitively priced nylon string acoustic-electric guitar given its quality construction and electronics. Players get excellent value for their money with the AEG10NII.
The all solid wood construction of spruce and mahogany, combined with the Fishman electronics, makes the AEG10NII comparable to other acoustic-electrics costing upwards of $500. Models like the Cordoba C7 or Yamaha NTX500 can cost nearly twice as much while offering similar specs.
The AEG10NII clearly punches above its weight class when examining value. The quality is on par with guitars costing significantly more. Beginners and intermediate players on a budget will find it very appealing.
Ibanez also provides a 1-year limited warranty on the AEG10NII. This protects against any manufacturer defects or issues with the workmanship. Expect the AEG10NII to provide years of reliable service under normal playing conditions.
Overall, the Ibanez AEG10NII represents an outstanding value for players seeking their first quality nylon string acoustic-electric guitar. The combination of features and affordable pricing make it a top choice.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
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The Ibanez AEG10NII has a warm, balanced tone that works well for classical, flamenco, folk, and other fingerstyle genres. The solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides provide richness, resonance, and good projection.
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The build quality and attention to detail is impressive for the price point. The guitar feels solidly constructed and the finish work is clean.
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The slim neck profile and curved radius fretboard make the AEG10NII comfortable and easy to play. It facilitates intricate fingerstyle work.
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The Fishman Sonicore pickup and Ibanez AEQ-SP1 preamp accurately capture the nuances of the acoustic tone when plugged in. The guitar sounds natural amplified.
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At around $300-$400, the Ibanez AEG10NII offers excellent value. It compares well against other nylon string acoustic-electrics in this price tier.
Cons:
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Color options are limited to just a natural high gloss finish. Some players may want more variety.
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The guitar may not be loud enough for playing larger venues without amplification. The compact body lacks the projection of a full-size classical.
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No accessories like a strap, picks, or gig bag are included. These need to be purchased separately.
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There can be some feedback issues when playing plugged in at higher volumes. Feedback is manageable, but still present.
Conclusion
The Ibanez AEG10NII is an excellent choice for any guitarist seeking a quality nylon string acoustic-electric guitar that won’t break the bank. It delivers impressive build quality, rich tone, and versatile playability – ideal for fingerstyle players, classical guitarists, or really anyone looking to add a nylon string acoustic-electric to their collection.
The combination of solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides produces a beautifully balanced, warm tone with great resonance and sustain. It’s loud enough for casual playing, though may need amplification for larger venues. The Fishman electronics accurately capture the guitar’s acoustic character when plugged in.
Some guitars in this price range cut corners, but the Ibanez AEG10NII does not – the tonewoods, craftsmanship, and attention to detail are truly impressive. The playability is fantastic as well with a comfortable neck profile and low action.
In terms of downsides, the lack of included accessories besides a gig bag may be disappointing to some. And the natural gloss finish means you’re limited to a traditional look. However, for the money, the Ibanez AEG10NII is hard to beat.
Ultimately, the Ibanez AEG10NII is an ideal choice for fingerstyle players, beginners, and intermediates seeking excellent quality and value in a nylon string acoustic-electric. It gets a rating of 4.5/5 stars and a strong recommendation. This guitar will provide years of rich, expressive tone and playing enjoyment.
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