Ibanez AW70ECE: Budget Solid Acoustic-Electric

Table of Contents

Introduction

Ibanez has been crafting quality guitars since the late 1950s, establishing themselves early on as a pioneer of innovative electric guitar designs. Based in Japan, Ibanez quickly earned a reputation for producing affordable, high-performance instruments that appealed to a wide range of players.

In more recent decades, Ibanez has also become known for their impressive lineup of acoustic guitars. The Ibanez AW70ECE model falls under their Artwood series of all-solid acoustic-electric guitars. This series aims to deliver pro-level construction, playability and amplified tones at accessible price points.

The AW70ECE is a handsome, dreadnought-style acoustic-electric designed for versatility across different playing styles and performance settings. It sports a solid Sitka spruce top and Okoume back and sides for balanced and responsive acoustic tones. The slim neck profile and cutaway body shape provide comfortable access to upper frets, making the AW70ECE a player’s guitar with both electric-like feel and rich acoustic sound.

Equipped with Ibanez electronics like the AEQ-TP2 preamp system, the AW70ECE is stage-ready right out of the box. Between its quality build and flexible features, it promises to excel as a gig-worthy workhorse for guitarists who want the freedom to switch between acoustic and amplified setups.

Ibanez Artwood Series Overview

The Ibanez Artwood series has its origins in the early 1990s as a line of all-solid wood acoustic guitars built for discerning players. The design philosophy behind Artwood focuses on combining the warm, organic tone of traditional acoustic instruments with modern playability.

Key features found across the Artwood range include:

All-solid tonewood construction – Solid spruce or cedar tops paired with mahogany, rosewood, or maple back and sides for full, balanced tone.
Slim, fast neck profiles – Neck shapes like the Artwood AW or PF provide electric-like feel and comfort.
High-quality hardware – Robust bridges, tuning machines, and other appointments selected for reliability.
Onboard preamp systems – Many models include Ibanez’s own preamp and pickup designs for plugged-in performance.

The AW70ECE sits towards the lower end of the Artwood lineup in terms of price. However, it retains core features like solid spruce and okoume tonewoods, Fishman electronics, and the ergonomic AW neck profile. This makes it an excellent entry point into the world of Artwood acoustic-electrics.

Body and Construction

The Ibanez AW70ECE features a classic dreadnought cutaway body shape that provides balanced and rich acoustic tones across all registers and playing styles. The larger lower bout and sloped shoulders create a robust, projecting sound with plenty of low-end, while the cutaway allows easy upper fret access.

At the heart of the guitar is a solid Sitka spruce top. Sitka is prized for its strength, lightness, and balanced tonal response. The solid spruce construction allows the top to vibrate and resonate freely, resulting in excellent volume, dynamics, and clarity. Complimenting the solid spruce top are back and sides made of okoume. Okoume is known for its gorgeous grain patterns and excellent acoustic properties – adding warmth, fullness, and good note separation.

The AW70ECE comes in two high-gloss finish options – Natural and Black. Both finishes allow the solid wood beauty of the instrument to shine through. Attention to detail is evident throughout in terms of fretwork, binding, and overall construction quality. While made in China, the materials and build rival guitars costing much more.

Neck and Fretboard

The Ibanez AW70ECE features the slim and fast AW profile neck shape, designed for electric-like playability on an acoustic guitar. The neck has a smooth, rounded profile that feels extremely comfortable and natural in the hand.

The fretboard is made from quality rosewood, which provides excellent tone, sustain, and durability. It has a standard 25.6" scale length and nut width of 1.69". These specs allow easy forming of standard acoustic guitar chords while still leaving room for intricate lead lines up the neck.

Overall, the neck and fretboard setup allow for silky smooth playability. Bends, slides, and quick runs up and down the neck are effortless, while chord changes and complex jazz chords are facilitated by the slim profile. The action is set low and buzz-free from the factory.

Players who are used to electric guitar necks will feel right at home on the AW70ECE. It’s an ideal acoustic for guitarists who want to bring over their electric technique. The neck never feels cramped or cumbersome.

Hardware and Electronics

The Ibanez AW70ECE comes equipped with a quality preamp and pickup system that provides excellent amplified tone and versatility.

The guitar features an Ibanez AEQ-TP2 preamp with an onboard tuner. This preamp gives you control over your amplified sound with simple and intuitive EQ, volume, and tuner controls right on the guitar. The 3-band EQ lets you shape your tone by boosting or cutting the lows, mids, and highs. There’s also a phase switch to help eliminate unwanted feedback. The onboard tuner makes it easy to keep your guitar in tune without needing any additional accessories.

For picking up your acoustic tone, the AW70ECE uses a Fishman Sonicore undersaddle pickup. This gives you a balanced and natural amplified sound, accurately capturing the nuances of the guitar. Fishman is known for their quality acoustic guitar pickups, so you can trust you’ll get excellent results.

The guitar uses Ibanez Advantage bridge pins which help improve resonance and amplification. The plastic bridge pins are engineered to maximize vibration transfer from the strings to the guitar top. This enhances your overall acoustic volume and tone.

Overall, the preamp and pickup configuration allows you to plug in and get studio-quality amplified tones from the AW70ECE. It’s a versatile system that makes this acoustic-electric very gig and recording friendly.

Sound and Tonal Qualities

The Ibanez AW70ECE produces a rich, balanced acoustic tone with excellent projection thanks to its all-solid wood construction. The combination of a solid Sitka spruce top and Okoume back and sides delivers a guitar that excels across various playing styles and musical genres.

The spruce top provides the AW70ECE with clarity in the high end and crisp articulation. It’s very responsive to playing dynamics, allowing the guitar to be expressive as you dig into the strings. The midrange has a focused, punchy character perfect for cutting through an ensemble mix. Low end is also well-represented, with the Okoume back and sides lending the guitar warmth and resonance.

Fingerstyle players will appreciate the dynamic range and harmonic complexity on tap. The AW70ECE is equally at home when flatpicking, making it a versatile choice for country and rock players. Percussive styles also pair well with the guitar’s clear, balanced voice. Overall, it’s an acoustic that excels when you need to cover a lot of tonal ground.

To hear the AW70ECE in action, here’s an audio clip of it being played fingerstyle:

[insert YouTube clip showcasing fingerstyle playing]

And here’s a clip demonstrating some energetic flatpicking on the AW70ECE:

[insert YouTube clip with flatpicking]

As you can hear from these samples, the guitar is tonally flexible and handles both delicate fingerstyle work as well as aggressive strumming without losing its voice.

Comparable Guitars

The Ibanez AW70ECE offers exceptional value compared to similar acoustic-electric guitars from other major brands. Here’s how it stacks up:

Yamaha FG800

One of the closest competitors is the Yamaha FG800 dreadnought acoustic-electric. It has a solid spruce top and nato back and sides, along with a passive undersaddle piezo pickup. The overall construction quality is very good for the price, usually around $300.

The main advantage of the Ibanez is the preamp and onboard tuner. The Yamaha lacks an onboard preamp, so you’ll need to buy an external preamp for amplification and effects. The Ibanez also has slightly better electronics and a more comfortable neck profile.

Fender CD-60SCE

Another comparable model is the Fender CD-60SCE, priced around $350. This all-mahogany guitar has a solid spruce top and comes equipped with a Fishman pickup and preamp system.

The Fender has a slightly richer low-end due to the mahogany construction. However, the Ibanez has better clarity and articulation in the mids and highs thanks to its spruce and okoume tonewoods. The Ibanez preamp is also more full-featured for shaping your amplified tone.

Epiphone DR-100CE

At the lower end of the price scale, the Epiphone DR-100CE can be found for around $250. It has a select spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a Shadow ePerformer preamp system.

The Ibanez easily outclasses the Epiphone in terms of build quality, electronics, and attention to detail. The all-solid wood construction of the Ibanez delivers better resonance, projection, and overall acoustic tone. Serious players are better off spending a little more for the Ibanez.

The Verdict

Overall, the Ibanez AW70ECE punches above its weight class, offering pro-level features and great acoustic tones at an entry-level price. The combination of quality solid wood construction and the AEQ-TP2 preamp make it an incredible value compared to the competition.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

All-solid wood construction provides excellent resonance and sustain
Slim neck profile is comfortable and fast for lead playing
Fishman Sonicore pickup captures natural acoustic tones
Onboard preamp with built-in tuner for amplified performance
Balanced dreadnought shape works for various styles
High gloss finishes offer visual appeal

Cons:

Lack of cutaway limits upper fret access
Electronics are decent but not pro-grade
Limited color and finish options
Generic headstock logo lacks brand prestige

Best Suited For:

The Ibanez AW70ECE is ideal for:

Beginner and intermediate players looking for great bang-for-buck
Fingerstyle and singer-songwriter players who want plug-and-play live sound
Working musicians who need an affordable, stage-ready acoustic-electric
Anyone wanting excellent build quality without breaking the bank

The all-solid wood construction, slim neck, and built-in electronics make the AW70ECE a versatile choice for gigs and practice. While the electronics are entry-level, they get the job done for amplified coffee shop shows or jam sessions. The lack of a cutaway does limit upper fret access, so lead players may want to consider a cutaway model. Overall, the AW70ECE punches above its price class while keeping costs down.

Conclusion

The Ibanez AW70ECE is an excellent choice for players looking for a quality, affordable acoustic-electric dreadnought guitar. Throughout this review, we’ve seen that it delivers on build, playability, electronics, and tone.

To summarize, the all-solid wood construction provides rich acoustic resonance and projection suitable for various playing styles. The slim, comfortable neck profile and smooth fretwork make it very playable and accessible, even for beginners. The onboard preamp and Fishman Sonicore pickup give you stage-ready amplified tones with access to EQ shaping and built-in tuning.

Overall, the AW70ECE punches well above its price class in terms of features, construction quality, and versatility. It’s an easy recommendation for anyone needing a great-sounding electro-acoustic that won’t break the bank. The combination of quality materials and smart design choices make this a winner in the sub-$400 price range.

For players considering the Ibanez AW70ECE, the next step is to visit a retailer and try it out in person. Hearing and feeling this impressive instrument will likely cement your buying decision. Many online music gear retailers also allow free returns within 30 days, so you can buy with confidence.

With its excellent value proposition and thoughtfully crafted design, the AW70ECE deserves a spot on your shortlist for sure. Let us know if you have any other questions!