Ibanez AMH100FM-DVS

I was originally going to buy the Ibanez AS93-VLS - mainly because I wanted that tone that the Super 58 pickups are famous for, and because it looked great – but I thought I’d have a quick scan to see what else was in the price range. I was surprised to find the AMH100, having never seen it on sale anywhere, and I loved the dark sunburst look immediately. Ebony fretboard with block inlays, tortoiseshell binding all round, and the VT06 tail piece give it a quality, vintage look – sold!
What stands out for me:
I love the fretwork. The best of any guitar I own, someone has spent some time here rounding and polishing every end.
The action: very easy to adjust and again, the only guitar I’ve owned where it’s possible to make the action too low (for me anyway) without fret buzz.
The hollow body and trapeze-style tailpiece: as well as the look and feel, this combination produces a noticeable resonance that I like. Amped-up, there is a very subtle upper-frequency ring for each string that I think comes from the strings/tailpiece after the bridge. Perhaps not for everyone, but it adds a bit of character, which I’m all for.
Overall, the guitar is lightweight and very enjoyable to play. Also, the guitar neck sat nicely in my hand – no issue with balance for me when playing. The pickups guarantee a lovely clean tone, but the ability to split the neck coils adds a bit more versatility and I can get some real vintage twang if required. I have gigged with it as the only electric I used and it covered everything I needed easily, from chorussy jangle to bluesy overdrive.
I like that there aren’t many around, and it feels like my guitar. With the fit and finish offered, I think it represents great value, and the hard case is lovely too. As soon as you pick this thing out of the case, you know it’s a very well made, credible instrument. If it’s for you, you probably already know, but don’t tell anyone else please :-)