Best Ibanez Acoustic Guitar (2024 Update)

I have been playing classical since age 12, I am now 72. I have found this instrument to be most comfortable and responsive to my needs. I still have my first guitar that was purchased by my parents in 1954. As I play for my own pleasure and an occasional recital, I have found much satisfaction with this product. My son gave it to me 2 years ago for a birthday present. This instrument "fits" me perfectly. The neck is of perfect dimension for my left hand and fingers. As I transitioned from my first guitar to this one, I found it to be so comfortable. As I do not use much, if any, amplification, it is nice for large rooms like church buildings or recitals. The most expensive is not necessarily the best. The instrument must compliment the human body. Thank you for allowing me to comment on this instrument.Sounds of the past

I have several classical guitars, and this was the least expensive. It has become my go-to guitar for gigging, including a few spots for TV. At home, this Ibanez is the one that was always out of the case on a stand, ready to pick up whenever. So it became comfortable, but then noticeably reliable. It stays in tune. The electronics sound better than the Fishman on another that I have, particularly the bass response. The tuners (particularly the low E) have withstood routine changes to drop D a few times while playing, without obvious sign of wear. When I first started gigging I used another great sounding guitar but then changed to the Ibanez to protect the other(s) from bumps, weather, people, and other hazards. If something terrible happened to my guitar collection, probably the first replacement might be this Ibanez.Tim - ATL

Been playing it for a couple of weeks. My feedback. 1. Bajaoo Service The delivery and packaging was to my expectations. 2. The guitar Ideal for someone who has relatively less longer fingers. I used to play on a yamaha c40 which has a std 52mm nut size, whereas this comes with a 46 mm one, so the stretching is comparatively smoother. 2. Retuning of strings is a must before each session, but after a few days the strings seem to retain their tone, which is the case with all guitars. 3. Due to the thin soundboard, the sound is not very projecting but good enough for soloing in a medium sized room. However, the tone for me is acceptable. 4. The preamp works well after connecting to my kustomsound amp if one really needs amplification. There is no on/off switch, so the battery may have to be removed if you are not using the amp. 5. It is artfully finished in terms of its looks. 6. Would be a good buy for someone playing the steel guitar which usually have a 43mm nutsize and wanting to move to a nylon guitar. My overall experience with this guitar has been good so far.Nikhil D.

There are hundreds of reviews on this guitar, of course some good and some bad. The good reviews (4-5 stars) far out number the rest. Although I’ve read some really, really bad ones. I suppose every guitar maker churns out a turd on occasion when mass producing affordable beginner (read inexpensive) guitars.
I can only tell you about my particular guitar.
It is fantastic, it’s beautiful, sounds amazing (plugged in and acoustic), plays amazingly well, stays in tune, the tuners are smooth and work as you would expect on a much more expensive guitar. The neck is perfect, the action is great (Martin MA540 Authentic Acoustic Light strings 0.054-0.012). I haven’t a single complaint I can’t say whether the quality has gone up or down in the last few years. Mine is an earlier production model about 10 years old. They’re relatively common , You can find a nice used one locally in most cities for under $150. That way you can play and give it a thorough inspection before you buy it. Check your local Guitar Center, try it, return it if you don’t like it, my bet is you will love it.Larry Daniels

I usually don't leave negative reviews. This guitar is beautiful, it sounds amazing. However, I just can't believe that guitar center would let this be shipped. The neck seems fine but every fret divider is razor sharp. It's so uncomfortable that I have quit playing it. Living in a small town it's very expensive to return stuff, so I guess it will just sit for now. To guitar centers credit, I have shopped there for many years and never been disappointed. But gee guys, why wouldn't you be checking this stuff? If I picked it off your wall I would never buy it unless you fixed it for me. Sorry but this sucksJohn

Tried out two of these at the local store looking for a first guitar for my son. Both sounded pretty good for the price point, but both had problems with the neck and really terrible frets. Terrible like not safe for children or unsuspecting adults – they both had sharp edges sticking out the whole length of the neck. Between that, some minor string buzz, a crazy high 9th fret on one, and iffy intonation on the other, it just didn't seem worth getting either of them. What's the point of getting a low priced guitar if you have to spend $100+ getting it worked over to make it playable? I suspect that the neck binding makes it difficult for the factory to really get the frets properly dressed and still pass cosmetic inspection. It may be I just had the bad luck to find the two worst examples of this model in the same store, but I suggest you move up notch in price range and you will be happier with what you get.triple.ratrider

Look, just wanted to reply to some reviews that say this guitar sounds well…..thin. Duh, yes its not a jumbo acoustic or even a regular body acoustic. Its a thinline acoustic so it sounds just like what it is. Ive played several thinline guitars and they all sound…well…thin. That doesnt mean its cheaply made or a bad sounding guitar. It has its own sound. If you want a deep bass, then buy a jumbo or regular acoustic. I like the easy neck movement. The chords sound fine and this guitar doesnt require anymore tuning than any other in this price range. I tried ten guitars at guitar center including more expensive brands like fender, mitchell, yamaha and others and this was the only one under 400 dollars that stayed in tune from an E chord to a C chord. I bought it because Ive owned Ibanez before and never regretted it. To each his own but keep in mind a thinline guitar is not going to have a deep rich sound, but, I record my bass along with it so it sounds fine. It is what it is…a nice thinline acoustic-electric guitar.Kjmmusician

I had been playing a very old and very nice acoustic at church for night service, and didn't want to subject it to the rigors of live playing on a regular basis. After some research, it came down to purchasing a Talman or a Stratacoustic. I went with the Talman due to the price, and Ibanez's reputation. When the guitar arrived, I was a little apprehensive as the neck felt awesome, but the setup was awful. The strings were heavy gauge, and were set way too high. After some work shaving down the bridge, changing to light strings, and adjusting the truss rod, this baby plays great! I love that the electronics are really easy to use, and it was made to plug in. The sound when you are practicing unplugged isn't as full or rich as you get with a full sized acoustic, but this guitar wasn't made for that – it was made to be plugged in. I was able to eliminate having to use pedals to get the proper volume and EQ, which makes the live rig way easier to set up and tear down. I play it through a Line 6 spider II 75 watt head running through a Marshall 4×12 cabinet. The spider's clean channel is great for acoustic as it does not color the tone, and the Marshall is plenty loud for a church sanctuary. Overall, I am quite happy with the Talman, even though I had to put in some extra work to get it the way I like my guitars. It is a steal at the price if you have the skills and are willing to play with the setup.Stratbuilder

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

I've had a lot of higher end guitars from Taylor's limited hot rod Namm show edition to keisel customs. This guitars quality is second to none I have had many acoustics all brands Taylor, Epiphone, Adamas, and ibanez and finger style to traditional acoustics this guitar's sound is amazing deep rich tone and nice wide neck for space on the fretboard for hybrid picking to spacious runs and finger picking. This guitar will NEVER leave the arsenal, well done Ibanez. Action was way too high saddle needed sanding was the only downside in my opinion but some like the higher action I'm a hybrid picking shredder so I like a lower action but someone like my dad would love to hammer away on those medium guage strings with more action than a John wick movie. Absolutely no fret buzz whatsoever absolutely love the guitar. Warning this guitar has a very WIDE neck almost like a traditional classical suits me fine because all the 8 strings and 7 strings I play it was one of the reasons I went with this model.Bon T

This acoustic is really not a bad guitar, but also not a great guitar either. That said, it works well for the price I paid. Overall… Good Buy — Thank Jesus Christ! Farewell.straitgatedeals

This is a great value. I am very impressed with Ibanez acoustics. Other guitars that I've played that are this inexpensive haven't compared. Sound is nice and bright. Highly recommend.Jason F.

Guitar works great and so do the electric components of the guitar (the tuner and volume). Would recommend. The guitar i received is a right-handed guitar.Michael

Outstanding value in this Ibanez guitar. First off, it's beautiful to look at it. Blue or the black, you can't go wrong. They are both attractive (I bought the black one). Neck is smooth as butter. Sounds great plugged into my little Blackstar amp and just as good unplugged. The gear seems like something you'd find on a higher priced guitar. The tuners and EQ are top notch. Really couldn't be happier with the guitar, the price and the service from AMS. They promised 2 day shipping and they delivered.Eric

Overall: Great for playing in the living room, I've strummed pretty hard on this and it can take it. Everything works great on it. Stays in tune good. Frets probably need filed like everyone else is saying but I'm very happy with it.Joe

Sound: I changed the settings as I always do when purchasing a guitar, and if course had to retune until the string memory was suffice. I haven't had to retune it since (after 3 weeks … Of course some minor tuning was needed). The eq helped get more low end that I desired. Features: I like the truss rod feature, I changed the tuners to some more appealing Gibson deluxe tuners. The frets needed a little filing but minor tweaks and adjustments are almost always necessary to obtain desired playability. Most (inexperienced) People want straight out of the box perfection, I suggest bringing any new guitar to someone that knows what they're doing and tell them what you want. My brother worked for Gibson custom shop as a guitar tech and let me know that most companies rely on quantity and not so much perfecting every guitar as everyone's idea of perfect is different. Overall: Tweek it or let someone that knows what they're doing tweek it … That includes all guitar purchasesMark

Overall: This is a nice Guitar. I use it in open tuning for slide style. It has a nice bluesy tone. It is a nice size. It would be great for a young beginner. For the money it is very nice. I have not had to deal with Ibanez. I do know they have good Q.C. Cause the produces are great. The best part I have bought several Guitars and music products from zZounds, they take good care of there Customers. You can trust zZounds to be the best!Timothy

Ok, I really had no intention of writing a review on this guitar before I received it but, here I am… My expectations were marginal for a $150. Chinese guitar, let me be honest, I'm not a fan! (In fact, time will tell if it stays at 5 star status…) So, I needed a "parlor" style for small room gathering type of stuff. With great hesitation, I just picked one! PROS: Out of the box (!!!), it was amazing! Here is why, this is what really matters to a guitar player… Play-ability, tone, sustain! On all three, 5 stars! I was pleasantly stunned by all three, wasn't expecting that! (the fact is: a real guitar player knows when a guitar "sings" and when it doesn't, this one does!)… The neck is nicely finished, string highth is perfect! (4/64") as well as the nut highth (.018), There is no buzzing! … Fret ends are well done, no sprout at all (yet). Sustain and tone is quite impressive for a small body guitar (really!!). The things that don't matter so much: it comes with an extra bridge and bridge pin! No cosmetic flaws on this guitar! Binding on the guitar at the heal joint, neck joint, at the nut, is crisp, clean, perfect! Glue joints on the bracing were clean; visually, the bridge is tight to the body! CONS: In the realms of "perfection" the nut is the tiniest (maybe .02mm) shifted to the treble side, yes you can feel it with your thumb and first finger but doesn't negate all the "pros"! When I change the strings I'll pop the nut and re-glue it perfectly… frets are slightly "gritty", that's not a real flaw, it's a $150. guitar! And yes, the "feel" of the tuners are cheap but functional… At the end of it all, I wish I had a guitar like this when I started playing! Your experience may be different, I am ecstatic with this purchase, I'm confident I got one of the good ones!! (that being said), time will tell the rest of this story… Buying guitars online is at best, a "crapshoot", Hope this helps! Stick with a great online store like AMC… Exceptional return policy and customer service! Cheers…Randall

The factory set up was a major disappointment. The absolute worst of any guitar purchase in 40+ years. The only instrument I've ever owned with factory actions this high was a square neck resonator. Yes it really was that high. Turns out it cost less to pay for a professional setup than the shipping charges involved with a return to MF. Once setup properly the guitar sounds and plays wonderful. The PN15 is physically larger than any of the other "parlor" sized or travel guitars (Martin LX, Baby Taylor, Dirty 30, Jim Dandy, Fender CP-100 etc.). It is much closer to a 00 or standard classical sized body. The Ibanez PN-15 has a pleasant well balance voice and good volume. Sure it's not going to compare to a solid rosewood dreadnought for volume or bass response but it's not designed to. The neck is extremely comfortable, (ignoring HORRIBLE factory set up). The overall fit and finish is flawless. The body and neck have real binding (not painted on like some competitors). Bottom line: if you're looking for a 50's throwback, boxy small tone this is NOT your guitar. However if you want a very good sounding small(er) guitar at a reasonable price this is just the ticket. But be prepared to add the cost of a professional set up to the purchase price. Would I replace this if lost, stolen or damaged? Yes, but I'd play before buying next time.Tallgrasspicker

I love my Ibanez PF15. Even though I am just a beginner, I have tried out a few different guitars which included a $2000 very well known brand guitar. The one that felt the best for me was this little unassuming Ibanez. It is beautiful and has nice warm tones as well as plays very easily for a first timer guitar owner. Must have!joyspark

very nice guitar has a very good sound its a lot of guitar for for what i paid for it. took it to church and played it ever one loved it2015.crus

Overall: I got mine from zZounds last month. I actually bought the guitar because of its exotic, vintage, and expensive-looking design. Very appealing. This became one of my favorite furnitures "display only" in my family room. Guitar sound has its "preference." It does not sound like a Rosewood or Sapele guitar but man, it sounds like an aged-Mahogany wood. Not as bright like my Taylor and not as crisp as my Martin. but is warm enough. Cool tone Well built. The finish is very attractive. The binding on the sides is very warm and hypnotizing in the eyes. Enough said. 'It is good enough for lessRomeo

This thing is really excellent. I was totally surprised at how much I liked it, given my bad experience with the EP9. I loved the EP7, but had to part with it. This is my favorite of the three, with one exception: The strong paint smell, which I have noticed on several Chinese guitars lately. Well, if the guitar is going to kill me with chemicals, then at least I'll enjoy the heck out of playing it. (My EP7 smelled really good… kind of like a cedar chest, Don't know if it was because of the guitar or the previous owner, but a smelly guitar can be a buzz kill… or in the case of the EP10, practically give you a buzz! I'm sure that the smell will eventually go away, which is why I am still giving it 5 stars.John

Overall: My Ibanez EP5 Steve Vai Acoustic Guitar, is my first grab when jamming or writing. I've played simultaneously against 3 other acoustics with larger bodies and the tone & projection cuts though with clarity. Unplugged you will not get a big boom bass, but solos come through loud & clear. This guitar replaced an Ovation which was much louder but not as bright. The thin line body is very comfortable and neck perfect for fast solos. It is an incredible value for the price. The black finish shows wear easy. I take it to beach parties and events without a case and does not need to be babied.Louis

Easy to tune and holds the tones. I played around with tuning from Standard to Chicago tuning without changing the original strings. Doing just fine with the new tuning. Compared the string gauges that came on this tenor and found them to be within range of "light" strings for regular guitar. Nice!Sherrie

This is, I think, the least expensive acoustic tenor guitar of MF. But it does what it is designed to do at a great price point. Out of the box it was certainly playable, but I did two things to mine a) a little nut slot filing as they were a bit high, which is better than too low~! and b) I sanded down the saddle bottom 1/16". Now it plays great. The tuners aren't great but hold tune well, compared to most ukes (yes, I know this is a tenor, but they are close in size) I've played. This is a great guitar for those who are just trying to have a tenor to goof around on, as anyone who gets serious would want to move up to a better instrument. I'm having lots of fun with mine. Would be fine to take to jams.backporchmusic

I have been playing classical since age 12, I am now 72. I have found this instrument to be most comfortable and responsive to my needs. I still have my first guitar that was purchased by my parents in 1954. As I play for my own pleasure and an occasional recital, I have found much satisfaction with this product. My son gave it to me 2 years ago for a birthday present. This instrument "fits" me perfectly. The neck is of perfect dimension for my left hand and fingers. As I transitioned from my first guitar to this one, I found it to be so comfortable. As I do not use much, if any, amplification, it is nice for large rooms like church buildings or recitals. The most expensive is not necessarily the best. The instrument must compliment the human body. Thank you for allowing me to comment on this instrument.Sounds of the past

I have several classical guitars, and this was the least expensive. It has become my go-to guitar for gigging, including a few spots for TV. At home, this Ibanez is the one that was always out of the case on a stand, ready to pick up whenever. So it became comfortable, but then noticeably reliable. It stays in tune. The electronics sound better than the Fishman on another that I have, particularly the bass response. The tuners (particularly the low E) have withstood routine changes to drop D a few times while playing, without obvious sign of wear. When I first started gigging I used another great sounding guitar but then changed to the Ibanez to protect the other(s) from bumps, weather, people, and other hazards. If something terrible happened to my guitar collection, probably the first replacement might be this Ibanez.Tim - ATL

After reading so many glowing reviews, I was very excited to buy my own Ibanez AEB10E. The violin finish is beautiful and the fit was outstanding, for the most part. My only complaint was the frets and how sharp they were/are…Since string height is subjective, I will only say that I liked the way mine was setup-high enough that there were no fret buzzes. I like the organic tone and wish it were louder acoustically but when amped through my Fender Rumble 25 or 200, the sound still maintains the acoustic qualities I wanted it for. I'm still in the 45 day window to decide but right now, it's a keeper!Hoss

Overall: About 30 years ago, I placed an order for a custom bass. It looked absolutely beautiful but it didn't play well at all. So I sent it back for two adjustments that I knew they wouldn't be able to correct and I ended up getting my money back. I say all this to point out I vowed to never take a chance ordering instruments via mail. So I'm cautious because I've wanted an acoustic bass for quite some time and when I saw the Ibanez AEB10E and it low price, I decided to break my VOW and order that damn bass…lol. So now I'm hopeful because their were a lot of people who wrote great reviews, which nudged me to make the purchase. Now that I've had it for more than two weeks, I'm pleasantly surprised because this plays extremely well, I have a little fret buzz but I can tell that it's not going to take much effort to adjust the truss rod!!!!Joseph

I bought this bass a little over a year ago when I found a great deal on it online. I have an electric bass, but wanted something to sit on the couch with and play along with something I could potentially use to record some cool bass licks to use for some of the music I produce. I have to say, given that I didn't play the bass beforehand and just ordered it online, I got extremely lucky and landed on the exact bass I was looking for. The first thing I noticed is how easy it is to play. I feel like even though I'm not a very experience bass player it's not too much of a challenge to play the licks I'm trying to play. Just the way it is setup by default makes it easy for me and my big hands to hit the notes I want without accidentally striking or muting a string next to what I'm going for. The second thing I noticed is how great it sounds. I'm sure it would depend on the venue and type of ensemble, but I feel like this bass produces enough volume to be viable for playing unplugged next to a nice guitar that also has a good bit of volume. The tone is pretty well balanced too, I think the spruce top gives it a little more upper harmonics than you might expect, which is nice since it seems to have a little more presence as a result. I'm sure you probably don't need to hear this but the whole bass screams quality. It's gorgeous, and yes, the wood is lighter than it looks in the pic, but that's not a bad thing. There's no real imperfections anywhere in mine, every part of it looks and feels great. There are much better acoustic basses out there of course, but if you're just looking for one that plays well, looks great and is great quality, you can't go wrong with this one.Dr. Technology Man 504

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

I bought this guitar for my grandson as he was interested in playing. He found other interests and It sat in his closet for about a year and a half. I have a very nice Alveraz accoustic guitar I've been playing for about 20 yrs. now paid about 500 plus with the case. Long story short, I was looking for a camp fire type guitar and asked to use his. The neck was out of alignment so i took both my alveraz and this ibenaz to my guitar lutheran for neck adjustments and new strings when I picked it up he could not believe this was a cheap guitar and said I would probably like this better than the Alveraz. This is now my go to guitar for practice. It sounds Great and after the minor adjustments the to the neck which you would do time to time anyway, the DiAddario bronze 11's the action is spot on. I can live with the frets being a little rough. If it bothers you file it down a little.Intermediate Player

I received this JamPack as a gift from my dad for my 14th birthday in 2004. 9 years later, I still play this guitar almost every day. I learned on it, progressed to "better, more expensive" acoustics which eventually were sold, and have hung onto this cheap Ibanez. My example has press-in tuners, which is my only real gripe. These may be upgraded to bolt-in tuners someday, but i'm in no rush. The guitar holds tune for weeks (really), and holds intonation and a setup forever (I set it up once, when I first learned how to work on my own guitars somewhere around 2008. It's still holding that setup perfectly). The build is very solid, the tone is perfectly passable, especially considering what was paid, and I've had a very hard time justifying higher priced guitars because of just how much I enjoy my cheap Ibanez.MattyBegsBassist

I've had this guitar for about 10 years now. It was my very first guitar, way back when I was first starting out. This guitar isn't high quality, but for the price you should know that. Everything about this guitar is decent- the sound, the look, the finish. It gets the job done, and will be a great guitar for you if you're just starting out. The main gripe I have with it is reliability. I've treated mine very well besides a few dents and some fading on the finish near the fretboard, but the sound just faded. Maybe it's because I have much better quality guitars now but it just doesn't sound right to me anymore and I basically just keep it for the memories. The frets buzz now, too. But you'll get that on just about any starter pack guitar. It doesn't last in quality but honestly it's not made to. It's made so you'll learn on it for a few years, then graduate to a much higher quality guitar if you're committed. And honestly it does that job very, very well.Christina4242

So if you’re reading this because of my headline, let get that out of the way first. I’m a weirdo for liking that classical smell. It smells gooooood! As for playability, the guitar is very comfortable. Very easy to play. My only complaint is that a couple of the strings are not keeping tune. Maybe they’re just older strings? I received the guitar about a week to two weeks ago. The tuning issue was present upon receiving the product. I thought maybe the strings were just fresh and needing some breaking in but that’s not the case.Michael

I've played a number of Ibanez electric and acoustic guitars over the years, almost bought an Ibanez 12 string A/E guitar not too long ago. I've owned nylon strings before, but not for a long time. I wanted a nice classical that I could just grab and play around the living room. This is perfect. It plays well and has a nice, soft sound that just sounds good! Highly recommend it!Jamie