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AF105, AF125, PM35 Compared
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lensman
#1 Posted : 9/26/2011 11:09:33 AM

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I'm hoping some of you veterans can help me out. I'm considering the models above. There are a few AF models in my area to try out but I have not found a PM35 to try yet. The site says it's thinner than the others and the frets are listed as medium vs large for the others. Anyone have any experience they'd care to pass along? Thanks.
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enlgish4bw
#2 Posted : 9/26/2011 11:49:54 AM
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lensman wrote:
I'm hoping some of you veterans can help me out. I'm considering the models above. There are a few AF models in my area to try out but I have not found a PM35 to try yet. The site says it's thinner than the others and the frets are listed as medium vs large for the others. Anyone have any experience they'd care to pass along? Thanks.


Well your chances of finding a PM35 to try out are slim, for starters. I have a friend who has one, and I've played it... meh. Not bad, but not my cuppa tea.

I've tried both the AF105 and the AF125 and the 125 is by far the better guitar, and if I could afford to (and afford the nagging from my fiance) I'd buy one in a HEARTBEAT. That's my personal opinion. The AF125 just seems to have something that the others don't, not sure what it is, but it's got DEEP tone.
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lensman
#3 Posted : 9/26/2011 1:23:46 PM

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enlgish4bw wrote:

I've tried both the AF105 and the AF125 and the 125 is by far the better guitar, and if I could afford to (and afford the nagging from my fiance) I'd buy one in a HEARTBEAT. That's my personal opinion. The AF125 just seems to have something that the others don't, not sure what it is, but it's got DEEP tone.


I'm surprised that you found that much difference. From reading the specs you would think that the main difference is the wood veneer, the binding, and the finish. I saw some other posts here that were thumbs up on the AF125. Info on a PM35 is slim though.
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holmis63
#4 Posted : 9/26/2011 1:57:32 PM

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Is there a finish difference between the af105 and af125?
Didn´t know about that!
I know i love my af125 though, it´s so well built that i can´t imagine what could be better.
And the tone is to die for, it´s so swelling and touch sensitive that you can express really beautiful clean finger picking to break up, almost hard rock distortion without touching the settings, amazing!
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lensman
#5 Posted : 9/26/2011 6:21:43 PM

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holmis63 wrote:
Is there a finish difference between the af105 and af125?
Didn´t know about that!


I probably should have said COLOR difference. I doubt that the finish material or method is different, but someone else can probably confirm that.
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Vladimir
#6 Posted : 9/27/2011 4:16:43 AM
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I thought the main difference is the wooden bindings on the 125.
The PM, I think, is a reincarnation of the single floating pickup 105.
My PM is very light and feeds back like crazy, but it's what you consider a genuine jazz guitar.
Oh, and the PM is the only Artcore that comes factory setup with 11's. I regret messing with it, cause I never got it back to it's initial perfection.

"Practice cures most tone issues."

- John Suhr
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holmis63
#7 Posted : 9/27/2011 5:00:09 AM

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Yeah, feedback, the usage of the af125 is an act of balance, a little to much volume on the git and it squeels like a pig!
I´ve set up my af125 with 12s and i probably was lucky cause it intonated perfect with the rosewood bridge, i taped the abr bridge positon when swapping to the wooden bridge and it was perfect at first try, lucky me, i´m worried about next string change though, probably not that lucky twice in a row :-)
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Vladimir
#8 Posted : 9/27/2011 7:05:56 AM
Vladimir


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That reminded me, the PM35 comes with both a wooden and a brass bridge.
I seem to alternate between the two, every six-months or so.
With the wooden bridge, the sound becomes smoother, almost like a cello, but it losses a lot of it's otherwise great acoustic resonance.

"Practice cures most tone issues."

- John Suhr
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fingerboard blues
#9 Posted : 9/27/2011 7:21:12 PM

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lensman wrote:
I'm hoping some of you veterans can help me out. I'm considering the models above. There are a few AF models in my area to try out but I have not found a PM35 to try yet. The site says it's thinner than the others and the frets are listed as medium vs large for the others. Anyone have any experience they'd care to pass along? Thanks.


I have modded my AF125, but not because the stock version was not good. I required certain changes. It has been around the country now back and forth and is road proven and still not road worn. It was placed on the stage at the edge of the orchestra pit (not by me)recently and fell four feet, face flat on the cement floor after getting some help from music stand or two, onto a carpeted mat that protects the base of the Cellos. While it did make an awful noise, no damage. GIDDY UP! Plus it looks prettier than the others.Happy
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nonpartisanartisan
#10 Posted : 12/23/2011 2:07:26 PM

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A month back I walked into my favorite shop. I pulled down the AF-125, and the PM. Plugged them in. They sounded OK but felt a little dead inside. I would say the PM felt like the lesser of the two. I can't say what or how... maybe it was the neck - maybe the body. I just couldn't see myself paying the big bucks people were asking for them, even used. I compared the sound and feel with a $3000 Gretsch and just about to give up on Ibanez Artcores.

Then I found a used AF-195 Artcore United. Played marvelously. I probably paid too much for it, but it was worlds better than the AF-125 in feel and tone. It pretty well matched the Gretsch for playability and the tone wasn't shabby either. It is the most expensive guitar I bought and I am unworthy.

However, if you do get the chance... I'd say look around for one of the made in Japan models and play them back to back to feel the difference for yourself. You might be surprised and you may come across one some day...

-r
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Boogieman
#11 Posted : 12/23/2011 8:27:41 PM
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Here's mine...



I really love this instrument. All I did was install a set of GFS Mean 90's, and while I was in there, upgraded the electronics. That and a set of D'Addario Chrome 13's and she's perfect for my needs.
I'm not an actor but I play one on TV.
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