Having sold off a few unused pedals, I saved up enough for this...
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/Ian_Lea/Mobile Uploads/DSC_0552_zpsxxmgzwbw.jpghttp://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c243/Ian_Lea/Mobile Uploads/DSC_0554_zpsuxb6kj9n.jpgGiven my budget, I'd narrowed it down to the Ibanez AS93 or a Hagstrom Viking. Tried the two back to back today and settled on the Ibanez. The Ibanez felt more "alive" for want of a better term. It had better sustain, projected much louder unplugged and felt like a much better quality instrument, despite it's lower price tag. The build quality is very, very good. It is overall brighter than the Hagstrom but the tone controls offer quite a lot of range.
I really wanted to like the Hagstrom but I didn't think the build quality or sound were there. The pickup selector was intermittent, the pickups seemed to have a more limited tone range and the trapeze was very, very close to the body meaning that the slightest pressure on it made it contact the top. The Ibanez is a LOT of guitar for the money and it's easy to see why the Artcore/ Artstar range gets the praise they do.
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Really pleased with the Ibanez, especially as it was funded entirely by pedals I wasn't using any more..
Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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