Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Murray, UT
    Posts
    57

    Default Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    I am a beginning Mandolin player and I purchased an Ibanez M700 AVS and (with some reservations I really love it) It has a beautiful lighter sunburst color, Solid wood top, sides and back and plays wonderfully even though I am just starting out learning the mandolin. The reservations were: the tuning machines were almost completely frozen I had to use a drill and tuning peg adaptor to "break them in" they are still bad but not unusable. I contacted Ibanez warranty by phone and they are sending me a new set .

    In comparing this to other mandolins I like this color best of all and solid wood construction through out. Others in this price range did not have solid wood back and sides.

    Does anyone else play this instrument? I would appreciate your comments and impressions.

  2. #2
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of Cleburne, North of Hillsboro, Texas
    Posts
    5,091

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    It does look nice, hope it works out for you for awhile. Ibanez is not very popular here, other options like Eastman and Kentucky are much more popular.

    I don’t know anything about this model, but I do gig with an Ibanez from the 70s that was a gift to me a couple years ago. I have fastened a mic to it. In the past month, I’ve developed feedback issues from that mic (after several years of trouble-free usage), so I’ll probably switch to my Washburn M106SWK for awhile, which has K&k transducers installed.

    At present, I no longer have a ‘well-respected’ brand mandolin to play, only the lowly Washburn and Ibanez … but I do just fine. If you love your instrument, practice your chops, and find its voice, you’ll be okay until you’re ready for something different. That’s assuming that playability (setup) is optimized and mechanical issues (like the tuners) are addressed.

    Happy mandolinning!
    WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
    ----------------------------------
    "Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN

    ----------------------------------
    HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
    Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
    The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
    - Advice For Mandolin Beginners
    - YouTube Stuff

  3. #3

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gunter View Post
    It does look nice, hope it works out for you for awhile. Ibanez is not very popular here, other options like Eastman and Kentucky are much more popular.
    I am getting one of these as well, and it does seem these are not looked favorably upon. I am just curious why. I often read "you can do better for the price range" but is that all it is or is there more to it - something wrong with the mandolin itself?

    Would appreciate some feedback, from friend or foe.

  4. #4
    Registered User Dave Hicks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Hoosierlandia
    Posts
    705

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by bluesholyman View Post
    I am getting one of these as well, and it does seem these are not looked favorably upon. I am just curious why. I often read "you can do better for the price range" but is that all it is or is there more to it - something wrong with the mandolin itself?

    Would appreciate some feedback, from friend or foe.
    I often pick a mando off the wall in the Sweetwater showroom, which is close for us. The Ibanezes and Washburns generally strike me as thin and tinny (though maybe that just means they'll cut through a mix like anything).

    D.H.

  5. #5
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of Cleburne, North of Hillsboro, Texas
    Posts
    5,091

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Has to do with history I suppose. Seems the better Ibanez mandolins have historically been okay mandolins, serviceable but nothing to swoon over. I gigged with my 70’s Ibanez and it’s a fine mandolin to play, gets the job done but the back on it is pretty plain. While having a figured back is not that important to me, it is important to some. The tone is pretty good.

    The more recent Ibanez I bought, when I first started playing mandolin, was a very cheap instrument with a pressed top. I could technically call it the first mandolin I bought (though it wasn’t exactly the first) and I don’t regret it because I learned a lot about fiddle tunes and playing mandolin with it.

    I don’t know about the model you guys bought, but it looks like it could be a nice mandolin, at least it has a carved or “engraved” top and select spruce and maple top and back according to their website https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/...00s_2y_04.html

    A lot depends on just who in what factory is making these. If the CNC engraved tops are finished off in the hands of a skilled luthier in the factory who is allowed the time to fine tune the top and back, you could get an awesome instrument. That is sometimes the case in some of the pac rim factories, but not the norm IMO

    So time will tell what kind of animal this particular Ibanez model is. Perhaps others who have owned or played one of these will chime in.
    WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
    ----------------------------------
    "Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN

    ----------------------------------
    HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
    Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
    The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
    - Advice For Mandolin Beginners
    - YouTube Stuff

  6. #6

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Hicks View Post
    I often pick a mando off the wall in the Sweetwater showroom, which is close for us. The Ibanezes and Washburns generally strike me as thin and tinny (though maybe that just means they'll cut through a mix like anything).
    D.H.
    Ok, I understand that - my Mando is coming from SW and for various reasons of timing, life circumstances and free money for XX months, the Ibby is what I could do. I know enough that I can correct "thin and tinny" to a certain extent, but not beyond physical limitations of the instrument itself, obviously. It will most certainly start me on the journey and if I catch the fever and this becomes a primary, I will invest in a proper one (i.e. $3-5K kind of proper) but that is down the road.


    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gunter View Post
    If the CNC engraved tops are finished off in the hands of a skilled luthier in the factory who is allowed the time to fine tune the top and back, you could get an awesome instrument. That is sometimes the case in some of the pac rim factories, but not the norm IMO
    I would not expect these to be "tuned" at that price point but I could be wrong - makes sense though. I am fairly new to the world of Mando's and they seem to be finnicky little beasts from my cursory reading. Perhaps not that different from other acoustic instruments.

  7. #7
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of Cleburne, North of Hillsboro, Texas
    Posts
    5,091

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Right there is the story … at that price point you have Kentucky mandolins (Saga) and Eastman mandolins, both of whom seem to have invested more in the lutherie skills department in recent decades than many other of the pac rim factories, generally speaking. Of the two, I find the Kentucky brand to have a better “feel” in my hands (but I seem to be in the minority here on that). And with *any* brand the only way to guarantee you’ll get something you really dig is by playing the specific instrument before you buy it. In general, these tend to be the best value budget instruments as evidenced by reviews and popularity. But don’t be quick to judge your Ibanez before you’ve had a chance to set it up and play it.
    WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
    ----------------------------------
    "Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN

    ----------------------------------
    HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
    Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
    The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
    - Advice For Mandolin Beginners
    - YouTube Stuff

  8. #8

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    It arrived a day later than expected, but overall I am happy with it. I have not had much time to play around with it, nor do I have sufficient experience to know how it sounds compared to "better" mandolins, but I don't hear it sounding thin at all. It seems quite resonant, in spite of Sweetwater having left what appears to be some sort of finish protection between the bridge and the top for shipping it. Maybe thats negligible, but I would think it detracts in some way.

    It ships with 10-36 and while I don't think it sounds thin, I plan to change those out to D'Addario EFW74 (11-36) for a bit warmer of a sound. If I like those strings enough, I will probably make the move to TI's long term. It will mostly be used for recording country demos, not much bluegrass, so I don't think I need the brighter cutting sound.

    First impressions, I like it and it sounds neither thin nor "dead." Time will tell.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_1392.jpg 
Views:	78 
Size:	1.21 MB 
ID:	206990

  9. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to bluesholyman For This Useful Post:


  10. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Albany NY
    Posts
    2,065

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    if you like it that's all that matters, definitely remove the thing under the bridge and I agree heavier stings will warm up the tone.
    I actually went back to light strings on a couple of my mandolins - I am a big fan of the Curt Mangans.

    had both Kentucky and Washburn and I agree the Kentucky's were generally higher quality, I have never played an Ibanez mandolin, I thought their early electric guitars were pretty decent.
    Stormy Morning Orchestra

    My YouTube Channel

    "Mean Old Timer, He's got grey hair, Mean Old Timer he just don't care
    Got no compassion, thinks its a sin
    All he does is sit around an play the Mandolin"

  11. The following members say thank you to tmsweeney for this post:


  12. #10
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of Cleburne, North of Hillsboro, Texas
    Posts
    5,091

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Looks great, I hope you enjoy and play it often. You can easily fall in love with the sound of a mandolin, and if you love it you're in for a rewarding ride. I'd like to check one out just to see what it's all about. There are a lot of good budget instruments coming out these days. We are in a sort of golden era for that right now.
    WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
    ----------------------------------
    "Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN

    ----------------------------------
    HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
    Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
    The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
    - Advice For Mandolin Beginners
    - YouTube Stuff

  13. The following members say thank you to Mark Gunter for this post:


  14. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Columbia River Gorge
    Posts
    303

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    I hadn’t looked closely at the pic until tmsweeney mentioned the bridge. That looks like a strip of thin foam for “protection during shipping”. I’ve never seen that on a mando until now. If you can get that out of there you’ll hear a different instrument, much more alive.
    A couple years in, now, and still learning!
    Ratliff F-style Country Boy
    Eastman MDO-305 Octave Mandolin
    Kentucky KM-272

    I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

  15. The following members say thank you to Kenny for this post:


  16. #12

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by tmsweeney View Post
    if you like it that's all that matters, definitely remove the thing under the bridge and I agree heavier stings will warm up the tone.
    I actually went back to light strings on a couple of my mandolins - I am a big fan of the Curt Mangans.
    That particular set are flatwounds - heard a good shootout on the toob between D'Addario XTs and TI flatwounds - You could definitely hear that flatwounds are warmer, not as cutting (highs) but they didn't sound dull either. Figured I'd try with something more cost-effective than TIs and go from there. I may land on D'Addario XS's at the end of the day - we shall see.

  17. #13

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Well, on the third round of tuning it, after removing the foam under the bridge and adjusting the bridge for intonation, one of the pearloid buttons cracked where it meets the post on the inside of the button, making it useless. Sweetwater is great, giving me a couple options to correct the issue. The most time-effective one being replace the entire instrument. Getting new buttons for it had to go through Ibanez and there was no ETA available on how long that would take, so....replacement Mando inbound.

    Hopefully second time is a charm. I suspect at some point, perhaps sooner than later, I will replace the tuning machines with something of higher quality.

  18. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2023
    Location
    East Tennessee USA
    Posts
    11

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by bluesholyman View Post
    Well, on the third round of tuning it, after removing the foam under the bridge and adjusting the bridge for intonation, one of the pearloid buttons cracked where it meets the post on the inside of the button, making it useless. Sweetwater is great, giving me a couple options to correct the issue. The most time-effective one being replace the entire instrument. Getting new buttons for it had to go through Ibanez and there was no ETA available on how long that would take, so....replacement Mando inbound.

    Hopefully second time is a charm. I suspect at some point, perhaps sooner than later, I will replace the tuning machines with something of higher quality.
    I have the same model and upon arrival as new it had a defective tuner. Short story - I was fortunate to find Audey Ratliff near me in East Tennessee and he replaced my tuners and provided basic setup. In fact he was the first to actually play my mandolin. Now it feels much improved although I am a true beginner. I feel this model is absolutely beautiful and for the money it is an excellent instrument for the beginning player.

  19. #15

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by Gsutton View Post
    I feel this model is absolutely beautiful and for the money it is an excellent instrument for the beginning player.
    I think it will serve a beginner very well. My personal verdict is still out on whether or not its the best option out there at the price point. I was in a music store that had a Loar LM-310F and I "noodled" on it for a few minutes (do mandolin players 'noodle'? I know guitar players do and perhaps one should not cross the streams.)

    Seems to me it was a more responsive instrument than I recall the Ibanez being, although I was going on very limited experience with the Ibby. If I hazard to guess one reason, I suspect the Ibanez has a thicker top and it ships with 10's - probably needs a bit more string to get it moving, compared to the Loar. Speaking out of almost complete ignorance, being such a new Mandolinian (does that make my mando a Grogu?), but that is my take thus for. My Ibanez weighs in at 2.5 lbs and I see many mandos at 2lbs or less.

  20. #16
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Albany NY
    Posts
    2,065

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    [QUOTE=bluesholyman;1902025 (do mandolin players 'noodle'? I know guitar players do and perhaps one should not cross the streams.)

    [/QUOTE]

    Do mandolin players noodle? Notoriously and add nauseam
    Stormy Morning Orchestra

    My YouTube Channel

    "Mean Old Timer, He's got grey hair, Mean Old Timer he just don't care
    Got no compassion, thinks its a sin
    All he does is sit around an play the Mandolin"

  21. #17
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of Cleburne, North of Hillsboro, Texas
    Posts
    5,091

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    Quote Originally Posted by bluesholyman View Post
    If I hazard to guess one reason, I suspect the Ibanez has a thicker top and it ships with 10's - probably needs a bit more string to get it moving, compared to the Loar.
    Thats the case with my Washburn M106SWK. After I owned a Collings, I realized how overbuilt my Washburn was … and to a lesser degree, my Eastman. I think the best builders look for that fine line between graduating the plates just right vs. too thin. The thick top plate can’t respond the way a thin one can. My Collings weighed a fraction of the others, or I should say it felt that way. I don’t know the exact respective weights.
    WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
    ----------------------------------
    "Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN

    ----------------------------------
    HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
    Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
    The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
    - Advice For Mandolin Beginners
    - YouTube Stuff

  22. #18

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    After spending a bit of time with it and a self-educated setup and restring, here are my thoughts on the M700AVS:

    1) The tuners are so-so, probably as expected for the price point. I had to send the first instrument back because a tuner button cracked and replacement of the instrument was the only "timely" option available. The second instrument arrived and all is well with the tuners - same kind, but they do ok.

    2) Re-shape the bridge for more contact. After removing the bridge for the resting, I decided to see how the contact was with the top - not great. So I gently sounded down the base of the bridge to provide better contact and this seemed to help, although how much exactly, I don't know.

    3) I changed the strings to D'addario EFW74 Mediums (11-36) and the sound difference was pronounced. I hazard to guess that the string change to larger strings was the biggest improvement (as opposed to nuanced differences from bridge contact.) I really like the flatwounds, they sound great. Just enough pop without being tinny bright. I think the 10s that come with the mandolin don't do it justice.

    So for a first mandolin at this price point, with a little bit of TLC and a [proper?] setup, I am happy with it. More than enough to learn on and do scratch recordings to convey song ideas.

    Photos of the new one - apologies for sideways shots.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_1434.jpg 
Views:	26 
Size:	767.3 KB 
ID:	207256

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_1433.jpg 
Views:	31 
Size:	673.2 KB 
ID:	207255

  23. #19

    Default Re: Ibanez Mandolin M700AVS

    So a month later I find myself in Nashville on vacation and I bring the mandolin with me. I decided to look for an arm rest for it, while I am here and found it much harder than I expected it to be for a town full of Mandolins.

    So I get referred to "some guy," as far as I know, who "builds mandolin arm rests out of his garage." That is how I was introduced to his contact info. So I call him up and sure enough, he has one and I am off to meet up with him. I settle on one that is Brazilian rosewood because its almost as dark as ebony, and just seems to look the best (I plan on changing over to black/ebony buttons.)

    Upon inspecting the mando, he notices inconsistent contact under the bridge and offers to correct that for me same day for a very reasonable price. I ask "so you work on and repair mandolins?" He assures me he is more than capable and I agree and leave it with him to pick up at end of day.

    Upon returning to pick it up, all is excellent and I ask if he builds mandolins as well. Turns out, "some guy" is Dan Voight.

  24. The following members say thank you to bluesholyman for this post:


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •