AS153 Artstar
The Ibanez AS153 Artstar is the Japan-made semi-hollow alternative to Gibson ES-335 — flamed maple body with vintage-voiced Super 58 pickups, smaller body than a 335 with comparable warmth. Pat Metheny-adjacent jazz tone at half the price of an American semi-hollow. Made in Ibanez's Fujigen-partner factory.
Best strings for Ibanez AS153 Artstar
Character-matched pairings, ordered by fit
Thomastik Jazz Swing on AS153 — gold-standard jazz flatwound on Japanese semi-hollow, ultimate archtop rig.
BB113 on AS153 — Austrian jazz flats on Japanese jazz semi-hollow. European/Asian boutique pairing.
Chromes ECG25 on Artstar — accessible jazz flatwound for Pat Metheny-adjacent tones.
XL on Artstar — for players wanting roundwound versatility on semi-hollow instead of pure jazz flats.
More strings in this sonic family
Similar character, different brand or gauge