Ibanez EW20ZWENT Exotic Wood Series Acoustic Electric Guitar Zebrawood Natural

I bought this in 2009 at a local guitar shop after trying out several models on display. For the price ($350 including case) this was the best investment I've made for practice and a hobby. I like the way it feels to use the fingerboard. This may be because it is rosewood. I record guitar lessons and like the way it sounds when I play along with my teacher. It gets lots of compliments from people who have seen it. The built-in tuner is a great help. The fret markings are only visible to the player from the top of the neck and I think that gives it a nice unique touch for those watching and listening. If you get a chance to buy one second-hand it is well worth it.As far as its sound, I would say that while it sounds very good there is a subtle difference between it and more expensive tone woods that do not use the lacquer and finish as this one does. I think the finish mutes its tone a little, which still sounds very good. I strum and play finger style and this baby sounds great doing it all. So far I haven't had a need to get the truss rod adjusted.Recently I found a capo manufacture (Thalia) that provides a finish that matches the zebrawood so it should look very good together.

beautiful guitar nice rosetta and fret markers, neck and fretboard wood ,but the problem is when playing unplugged ,the pretty zebrawood is only a thin veneer so really what you are playing is a plywood guitar the sound is so lacking I wish I could get rid of this stupid thing. When you plug it in and fiddle with all the knobs you can make it sound passable but that doesnt make me any happier. I see the newest ones are coming with a cedar soundboard that has to help it couldnt make it any worse.I should be able to off this guitar on E-Bay -if my price is low enough

Truly a unique guitar. Every cut of this rare/expensive "Zebrawood" from Africa makes your guitar unlike any other. There are several types of zebrawood but I believe this wood is from brachystegia spiciformis trees. It's a heavy and hard wood. It's heavier than my other guitars. It delivers a beautiful deep, full, warm sound. The fret board is rosewood with an acrylic pearl inlay. The frets, bridge, nut, and tuning knobs are perfect and overall a surprising quality for a mid-range priced guitar. The action is ideal for a medium, between heavy jamming and soft finger picking with little to no buzz when playing loud. The neck is perfectly straight but has a dual-action truss rod through its mahogany neck to help maintain it over years of use (if needed). First thing I do on all my guitars (that I recommend) is get rid of the original strings. I put some Elixir Polywebs on mine and they last longer and sound amazing. The bigger body allows it a deep sound for lower tunings almost like a baritone guitar while maintaining a brilliant treble resonation. A little plus on the side is the built in B-Band UST Pickup, SRT Preamp, tuner, effects, EQ and feedback suppression adjustments. I haven't had the chance to test them out, but I have to say, these are pretty impressive features for such a well priced guitar. You won't find a better bang for your buck. I trusted Ibanez to deliver a quality product because of how well my 20 year old Ibanez ArtWood Acoustic has aged, and this ExoticWood series guitar sure didn't let me down. I'm happy to say, I'm still a fan. Nice work Ibanez!

I like the unique look and it plays very well. I recommend it in this price range. The built in tuner is handy.

I fell in love with this guitar as soon as I got it out of the box. It is absolutely gorgeous. The sound is phenomenal, and is by far my favorite acoustic (electric). It's eye catching, has a great feel and sound, and I love the built in pre-amp and tuner. This is an awesome guitar for the price. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great acoustic/electric for a low price.

I bought two of these guitars...one for my daughter and one for me. Overall, we are both quite pleased with these instruments and they are well worth the $350.00 that I paid for each. Now, for some specifics. These zebrawood guitars have a unique and very "organic" appearance. They are made in China (like everything else) and appear to be nicely executed in terms of the finish and attention to detail. Most sellers are using stock photos in their listings and potential buyers should be aware that there is considerable variation in the grain patterns among these guitars. If you are told (as I was) that there are "subtle" variations, don't believe it. The guitar that is shipped to you may, and probably won't, look anything like the instrument depicted in the stock photo. This is not necessarily problematic...but could be if you are expecting a certain look for your instrument. In terms of sound, my daughter and I agree that these acoustic electrics sound best when connected to an amp. They do not possess the depth, warmth and richness of our other acoustics. The sound is certainly respectable, but (IMO) not as good as a conventional acoustic without the cutaway. This guitar requires a 9V battery and has a built-in tuner. The electronics provide sufficient latitude to achieve a desirable range of sound qualities when attached to an amp. For the money, this is a great little guitar with an interesting appearance and respectable sound quality.

This guitar sounds as good as it looks!! Absolutely stunning out of the box and sounds fantastic. Preamp is easy to use and works well. I love this guitar!!