Willis Music Oxmoor Product Profile
Ibanez Talman CY20 Acoustic/Electric
Double cutaway figured Ash body, slim Mahogany neck, Ivorex nut and saddle, Advantage bridge pins, active preamp, die-cast tuning machines
Every so often a guitar builder tries introducing a model aimed specifically at a certain player. The effort usually fails resulting in many newly-discontinued models flooding retail stores. Ibanez has undertaken this challenge with their Talman series and will succeed where others do not because they paid attention to the details. The Talman resembles an electric solid body in many ways on purpose. It’s being marketed as the perfect acoustic for electric players since the body and neck are thin, string action low and shape familiar.
Neck first- Very comfortable. I literally have electric guitars with necks bigger than this one. The “C” contour is gentle and the thickness of the neck’s crown is substantially less than most acoustic guitars. If it didn’t have bronze wound strings on it I’d think it was a jazz hollowbody. The Talman plays terrific. The frets are medium thick with very little tang felt on the side. Though the neck is bound there is no true binding of the frets; the binding is purely cosmetic. I dislike this Asian-introduced technique since several USA builders have now decided to follow suit and place binding on necks of very expensive guitars that also is only cosmetic. The nut and saddle of the Talman are carved from Ivorex which is Ibanez’s recreation of ivory. It’s an outstanding material that contributes greatly to the singing tone this instrument has. I also like that Ibanez has stair-stepped the nut allowing increased mass at the headstock.
Body- Again comfortable. I found myself wishing it had the familiar contour most solid bodies do on back when sitting, and would then realize I was playing an acoustic, not an electric. The bass side cutaway might not seem integral to the overall feel of this guitar but it is. I consistently played higher on the neck than normal when testing it and appreciated being able to move my thumb across the neck’s top on upper frets. The treble side cutaway allows total reach to the highest part of the neck and facilitates flashy licks with minimal effort. The body is slightly thinner than standard acoustics, therefore the tone is slightly brighter. Rather than see this as an obstacle, Ibanez chose beautifully figured Ash wood for the body which contributes a nice midrange sound. This guitar will never sound like a Martin D35, but unless you’re Eric Clapton your Martin will never play like this Ibanez. The bridge pins are unique in that they are carved to allow the ball of the string to rest just under the bridge rather than at the end of the pin as many other brands do. This is another wise decision since it creates more sound and makes the string more secure.
Electronics- Simple design and use. I wish Ibanez had included an on-board tuner since that is becoming a common feature to most pickup systems, but I wouldn’t call the absence a deal breaker. The input jack of the guitar is located on the treble side’s edge and I do think that choice of placement is a mistake. While I appreciate that electric guitars typically locate the input there, the likelihood of finish, or worse, cracking on the Talman is increased. I would have preferred the jack be the more standard strap-button type found on upper end acoustic/electrics. It’s a personal opinion.
I like this guitar quite a bit. It’s offered in several finish/wood options and delivers exactly what it says it will: a great playing acoustic that feels like an electric. Others have tried and failed; check out the Talman before giving up.
Reviewed by: Mike McAfee
Contact reviewer at: oxmoorstore@willis-music.com
Click for Directions
About the Contributor:
Manager Mike McAfee is a 13 year plus Willis veteran who has hand picked each employee on his floor because they excel in providing a superior experience to every customer. The confidence, knowledge and courtesy you encounter lives up to an environment tailored for each department of their store. The home-like piano experience alone is worth a visit, and no other store in town carries the stock or selection of Willis’ Oxmoor location. Please accept Mike’s personal invitation to see first hand how hard we’ll work to make sure you’ll always come back home to Willis Music at Oxmoor Center.
|
