Ibanez AW54OPN Solid Top Natural Acoustic Guitar

Last updated: August 1, 2022

Ibanez AW54OPN Solid Top Natural Acoustic Guitar
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We looked at the top Acoustic Guitars and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Acoustic Guitar you should buy.

Overall Take

In our analysis of 73 expert reviews, the Ibanez Solid Top Natural Acoustic Guitar placed 13th when we looked at the top 20 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

The Artwood Series was crafted to produce a traditional yet modern guitar. Technology moves forward at a frantic pace and the world of guitar craftsmanship is no different. In producing the Artwood Series, Ibanez has respected both the rich tradition of the acoustic guitar while adding modern interpretations in their continuing search for the ultimate in guitar tone. The AW54OPN Artwood Solid Top Dreadnought Acoustic-Electric features their popular dreadnought body shape, a solid mahogany top, mahogany neck, back, and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard and bridge with Ibanez Advantage bridge pins. The Open Pore Natural finish shows off the guitar’s naturally rich woodgrain. Finally, the AW54OPN is finished off with a tortoise shell pickguard and chrome die-cast tuners. Case sold separately.

Expert Reviews


What experts liked

Solid top. Advantage bridge pins. Open pore.
Premium tonewood used offers the guitarist a warm, rich sound quality.
The mahogany top and other Ibanez features combine for a rich and rewarding experience.
This is one of the most affordable high end guitars on the market. For this price you’d expect just another entry level beginner guitar, but what you get is more like an intermediate to expert level player’s dream than anything else.
It is said to be a traditional modern guitar because of its rich traditional tone that features modern ideas of what a great tone and guitar should be. Finished off with a tortoiseshell pickguard, and has chrome die-cast tuners.
It is a well thought out design that sticks to the basic elements of what make a great acoustic guitar: tonewood, finish, playability.
The mahogany has a natural open-pore finish that gives it a vintage feel. That vintage quality gets a little modern design touch from the chrome die-cast tuners that provide fairly consistent intonation. The Ibanez AW540PNN is the best looking and possibly the best built cheap acoustic guitar on the market.

What experts didn't like

May require setup.
The weight of the guitar does detract from the playability for some. Issues with tuning peg's durability.

Our Expert Consultant

Lewis McGehee  
Professional guitarist, songwriter and private guitar teacher

Lewis McGehee is a professional guitarist, songwriter and private guitar teacher. He began playing guitar at the age of 7, playing in bands at 11 and was signed to Lifesong Records as a singer-songwriter in his early 20s. On the strength of his live shows, he went on to perform with many national acts such as John Prine, Robert Palmer, Talking Heads, Christopher Cross, Bob Dylan and Christine McVie. He also completed a multi-city tour as an opening act for Bruce Hornsby and has been teaching private acoustic guitar lessons for over 40 years.

View our Acoustic Guitar buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

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