ACOUSTIC GUITAR: Ibanez EWN28 Bubinga

new gear
Ibanez EWN28 Bubinga
A striking hybrid well-suited to performing guitarists looking for
an easy transition to nylon-strings.
By Patrick Francis
Since Hoshino Gakki first started making and distributing
guitars under the Ibanez name in the ’30s, the company has
produced a dizzying array of acoustic and electric guitars
and basses. Ibanez’s most renowned guitars have consistently
combined playability, quality, and value, but the company has
always placed a priority on innovation and eye-catching looks, too.
All of these qualities are evident in the new nylon-string
additions to Ibanez’s Exotic Wood series, which unites nylonstrings
with slim necks and adventurous, contemporary styling.
We had a chance to test an acoustic-electric, thinline EWN28 to
find out how this mid-price fusion of nylon- and steel-string
features adds up.
ARRESTING LOOKS
All of Ibanez’s exotic-wood guitars are quite striking upon first
glance, but this bubinga specimen was particularly eye-catching.
With deep swirling patterns and figuring on the all-bubinga top,
back, and sides, deep-hued rosewood fretboard and bridge,
and the lighter tones of the mahogany neck and binding, the ax
is all variations of brown, offset with gold hardware. The laseretched
rosette features a motif of interlocking rectangles,
geometric shapes that are also integrated in the design of the
bridge. The mahogany heel cap and neck binding are a nice
touch, and the Ibanez’s high-gloss finish was smooth as glass,
revealing no surface imperfections, though it was quite thick
in places, including at the neck/body joint.
The EWN28 Bubinga combines traits that
should keep steel-string and electric players
in their comfort zones. The guitar is shallow
in depth and features a deep cutaway.
And to enhance the guitar’s classical-styling
attributes, Ibanez forgoes dots on the
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fretboard itself, but places fret markers
on the side of the neck—which is
something even experienced classical
players can appreciate.
PLEASING PLUGGED-IN TONE
AND PLAYABILITY
Unplugged, the Ibanez is focused and
sustains nicely. Right-hand picking elicits
a uniform response across all six strings,
and though a lack of low end was also
immediately apparent, I expected somewhat
diminished bass response given the
body’s shallow depth. Strumming chords
in a jazzy, Willie Nelson style produced a
pleasant and harmonically rich tone that
suited more complex chords without
blurring. Played fingerstyle, however, the
guitar’s understated voice underscored
that this ax is geared toward players
who plug in.
At a Glance Ibanez EWN28 Bubinga
ThE SPEcS
ThIS IS cOOl
WATch FOR
PRIcE
MAkER
Bubinga top, back, and sides. Mahogany neck with dowel joint. Rosewood
fretboard and bridge. Dual-action truss rod. Mahogany binding. Laser-engraved
wood rosette. Natural high-gloss finish. Gold-plated tuners. Ivorex II nut and
saddle. B-Band UST pickup with Ibanez SRTn Preamp. 1 13 ⁄16-inch nut width, 2 1 ⁄4-
inch string spacing at the saddle. D’Addario Pro Arte strings. Made in China.
Preamp includes notch filter, onboard tuner, and both ¼-inch and XLR outputs.
Shallow body design offers comfort, but sacrifices volume and low end when
unplugged.
Price: $642 list/$450 street.
Hoshino USA: (215) 638-8670; www.ibanez.com.
A C O U S T I C G U I T A R July 2008
heather swain

The side-mounted onboard
electronics were easy to reach. And
I especially liked Ibanez’s rotary controls,
which are easy to access and facilitate
fine tuning of level settings, which is
crucial in any live situation. The onboard
tuner worked like a charm, detecting
softly played strings with ease. And when
you activate the tuner with the push of a
button, you also mute the guitar’s output,
enabling you to tune without disturbing
your audience.
Putting the guitar’s electronics
through the paces revealed highly
functional bass, mid, and treble controls.
There’s also a notch filter and phase
button which successfully assisted in
feedback and noise abatement. The
undersaddle pickup was sensitive and
responsive, but exhibited a very slight
imbalance, with the sixth string being
slightly quieter than the others.
THE WRAP
With a thinline body design, steel-string
style neck, and deep cutaway, the Ibanez
EWN28 Bubinga should appeal to players
who place a high priority on comfort and
playability, and who want to transition
from their steel-string or electric guitars.
The guitar is very well built, and the
powerful, well-designed electronics and
controls will please gigging players who
want maximum control of their sound at
their fingertips. Extroverted players will
appreciate the Ibanez’s bold styling,
though traditionally minded players may
opt for the more understating styling of
the EWN28’s maple or koa editions.
The Ibanez EWN28
Bubinga should
appeal to players
who place a high
priority on comfort
and playability.
Because of its small size and
sometimes delicate voice, the Ibanez is
best suited to players requiring
amplification, rather than players needing
a booming concert-hall-voiced nylonstring.
But for pickers who’d like to make
a leap to a nylon-string from a steel-string
or an electric, Ibanez has reduced the
distance significantly. ag
July 2008 A C O U S T I C G U I T A R
From Acoustic Guitar, July 2008, issue 187, © 2008 String Letter Publishing, David A. Lusterman,
Publisher. All rights reserved.
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