In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the best Ibanez mandolins. Ibanez is a world-class brand that’s famous for its electric guitars, bass guitars, and other stringed instruments like the mandolin.
I’m a mandolin player and a music composer with several years of experience producing and recording folk, rock, blues, and metal songs. Mandolin is a very unique instrument, and it always adds a warm sonic flavor to any composition.
Quick Look: Best Ibanez Mandolins
★ #1 Best Ibanez Mandolin Overall: Ibanez M700AVS F-Style Mandolin ★
- Best Cheap Ibanez Mandolin: Ibanez M510DVS Mandolin
- Best Ibanez Mandolin Under $1,000: Ibanez M700AVS F-Style
- Best Ibanez Mandolin Under $500: Ibanez M522S F-Style Mandolin
- Best A-Style Ibanez Mandolin: Ibanez M510DVS Mandolin
- Best F-Style Ibanez Mandolin: Ibanez M700AVS F-Style Mandolin
- Best electric Ibanez Mandolin: Ibanez M520EBS A-Style Mandolin
Join me as we explore several unique models made by Ibanez with their almost 70 years of experience in this industry.
About Ibanez Mandolins
Ibanez was created in 1908 in Nagoya, Japan. Originally it was a division of a local book store that sold several acoustic instruments. But in 1935 the owner decided to produce Spanish-style acoustic guitars.
The name Ibanez was chosen in dedication to Salvador Ibanez, a famous Spanish luthier who became quite famous because of his instruments, which are considered some of the best acoustic guitars in the world.
Around the 80s, Ibanez expanded into electric guitars and bass guitars. Their innovations with 7-string and 8-string guitars made this company very popular in the metal and hardcore community.
Ibanez took this inspiration and added their own Japanese-style attention to detail to the mix. The result is a huge number of high-grade instruments ranging from acoustic guitars, acoustic bass guitars, electric guitars and bass guitars, ukuleles, banjos, and mandolins.
Things to Consider When Choosing an Ibanez Mandolin
Most instruments made by Ibanez have great value, and this company is quite famous for its reliable mid-range models. The overall size, tone, and price are important points to consider when choosing the right Ibanez for you.
Size
Most Ibanez mandolins have an A-style body with a compact construction. This makes them quite comfortable to play.
The Overall Tone & Sound
When it comes to the sound, Ibanez mandolins are very classic and pure in their tonality. Here you’ll find mostly a bright and clean tone in most models.
Price
Ibanez mandolins stay in their solid mid-range, with some instruments near the budget-friendly category. The Ibanez brand is known for creating accessible and reliable instruments for beginners and students.
Types of Ibanez Mandolins
For the body type, Ibanez uses mainly traditional designs and shapes. This includes many A-style and some F-style mandolins.
A-Style Ibanez Mandolins
Most Ibanez mandolins have an A-style body. A-style is the most comfortable and accessible type of mandolin. The nonchalant simplicity of the design makes this type very attractive to any mandolin player.
See more: Best A-Style Mandolins Buyer’s Guide
F-Style Ibanez Mandolins
There are a few F-style models made by Ibanez, which are quite popular for their high-quality sound and durable construction. F-style mandolins are a little more expensive than their younger brothers, but they’re very much worth your money.
Electric Ibanez Mandolins
Some A-style and F-style mandolins have an “E” denomination before the last letter in the name. This indicates that they have an integrated pickup coil and a jack input. This will add more volume and help you rehearse with a band or perform for a bigger audience.
5 Best Ibanez Mandolins
In this section, we’ll dive deeper into the details behind each Ibanez mandolin. Here you’ll find some budget-friendly instruments as well as some mid-range mandolins.
Ibanez M510DVS Mandolin Dark Violin Sunburst
- Size:27 x 3 x 10.5 inches
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
- Material & finish: Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, dark violin sunburst finish
- Sound: Clean and bright
- Best for: Beginners
The Ibanez M510DVS Mandolin Dark Violin Sunburst is a solid workhorse for any student or beginner. This mandolin is very affordable and comes in a unique color scheme.
✅ Comfortable to play
✅ Easy to tune
✅ Chrome hardware
❌ Low-quality strings
Why I Recommend It
The Ibanez M510DVS is a great starting point to get into Ibanez instruments, as it has a durable construction and a decent sound for a very low price.
Ibanez M522S F-Style Mandolin Dark Violin Sunburst
- Size: 35.1 x 14.5 x 7.4 inches
- Weight: 3.8 pounds
- Material & finish: Solid spruce top, flamed maple body, dark violin sunburst finish
- Sound: Crisp and bold
- Best for: Intermediate players
The Ibanez M522S F-Style Mandolin Dark Violin Sunburst is a high-quality F-style mandolin for an amazingly low price. This model is quite popular and has mostly positive reviews anywhere you look.
✅ Beautiful design and finish
✅ High-grade wood
✅ Great projection
✅ Easy to tune
❌ Requires some setup
Why I Recommend It
This mandolin is a great option for someone who wants a good F-style mandolin without spending too much. A classic and elegant design certainly adds to the great value of this instrument.
Ibanez M520EBS A-Style Mandolin, Brown Sunburst High Gloss
- Size: 27 x 3 x 10.5 inches
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
- Material & finish: Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, brown sunburst high gloss finish
- Sound: Clean and bright
- Best for: Beginners
The Ibanez M520EBS A-Style Mandolin, Brown Sunburst High Gloss is a simple and affordable model made with students and beginners in mind. This model has its own internal pickup and can be amplified, which gives this model a higher volume and sustain.
✅ Comfortable to play
✅ Lightweight
✅ Affordable
❌ Low-quality strings
Why I Recommend It
This mandolin is a great option if you need a simple mandolin to play with a loud band. The sound qualities of this model really shine through when plugged into any amplifier or sound system.
Ibanez M700AVS Spruce/Maple F-Style Mandolin Violin Sunburst
- Size: 35 x 14.1 x 7.3 inches
- Weight: 5.15 pounds
- Material & finish: Solid spruce top, solid flamed maple back and sides, violin sunburst finish
- Sound: Bright and clean
- Best for: Intermediate players
The Ibanez M700AVS Spruce/Maple F-Style Mandolin Violin Sunburst is a very popular model, which has a beautiful F-style shape and an outstanding tonal performance. This mandolin will satisfy even the most demanding musicians and artists.
✅ Easy to play
✅ Great projection
✅ High-grade wood
✅ Beautiful design
❌ Requires some setup to play
Why I Recommend It
This mandolin costs little more than your typical Ibanez mandolin, but it offers a unique set of features that make it an easy choice if you’re looking for a decent F-style mandolin.
Ibanez M510 A-Style Mandolin, 20 Frets, Mahogany Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, Brown Sunburst High Gloss
- Size: 28.6 x 4.5 x 1 inches
- Weight: 3.15 pounds
- Material & finish: Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, brown sunburst high gloss finish
- Sound: Bright and clean
- Best for: Beginners
The Ibanez M510 A-Style Mandolin is a classic model, which opened the mandolin market for the Ibanez brand. This model has a simple design with a few features, which makes it perfect for learning to play the mandolin.
✅ Affordable
✅ Comfortable to play
✅ Great projection
❌ Low-quality strings
Why I Recommend It
The Ibanez M510 A-style has become quite popular, which is why you’ll find numerous variations on this model. To this day, this mandolin stands as one of the champions of the budget-friendly price range.
Ibanez Mandolins Aesthetics & Build
Most Ibanez mandolins have a classical design and finish, which is a long tradition for this brand. Staying true to its origins helps this company find its own way of creating instruments.
Material
Ibanez uses a wide range of materials for their instruments. But, the most common are spruce for the top and maple for the back and sides. For some budget-friendly models, Ibanez uses mahogany, which is quite cheap and easy to work with.
For the mid-tier instruments, they use a flamed maple and solid piece of spruce for the top, which gives better sustain and tonal clarity.
Finish
Oil finish is the one Ibanez is known for, and with it they try to maintain the pure sound of the wood as much as possible. However, you’ll find some models with shellac and lacquered types of finish too.
Color
Here they have the same formula as with the material types. Most Ibanez mandolins have a classic sunburst finish with few variations.
How Much Do Ibanez Mandolins Cost?
Ibanez is well-known for its affordability and “easy-to-use” philosophy. Budget-friendly models can cost around $200 or even lower. As for the mid-range Ibanez mandolins, they come in at around $500 and sometimes higher, depending on the model.
What Are the Best Ibanez Mandolins?
Let’s review some of the best mandolin models made by Ibanez. From the accessible Ibanez M510 to the high-quality M700AVS, Ibanez has a perfect model for any type of player.
Ibanez M510DVS A-Style Mandolin: Best for Beginners
The Ibanez M510DVS Mandolin model is a simple but beautiful instrument that has great comfort and tonality. This is a preferred choice of many music students and beginners.
Ibanez M522S F-Style Mandolin: Best for Intermediate Players
The Ibanez M522S F-Style is a great F-style mandolin that’s sold for a criminally low price nowadays. This model is a great deal for any intermediate player.
Ibanez M700AVS F-Style Mandolin: Best for Professionals
The Ibanez M700AVS F-Style mandolin is a high-tier F-style that offers a great selection of tonewood and high-quality hardware. A reliable and robust build gives this model an outstanding sustain and very pleasing tone.
Where Are Ibanez Mandolins Made?
Although originally made only in Japan, nowadays most Ibanez instruments are made all around the world. Their specialized workshops could be found in countries like the United States, China, Indonesia, and Japan.
What Is the Best Sounding Ibanez Mandolin?
The best sounding Ibanez mandolin, for me personally, is the M700AVS, as it has a very good wood selection and high-grade hardware.
This gives this model a unique and bright tonality with its own distinctive personality.
Where to Buy Ibanez Mandolins
Nowadays there are numerous online retailers that offer fast delivery and great prices. But, finding a particular model can be tricky, as each website has its own selection of instruments. Let’s take a look at some of the options.
Amazon
Amazon is known in every corner of the world. This monster of online retail has the most competitive prices and fastest delivery on the planet. This makes this company so important for many customers all around the world.
Customer reviews will certainly help you decide, as they offer an honest opinion on almost any model on this website.
Online Music Retailers
The success of Amazon paved the way for many other online retailers to get into this lucrative industry. Some websites offer exclusive deals with some extras that can only be found on their websites.
Here at Into Strings we highly recommend FiddlerShop.com, Sweetwater.com, and GuitarCenter.com, as they offer a unique selection of instruments for a reasonable price.
Your Local Music Store
In your local music store, you might find a limited selection of instruments. But, trying the instrument in person has its own obvious advantages.
The best way to get the feel of an instrument is to play it yourself, which is why trying out any model before buying is so crucial for many players.
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In Conclusion
I hope you liked this read about the best Ibanez mandolins. We explored several models, each one with its own distinctive design and sound. Although most Ibanez mandolins stay true to their classic philosophy, here and there we found some subtle differences in tone and style.
If you really liked this guide, feel free to share or leave a comment, as here at Into Strings we’d like to know your opinion of Ibanez mandolins.
Stay safe, and as always, good luck with your sonic adventures!
