IBANEZ NEW AFFIRMA, Mod. A105, Custom Shop USA, 5 strings

code BA030

This series was designed by Swiss luthier, Rolf Spuler. His design incorporates a neck that extends half-way through the body with individual bridges for each string. There is a thumb slot, a pearl/abalone AFR insignia, and a pearl block with Ibanez and the serial number inscriptions inlaid into the body, located between the single coil pickup and the bridge system.

Only the Most Select Woods
In order to insure that every AFR exhìbits the right sound, feel and appearance, each piece of wood used in its construction in meticulously selected by experienced craftsmen.
The AFR Half-Through Neck
An essential ingredient of the AFR's superior sound is due to Rolfs extensive study of sound and guitar design. His work in guitar building revealed that the sound character of a bass or guitar should be influenced only by body resonance and pickup response; the neck should be as stiff as possible in order to suppress resonance.Since the neek and body of a bass perform very different acoustìc functions, it follows that different materials should be utilized.
To join these materials properly, the AFR's new half-through-body construction affords the best stability because the body is not completely divided (as in standard neck-through-body construction). Also, with half-through-body construction, the AFR's entire body is able tobring all its resonance to bear which provibes the optimum in sound charaeter and sensitivity.
The Best of Both Worlds A Maple Neck Reìnforced With Graphite
A maple neek with an ebony fingerboard is a classic and proven combination but it tends to overemphasize its resonance that Wad spots' happen. The addition of two graphite bars strengthen and stabilizes the AFR neek in order to achieve a much more balanced response. With this combination of materials, AFR owners receive aIl the advantages of both wood and graphite necks.
An Entirely New Bridge
Rolf Spuler created the "Mono Rail" bridge (pat. applied for) exclusively for the AFR
bass. This very sophisticated system features an individual unit on each string so that
cach string's vibration is transmitted separately to the body. This provides a much more dynamic response and sustain than found in conventional bridge systems. Changing strings also becomes much simpler and faster. The four-string of the AFR version is fitted with the "Stay D Tune" detuner (pat. applied for) on the low string. This innovative feature allows for quick change between two different tunings (for example, E to D).
Thurnb Rest
More and more bassists are using different hand positions to achieve wider varietiesof sound. The AFR's thumb rest makes it possible and comfortable to pluck the strings from any thumb posítion.
Headstock Arrangement
Note the AFR's reversed tuning machine configuration which reducesheadstock mass and also provides straighter and shorter string lead to the saddle. This arrangement gives the AFR easier, more accurate tuning with increase tuning stability.
The AFR's Actíve Electronícs
The AFR's active electronics offer very efficient bass and treble controls, a soft volume control, and a balance control that mixes the magnetic and piezo pickups. The AFR's 18V powered electronic cìrcuitry does not limit the dynamics of the pickups which makes the AFR an instrument of incredible expressiveness.
A Plezo Bridge Pickup
All AFR models come with the "ppp" (pat. applied for), a polyphonic pickup developed by Rolf Spuler. Its ingenious construction shows a completely separated pickup for each string which allows the pure transformation of each string's vibration to an electric signal. This piezo pickup consistently reproduces an entirely natural sound with strong presence, powerful low end and a very high dynamic response. There are no disturbing "seratchy" sounds, slide-noises or feedback. The level of each piezo pickup can beindividually adjusted by a trim potentiometer located on the PC board.
A Magnetic Neck Position Pickup
The AFR's magnetic neck position pickup is a more conventional magnetic pickup capableof covering a wide frequeney range. Located in the standard position between neck and bridge,
this pickup reproduces bo lows and crisp trebles.