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Ibanez AC340
Yamaha STORIA III
VS
Playability
80
Sound
79
Build
65
Value
85
Score
75
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Playability
77
Sound
79
Build
64
Value
83
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
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Ibanez AC340 vs Yamaha STORIA III Specs Comparison
Ibanez AC340 Yamaha STORIA III
General
Brand: Ibanez Yamaha
Year: 2022 2019
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: ARTWOOD STORIA
Colors: Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Mahogany Solid Mahogany
Sides Material: Okoume Mahogany
Back Material: Okoume Mahogany
Bridge: Thermo Aged Ovangkol Walnut
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Ibanez Open Gear Champagne-Gold
Fretboard: Ovangkol Walnut
Neck Material: Nyatoh Nato
Decoration: White dot inlay Dots with custom at 12th
Scale Size: 25" 25"
Shape: Acoustic AC Acoustic C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.827'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15.748" 15.75"
Nut: Plastic Plastic
Nut Width: mm ('') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Pickups: Yamaha Passive Undersaddle Pickup (Preamp / Passive)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome

Reasons to Get
Ibanez AC340 over Yamaha STORIA III

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2022 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Body Shape
Grand Concert vs Concert
Slightly larger than the Concert body with a strong mid-range
Fretboard Radius
15.748'' (400mm) vs 15.75'' (400.1mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
85 vs 83
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Yamaha STORIA III over Ibanez AC340

Body Shape
Concert vs Grand Concert
Compact body with balanced tones
Fretboard Radius
15.75'' (400.1mm) vs 15.748'' (400mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Ibanez AC340 vs Yamaha STORIA III

Back Material
Okoume vs Mahogany
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Okoume vs Mahogany
Different Sides Material
Bridge Material
Thermo Aged Ovangkol vs Walnut
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Nyatoh vs Nato
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ovangkol vs Walnut
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Ibanez AC340 vs Yamaha STORIA III

Saddle Material
Plastic
Same Saddle Material
Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Plastic
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25'' (635mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Ibanez AC340:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Yamaha STORIA III:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Ibanez AC340 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Yamaha STORIA III meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez AC340
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha STORIA III
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Ibanez AC340

Nyatoh wood pattern used for guitar building
Nyatoh
Ovangkol wood pattern used for guitar building
Ovangkol
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

Nyatoh has been replacing Mahogany for guitar building. It's fairly hard, durable, more sustentable and common than Mahogany. Find out more about Nyatoh.

Ovangkol is a beautiful wood that's popular for acoustic guitars. Its tone sits somewhere between rosewood and mahogany, meaning it has a punchy low-end and nice mid-range. Find out more about Ovangkol.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Woods Used in the Yamaha STORIA III

Nato wood pattern used for guitar building
Nato
Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut

Nato a hard and dense wood similar to Mahogany, but cheaper and not quite as hard. Tone-wise, it's also similar, but it doesn't have quite the same attack as Mahogany.

It's a hard wood with a chocolate color that is often used to give an elegant finish. Since it's quite expensive and rare, it's mostly used for guitar tops. Find out more about Walnut.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

The Yamaha STORIA III comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.

Winner:Yamaha STORIA III.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez AC340
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79
Yamaha STORIA III
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Ibanez AC340 compares to the Yamaha STORIA III.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez AC340 is built in Indonesia while the Yamaha STORIA III is made in China.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Ibanez AC340

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Plastic nuts. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Ibanez AC340's are Ibanez while the Yamaha STORIA III's are Open Gear Champagne-Gold

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AC340
  • Expensive Wood
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha STORIA III
  • Expensive Wood
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Ibanez AC340
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 65
Yamaha STORIA III
Quality of materials 61
Features 75
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 64

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Scale Length

Ibanez AC340 and Yamaha STORIA III's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25".

This scale is close to a Les Paul (24.75''), but it's slightly longer for those who want more tension of the strings and a slightly brighter sound (but not as much as with a 25.5'' Stratocaster scale).

This longer scale will also mean the frets are slightly more separated, which can affect your speed when playing. However, since this increases the tension of the strings, it will also allow you to lower the action even further without getting fret buzz. It comes at the cost of making the strings feel stiffer, which makes bending more difficult, though.

However, remember that you can also change the tension of the strings by using different string gauges.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Ibanez AC340 Neck Profile
Ibanez AC340's neck profile
Yamaha STORIA III Neck Profile
Yamaha STORIA III's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Ibanez AC340 and the Yamaha STORIA III have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Ibanez AC340 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez AC340's Fingerboard radius
Yamaha STORIA III Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha STORIA III's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Ibanez AC340's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha STORIA III's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Yamaha STORIA III.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Fret Size

Ibanez AC340 and Yamaha STORIA III Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Ibanez AC340
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 80
Playability 80
Yamaha STORIA III
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 77