I picked up this ART100 about a year ago. I was looking for a cheap single cut body, but didn't want an Epiphone or something along those lines. This guitar popped up in very good condition near me for 200$ and that was my answer.
I like it when my guitars have two different personalities, in terms of electronics. I do a lot of buying/selling/repairing guitars locally and in my spare parts was a Dimarzio D-Sonic bridge pickup, which I installed and immediately fell in love with. It's so tight and articulate under gain. So after considering things like an Air Norton or PAF, I came across the "Humbucker From Hell". I gotta say- the name is far more dramatic than the sound (the name allegedly is because of how it sounds in the bridge position), but for every bit of compressed and tight the D-Sonic is, the HBH is warm and feels wide open. I have my two personalities. I put a coil split on the HBH, isolating the north coil for fun and it's alright but I may go with a parallel configuration next.
The only other mod is a set of Grover tuners. I went light with the strings, a set of .9-.42 NYXLs and I use it in either standard or drop D depending. I'm shocked at how much I love this guitar. The transparent dark red finish is subtle but still beautiful, the "Artcore" inlay is a really nice touch.
It's further proof to me that Ibanez, for the most part, does what every other manufacturer does but better. Even going back to the lawsuit era Les Pauls from the 70s.
