The REAL Reason Why I Bought My Ibanez SR/SD500!

[SurferJoe46]

I wuz thinkin' on it last night coming back in driving rain and winds on seriously bad mountain roads and twisty turns from a freebie gig in Palm Springs, and it all of a sudden it got bright and I had that epiphany I've been looking for: The REAL reason why I bought my Ibanez SR/SG500.

It was the strings - and the neck. Gawd! It was the strings first and then the neck.

The strings didn't insult me and make me feel like an idiot when I played it with all that string zip and zoom on the 'other' bass guitars. Of course - the neck was a killer too - but the bestest impression was those great Elixir Nanos it had from the factory.

Now that I've got several Fenders and Squiers on the wall next to the SR500 - and all but one has the same Elixir Nanos on them - it's fer sure that it's the strings!

If Fender would wake up and just get some quality strings on their basses and quite trying to fool everyone into thinking they're getting some real iconic Fender strings on their basses (they aren't!) - then perhaps Fender would be in a better place than it is - which isn't all that bad with the economy and all - but it could be a lot better I think.

[One Drop]

What are 'real iconic Fender' strings? The only ones that possibly have any 'iconic' image are the old discontinued flats that shipped on Ps and Js through the '60s and '70s, but nobody is claiming they were the best flats out there, or even close.

Fender sure fooled me- into thinking they ship basses with decent sounding strings that have a fairly middle-of-the-road tone (not meant as an an insult) that is meant to please a wide variety of players and not put anyone off. If you want strings with different personality you buy them aftermarket, nothing new there.

Elixirs have a tone that is very polarizing-most people seem to love them or hate them, I never hear middling opinions about them. Fender would be shooting themselves in the foot business-wise shipping their basses with expensive strings with a strongly identifiable character made by another company than themselves.

Are you really worried about Fender's financial health? I'm not.

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by One Drop

What are 'real iconic Fender' strings? The only ones that possibly have any 'iconic' image are the old discontinued flats that shipped on Ps and Js through the '60s and '70s, but nobody is claiming they were the best flats out there, or even close.

Fender sure fooled me- into thinking they ship basses with decent sounding strings that have a fairly middle-of-the-road tone (not meant as an an insult) that is meant to please a wide variety of players and not put anyone off. If you want strings with different personality you buy them aftermarket, nothing new there.

Elixirs have a tone that is very polarizing-most people seem to love them or hate them, I never hear middling opinions about them. Fender would be shooting themselves in the foot business-wise shipping their basses with expensive strings with a strongly identifiable character made by another company than themselves.

Are you really worried about Fender's financial health? I'm not.

Fender & Squier both advertise all their basses (at least all the ones in which I am interested) as having their Fender® USA Super Bass 7250ML, NPS, (.045, .065, .080, .100 Gauges) strings and if that's so - then the ones on my Squiers and my Fenders are supposed to be the same as they are so advertised.

They aren't though and a Rhesus monkey can spot the difference.

When I was out looking for the bass of my dreams (aren't they all?) - I tried to love any and all Fenders and the Ibanez just 'was it' and that's what I bought at that time. I couldda bought a Fender as I had quite a bit of disposable income at that very moment, but they just felt bad (from the rotten strings in retrospect).

I - of course have since learned that the 7250s, as much as they suck and generally make a bass sound like junk and just shrill, glassy, tinny, harsh and tonally-nasty - they were prolly on a good bass and if I had only known that it was just the cr@ppy strings, then that day would have seen a Fender sale to me.

Assuming that Fender would know what's best for their bass - and if this is what it sounded like with their professional choice of strings - well, the bass wasn't even in consideration from me as an owner.

Fender lost a big sale for 30¢ difference in their cost, as I really like the looks of the 50th Anniversary Jazz and it was the one that I liked --- if it only didn't sound and play so badly.

I love the Fenders and Squiers I have now - and wouldn't trade them for anything - but that learning curve is sure a 90º vertical climb for someone who is either a n00b or returning from a long abstinence from playing.

I was the latter and for a while there - I was a sworn Ibanez only owner. Oh - I kept the Ibanez and even bought another one - but I couldda been a Fender-Only guy.

[mowburger]

I thought the Elixirs that came on my SR505 were great, took almost half a year to notice the coating comming off at first 5 frets and where I was using a pick on them. sounded great, felt good too. I've migrated to P bass with flats now tho. It's great Ibby's come with Elixir's, smart move.