Fallen in love with Ibanez Soundgear

oniman7 · #1 07-05-2011, 10:47 PM

Today I went to Guitar Center to try out some amps, and none of them wowed me. But I noticed they had their nice six strings at ground level (they typically hang them 10 feet above your head so it's a pain to get them down) and there were a bunch of 6 string Ibanez Soundgears. I own a Jay Turser 4 string and an Ibanez BTB 5 string, and I've been looking to go to six now. I grabbed it and plugged it in and WOW this thing was amazing. I have small hands, so the super thin neck profile and tight string spacing are amazing. The B string was tight enough that I didn't have to worry about problems, and I even tuned the whole thing down a whole step to play some Dream Theater. It had great intonation, great sound, and great feel. Also, I've tried tapping and such on my BTB and was never able to do it. This was set up just right that I could tap any note I wanted and it rang clear.

Anyways, I'm now GASing for an Ibanez Soundgear 6'er. I think the one I played was a 706? Something like that. It was used $650, beautiful finish. Almost wish I had the chance to buy it. Guess I know where my next upgrade is coming from...

Epitaph04 · #2 07-05-2011, 11:04 PM

I have a sr506 (which is essentially the same thing as the 706) and it's an amazing bass. I lowered the action on it (after putting it off for so long) and WOW it plays amazingly. Great basses. I also have small hands so the SR basses are just about perfect for me.

bass rocks · #3 07-05-2011, 11:06 PM

sr506 ist not neck through sr706 is and sr 606 is so dont get sr506
get 606 or 706

**peledog** · #4 07-05-2011, 11:07 PM

The necks are really thin. Great for fast fingers and small hands. I've always liked the necks. Just didn't dig the sound.

oniman7 · #5 07-05-2011, 11:08 PM

I love my Ibanez BTB, but it's a killer to play with it's 35" scale and chunky neck. The string spacing is ridiculous too. But the Soundgear felt great.

What is the difference between the 506/606/706? It doesn't really bother me that one's neck through (though I want to try neck thru and bolt on) but what's the difference? Quality, tone, etc.

Epitaph04 · #6 07-05-2011, 11:12 PM

I really don't think the 706 is neck through, unless it's some older version I've never seen.

oniman7 · #7 07-05-2011, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peledog

The necks are really thin. Great for fast fingers and small hands. I've always liked the necks. Just didn't dig the sound.

I've heard this before. But I really dug the sound. I'm one of those rare bassists who don't want a lot of bassy presence in their EQ. I tend to set that flat and add various mids and trebles for a kind of bitey, snappy, growly sound. The bass I tried definitely had this.

bass rocks · #8 07-05-2011, 11:13 PM

ok the sr506 is only one coler
all the basses have bartaloni pups
i think they all have same preamp

bass rocks · #9 07-05-2011, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epitaph04

I really don't think the 706 is neck through, unless it's some older version I've never seen.

oniman was the sr706 neckthrough

oniman7 · #10 07-05-2011, 11:16 PM

Honestly, I couldn't tell you. I was too busy playing away to be looking at the back of the neck. I've been looking, though, and I think the 506 is the one I was playing... I found one the same color as the one I played with the same fret markers and everything. And they're selling it new for the same price it was used in the store... cheeky bastards.

Epitaph04 · #11 07-05-2011, 11:26 PM

Try ibanez.com. They have decent info on their line of basses. You should be able to pinpoint which bass you were playing. Either way, both the 506 and 706 play just about the same as each other. Only real difference is the finish and the maple stripe the 706 has.

oniman7 · #12 07-05-2011, 11:34 PM

I looked it up, and it was the SR506. Beautiful playing bass. Hope I can pick one up some time in the future!

Epitaph04 · #13 07-05-2011, 11:35 PM

So they were selling it used for 650? Sheesh! You can get it new at MF for less than that! Try searching on ebay too...506s tend to show up in flocks there every couple of weeks.

EDIT: Oh wow I just checked on MF and they're now 650 new! I got mine new about a year ago for 630ish..

oniman7 · #14 07-05-2011, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epitaph04

So they were selling it used for 650? Sheesh! You can get it new at MF for less than that! Try searching on ebay too...506s tend to show up in flocks there every couple of weeks.

Any reason why they show up in flocks?

I'll be checking around. I definitely want one now. It's a bit pricey for me. The most expensive instrument I've bought was my BTB, bought used for $230.

**peledog** · #15 07-05-2011, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oniman7

I've heard this before. But I really dug the sound. I'm one of those rare bassists who don't want a lot of bassy presence in their EQ. I tend to set that flat and add various mids and trebles for a kind of bitey, snappy, growly sound. The bass I tried definitely had this.

I hear you. Depends on the track, but I like that tone myself. Maybe it was the Barts on the SDGR. Nonetheless, versatility is important to my sound, and I personally didn't find that with SDGR. The neck though - wow, soooo comfortable. It's amazing to me how one bass will feel 'right' to one person and then it's complete bollocks to another person, lol.

This model looks amazing - has a contoured back like a Spector

Ibanez.com | Basses | SRT805DX

oniman7 · #16 07-05-2011, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peledog

I hear you. Depends on the track, but I like that tone myself. Maybe it was the Barts on the SDGR. Nonetheless, versatility is important to my sound, and I personally didn't find that with SDGR. The neck though - wow, soooo comfortable. It's amazing to me how one bass will feel 'right' to one person and then it's complete bollocks to another person, lol.

This model looks amazing - has a contoured back like a Spector

Ibanez.com | Basses | SRT805DX

that back does like comfortable. It just doesn't stick out to me like the Soundgear does, though

As far as versatility goes, I have a Jay Turser and a BTB, both active, which give me every range of sound I need if I need it. I'm also working on a Saga P-Bass kit and a fixer Jazz clone. That should give me plenty of versatility

But for what I'm doing, I like the Soundgear tone for the majority of the songs I'm doing. And I just can't get past how comfortable it was.

Epitaph04 · #17 07-05-2011, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oniman7

Any reason why they show up in flocks?

I'll be checking around. I definitely want one now. It's a bit pricey for me. The most expensive instrument I've bought was my BTB, bought used for $230.

Well they're relatively popular basses. I believe its the most "bang for your buck" 6 string you can get IMO. The only real problem they seem to have with a lot of people are the Bartolini MK 1 pickups on them. About half the TB crowd seems to hate them.

oniman7 · #18 07-05-2011, 11:43 PM

That's funny, I've actually heard very few bad things about Bartolini pups. Always heard they were great.

**peledog** · #19 07-05-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oniman7

that back does like comfortable. It just doesn't stick out to me like the Soundgear does, though

As far as versatility goes, I have a Jay Turser and a BTB, both active, which give me every range of sound I need if I need it. I'm also working on a Saga P-Bass kit and a fixer Jazz clone. That should give me plenty of versatility

But for what I'm doing, I like the Soundgear tone for the majority of the songs I'm doing. And I just can't get past how comfortable it was.

Hard to beat comfortable. Stick with what feels right. And, stick with what feels good too, lol.

darkstorm · #20 07-06-2011, 12:04 AM

Soundgears are very nice.