Ibanez SR500

[spego]

No doubt different tone on this one than the 500 I played. It wasn't a deal breaker though tonally......but I can see what you're saying though just from playing the 2 of these so close together....the 500 seemed to stand out a little more in an aggressive way. I'm mostly doing classic to current rock stuff in cover bands......so something a little more mellow edged probably makes more sense anyway for me.

Now I have noticed one issue with it while I've been playing it.......shifted to the front (neck) pickup it seems to have a bit of a dead spot under the A string which concerns me. I took a screwdriver and touched it to the pickup while it was plugged in and you can identify when the one rail stops and the other start (in a P formation inside the case) and they have a bit of a gap there which is causing this. I'm sure it was just a bad pickup when it was built......not sure if I can fix that but I'll take it apart and look at it anyway. Like I said it's very likely I'll screw with the electronics in this anyway just to see what it's capability truly is.

For now though.....blended slightly to the rear all the strings are even and it has a pretty decent growl when you dig in or use a pick on it.

[Solarmist]

I went for an SR600 too - it's a beautiful bass. In 2010 Ibanez changed the EQ from the Bart MK1 system to the new EQB-IIIS 3-band eq w/mid frequency switch.

[Cyborg]

Congratulations! The SR600 is a solid bass for sure. I own the SR505 and it's beautiful sounding instrument. The newer SR50x's are definitely mahogany but it's more or less stained and very susceptible to any mild abuse.

I've tried a SR605 and SR705 as well and they had a subtle difference in tone between them. Although, I'd be happy with any of them, as they all sounded great to my ears. I have to admit that I like the appearance of the SR60x and SR70x over the SR50x series.

Congratulations again!

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by spego

Well that didn't take too long to find a decent deal on one. I found a SR600 (ash body) with an Ibanez case for $369. It's got some rash on the back that looks like a cowboy used it......but it's a player anyway so I'm not too worried. I gave it a VERY good once over this morning and it's shined up nice now. Those furniture markers work nice on deep scratches to fill them in.

Anyway it will be gigged tonight to get an idea how it fits in full band......I suspect it will be no issue. I was able to get the action lower than what it was after I adjusted the truss rod too (after the string change). It plays SWEET with this little neck. I'm digging it so far. I'm a freak so electronics will get changed eventually. lol

You got one with a fantastic grain pattern! It's beautiful! Congrats.
It's a little lighter than an SR500 being made of Ash.

Don't listen to the Ibanez bashing ... they have their basses mixxed up anyway.

[Wallace320]

Originally Posted by IngerAlb

Congratz for the 600 BUT...you might find out that it doesn't have the exact same voice as the 500 The ash SR sounds mellower, bassier with a massive wooly bottom, while the 500 has a more aggressive tone with (to my ears at least) more note clarity/definition. The 600 sits better in the mix because it fills more sonic space, while the 500 tends to stand out.

As for the differences, you're right, they're real:
- up to 2007, the neck was wenge/bubinga; from 2008 to now, the neck is made of jatoba/bubinga. Wenge feels dry and stiff, while jatoba has an oil feel to it (like it's waxed).
- the older models have a chunkier neck; the newer ones (especially the 2009 models) feel like a D flat in the middle (close to Warwick's current neck profile), while the current models have (again) a slightly chunkier neck and a notch wider.
- the SRs with the mid switch have an overall more open tone (ppl used to complain about them sounding 'too dark'). The 50XM being the brightest sounding SR.
- the older models have a different finish that chips off with a touch of your fingernails; the new models have some sort of extra thin semitransparent oil finish (you can see the grain through it). It doesn't seem to peel off that easily, but it doesn't feel like it would endure the test of time either.
- also the body was reshaved a bit during the past years: up until 2008 they used to have normal rounded edges; now the lower body and the upper horn are shaved to an almost triangular profile (the body tends to dig in a bit when played seated). This also means reduced body mass - so the older models are heavier weight wise.
- there are a couple of other minor changes (like the new truss rod cover which I think was changed in 2008 - 2009) but overall, these are the main differences.

And yes, they do sound different depending on the production year.

+1
you said it all absolutely perfect

Thanx
That's a great piece of Ibanez mid Soungears review

Cheers,
Wallace

Ps: not knowin' here who actually said that, entry level soundgears (below 500) are not basswood (or at least, aren't anymore): they're maple or agathis body

[BullHorn]

The SR500 is one of the best basses ever produced. I've had 2 which I sold; couldn't resist, bought another one last week. It doesn't have the Bart's or the pre-amp, now it sounds super-vintage with DiMarzio pups and TI flats:

[spego]

Thanks all!

Played it during our gig last night......some friends said it sat in the mix out front nicely. As said above it sits in the mix......my one buddy said it wasn't like an overly aggressive tone but more smooth and just sat in the mix nice. It sounded good on stage and of course played well. I have a few things I have to adjust that I'm not used to but no doubt it's one cool bass. My back doesn't hurt either.

[Solarmist]

Slap some D'Add Prosteels on it, and watch it come to life!

They only weigh in at 7.5lbs.

[spego]

Originally Posted by Solarmist

Slap some D'Add Prosteels on it, and watch it come to life!

That's what I use one all my basses.

[spego]

I thought it might be fun to take this a little further (probably should start a new thread but I have some SR user interest built here so thought I'd continue).

So I put 1 short riff down through 3 selected basses and the SR600 I recently bought. The SR600 still stock (for now) and the other 3 are Warwick and Spector basses and all have aftermarket electronics (either pups, preamps, or both).

So which one sounds best? Or which one do you think is the SR600?

https://soundcloud.com/abram-loveland/4-bass-comp

Though I personally have my favorite one......I think they all sound great......but one being $379 and the others being $1K+ (not even including upgrades)......I just found this interesting.

Recorded through a USB interface, through a BBE BMAX-T. One line out if the BMAX-T DI and another mic'd out of a mesa 210 and blended together (if it matters to anyone).

[spego]

Wow kinda shocked no one commented on the sound samples. Maybe because I posted it on superbowl Sunday no one even looked at this post before it got buried.

[mystic38]

well, you could cheerfully sell any three

if i had to pick one sight unseen to own, all other things being equal it would be #3, but sure thats just my personal preference.

[spego]

Which one do you think is the stock SR600?

[mystic38]

f knows ..lol

pm me with the answer...?

[spego]

haha....will do

[stingray69]

Nice sound clips. I hear slight differences in amount of overall bass and/or mid range but nothing a slight EQ adjustment wouldn't balance out in a mix - clip 3 being the most mid-forward sounding to my ears. Which is the Ibanez - I dunno. They all sound great & very gig-worthy to me, but I know from experience that high price tags don't equal better tone at all - gotta judge each instrument on its own merits, and these are very fine sounding instruments to be sure.

Congrats again on the sweet SR-600! Looking forward to seeing what clip is the Ibby.

[synaesthesia]

I have one, picked up a lefty SR500 for a song in a cash convertors. I have many basses, Alembic, Ric, MM, Fender, custom made blah blah and several Ibanez basses. This one is too easy to work with that I don't ironically play it enough becuase there is nothing to fight, it is pretty much all there... nothing to sort out....- the neck is smooth and EQ range very useable and wide and the tone my preference of clean..the balance of pickups is where I want it to be.... if anything it is a tad too bright but the EQ sorts it out. I just wish that it looked like it should out out that much girth in tone, it doesn't look it but it does give it sonically..

And all for little money.