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Well it looks like the Ibanez Mezzo (srmd200/205) is discontinued

SaxBass

SaxBass

Supporting Member
Jun 17, 2003
299
330
San Diego
#1
The 2025 Ibanez catalog no longer has the Mezzo listed. Of course there are a bunch still for sale at retailers, but apparently it wasn't a big enough seller to continue.

The Mezzo came around at a perfect time for me. It's light, inexpensive, and sounds great (especially with an Audere preamp). The B string on my 5s sounds consistent with the other strings. Introduced in 2019, they had a bunch of colors for the 4 string and only a couple for 5. I'd say I'll miss them... but I won't 'cause I have two 5s and a 4 string.

The only downside for those basses is the B string on the 5. It sounds great with the stock strings, which are the D'Addario EXL165 long scale for the first 4 strings, but the B has to be medium scale to keep the winding off the tuner post. Apparently the B string was specially made for that bass by D'Addario, and only supplied to the Ibanez factory (product code XLB130m). I had a pretty difficult time locating additional B strings. I had to communicate a bunch with both Ibanez and D'Addario, finally getting them to provide them to some (?) retailers. I ended up with five of the special strings, but have not seen any more anywhere. It's okay- I'll outlive my B strings.
 
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#4
katonart said:
How do those Mezzo 5’s cut through in a live band situation?
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I think there are too many variables to answer that effectively. It does for me. I installed a 4-band EQ (Audere) and it gives me the ability to emphasize or de-emphasize frequencies to fit as needed. And of course the amp has tone shaping too. Then there are the concerns of other instruments competing in your sonic space. And your concept of tone and what cutting through sounds like to you.

It sounds like I'm trying to dodge your question, but it really is that complex (or simple) and personal. I go for a relatively generic bass tone that fits the music we're playing and the keys (and guitar) are kind and aware enough to stay out of my territory. :)
 
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#6
SaxBass said:
I think there are too many variables to answer that effectively. It does for me. I installed a 4-band EQ (Audere) and it gives me the ability to emphasize or de-emphasize frequencies to fit as needed. And of course the amp has tone shaping too. Then there are the concerns of other instruments competing in your sonic space. And your concept of tone and what cutting through sounds like to you.

It sounds like I'm trying to dodge your question, but it really is that complex (or simple) and personal. I go for a relatively generic bass tone that fits the music we're playing and the keys (and guitar) are kind and aware enough to stay out of my territory. :)
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I love my audere classic 3band. Have it in a Dingwall DROC. I also have a 4band pro z on the shelf just waiting for the right project. Which model did you use on your mezzo I want to replace the stock bridge pickup with a hum cancelling J and the stock preamp.
 
#7
Nuage420 said:
I love my audere classic 3band. Have it in a Dingwall DROC. I also have a 4band pro z on the shelf just waiting for the right project. Which model did you use on your mezzo I want to replace the stock bridge pickup with a hum cancelling J and the stock preamp.
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I have the 4 band classic in the 5, with stacked treble/bass and hi/lo mids. On my 4 string I thought I'd try the 3 band with the mid frequency switch. This has the stacked treble/bass and mids/blend. Either seems to be fine for me, but having 2 systems just confuses my aging brain. I haven't replaced the stock one yet in my other 5, but will use the straight 4 band classic. I like being able to shape the mids. Installing the stacked pots required slightly expanding the holes in the body, but nothing drastic.
 
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#8
SaxBass said:
I have the 4 band classic in the 5, with stacked treble/bass and hi/lo mids. On my 4 string I thought I'd try the 3 band with the mid frequency switch. This has the stacked treble/bass and mids/blend. Either seems to be fine for me, but having 2 systems just confuses my aging brain. I haven't replaced the stock one yet in my other 5, but will use the straight 4 band classic. I like being able to shape the mids. Installing the stacked pots required slightly expanding the holes in the body, but nothing drastic.
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Birds of a feather, I prefer two mids as well
 
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#10
A bit of a shame, I thought they looked cool and there aren't that many medium scale basses out there.

I never understood where you were supposed to find a medium scale low B for the 5 string, but I guess that just means the bass is begging to be EADGC tuned.
 
#11
Apparently there are medium scale strings for 5 string basses out there, but I happen to like the stock strings, both feel and sound, and didn't/don't want to change. It was extraordinarily frustrating to learn that Ibanez didn't somehow provide for the availability of the B string that comes on the bass.

The other four strings (as on the 4-string Mezzo) are the common EXL165 long scale. All Ibanez had to do was order more of the special B strings from D'Addario and stock them on their site. <sigh >

The last few specific B strings I found were at Sweetwater. I don't know if they can/will order more.
 
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#14
When it comes to Japanese instruments, if you find something you really like, there will probably be only a year or two to round one up as a new instrument.

The Japanese outlook is to have an endless churn of models year by year. Yamaha, Ibanez, and the rest would never generally make certain models for many years. They will take a model name or range as a name to hang onto, but rarely a particular model. Ibanez has made Soundgear basses since the 80's, but by now there must have been several hundred models since then. You'd never see a Japanese company offer a 60th Anniversary Precision Bass, largely unchanged in those 60 years. It's just a different mindset.
 
#16
richntiff said:
I’ve been looking at these for awhile. For strings - are there other readily available medium scale sets besides the DAddario set listed above? I have zero interest in jumping through hoops and searching high and low to put strings on my bass 😜
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DR short scale strings are technically medium wind, so you can get those, plus Dunlop makes medium scale rounds and flats for 5's
 
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#18
Nuage420 said:
SaxBass said:
I just checked, and the Sweetwater site says the D'Addario XLB130m is back ordered and they expect more. For what it's worth.
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I ordered them and some of the black tape wounds through my local shop on Thursday. I'm curious if they'll contact me to tell me they're back ordered.
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richntiff said:
I’ve been looking at these for awhile. For strings - are there other readily available medium scale sets besides the DAddario set listed above? I have zero interest in jumping through hoops and searching high and low to put strings on my bass
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FYI, medium-scale 5-string sets are offered by
- Curt Mangan (though they call it "short-scale" - 45130SC),
- La Bella (RX-N5A-M),
- Dunlop (DBSBN40120M, DBSBN45125M; also flatwound: DBFS40120M, DBFS45125M),
- Warwick (39300 ML 5, 39301 M 5; they also have the low B strings available as singles, including black nylon tapewound, to complete also-available medium-scale 4-string sets).
DR makes short-scale strings that are longer than most others, but the low-B and E taper at 33", which may or may not be enough for your 32" scale platform (sets SNMR5-45, SMR5-45).

Pyramid and Newtone are available for custom sets.
 
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#20
HaphAsSard said:
FYI, medium-scale 5-string sets are offered by
- Curt Mangan (though they call it "short-scale" - 45130SC),
- La Bella (RX-N5A-M),
- Dunlop (DBSBN40120M, DBSBN45125M; also flatwound: DBFS40120M, DBFS45125M),
- Warwick (39300 ML 5, 39301 M 5; they also have the low B strings available as singles, including black nylon tapewound, to complete also-available medium-scale 4-string sets).
DR makes short-scale strings that are longer than most others, but the low-B and E taper at 33", which may or may not be enough for your 32" scale platform (sets SNMR5-45, SMR5-45).

Pyramid and Newtone are available for custom sets.
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Forgot to add that
- medium-scale is a normal ordering option for a number of Galli sets including but not limited to the Jazz Flat JF45130
(but, lamentably, not the Black Nylon Tape Wound G77-5) from their website.
 
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