2015 Ibanez fanned frets bass

Wow that looks beautiful. I think this is the nicest looking SR model they have ever made.

 

Not too pricey either. A quick search only shows this model available in the UK, but at £725 ($1,111) it's a smoking deal! Can't wait to see these come up in the classifieds.

 

I've been diggin' on their walnut BTB basses lately. Too bad they didn't put fanned frets on one of those.

 

That's the one with E-C tuning, right?

 

I am very interested. What is scale? I am assuming 37".

On a side note, I love the fact how only @Nobody has liked the original post. It currently reads as "Nobody likes this."

 

No not at all. The low B has a 35.5 inch scale length, not 37 inch like Dingwall

 

cool, it looks to be a lesser angle (of fanned frets) than a dingwall.

 

It bums me out they leave BTBs out in the cold so often - the BTB platform should have a Premium offering, and in my mind would have been a better home for a fanned fret bass.

 

While I'm not in the market or position to buy anything I would love to try one just to see what it's all about.

 

That's because a Dingwall has a 37 inch - 34 inch scale length (depending on the model and number of strings of course. There are also other scale lengths). This Ibanez comes with 35,5 inch - 34 inch scale length. Not such a huge difference from one side to another.

 

Really excited for these, especially the six string version.

 

Do you actually get the standard benefits of fanned frets if the difference is that subtle?

 

Well it's a great concept if you want to get more out of your strings, or if you play in alternative tunings. This way, you don't have to huge thick strings, but still have more tension on the strings and this creates more clearity in the sound. Try to look for the bass gear video of Adam Nolly Getgood from Periphery. He is endorsed by Dingwall and plays a lot in Drop A flat and owns one 6 string bass that is tuned to F# standard. All his basses have a 37 - 34 inch scale length, though the 6 string has a 37 inch - 31 inch scale length if I'm correct.

 

I would guess that it's a matter of degree. The B, at a given string gauge, is going to be nowhere near as tight on the 35.5" scale as on the 37" Dingwall, but tighter than on a 34" or even 35" 5 string.

 

Actually, he endorses Dingwall...that's how those deals work.

Nolly plays a number of Sheldon's basses, but lately mostly plays his signature bass, which is a tricked out Combustion with a Darkglass preamp. He also owns and uses a few of Sheldon's short scale instruments.

On the Ibanez, the first versions of these showed up at shows and in print last year. The rather conservative scale range and some of the other build aspects leave me feeling underwhelmed by their efforts.

 

There's been a "premium" BTB for some time.

The BTB had quite a bit of movement in the past couple of years with the premium model, the singlecut body style, and a 7 string BTB.

 

The btb does have a premium offering. But I agree that they should do some more to the line.

 

Don't forget that with tax and everything usually (in the world of musical instruments) GBP (£) = USD ($). For example, an SR300 is around £300 in the UK and $350 in the US, despite currency exchange being greater. This HOPEFULLY (don't quote me) will mean that it may be a sub $1,000 when released in the US.

I for one cannot wait to try one of these!

 

Does it come in a 6-string version? I couldn't find anything about that on the web.
I would be interested to try one. I almost bought an Ibanez SR1806 Premium with the 34-inch scale. I took it home for a test drive. It was really comfortable except for the tight string spacing. However, the stock B-string would not intonate. The saddle just couldn't be moved far enough. I swapped it for a B-string with a tapered end over the saddle, which did intonate at the 12th fret but not at the 24th.
Maybe the extra inch-and-a-half will make a difference on this new model – but there is nothing like the 37-inch B and 33.25-inch C on a Dingwall.