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Am I crazy.... Ibanez SR Basses

#121
Hey guys, I've been thinking about getting a fairly inexpensive 6 string, because I want to start learning on it early on, instead of later once I'm very accustomed to a 4 string.

The two I'm looking at are the GSR206 and the SR306EB. Would it be worth the extra $150 to get the 306 over the 206, or should I get the cheaper one to learn on for now? I have played the 206 and I enjoy how it plays a lot, especially for such a cheap bass. Thoughts?
 
#122
timsound said:
I have been playing for a long time. I have 2 Musicman basses, Geddy Lee Jazz and have had several others over the years. I play in church, newer rock contemporary.

Yesterday I went to a bass shop locally that specializes in Boutique basses...Looking for something new and different. I played Smith's, Roscoe's, an Andrew Gouche MTD Kingston, Elricks and they all sounded good, some better than others.

Today I went to my local large chain shop, for a few odds and ends. I saw an upper end MTD Kingston that I played and then a saw a Ibanez SR705 on the wall. I plugged it in and was blown away by the sound, the look, and construction. I know that the woods are better, better electronics, etc on the higher end stuff.

Am I cracking up that a $800 bass, can play as nice, look almost as nice, and sound as nice as instruments that cost 4 times as much. Frankly the only reason I did not buy it on the spot is because I think I need to make an appointment with my psychiatrist?

Anyone else feel this way?
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I went through the same thing earlier this year. I played an SR1200 and knew I had to have it. I wondered why I have expensive basses when the Ibanez sounds so good, weighs less, and costs so much less! I recently had it Plek'd and added a Hipshot D Tuner.
 
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#123
I have a sr 505 that I love, but don't play as much anymore. Honestly it gets a great sound, but I do need to upgrade the sound a little to get it closer to where I want it. I can get a nice and tight burpee sound out of it, I just want a little more growl. Other than that it's spot on. The feel and playability keeps it out of the case most of the year. If this was a neck-through it would be perfect. I got it used for 300.00. Most other basses can't touch it for feel.
 
#124
JGbassman said:
I have a sr 505 that I love, but don't play as much anymore. Honestly it gets a great sound, but I do need to upgrade the sound a little to get it closer to where I want it. I can get a nice and tight burpee sound out of it, I just want a little more growl. Other than that it's spot on. The feel and playability keeps it out of the case most of the year. If this was a neck-through it would be perfect. I got it used for 300.00. Most other basses can't touch it for feel.
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I had the SR500 and loved it as much as I could. I actually was my re-entry bass after a 47 year hiatus from music so I could raise and feed (and shoe, clothe and shelter) a family and wife.

It had solid thump and some nice upper-register secondary and tertiary notes that could readily be brought out easily and consistently.

However, my Fender Deluxe Jazz could duplicate the sound almost exactly and I had only one other Ibanez that was an acoustic that I had to keep - so the SR500 got sold. (sniff)

Honestly, if the headstock was more iconic, I'd still have it. It had a fast neck, super voice and although it weighed one ounce more than my Fender Deluxe - I knew it's time was limited, hanging on my wall or going out on a musical date.

Frankly, one seriously misguided reason why I kept it as long as I did was that playing a Wine & Cheese Tour in some POSH wineries in Temecula, CA, they would NOT allow a Fender into the band since as they said: "It looks cheap and plastic-y".

I made the guy who bought it from me promise to never slap it. He said "Yes, I won't" and the deal was done.

Ultimately, except for the non-iconic headstock - it was a great bass - alive and articulated as long as you left the Elixirs on it as the factory had installed.

Other brands of strings just didn't make it for me - 'cause they hid huge amounts of tone and controlled decay that the Elixers had in gobs!
 
#125
TheScarfyDoctor said:
Hey guys, I've been thinking about getting a fairly inexpensive 6 string, because I want to start learning on it early on, instead of later once I'm very accustomed to a 4 string.

The two I'm looking at are the GSR206 and the SR306EB. Would it be worth the extra $150 to get the 306 over the 206, or should I get the cheaper one to learn on for now? I have played the 206 and I enjoy how it plays a lot, especially for such a cheap bass. Thoughts?
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Well I've got a GSR206 and a SR506. The 205 has a few things that are a lesser bass than the SR506, And generally the rule is to look used and try to find as high an SR number as you can afford. But I'll tell you the truth. My SR506 is one amazing bass, but I just can't bring myself to sell the GSR206. There is just something about the tone and the way it plays that I just can't give up. It rocks. I suppose it's one of those things that some basses are keepers and some aren't. So just look around and see what speaks to you. In my opinion unless you are a wide string spacing kind of guy, you will be hard pressed to find a better introduction to 6 strings than one of the SR series regardless of number.
 
#126
bassbenj said:
Well I've got a GSR206 and a SR506. The 205 has a few things that are a lesser bass than the SR506, And generally the rule is to look used and try to find as high an SR number as you can afford. But I'll tell you the truth. My SR506 is one amazing bass, but I just can't bring myself to sell the GSR206. There is just something about the tone and the way it plays that I just can't give up. It rocks. I suppose it's one of those things that some basses are keepers and some aren't. So just look around and see what speaks to you. In my opinion unless you are a wide string spacing kind of guy, you will be hard pressed to find a better introduction to 6 strings than one of the SR series regardless of number.
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When you say the 206 rocks, do you mean it literally rocks? Because I mainly play rock, metal, punk, etc. Mostly harder stuff, but I want a 6 string to get that expanded range early on. Plus the price tag is really sweet. I got to play the 206 at Guitar Center and it seemed really nice, but I just wanted to see if my amatuer opinion was off, or if it actually was a decent bass to sink $300 in.
 
#127
I also have a 305 with a maple neck that has a great sound, more growl than my 505. It feels almost as good as the 505, but the hardware and upgrade on electronics nudge the 505 in the front.

The maple neck and Ibanez pickups in the 305 sound like a thicker jazz, with more bite. I put black block inlay stickers on it, and it looks great. I'd love to put some nordstrand big splits in it and the 505, I'd bet that would give it them the edge I'm looking for.
 
#128
TheScarfyDoctor said:
When you say the 206 rocks, do you mean it literally rocks? Because I mainly play rock, metal, punk, etc. Mostly harder stuff, but I want a 6 string to get that expanded range early on. Plus the price tag is really sweet. I got to play the 206 at Guitar Center and it seemed really nice, but I just wanted to see if my amatuer opinion was off, or if it actually was a decent bass to sink $300 in.
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Yes. My story goes like this. Prior to owning any Ibanez, I had played a few around the stores. Mostly they were high end stuff. I didn't like the feel. I didn't like the tone. And I especially didn't like that dull finish they've been pushing for a while. Then one day I'm rooting around Music Go Round as usual and just for grins I pull down this used (actually pretty well-used) plain old black paint GSR206 not expecting much at all. IMMEDIATELY I KNEW I'd be leaving the store with it even though the price was a bit high for such a used bass! And of course I did! I had to do the usual cleanup and setup but that bass just has SOMETHING, I don't know what that is, just IT! The tone just does it especially as you say for rock. It was big, fat and rocks the house. Just an amazing bass where you'd least expect to find one. Was it a one-off or are they all like that? Don't know. But then I decided to look around for a higher number to move up a bit. I found a nice used SR506 (For actually slightly less than I paid for the GSR206, and again gave it the D&C (dustin' and cleanin'). Well in some ways it was better. Fit and finish were superb. It had 24 frets which I really prefer in a 6 string and the output was really even across the strings (The GSR is a bit low on B and C strings and you have to compensate with EQ...I don't know if modern ones are like that as they changed the pickups).So I'm thinking I really should sell the GSR206 and stick with the SR506...But I just couldn't bring myself to unload that GSR206. There is just SOMETHING about it that just is special. While mostly I play the SR506, sometimes when I really want to kick some butt I pull out the old "beginner bass" and cut loose. Nope can't sell it.

So can you find one like that? Well. I'm sure it is possible. Will you, like me, just try a bass and KNOW you have to own it? Well I hope so, no matter what make/model/number it is.
 
#129
bassbenj said:
Yes. My story goes like this. Prior to owning any Ibanez, I had played a few around the stores. Mostly they were high end stuff. I didn't like the feel. I didn't like the tone. And I especially didn't like that dull finish they've been pushing for a while. Then one day I'm rooting around Music Go Round as usual and just for grins I pull down this used (actually pretty well-used) plain old black paint GSR206 not expecting much at all. IMMEDIATELY I KNEW I'd be leaving the store with it even though the price was a bit high for such a used bass! And of course I did! I had to do the usual cleanup and setup but that bass just has SOMETHING, I don't know what that is, just IT! The tone just does it especially as you say for rock. It was big, fat and rocks the house. Just an amazing bass where you'd least expect to find one. Was it a one-off or are they all like that? Don't know. But then I decided to look around for a higher number to move up a bit. I found a nice used SR506 (For actually slightly less than I paid for the GSR206, and again gave it the D&C (dustin' and cleanin'). Well in some ways it was better. Fit and finish were superb. It had 24 frets which I really prefer in a 6 string and the output was really even across the strings (The GSR is a bit low on B and C strings and you have to compensate with EQ...I don't know if modern ones are like that as they changed the pickups).So I'm thinking I really should sell the GSR206 and stick with the SR506...But I just couldn't bring myself to unload that GSR206. There is just SOMETHING about it that just is special. While mostly I play the SR506, sometimes when I really want to kick some butt I pull out the old "beginner bass" and cut loose. Nope can't sell it.

So can you find one like that? Well. I'm sure it is possible. Will you, like me, just try a bass and KNOW you have to own it? Well I hope so, no matter what make/model/number it is.
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Honestly, after playing the GSR206 in that Guitar Center, I just knew it was a solid bass and that I really loved it. I'm completely prepared to drop the $300 for it new, but I sadly have some other priorities first. Soon though, I'm dying to learn and play with it, it seems like a fantastic bass for the price range.
 
#132
I recently made the same discovery as the OP earlier on in the test when I snagged a SR655 used at GC for cheap. I wanted to add a 5 string to the stable.

After playing it a few days, I loved it enough to return it and get a SR1805. It's an amazing badb and man, is it pretty.

It's definitely converted me into an Ibanez fan boy.

I'm eyeballing a fretless Soundgear now.
 

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