an unexpected surprise - ibanez GSR100EX

[pcake]

my husband volunteered to mod a bass into a headless and cut away part of the body as i want something lighter than 5 pounds. he didn't want to deal with paint, so i ordered the Ibanez GSR100EX, a gio that's the cheapest 34" scale bass on any music website. i wasn't expecting much, and figured that i could always replace the pickup after doing the mod.

so the bass showed up a little over an hour ago, and imagine my surprise! it sounds great - a little music man-ish, lots of low end. the neck, which is a hint wider than more expensive soundgear basses but is the same as the GSR200, is nice to play. in fact, within about 2 minutes, i no longer noticed it at all, always a good sign. the neck is smooth but not glossy.

while there are some slightly rough parts on the body, it's not parts where it bothers me. the finish is only oil, so since there's some end grain, that's probably why it's not perfectly smooth. their gloss black version is probably smooth, but i have only seen this version at GC. oh, we like the stripey body, too.

i played it for most of an hour - i didn't mean to, but in addition to a nice sound and feel, it doesn't hurt my shoulder when i play it while sitting down, and that's unusual for a full sized bass.

my husband doesn't want to do surgery on it - he said he'd take it off my hands if i didn't want it, and we'd buy another bass to mod

Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• 4
• ibanez gio

Full bass GSR100EX

Body Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• ibanez bass

Body closeup Ibanez GSR100EX

Headstock Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• headstock

Soundgear headstock

 

[EdO.]

I have a GSR 100 I bought as a Christmas present for my son probably 15 years ago, he played with it for a couple years and its sat in the corner of a closet pretty much ever since. Stumbled across it a couple years ago, needed a setup, major neck adjustment and cleaning, but put a new set of strings on it and it plays really nice. Needs the pots all replaced but with a little love it could be a player. Haven't messed with it as I have several other basses I play regularly, but I wouldn't hesitate to fix it up and play it out if needed.

 

[Mr_O'B]

my husband volunteered to mod a bass into a headless and cut away part of the body as i want something lighter than 5 pounds. he didn't want to deal with paint, so i ordered the Ibanez GSR100EX, a gio that's the cheapest 34" scale bass on any music website. i wasn't expecting much, and figured that i could always replace the pickup after doing the mod.

so the bass showed up a little over an hour ago, and imagine my surprise! it sounds great - a little music man-ish, lots of low end. the neck, which is a hint wider than more expensive soundgear basses but is the same as the GSR200, is nice to play. in fact, within about 2 minutes, i no longer noticed it at all, always a good sign. the neck is smooth but not glossy.

while there are some slightly rough parts on the body, it's not parts where it bothers me. the finish is only oil, so since there's some end grain, that's probably why it's not perfectly smooth. their gloss black version is probably smooth, but i have only seen this version at GC. oh, we like the stripey body, too.

i played it for most of an hour - i didn't mean to, but in addition to a nice sound and feel, it doesn't hurt my shoulder when i play it while sitting down, and that's unusual for a full sized bass.

my husband doesn't want to do surgery on it - he said he'd take it off my hands if i didn't want it, and we'd buy another bass to mod

Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• 4
• ibanez gio

Full bass GSR100EX

Body Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• ibanez bass

Body closeup Ibanez GSR100EX

Headstock Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• headstock

Soundgear headstock

Great story! Good luck with your new baby!

Unless your husband is a surgeon or Dr. Frankenstein you shouldn’t let him come near your hands!

 

[fretter]

Nice bass. I'm not sure the wider neck would work for me. The MM sound, however, is intriguing.

 

[pcake]

Nice bass. I'm not sure the wider neck would work for me. The MM sound, however, is intriguing.

i prefer the 1.5" nut on the SR500 and the SRH500, but this neck is still not as wide as a P bass.

 

[motoman]

Funny I was thinking of doing the same thing to a used cheap bass. I can,t afford a stineburger or even a copy. Want something really easy to move around the house with

 

[pcake]

Funny I was thinking of doing the same thing to a used cheap bass. I can,t afford a stineburger or even a copy. Want something really easy to move around the house with

funny you bring that up. i was about to pull the trigger on a steinberger spirit XT-2 when a TB member texted me and told me his was 9 pounds! that's when my husband told me he'd make me a headless as light as i wanted. i guess i'll be getting a used bass to make the lightweight headless happen.

does it have to be a headless? if not, the ibanez mikro is light weight, small overall with a small body and a short 28.6" scale, and brand new it's $179 - i got a b-stock one for $139, and used they're even cheaper.

or while not headless, check out the hofner shorty! very small body, 30" scale. they go new for $199, you can pick one up for 15% off on GC, MF and sam ash holiday sales, and if you can find one used, you should be able to get it for less.

hofner shorty

• pcake
• Apr 16, 2016
• 2
• hofner shorty short scale bass

 

[motoman]

Thanks for the advice but I do want to stay with a 34" scale. I have a very hard time fretting notes without looking . I think if I went short scale it would mess me up if I went back to a 34"

 

[EdO.]

Thanks for the advice but I do want to stay with a 34" scale. I have a very hard time fretting notes without looking . I think if I went short scale it would mess me up if I went back to a 34"

Eh, not so much. Stretch a little less but it's really not that much of an adjustment.

 

[Border]

Hey pcake, congratulations on your new bass. I have not seen that model before. But it looks like a nice bass. I too have become much more conscious of the weight of my instruments in the last couple of years. I wish you the best of luck finding the right light bass.

 

[pcake]

Thanks for the advice but I do want to stay with a 34" scale. I have a very hard time fretting notes without looking . I think if I went short scale it would mess me up if I went back to a 34"

well, hopefully you can find one of these used and do a little surgery on it.

Hey pcake, congratulations on your new bass. I have not seen that model before. But it looks like a nice bass. I too have become much more conscious of the weight of my instruments in the last couple of years. I wish you the best of luck finding the right light bass.

thank you

 

[fretter]

The Ibanez Mikro has a Jatoba fretboard. That's an interesting tone wood. Recommended strings are, according to an online customer review, DR Hi-Beam flats, which run $65. Phew. The bass looks like a great deal though.

 

[Williethump]

I want one of these! Mighty purty.
I'm having more good luck with my new Rogue Beatle bass than with the Ibby Mikro I bought sound unheard from Reverb.
The Rogue violin bass has a nice thumpy, woody tone, especially with La Bella flats, while the Mikro's tone was...
Neither short scale, though, presented any fingering problem compared to my longscale 34" Yamaha RBX-170EW.
I hardly notice except that I have to stretch a bit less.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

my husband volunteered to mod a bass into a headless and cut away part of the body as i want something lighter than 5 pounds. he didn't want to deal with paint, so i ordered the Ibanez GSR100EX, a gio that's the cheapest 34" scale bass on any music website. i wasn't expecting much, and figured that i could always replace the pickup after doing the mod.

so the bass showed up a little over an hour ago, and imagine my surprise! it sounds great - a little music man-ish, lots of low end. the neck, which is a hint wider than more expensive soundgear basses but is the same as the GSR200, is nice to play. in fact, within about 2 minutes, i no longer noticed it at all, always a good sign. the neck is smooth but not glossy.

while there are some slightly rough parts on the body, it's not parts where it bothers me. the finish is only oil, so since there's some end grain, that's probably why it's not perfectly smooth. their gloss black version is probably smooth, but i have only seen this version at GC. oh, we like the stripey body, too.

i played it for most of an hour - i didn't mean to, but in addition to a nice sound and feel, it doesn't hurt my shoulder when i play it while sitting down, and that's unusual for a full sized bass.

my husband doesn't want to do surgery on it - he said he'd take it off my hands if i didn't want it, and we'd buy another bass to mod

Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• 4
• ibanez gio

Full bass GSR100EX

Body Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• ibanez bass

Body closeup Ibanez GSR100EX

Headstock Ibanez GSR100EX

• pcake
• Sep 29, 2018
• headstock

Soundgear headstock

Yeah, I'm still blown away after 16 years with my old GSR200. I just converted it to a fretless, and it has even more character to the sound. In all these years, I have yet to find a more comfortable, nicer playing bass. Sure, things sound better, It only cost me 100 bucks with an amp, leather strap, gig bag, and cable. But, this guy doesn't sound bad by any means. And the J freaking rocks in it. The P, is a P. Mines all passive. But with the frets out, it's got a nice wood tone to it now. Much less bland. I love it. But, still getting used to not having frets.

 

[bobba66]

Got an old GSR200 I bought for my daughter years ago. Pretty sweet bass for the money......

 

[nilorius]

It's a good bass for it's price.

 

[pcake]

It's a good bass for it's price.

it is. the pickup doesn't split, and tone is a single control rather than one for bass and one for treble, and of course there's no selector switch. but overall i'm really enjoying it; in fact, i'm playing it right now.

 

[motoman]

I have an older gsr 200 3 knob very good bass can,t believe it,s a starter bass

 

[pcake]

I have an older gsr 200 3 knob very good bass can,t believe it,s a starter bass

i like the GSR200s. btw, imo just because a bass is less expensive or less featured doesn't make it a starter bass - i don't think there's such a thing as a starter bass as they all have what you need to fully make music. also i've been playing bass since very early 1994 and guitar since 1968, and i just bought the GSR100 and am enjoying it.

 

[Spidey2112]

it is. the pickup doesn't split, and tone is a single control rather than one for bass and one for treble, and of course there's no selector switch. but overall i'm really enjoying it; in fact, i'm playing it right now.

There's your mod... and, it won't add that much weight, either.

Love the bass, but I'm really liking the dark headstock! Congrats, @pcake!