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Anyone else think Ibanez should change their SR body?

I'm not bashing Ibanez! I played them on stage from 97- 2002 in my nu metal days. I'm looking for a 24 fret bass and every time I see a Ibanez I think.. Damn these are some boring looking basses. They are hella good basses, especially in the $700 price range, but the same body shape since the 80's. Am I alone in thinking aboot this?
I own six SR's. While three of them have similar body shapes, three of them have variations that emulate the P-bass, J-bass, and MM bass. If you are looking only at the SR series, yes, you are looking at a line of legacy models that have proven successful and popular over decades. Similarly, there are some companies that keep releasing the same models only to modify the finish and neck shape then renaming them and calling them 'limited editions.'

If you don't like the boring shapes of the Ibanez SR's vote with your wallet and find yourself a unique bass that suits your needs from another brand. This is the USA where choices are plentiful.
 
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I should note that by far my most comfortable bass to hold/play, lightest, easiest to play, with super responsive awesomeness is my cheapo entry level early 2000s SR300.

Why don't I play it all the time?

I prefer my 6 string - but not in the aspects listed above... in every other way though. I dislike how easy it is to bend the neck on my soundgear while playing - with low action you can easily fret it out with some small neck pulls that I, apparently, tend to do a lot, and only affect things on basses with very flexible necks, like the old sr300 I have. So I have to be careful when I play it. Partly cuz it's SO light and fun to play that I tend to jump around and move it around more than my big, comparatively heavy (10lb), 6 string.

But I mean, seriously - if possible I would want this bass:

soundgear lightness, shape, comfort, punchyness, balance, size, scale length (34")

fancy wood finish (the recent trend to sexy body wood with even sexier top wood and the curved edges showing each in transition... I want that)... but again still super light weight and punchy like my sr300.

6 string

NECK THROUGH

and there ya go. Build me that and I will be happy. Oh, and like I have to be able to afford it LoL. Small caveat, there.

Well under 10lbs. Replaced the phat2 with a 2band seymour duncan, bridge upgraded to the ibanez 300 series, tuners from a tune bass and it's a little monster.
 

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I'm not bashing Ibanez! I played them on stage from 97- 2002 in my nu metal days. I'm looking for a 24 fret bass and every time I see a Ibanez I think.. Damn these are some boring looking basses. They are hella good basses, especially in the $700 price range, but the same body shape since the 80's. Am I alone in thinking aboot this?
P bass ain't changed either!!!
Why would you change a proven, nearly classic shape when you have many many other options, or could just release a new model altogether?
 
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I just picked up an SR1200 Premium second hand. I generally don't like natural finishes and definitely don't like gold hardware but it is just so nice to play that I had to get it. Yes, I like thin, narrow necks so this fits the bill there. And at only 7.7lbs with no neck dive whatsoever it sits on the strap so comfortably letting me move up and down the neck with ease. I honestly see no reason to change the shape when there are so many other options in their line-up.
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My ibby SR is so ugly I can hardly stand looking at it. View attachment 3964538
I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic so i'll assume you are not and agree that it is quite ugly....... but i'll bet that it is a joy to play and probably sounds great too!.
 
I guess I’ve always been turned off by the fact that the SR series seemed (to me) a pretty blatant copy of the Tune Bass Maniac.

Besides Ibanez, the Bass Maniac “inspired” models by Kawai, Bass Collection, and others. I figure: if I wanted that style of bass, I’d rather track down an original Tune. Same reason I’d prefer a Spector NS over a Warwick Streamer.
 
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The SR basses are great pieces that have been manufactured for a good while. They feel great, they sound great, they're reliable. The looks aren't my thing but they've got some beginner models as well as some pretty sweet models with "higher quality" woods and more premium pickups and they're all good stuff.

It's one of those, the VW beetle (the old one like in the Herby movies) was discontinued in 2003 apparently. They sold well enough to keep going that long with a relatively unchanged design. If that can happen I don't see why fender and Gibson can't keep pumping p basses and les pauls, and Ibanez can't keep a good thing going with the SR basses. A good thing that works is just a good thing that works I guess.
 
I have 3 of the SR1400's. 4, 5 and 6 string. Love the shape. Love the sound. Hate the color. They are all a nice layered wood look, but in a dark brown stain that is boring. That is the only thing that I don't like about them. Would love some color to the stain, or even a solid in an interesting color. This is not an instrument that makes you stand out on stage. Beautiful close up. Not so much from the audience perspective. At the time that I bought them that was all that was offered. I was jealous of their cheap bases with bright colors. I remember something like an SR400 that had a curly maple top in a colorful stain and wondering why the 1400 line did not have this option.
 
You can see from the photo at left that I own one - an SR655. I’m not in love with the body style but the price was ok, it played so well and sounded great so there it is. Availability and price are big issues for us in Australia. It had an awful finish that I stripped because the natural finish was not available here. I don’t care for the BTB series either. I do like the old Musician style and I also have one of those.
 
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