Best Flats for an Ibanez AGB205

[Jonathan X]

Hi Guys,

This is my first experience with a semi-acoustic bass. It's short scale, but uses long scale strings. Also, it's obviously a fiver.

My venues are Jazz, Gospel, and a bit of vintage 60s and early 70s rock. I am definitely into a flats sound and like big, warm, mellow, and darker tones whether down low, in the mids, or up top.

Thanks in advance for all your input.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Good you already know it requires long scale so you are good there.

Personally I like brighter flats on that instrument. That would be D'Addario Chromes, Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 or Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats.

 

[sonojono]

Try the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats first man you won't regret it especially for that Hot Ibanez you got!

 

[Jonathan X]

Good you already know it requires long scale so you are good there.

Personally I like brighter flats on that instrument. That would be D'Addario Chromes, Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 or Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats.

Thanks so much for this. I should've mentioned that it's my first time with flats, as well, and I was thinking maybe LaBellas. But you confirmed what someone else in the know suggested. And I really appreciate your taking the time.

 

[Jonathan X]

Try the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats first man you won't regret it especially for that Hot Ibanez you got!

Thanks alot for the suggestion. I'll definitely give them a look. And you're right about the AGB205. I fell in love the first time I saw and played it. It was exactly what I had been looking for, and I got a great deal to boot.

 

[Aidil]

I still have GAS for this bass. Sadly not available in my country.

As for best flats, according to this thread: Flats or Tapes for an Ibanez AGB205, there aren't any available since it requires very thick B string (stock is .145) with standard 5-string tuning (unless the tuning is changed to E to C).

 

[Jonathan X]

I still have GAS for this bass. Sadly not available in my country.

As for best flats, according to this thread: Flats or Tapes for an Ibanez AGB205, there aren't any available since it requires very thick B string (stock is .145) with standard 5-string tuning (unless the tuning is changed to E to C).

Thanks for the input. Actually, I took the advice given here and went with regular light chromes. And they are fantastic for this bass. Great playability and flexibility and it has a huge and rich warm tone.

 

[Aidil]

Thanks for the input. Actually, I took the advice given here and went with regular light chromes. And they are fantastic for this bass. Great playability and flexibility and it has a huge and rich warm tone.

So .132 Chrome isn't too floppy tuned low B for that bass?

 

[Jonathan X]

So .132 Chrome isn't too floppy tuned low B for that bass?

No, not at all. In fact, regular light gauge chromes is what one of the guys at bassstringsonline.com recommended specifically for it.

 

[Jonathan X]

One more thing about buying a case for the AGB 205. Ibanez has discontinued the recommended case. However, a lesser expensive alternative is to buy a generic version of the Jack Casady bass case. Mine fits great and saved a lot of cash. In Canada, that probably means buying one made by Yorkville.

 

[jemerpi]

I am the original poster, 7 years later.

I tried the chrome....one trick pony, woody and only warm, not articulate enough for such an instrument. The B string was especially inhibited.

I tried TI Jazz flats....beautiful tone but a one trick pony, really only good for soft rock, pop, and jazz. The B string was better, however.

I tried Rotosound Jazz 77 flats....bingo! Full and clear punchy tone, even the B string, and anywhere on the fretboard. Not as traditional sounding as the aforementioned flats. But, soloing neck pickup, I can get as woody and upright sounding as I am interested in. And, it sounds like an actual bass guitar when using other adjustments, including a modern sound when soloing the bridge pickup and tone rolled on. An interesting aside is that fingerstyle sounds better than pick style- which wasn't true with previous strings. The chromes needed help with articulation and the TIs sounded too mellow without a pick. Thus, the high tension and brightness of these strings serve the AGB205 extremely well.

 

[KenD]

I realize that this is a very old thread but can anyone post the actual string measurement from the ball end at the tailpiece to the far side of the nut, please.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I realize that this is a very old thread but can anyone post the actual string measurement from the ball end at the tailpiece to the far side of the nut, please.

Until someone posts measurements,

if the full-gauge winding length spec (to wit 37.1") for D'Addario long-scale strings, as mentioned by string vendors FretNation.com and Strings.fi, is consistent, the ball-anchoring to B-string tuning post distance on the Ibanez AGB205
- which I'm aware you didn't ask for, but bear with me -
looks to be a little over that, i.e. 37.5" tops:

Well the bass, and the strings, were delivered today. Here is what the D'Addario Nickels EXL230 and a XLB145 single line up. Looks pretty perfect! Thanks again for your help.

View attachment 2552594

View attachment 2552595

Now, as far as what you did ask for,
a little eyeballing of the outer-edge-of-nut to string-taper area from the above pics, compared to the inner-edge-of-nut to 1st fret distance (1.7" on a 30.3" scale instrument),


[ Ibanez AGB205 Artcore 5 String Bass 2016 Sunburst Bass For Sale Guitarbroker ]

Would seem to put the minimum length required for a full-wound string to clear the nut right at, or just a little south of, 35".


Having said the above, I'll gladly defer to actual owners of the instrument.

 

[KenD]

Thanks @HaphAsSard! A very impressive bit of investigation and extrapolation, and very helpful.

The reason I asked is that I just scored this beauty on reverb, advertised as being in mint condition. It has been shipped to me via Netherlands Post, which will hand off to Canada Post which is ON STRIKE! Grrrrr!

I want to order my favourite strings for it (SIT Silencers) and read here on TB that it requires long scale strings, which seemed improbable for a short scale bass, but you have confirmed that such is the case. Distance from the tailpiece to the bridge saddle and from the nut to the B tuning peg were perhaps specifically/intentionally designed that way?

 

[HaphAsSard]

Thanks @HaphAsSard! A very impressive bit of investigation and extrapolation, and very helpful.

The reason I asked is that I just scored this beauty on reverb, advertised as being in mint condition. It has been shipped to me via Netherlands Post, which will hand off to Canada Post which is ON STRIKE! Grrrrr!

View attachment 7080283

I want to order my favourite strings for it (SIT Silencers) and read here on TB that it requires long scale strings, which seemed improbable for a short scale bass, but you have confirmed that such is the case. Distance from the tailpiece to the bridge saddle and from the nut to the B tuning peg were perhaps specifically/intentionally designed that way?

In all likelihood. The bass shipped with a .145" low B (the designers's recipe apparently put tension - as in, the long-scale player had to find the playing experience familiar - as a priority), which can only be found in long-scale;
they could have just shipped the bass with a tailor-made winding length string set and left the buyer SOL at the first string change (it wouldn't have been the first time a shorter-scale bass manufacturer had done so, either) but, wisely, didn't, and instead made room at both sides of the scale length (as you've pointed out, not only is the stopbar tailpiece pretty far from the bridge, but the first tuner also is from the nut, in Rickenbacker fashion) to accommodate standard long-scale strings.

Anyway. If you have time, let me know if I've guessed right, and how the S.I.T. works for you on the new beast.

 

[KenD]

In all likelihood. The bass shipped with a .145" low B (the designers's recipe apparently put tension - as in, the long-scale player had to find the playing experience familiar - as a priority), which can only be found in long-scale;
they could have just shipped the bass with a tailor-made winding length string set and left the buyer SOL at the first string change (it wouldn't have been the first time a shorter-scale bass manufacturer had done so, either) but, wisely, didn't, and instead made room at both sides of the scale length (as you've pointed out, not only is the stopbar tailpiece pretty far from the bridge, but the first tuner also is from the nut, in Rickenbacker fashion) to accommodate standard long-scale strings.

Anyway. If you have time, let me know if I've guessed right, and how the S.I.T. works for you on the new beast.

Anyway. If you have time, let me know if I've guessed right, and how the S.I.T. works for you on the new beast.

I certainly will, in the fullness of time when the Canada Post strike resolves I have ordered the SIT Silencers long scale in anticipation.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I certainly will, in the fullness of time when the Canada Post strike resolves I have ordered the SIT Silencers long scale in anticipation.

Bumpo

 

[KenD]

I was going to write you The bass finally arrived on January 9



The estimates to repair were $1,000CAD+++ Full refinish required to do it properly, with no practical way to make the crack in the top binding completely invisible. The body wood does not appear to have been damaged.

Fortunately for me, Reverb has a very buyer friendly policy for items received in damaged condition and the seller was very straight up about it. I was entitled to a full refund of my purchase price, including shipping, which the seller immediately refunded to me via paypal, after seeing about 25 pix that I uploaded to Dropbox. Apparently he did have at least partial insurance. Here's where it gets interesting.

Reverb's policy also requires the seller to pay for return shipping of the damaged item. He messaged me to say that he didn't have any use for the guitar in damaged condition, repairs would cost him more than the value of the guitar and he didn't want to pay for return shipping so I can just keep the guitar and the refund!!!

I REALLY want this instrument. I have had saved searches in 2 or 3 places for the past 5 years, waiting for one to show up with this dark violin burst finish and in excellent to mint condition. Ibanez discontinued them in 2017 I believe, after only a few years of production. In hand, it feels and plays exactly as I had hoped. However, it has the original heavy gauge round wound strings tuned B>G, which have to go in favour of E>C which will be better suited to the 30" scale. And for this instrument's intended use, I will make far more use of the 22 notes on the C string than I ever would of the 5 additional notes on the low B (which is somewhat flabby sounding).

There are a couple of excellent guitar restoration/refinish shops in Vancouver so I will probably go ahead with getting it repaired. The cost will be only a few hundred $$$ more than I originally paid, and I'm too old to wait for another one to turn up (if ever) It's quite a saga and I feel like I have to go all the way to repairs to complete the journey.

More to come in the next chapter.

When all that settles down, I will let you know how the SIT Silencers sound on this guitar

 

[HaphAsSard]

I was going to write you The bass finally arrived on January 9

View attachment 7128028View attachment 7128029View attachment 7128030

The estimates to repair were $1,000CAD+++ Full refinish required to do it properly, with no practical way to make the crack in the top binding completely invisible. The body wood does not appear to have been damaged.

Fortunately for me, Reverb has a very buyer friendly policy for items received in damaged condition and the seller was very straight up about it. I was entitled to a full refund of my purchase price, including shipping, which the seller immediately refunded to me via paypal, after seeing about 25 pix that I uploaded to Dropbox. Apparently he did have at least partial insurance. Here's where it gets interesting.

Reverb's policy also requires the seller to pay for return shipping of the damaged item. He messaged me to say that he didn't have any use for the guitar in damaged condition, repairs would cost him more than the value of the guitar and he didn't want to pay for return shipping so I can just keep the guitar and the refund!!!

I REALLY want this instrument. I have had saved searches in 2 or 3 places for the past 5 years, waiting for one to show up with this dark violin burst finish and in excellent to mint condition. Ibanez discontinued them in 2017 I believe, after only a few years of production. In hand, it feels and plays exactly as I had hoped. However, it has the original heavy gauge round wound strings tuned B>G, which have to go in favour of E>C which will be better suited to the 30" scale. And for this instrument's intended use, I will make far more use of the 22 notes on the C string than I ever would of the 5 additional notes on the low B (which is somewhat flabby sounding).

There are a couple of excellent guitar restoration/refinish shops in Vancouver so I will probably go ahead with getting it repaired. The cost will be only a few hundred $$$ more than I originally paid, and I'm too old to wait for another one to turn up (if ever) It's quite a saga and I feel like I have to go all the way to repairs to complete the journey.

More to come in the next chapter.

When all that settles down, I will let you know how the SIT Silencers sound on this guitar

Promising!
[ ...Maddogit, though. : / ]