Down the rabbit hole again - Project 4350

[ChickWithaRic]

...and now I have to go the whole way and do the full body rout like Ibanez intended. Because, let's be honest, that really does look awesome.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

@ChickWithaRic
Are you seeing the Sawstop job site saws yet? I just saw one first time on a job site the other day, other than that it’s all the Dewalt with the rack and pinion fence, even for finish carpenters. If I had the $$$, I’d sell my Jet Contractor saw in a heartbeat and get Sawstop.

Speaking of Ric pups, I think they used the identical HB-1’s for bass and guitar. It’s all going into one output signal, can’t see why 4 of 6 poles would matter.?

 

[ChickWithaRic]

@ChickWithaRic
Are you seeing the Sawstop job site saws yet? I just saw one first time on a job site the other day, other than that it’s all the Dewalt with the rack and pinion fence, even for finish carpenters. If I had the $$$, I’d sell my Jet Contractor saw in a heartbeat and get Sawstop.

Speaking of Ric pups, I think they used the identical HB-1’s for bass and guitar. It’s all going into one output signal, can’t see why 4 of 6 poles would matter.?

I've seen the Sawstop but I'm into the Hitachi battery platform for over $2000 now and bought their brushless cordless contractor saw. It has very similar safety features, achieved via the brushless motor, which is basically a programable AC servo. Running on DC, yes brushless is weird. It has the rack and pinion fence, which is nice, and an extendable table.

On the subject of Ric pickups, yes they did use identical pick ups across the range. This may have influenced my decision.

 

[ChickWithaRic]

And I'm just looking at that and remembering that my EDB605 was only the second brand new bass I ever bought. My first was a Westone Spectrum DX. A relatively rare beast in the US, made in Japan, and a killer bass. It was stolen, along with all my other gear, and some of it was very nice, when I was in my early 20s, and I know who stole it. Never try to befriend smack heads. They'd steal the smell off your fart if they figured they could get away with it. Lesson learned. I thought I was being a nice person. In reality I was just being a sucker for a pretty face and a hard luck story, and, I dunno, maybe I foolishly thought I could change somebody. Sigh. Per ardua, ad astra.

I'd really like another EDB 600, although they smelled strongly of diesel they were really nice instruments. My previous Ibanez was a Roadstar II, which I think is the greatest P bass that 7ender didn't make, and I preferred it to the Squier I had available at the time. I dropped a Gotoh bridge on it, Schaller tuners, and a DiMarzio, but it didn't really need any of them. It was good to go right out of the box. I bought it used for $60. It even had the ingenious Ibanez 80s V shaped strap buttons, that should be standard equipment on all new basses by law.

When I think about it, I'd buy any of the basses I mentioned here in a heartbeat if I had the money available. I've sold some very nice big name stuff that I've never missed even for a moment, but I do miss those very, I suppose kind of everyday, instruments that I just mentioned. I think because I owned them at important or memorable times of my life. It would be nice to replace them.

 

[Flamingo21]

It was stolen, along with all my other gear, and some of it was very nice, when I was in my early 20s, and I know who stole it. Never try to befriend smack heads.

Ouch. You learnt that lesson the hard way!

 

[Lo-E]

...and now I have to go the whole way and do the full body rout like Ibanez intended. Because, let's be honest, that really does look awesome.

Good choice. That’s going to look great.

Yes, the Roadstar II was an outstanding instrument (actually a whole series of instruments). I’ll even go as far as to say just about everything Ibanez built from around 1976 to 1983 or maybe a little later (1986?) was as good as anything needs to be. Their quality was crazy good.

I’m not as down on Fender as you are and I’ve owned and still own some quite excellent instruments with that name on the headstock but I will give you this: I’ve also played some clunkers with that name on the headstock but I’ve never, ever, played a bad Ibanez from that time period. Come to think of it, that might apply to all instruments made in Japan at that time.

 

[mapleglo]

Here's my Roadstar ll:

This was my main bass from the 80's when I bought it, to probably 10 years ago. Very light, great "P" sound, and inexpensive. Oddly enough, when I first got it, I put on new Rotosound strings. They are still on the bass, after all this time. Yes, they are a little dead, but offer a nice sound, almost a flat wound sound, but with a little bite.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Good choice. That’s going to look great.

Yes, the Roadstar II was an outstanding instrument (actually a whole series of instruments). I’ll even go as far as to say just about everything Ibanez built from around 1976 to 1983 or maybe a little later (1986?) was as good as anything needs to be. Their quality was crazy good.

I’m not as down on Fender as you are and I’ve owned and still own some quite excellent instruments with that name on the headstock but I will give you this: I’ve also played some clunkers with that name on the headstock but I’ve never, ever, played a bad Ibanez from that time period. Come to think of it, that might apply to all instruments made in Japan at that time.

I agree about Japanese instruments from that era. Like I said in a post about Westone basses but it applies more generally, I wish I’d bought a pickup bed full back when you couldn’t hardly give them away. Ah well…

 

[Lo-E]

I agree about Japanese instruments from that era. Like I said in a post about Westone basses but it applies more generally, I wish I’d bought a pickup bed full back when you couldn’t hardly give them away. Ah well…

My first bass, which I bought from a friend in college, was a 1979 Ibanez Studio; an uncommon model that’s built like a tank and weighs about as much as one. My friend sold it to me for $100 (and was worried he was overcharging me) because he was saving up for another bass he was obsessed with: a pearl white Westone.

I still have that Ibanez and I still remember his reasoning for charging so little for it: “It isn’t shiny or anything.”

 

[RichterScale]

...and now I have to go the whole way and do the full body rout like Ibanez intended. Because, let's be honest, that really does look awesome.

By "full body", do you mean strung through the body, full route for the bridges, full body paint job?

 

[Flamingo21]

I still remember his reasoning for charging so little for it: “It isn’t shiny or anything.”

 

[Flamingo21]

Here's my Roadstar ll:

Those tuners!

 

[ChickWithaRic]

By "full body", do you mean strung through the body, full route for the bridges, full body paint job?

I'll rout the bridges 1/8 or so into the body, like on the Ibanez EDB900.

 

[ChickWithaRic]

Good choice. That’s going to look great.

Yes, the Roadstar II was an outstanding instrument (actually a whole series of instruments). I’ll even go as far as to say just about everything Ibanez built from around 1976 to 1983 or maybe a little later (1986?) was as good as anything needs to be. Their quality was crazy good.

I’m not as down on Fender as you are and I’ve owned and still own some quite excellent instruments with that name on the headstock but I will give you this: I’ve also played some clunkers with that name on the headstock but I’ve never, ever, played a bad Ibanez from that time period. Come to think of it, that might apply to all instruments made in Japan at that time.

My experience with the Roadstar II certainly influenced my later buying choices. I bought the Ergodyne EDB605 I mentioned previously, and later a BTB200. The EDB was Korean, I think 2005, and every bit as well made as its Japanese stable mates. I don't remember anybody ever having a bad word to say about that bass other than "Hey can you smell diesel?".

I wasn't so happy with the BTB, which was Indonesian. Well made enough, nicely finished, but on reflection it was a poor choice for me. That huge slab body and 35 inch scale weren't really ideal for a player on the petite side. I felt like I was playing an aircraft carrier. The PHAT-EQ electronics were kind of dull too, I believe they were a license built copy of EMG's Bass Xpander module. They sounded great in the store...

 

[Lo-E]

I wasn't so happy with the BTB…. …on reflection it was a poor choice for me. That huge slab body and 35 inch scale weren't really ideal for a player on the petite side. I felt like I was playing an aircraft carrier.

While I think Ibby still offers excellent instruments at every price point, I lost interest in Ibanez’ product line when they started making their necks thinner and thinner. In fact, as a player with fairly big mitts, the BTBs have been the only recent(ish) basses of theirs that seemed interesting to me, although I’m not really jonesing for one. I would probably enjoy playing an aircraft carrier.

 

[RichterScale]

I'll rout the bridges 1/8 or so into the body, like on the Ibanez EDB900.

Ah, got it.
Being a super genius, sometimes I struggle with the obvious.

 

[A9X]

You must have some f***ing big books.

Nah, I just don't like small speakers, and that was positively petite compared to my old horn system.

Per ardua, ad astra

Makes me think of my Grandfather who was a wrench on aircraft during WWII in the Pacific (RAAF motto). Beaufighters were his love.

My previous Ibanez was a Roadstar II, which I think is the greatest P bass that 7ender didn't make

Agreed. I have a RB620...

I dropped a Gotoh bridge on it, Schaller tuners, and a DiMarzio, but it didn't really need any of them. It was good to go right out of the box.

...with a replaced G tuner and I'm tempted to put the chrome Gotoh bridge I found recently and a set of GB707s on it. I'm not muck of a 7ender or P fan, but for what I paid for it, there's no point in selling it. Not mine but it looks like this.

It was stolen, along with all my other gear, and some of it was very nice, when I was in my early 20s, and I know who stole it. Never try to befriend smack heads.

Been there too, and whilst I was angry about it for a long time, life circumstance have given me a different perspective as I got older; there but for the Grace of God go I.

That huge slab body and 35 inch scale weren't really ideal for a player on the petite side. I felt like I was playing an aircraft carrier.

I used to call mine the Nimitz when I got it but grew into it and now it's my fave, but it's a Volo and 33". I still lust after the BTB1826 though and if I got one, I think I'd damn well make it work in my hands. I think it's about the prettiest bass I've ever seen.

 

[ChickWithaRic]

Agreed. I have a RB620...

...with a replaced G tuner and I'm tempted to put the chrome Gotoh bridge I found recently and a set of GB707s on it. I'm not muck of a 7ender or P fan, but for what I paid for it, there's no point in selling it. Not mine but it looks like this.

View attachment 4474280

Mine was a 630. We didn't see many 620s, with the Artist series style 2+2 headstock. That picture just reminded me of Ibanez' subtle reworking of the P bass body shape on the horns. I always liked that little touch.

 

[A9X]

Mine was a 630.

Nice. My first bass was a very similar Blazer, but instead of the ash/maple it was a tobacco burst and I'm not sure what the body was*. I bought it new in 83, but it must have been an 82 as apparently production stopped then.

We didn't see many 620s, with the Artist series style 2+2 headstock.

I just assumed they were reasonably common. I prefer this headstock over the 4IL by a large margin.

* Edit: just found an old catalogue that says it was mahogany.

 

[JIO]

These arrived today. I don't think they're a copy of anything, they're just Chinesium but they look solid enough and I'll be able to get the odd Ric string spacing with them.

View attachment 4461416

They're kind of, I suppose "interesting" is the word I'm looking for. They won't do top loading, they are string through body only.

They get even more interesting when you turn them over.

View attachment 4461428

I think that somebody has successfully identified a problem that doesn't exist, and solved it. I get the idea that there's a string guide guide there, and a lug at the tail end to prevent rotation, but are either of those actually problem areas? I've been feeding strings through bodies for years and have never not managed to find the bridge with the pointy end, and I've never had a monorail rotate on me, mostly because they are held down with at least two screws which is a pretty effective anti rotation mechanism. But great work, whoever did this. Really, great work.

This means that to fit each rail, you have to drill two very accurately positioned holes, and rout a 1/2" x 3/8" slot into the body in exactly the right spot. I might be missing a concept here. Perhaps you're supposed to rout huge long slots and slide the rails around in them to set the intonation, presumably ignoring the million screwholes from setting up for previous gauges of strings as time passes. Speaking of intonation, there's a whole 5/16" of fore - aft saddle movement, which kind of forces you into a staggered arrangement and means you have very little room for error in placement.

As if the fact that you need to carry out 12 very precise machining operations to install the set wasn't enough to deal with.

Or I dunno, maybe the designer just liked boats, and made it kinda look like a boat. But when you install it, it's going to be a capsized boat. This whole device seems almost like the product of a mind at the borderline of sociopathy.

View attachment 4461439

I'm feeling whelmed. Not under or over whelmed, just baseline whelmed. And of course, these parts are so downright weird, over designed, and anarchic, that they are just crying out to be used on a Ric inspired bass, so of course I'm going to use them.

So that worked out pretty well, I'd say.

I've used these Ibanez individual bridge units on a few basses. Like the G&L bridge - the underside flanges are anchors uniting the bridge with the body. I drilled/routed the cavities tight so the flanges interface with the body wood.