First 5-String: Ibanez or ESP?

[huckleberry1]

BTB

 

[JennySuzuki]

If you are a bedroom player this doesn't really matter.

I think I've progressed to being a living room player, but I have ambitions on the garage. I'll be sure to take the weight of the instrument into account, and thank you for making that point!

 

[G On Bass]

Another part of the problem is the hick town where I live. I can at least drive a couple of hours to a Guitar Center and pick up an Ibanez so that I sort-of know something about them; things like the (very interesting; thank you for the suggestion!) Lakland you mentioned don't even fall into that category, alas.

Guitar Center sells Laklands....

Either way, good luck on your quest!

 

[Thrash3r]

I liked my BTB 676 but I would not want it on for a full night set, it was probably 12 pounds if not more. If you are a bedroom player this doesn't really matter.

Not all of them are that heavy, Sweetwater has 3 BTB676's, all around 10lbs.

 

[callofcthulhu]

I was in your position many years ago. I chose ESP and regretted it in a lot of ways. It was a nice bass and served me faithfully - good tones, good playing/feeling neck. But every time I picked up an Ibanez (SR or BTB) it just felt like a grown up version of my bass. Better built, better playing all around, although the tones were about the same really. I played the ESP hard for going on 10 years and it shows - frequent electronics problems, strap pins constantly coming out, I had the fretboard pop off at one point. Not saying an Ibanez would fair any better under the same abuse, just putting it out there.

But at the end of the day I'd probably do it again if I could go back and give myself the advice, for the simple fact that everyone has an Ibanez, you don't see ESPs as much.

Not a recommmendation either way, just my experience.

 

[Bridge_Cable]

Another vote for the BTB. I own a BTB776 and I could not be happier with it!

Fit and finish, quality of components, visually appealing (looks unique and professional!), and a great variety of pleasant sounding usable tones. The B string is nice and tight as it should be with a 35" scale bass, and sounds fantastic!

I get compliments on tone as well as the beauty of the instrument all the time.

I use a Neotech Mega Bass Strap as a very comfortable and relatively inexpensive solution to the weight issue.

 

[CoarseBass]

Okay, I'm sorry I just tossed it out

Thing with Ibanez is, that the BTB series can handle every situation. Yeah you must have heard that 1000 times earlier, but believe me, the BTB is like no other basses. It's neckthrough design that gives it more sustain and the wonderful Monorail IV bridge, which gives each string a independent bridge (saddle) plus it eliminates the string crossing with vibrations..

You drink too much kool aid, my friend. Neck through construction doesn't make a bass +1 masterwork sustaining - my BTB has less sustain than my ATK (except where my ATK has dead notes on the G string:G) With fresh Circle Ks, the ATK is freaking rediculous, the BTB is excellent as well, just not as eyebrow raising - but also dead even across the fretboard.

The monorail bridge provides independent saddles for each string - like virtually every bridge designed after the 60s. The elimination of string-string cross talk is Ibanez marketing garbage - the strings communicate to one another via the giant, rigid body. Go pluck your D string and tell me the G string doesn't ring. This is easily verifiable by literally anyone that owns a bass with such a bridge.

Don't get me wrong...I really like the monorail bridge. Elegant, easily adjustable, stable, locking, quick loading...its a winner, but it doesn't do anything most bridges don't.


I'm going to spank my BTB a bit now.

 

[Thomas Kievit]

Sure, in that case Ibanez is crap and ESP rules.

Have a nice day

You drink too much kool aid, my friend. Neck through construction doesn't make a bass +1 masterwork sustaining - my BTB has less sustain than my ATK (except where my ATK has dead notes on the G string:G) With fresh Circle Ks, the ATK is freaking rediculous, the BTB is excellent as well, just not as eyebrow raising - but also dead even across the fretboard.

The monorail bridge provides independent saddles for each string - like virtually every bridge designed after the 60s. The elimination of string-string cross talk is Ibanez marketing garbage - the strings communicate to one another via the giant, rigid body. Go pluck your D string and tell me the G string doesn't ring. This is easily verifiable by literally anyone that owns a bass with such a bridge.

Don't get me wrong...I really like the monorail bridge. Elegant, easily adjustable, stable, locking, quick loading...its a winner, but it doesn't do anything most bridges don't.


I'm going to spank my BTB a bit now.