How Ibanez got it right.

[funkybassplayer]

I've been playing the same Ibanez since day one. A '97 TR505. It's been played hard and loved for nearly 19 years now and looks nothing like it did new but still plays and feels just like day one. Can't beat this neck.

 

[Rib 13]

Its a great beater bass to keep around--one that someone wouldn't be fighting with to play but also one that you're not afraid to damage considering the price.

LOL - I bought mine specifically to use at Jam Nights and Open Mics that I host so jammers that didnt bring their basses in can whack it around all day and i could care less...As you say: Its a great sounding beater (I dont know if the 100 is active or not but the preamp on the 300 is pretty good -- just not Sire good LOL)...I had to lose it because I downsized houses so I got rid of a few things

 

[XrisThaBassman]

My most recent bass purchase is a 1981 Blazer, and it is a beast!

1981 Ibanez Blazer

• RaniBrandt
• Oct 5, 2016
• 1
• ibanez blazer

Unboxing

SHHH! Don't tell people that this plays as good or better than most P-basses on the market, and sounds like a buttery '72!

 

[Jay2U]

Ibanez quality for the buck is good. Their basses are very stable and durable.
But why don't they offer wider necks as an option. To me, apart from the ATK, they are way too thin to play comfortably.

 

[Antisyzygy]

LOL - I bought mine specifically to use at Jam Nights and Open Mics that I host so jammers that didnt bring their basses in can whack it around all day and i could care less...As you say: Its a great sounding beater (I dont know if the 100 is active or not but the preamp on the 300 is pretty good -- just not Sire good LOL)...I had to lose it because I downsized houses so I got rid of a few things

Yeah, the TMB100 is active. A simple Treble/Bass stacked knob are the controls. I think it's the same exact preamp as the TMB300. I'm not usually big on preamps so I can't comment too much on that other than I like how it doesn't seem to change the tone much, it just dials in your presence or the deep boom.

The TMB300 has the prettier neck with inlays and binding, and then the humbucker in the bridge with the coil split switch. The TMB100 has a real basic looking neck, then a single coil in the bridge and no switch.

The TMB100 has a pooply single coil in the bridge. I don't much care for it. I've been just soloing the neck 100% of the time. I'm going to swap the pickups here with something else soon, maybe GuitarFetish or some other cheap but decent set.

Overall I like it anyway. I am more impressed when a bass is comfortable to play than how the pickups sound since when I was a kid all the cheap basses just didn't feel right and buzzed from the frets like a MoFo. At least these Talmans use Fender style parts so it should be easy to upgrade what sucks about it. Mainly, the pickups.

The pick guard is going to be harder to replace. That's really the only other thing I don't care for about it. It's just that ugly photo red tortoise. I'm usually all for Tort but man this color just makes for an eye sore.

But anyway, I'm not really bitter about it because this bass cost me 160 dollars NEW. They have to cut costs somewhere. I think they did the right thing by cutting it at the pickups rather than the fit and finish elsewhere. At least if some beginner buys it as their first bass they won't be starting off wrong.

 

[lostreality]

My buddy just got a Gio RG on clearance for 150 and it smokes every other guitar I saw in that price range. Even though I'm not that into their basses I recommend them to everyone who's looking to start playing

 

[avalancheMM]

I became a convert about 6-7years ago when I bought A BTB776- whattabass, I then got a BTB675, again, a great bass, and my final was the limited edition Ashula, whichis great as far as build quality/form/fit/finish, but admittedly a bit of a gimmick that I don't utilize nearly enough as I could. A great bass nonetheless, and I probably would use it more, I just gravitate to my others first.

Regards

 

[XrisThaBassman]

Ibanez quality for the buck is good. Their basses are very stable and durable.
But why don't they offer wider necks as an option. To me, apart from the ATK, they are way too thin to play comfortably.

Try the BTB series. Wider neck goodness.

 

[Alex O]

Just had my SR505 converted to a fretless. It's the best fretless I've ever played.

 

[Medicine Man]

Great basses, but I prefer a beefier neck.

 

[Phildevoid]

My first bass was an Ibanez and after playing other more expensive basses, I found the one I had, Gio something, it sounded pretty good with stock Ibanez pickups. I still have it as a backup in case my main has issues. Good stuff. I had no idea that they had been around so long.

 

[Antisyzygy]

I became a convert about 6-7years ago when I bought A BTB776- whattabass, I then got a BTB675, again, a great bass, and my final was the limited edition Ashula, whichis great as far as build quality/form/fit/finish, but admittedly a bit of a gimmick that I don't utilize nearly enough as I could. A great bass nonetheless, and I probably would use it more, I just gravitate to my others first.

Regards

There is some new Ashula coming out soon.

It has the fretted four E-A-D-G strings on the treble side, so you don't have to reach far for them, then three fretless strings on the bass side. The three fretless strings seem to be tuned A-D-G.



The Ashula is a bass for fretted players looking for fretless on stand-by I think.

The first Ashula had the two D-G fretless strings on the treble side so you have to reach over them to even hit your E or A.

 

[gregmon79]

Now I know not everybody likes Ibanez basses and Ibanez basses are not for everybody but you have to give the Japanese credit for this one. Ibanez basses are fantastic. I play the SR models usually the 500 and higher because I like the Bartolini pickups so I can't really speak for the other models. But even the lower number SR's with the stock Ibanez pickups sound good.

I have not played one bad Ibanez bass. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about other basses I've played. The Ibanez brand name has been around since 1929, 17 years before Leo Fender founded the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation. Whatever Ibanez is doing I'd say their doing it right.

I have to agree. My early 90s ATK outplays and sounds better than most basses I've played. This is of course way subjective. But I'm with you dude.

 

[bdplaid]

There is some new Ashula coming out soon.

It has the fretted four E-A-D-G strings on the treble side, so you don't have to reach far for them, then three fretless strings on the bass side. The three fretless strings seem to be tuned A-D-G.



The Ashula is a bass for fretted players looking for fretless on stand-by I think.

The first Ashula had the two D-G fretless strings on the treble side so you have to reach over them to even hit your E or A.

Bad pennies just keep turning up... I remember the original, and couldn't believe how dumb. This is worse.
Please, don't hold this against Ibanez fretless; The Portamento is great!

 

[bdplaid]

Does anyone remember the SRX series? I had one for a little while and while it didn't suit me at the time, I thought it was an awesome rock bass - very heavy sound.

I recently ran across an usually beautiful SRX, brand new. Sunburst with tort and binding. It was great, but alas I have just built a new bass, sooo...

But to anyone interested, It's at George's Music in St Augustine.

 

[bassstrangler]

It appears Ibanez got it right with this one....

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Their have so many models that look so similar that it's hard to know what you're looking at without picking it up, taking a good long look, do your reading and then deciding. I'd be happier if they made it more clear about their product categories (beginner / intermediate / pro) but I suppose the price is usually the hint...

Just look at the number. The higher it is, the higher-level it is.

 

[Bass Viking]

I wouldn't be seen dead with an Ibanez - no one of note uses them.

Why don't you make up your own mind about them?

 

[Gizmot]

I had an Ibanez back in the early 90s - it played well and souñded good. The cool guy factor was a little low, but that is the only thing you could fault it for. The active EQ was flexible and the sound was pretty good.

Ibanez makes a solid, honest product that is a good value for the money. I'm happy that they try new styles, tone woods and pickup configurations. More companies need to do the same thing instead of just trying to copy Fender.

 

[SurferJoe46]

Now I know not everybody likes Ibanez basses and Ibanez basses are not for everybody but you have to give the Japanese credit for this one. Ibanez basses are fantastic. I play the SR models usually the 500 and higher because I like the Bartolini pickups so I can't really speak for the other models. But even the lower number SR's with the stock Ibanez pickups sound good.

I have not played one bad Ibanez bass. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about other basses I've played. The Ibanez brand name has been around since 1929, 17 years before Leo Fender founded the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation. Whatever Ibanez is doing I'd say their doing it right.

My SR500 gave me a lot of pleasure too. It was smooth - smoother than it should have been for a factory setup and sold by GC in Murrietta, CA., to me as a re-entry into bass playing again after 45+ years.

The only reason I don't have it today is that I decided to thin the basses hanging on my walls and just have Fender or Tuxbasses there. If it doesn't say 'Fender' or have my penguins on them, out they have to go.

One exception - I have kept my AEB10-BK as there is nothing else like it that I have found so far and I'm for sure not going to start building acoustic basses at this age.