I can’t decide: Ibanez sr300e and sr500

[Mr_Bass_Man]

So I'm looking into getting my second bass and I really want an Ibanez. Out of all the basses I've tried they feel and sound the best for me but I just can't decide. The 300 is less than half the price of the 500 and has humbuckers (which I like) while the 500 has soapbars and slightly better electronics. 300 is agathic, 500 is maple. I plan on playing a lot of metal but I also want something I can slap well on that sounds good for jazz and rhcp type stuff. Anyone with experience with either of these basses please tell your experiences and opinions on either or both.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

I've owned a few 300's over the years.
Great affordable bass. Comfortable and easy to play. Not heavy at all.
Versatile enough for my needs with the cover bands I was in at the time, playing everything from ACDC to Pink Floyd.
I would suggest steering clear of the stacked tone pot model. I always had issues with these.
Edit: sr300e doesn't have stacked tone pots...

500. Owned one for many years.
Only moved away from it as i found the bass id been searching craving for 20+ years.
Certainly a leap in quality from the 300. Eq is a marked improvement over the 300 and is probably better suited for your needs.
Again, comfortable, versatile and easy to play and wear.
Often you'll get/see a scratching or wearing of the stain/paint above the pickup caused by thumb nail, on the brown plain finishes and barrel jacks can be dodgy if the lead gets pulled to tight, trodden on.. I guess this could happen to any bass really.

If money is a concern, go the 300.
If you can afford it, the 500 would be better, more suitable for your needs IMO.

 

[Snert]

while the 500 has soapbars

Which are also humbucker. Do you know a soapbar is just a shape and can have just about any configuration of coils that will fit inside; P, J, series HB, parallel HB, sidewinder, SC etc)?

If money is a concern, go the 300.
If you can afford it, the 500 would be better, more suitable for your needs IMO.

This. There are plenty of good SR500/505 out there secondhand.
FWIW, I've owned, or still own 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8 series SRs from 08 to 19 year models.

 

[Yahboy]

I been own 2009 MIK SR705 and 2019 SR300e.

Both are nice and well build, but the neck on SR705 are notable better stable than SR300e ; the satin maple neck feel smoother than SR705.

Meanwhile, i dint liking the stock MK 1 tone on SR705, both D and G just sound thin. Powerspan on SR300e has better string to string tonal balance. 3 ways switch make the SR300e has vary tone along with onboard EQ tweak.

I spend some money on US Bart P2 pup and NTMB3band EQ to make SR705 sound right, but i let it go and fall in love with CIC Squier CV60P in 2012.