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Ibanez Basses

A

AlienBassMan

Sep 24, 2006
18
0
Buenos Aires, Argentina
#1
Hi everybody
I´m interested in buying an Ibanez 6 string. I´m between the btb 1206 and the sr1006. I´ve searched for reviews in the internet but I didn´t find too many. Can anyone throw me some light in this matter? Is it true that the btb1206 has poor finishing???
You see, I live in Argentina, and I can´t test the basses :crying: So, any information will be reeeally appreciated!!!

thanks!!!
 
#2
I own a BTB1206, a good instrument that I like. I've spent a little time playing a SR1006, also, and thought it was a quality instrument. Fit, finish, and overall component quality seemed on par between the two to me.

To address the question with the BTB1206E's finish: I have one, and it's fine. All the other BRB120x series I've seen (maybe 2-3 others) were also fine. It's a light oil finish, looks understated but classy. The neck finish feels great.

As for the differences, the most obvious one is that the BTB just feels LARGER. The neck is a lot wider, with larger string spacing, and the body is a lot thicker, wider, and heavier. It also feels more angular where it meets your body, whereas the SR feels more sculpted. These aren't necessarily bad things: the wider neck allows for wider string spacing, which makes some right hand techniques more comfortable for some people; it has less tendency to be neck-heavy; and the bigger body may feel more secure to some people. Personally, I chose the BTB almost exclusively because the tight string spacing on the SR series feels uncomfortable to me.

The SRs in general feel smaller and more sculpted. The only downside to this is that they might be slightly neck heavy. Also, you have to be able to play a 16mm string spacing, which feels awfully tight to me.

Sound-wise, I thought they both were somewhat similar, with the SR sounding a little more focused and midrangey. Closer (but not anywhere near) a J bass, to make an analogy. They definitely both share qualitys I think are inherited from their maple through-neck construction; they sound thick, and a little bit compressed, with a strong fundamental, a fair amount of punch, and a somewhat softened high end.

Overall, if you're deciding between these two basses, I'd largely take into account what string spacing and body size would feel comfortable to you.
 
#3
I have an SR1006 and find it to be really enjoyable to play. It has a very fast neck (for a 6 string).

The neck is a lot slimmer than a Warwick or Yamaha TRB.

the one I have is one of the older bolt-on models with Mahogany body and Bubinga/Wenge neck so sounds different to the maple neck ones - I also have TI flats on mine which will also alter the sound but makes it faster to play since you don't have as much 'drag' as you do with rounds.

I enjoy the tighter string spacing but it does mean that I have to be more accurate when slapping but I have the Geddy to do that with.
 
#4
I've played both, and own an sr505 myself - not exactly a sixer fan - but either way the biggest differences do come down to string spacing.

I personally like the smaller string spacing for faster playing and partially cause I usually don't care too much about slap. I've got monster hands and don't find the string spacing to be a problem.

But ofcourse, YMMV so go to your local store and check em out.
 
#5
I think that you should go for the btb..

Actually I don't like Ibanez basses.. but the BTB surprised me ... good sound, great action, and very fast neck..
If you have some more "bucks" you can catch up a sr prestige... they're very good.
 
#8
Dont worry about the finshing, I have a BTB506 which is less expensive than 1206, abd the finish was flawless. It gets easily scratched, mind you!
I'm using the bass for 1,5 years now, and I never got used to it. It never clicked.
I really had the same decision to make as you have, only with lower range Ibanez's - BTB556 and SR506.
I should have chosen the SR
(but I have already had and SR500, 4 strings, felt like being stupid to have 2 bass exactly the same models, only the quantity of strings being the difference, so I went for the BTB)
 
#9
I've owned a BTB1206 and have played (on numberous occasions) the SR prestige six string basses and have found the neck profile, and feel to be superior on the BTB. It was just more comfortable to play. The SR was too thin, both in terms of neck dimensions and in terms of tonality.
 
#10
My main bass is a pre-bartolini BTB1005. I've played soundgears before but I like the feel and playability of my BTB much more than any soundgear I've ever played, and the flame maple top just looks dead sexy. I'm thinking about replacing the preamp with an Aguilar OBP-3 sometime but being a grad student isn't conducive to buying sweet gear.

(click for super high res)
btb-wholefront-sm.jpg
 
#11
Damn... is beautiful!
I own two four strings... peavey milestone II (my first bass, changed mics, tuners, and made it fretless... just because I didn´t want to neglect it!), an Ibanez EDB 600, and a 5 string Spector Professional (I think it´s like the Legend today)
This is going to be my first 6 stringer... I really like the Ibanez basses...
A friend of mine said he could bring me one of those from the U.S.
I´m praying for him to keep his word!!! :p If not, I can get a Sr506 or a BTB 556 here... really expensives though...
 
#12
I found this mini-history of Ibanez at American Music Supply. It's quick and interesting reading.

Ibanez Guitars - A Short History Of A Company With A Long History
If you wanted a total history of Ibanez you'd have go back to 1908 when a company named Hoshino began as a sheet music store and later music products distributor in Nagoya Japan.

If you wanted a little less completeness than that you'd go back about forty-five when Hoshino began distributing a Spanish guitar named Ibanez. Or perhaps you'd simply go to the Mid 60's when Hoshino, who by that time had purchased the rights to the Ibanez name, began shipping incredibly funky looking guitars to the United States, many of which were actually sold in department stores.

But for most of us, Ibanez pretty much begins almost 30 years ago, when Hoshino opened an office near Philadelphia, PA for more efficiently distributing Ibanez guitars to the United States. Most of those guitars were Ibanez' famous high quality (but very inexpensive) copies of just about everything–you name it, we probably made a version of it. At that time many American instruments were going through an unfortunate period of increasing prices with decreasing quality, and these copies hit a ready market.

But the people with Ibanez weren't content with just copying and Ibanez began making their own designs: the solid body Artists (played by Bob Weir of the Dead) the Iceman (first made famous by Paul Stanley of KISS and the George Benson guitars, the first jazz boxes designed for higher volume stage playing. Many of these "first" Ibanez guitars continue to increase in value and a good number are now highly prized collector's items.

By 1976, the Ibanez copy era officially came to an end when one of the major American guitar manufacturers--no longer amused by the copiers–successfully sued the highest profile copier, Ibanez. But by that time it didn't matter–Ibanez had already left the copies behind and was fast becoming an innovative guitar company in its own right.

By the mid-80's with the interest in instrumental rock guitar on the rise, Ibanez collaborated with players such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert and brought out the JEM, JS, RG and S models. Today, present day versions such as these models still considered the standard in hard rock and instrumental rock guitars.

As well known for its jazz guitars as it is for rock, Ibanez has an impressive line of jazz boxes including the aforementioned George Benson models, two Pat Metheny models, and most recently, the new John Scofield signature semi-acoustic.

One final note...Ibanez is also one of the top selling bass companies in the world (in many places the top selling bass). Ibanez first drew attention in the 70's and 80's with its neck-thru Musician basses with active electronics. Today, Ibanez offers the huge number of 4, 5, and 6 basses in the Soundgear line, as well as the Ergodyne models, the basses of the future.
 
#15
I have a SR Prestige 1005EWN. Very nice bass with great sustain and warm modern tones when the EQ settings are in the middle, although quite versatile with the EQ settings. Very easy to play. I played both the BTB 1205E and SR 1005EFN side by side when I was shopping. My impression is that the BTB has a brighter tone while the SR is warmer (especially if you go for the mahogonay body with walnut top on the SR).

There are also differences in the preamp between the two basses.

But the biggest difference is dimensions.

The BTB is 35" scale with a wider string spacing and bigger body, thicker neck than the SR,.

The SR is 34" scale with a narrower string spacing and smaller body, thinner and faster neck.

For me I found the SR to be much more comfortable to play. My hands are medium-small, and that may be a factor.

Cheers,

JEff
 

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