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Ibanez BTB Club, Part 2!

#2,183
Just got my BTB745 back from a luthier a week ago to do fretwork but also to round off that bit where my right arm rests against the body. That angle was the only issue I ever had with this bass, but it had gotten bad enough I end up with a bruise there after a long gig. He just rounded it a little and finished it back off - only touching the outer wood layer, nothing deeper, and only about 5 inches around that spot. Since I expect this to be the last bass I'll ever need (yes, I like it that much!) I had no qualms about doing it. Best $ spent on this. I know it's not a high-end model, but it's all I need and I don't have to freak out too much if something happens to it. When I get a chance, I'll post pics, though it's quite subtle.
 
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#2,184
Blue Dragon said:
Just got my BTB745 back from a luthier a week ago to do fretwork but also to round off that bit where my right arm rests against the body. That angle was the only issue I ever had with this bass, but it had gotten bad enough I end up with a bruise there after a long gig. He just rounded it a little and finished it back off - only touching the outer wood layer, nothing deeper, and only about 5 inches around that spot. Since I expect this to be the last bass I'll ever need (yes, I like it that much!) I had no qualms about doing it. Best $ spent on this. I know it's not a high-end model, but it's all I need and I don't have to freak out too much if something happens to it. When I get a chance, I'll post pics, though it's quite subtle.
Click to expand...

That's my only gripe about the BTB. I live with it and use a sweat band on my wrist to help. Since my BTB is a natural finish it might be easy enough to do the same and just re-stain the exposed area.
 
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#2,185
Blue Dragon said:
When I get a chance, I'll post pics, though it's quite subtle.
Click to expand...
Please take the pictures of the elbow corner after the rounding off from various angles. I've been thinking of doing the same process for years.

Couldn't remember who but there was a TB member who has done the same thing and posted some pictures of the result. But, IMO just by seeing the posted pictures, the result was too much altering the shape of the BTB.
 
#2,187
My used BTB1606 came in the mail, and is in good shape. I put some Daddario NYXL strings on it, which sound good with the exception of the B string. The B string sounds quieter, and duller. I wonder if a tapered version would help that.
I was worried that switching from four to six strings would be a big mess (I sold my fiver back in the late 90s). I brought a four string P bass to practice last night, just in case. Thankfully, I made it through without getting lost, and even used the B string some. The band really liked the sound of the BTB and asked me not to bring the P bass back ;)
I played through a Warwick Gnome into one TL806 12" cab.

Any guidance on getting some life out of the B string? Will the bridge adjust to accommodate a tapered string?
Thanks
 
#2,189
mizedog said:
My used BTB1606 came in the mail, and is in good shape. I put some Daddario NYXL strings on it, which sound good with the exception of the B string. The B string sounds quieter, and duller. I wonder if a tapered version would help that.
I was worried that switching from four to six strings would be a big mess (I sold my fiver back in the late 90s). I brought a four string P bass to practice last night, just in case. Thankfully, I made it through without getting lost, and even used the B string some. The band really liked the sound of the BTB and asked me not to bring the P bass back ;)
I played through a Warwick Gnome into one TL806 12" cab.

Any guidance on getting some life out of the B string? Will the bridge adjust to accommodate a tapered string?
Thanks
Click to expand...
If your BTB1606 has the Mono Rail IV bridges, which are the same as the ones on my BTB7, then I'd suggest to be selective when getting taper wound strings for these bridges. You need to get the one with shortest taper portion. Reason is, the MR IV bridge only takes a short length of string inside it, of which the ball end won't go in far from the saddle peak point (only about 1 inch).

IMG_20181216_1502211.jpg


Best one I found is Elixir Nickel w/ Nanoweb coating 130tw low-B which taper length is about 1½" measured just after the ball end or 1¾" w/ the ball end.

DSC_0042.JPG


Second best are any taper wound strings from D'Addario which taper length is about 2 inches from the ball end.

I've tried putting on taper wound low-B string with longer taper portion from Dunlop, which taper length is 2¼" just after the ball end. It produced strange harmonics when plucked.

20190602_005817.jpg


Seems it was designed not to be used on a top loading bridge like the Mono Rail, more specific the MR IV bridge, but more for thru-body stringing in-mind.

20190602_011100.jpg
 
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#2,191
PXL_20220527_193103591.jpg


Been sitting with this one for a while. Full review coming soon. Seen quite a few posts about the hard forearm edge and I totally agree. Killer bass with a very significant design flaw. It looks like the older bolt on BTBs did not have this edge, I wonder why they added it? This is my first BTB, but I've played a few including the 1835 and the new multiscale and they all had the dumb edge.
 
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#2,192
LowEndLobster said:
This is my first BTB, but I've played a few including the 1835 and the new multiscale and they all had the dumb edge.
Click to expand...
I don't rest my forearm on the body much si's not too bothersome to me, but I can see how it might be to others. If I ran Ibanez, I would develop the lovechild of the BTB, SR and EHB ranges as I think that might be my perfect bass; shaped like an SR, NT and headless.

I have 5 SRs, a BTB and am currently lusting over the EHB1006MS and trying to justify buying one for myself.
 
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#2,193
Here is an MR5S bridge (same dimensions as an MR5 I believe) with a Kalium taperwound string on it. It fits well, in my opinion.

Edit: The image was rotated on upload. I'm not sure why that happened.

7E050425-84DA-426E-A2EF-601C6DE6068D.jpeg
 

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#2,194
Thank you all for the detailed pics, explanation, and string suggestions. During band practice Friday I noticed the B string bridge saddle is much higher than the others. This leads me to think that the previous owner did use a tapered string. They indeed look like the MRIV version to me.
6210C807-59E5-45A1-96EA-FAF8E769B650.jpeg
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Lobster, I get what you're saying about the body bevel/edge. However, after four hours of band practice, it didn't bother me a bit. I was standing, and tried not to have the bass hang too high like a jazzer might. It wasn't low like a punker either. I think standing kept my arm off the edge. Now, I'm 6'4", and am paranoid of looking like Lurch. I made my jazz bass body look like a dinky bass, and a P bass look like a Strat. That may have contributed to the arm angle being comfortable. One of the reasons I chose this particular bass is that the Poplar top goes almost all the way up to the top edge. That means that the bevel doesn't make the body look smaller like it does on so many other BTB basses. This might be a different angle than other BTBs. There again, I'm a little paranoid of the bass looking like a ukelele on me.
5F2A92B8-2B79-440D-8E0A-D50AB8169A41.jpeg


Overall, the tone of this bass was very useable for classic rock. It sounded plenty warm enough for music from Three Dog Night, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Fleetwood Mac, contemporary country like Chris Stapleton. I'm very happy so far.
 
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#2,195
LowEndLobster said:
View attachment 4774585

Been sitting with this one for a while. Full review coming soon. Seen quite a few posts about the hard forearm edge and I totally agree. Killer bass with a very significant design flaw. It looks like the older bolt on BTBs did not have this edge, I wonder why they added it? This is my first BTB, but I've played a few including the 1835 and the new multiscale and they all had the dumb edge.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking it's because Ibanez is a company that closely follows new trends, and the BTB line seems to be Ibanez' take on what has recently been popular in the small company space.

If you look at the small shop instruments geared for modern metal/fusion styles, sharp bevels (and multi-laminate bodies with dyed figured wood tops) are very common. Think Skervesen, Kiesel, and such. Ibanez is definitely riding that aesthetic with some of its guitar/bass lines.

The older late 90s/early 2000s BTBs were probably influenced by companies like MTD with the asymmetric neck profile, softer bevels, and full USA Bartolini electronics. Much prefer the old shape myself, never letting go of my BTB1205s.
 
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#2,196
Hi everybody.
I'm going to buy an old japan btb 1006e Prestige in Rome next weekend. Usa Bartolini pickups and pre. But the serial number Is strange... F043007.
I try to find It on some sites but the date of construction Is 1990... Impossible!!
Some help please.
And Sorry for my bad english.
Ciao from Italy to everybody
 
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#2,198
My serial number searches also came up with 1990, but there's one on Reverb at the moment with an F03.... SN and the seller is stating it's a 2003, which might make yours an 04 which makes more sense.

It shows up in the Invalid Link Removed on p19 and there's no 04 one on the site, so my guess is that it's an 04.
 

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