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Ibanez BTB Club, Part 2!

#2,261
Watchootognbout said:
Those who have seen any of my posts know that I love gold hardware on my dark natural wood basses.
But my BTB has gone without for the longest time.
Because gold MR2 single string saddles have been non existent,I've tolerated the dark nickel hardware.

Until now.
By a stroke of luck I have found a set of gold saddles the same size and style(I don't think they are genuine Ibanez,but so what)as MR2's.
View attachment 4946897
So now the customization of my BTB will begin.
A bit later a set of gold Hipshot Y key Ultralite tuners will be ordered.
View attachment 4946902
Click to expand...

You're really going full-bling now, aren't ya?
I'm just curious... Where does one find a ramp for between the pickups (assuming that what I'm seeing in your photo is a ramp)?

Also I noticed that strings 4, 5 and 6 are taper wound strings. Sometimes I use a taper wound 6th on my 675 which I got from D'Addario. Where did you get the others?
TIA
 
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#2,263
vindibona1 said:
You're really going full-bling now, aren't ya?
I'm just curious... Where does one find a ramp for between the pickups (assuming that what I'm seeing in your photo is a ramp)?

Also I noticed that strings 4, 5 and 6 are taper wound strings. Sometimes I use a taper wound 6th on my 675 which I got from D'Addario. Where did you get the others?
TIA
Click to expand...
I made the ramp.
The strings are S.I.T Conklin Power Steel stainless 7 string set.
I use a seven set because the bass is tuned in fifths.
sit-strings-psr18135-power-steel-conklin-7-string-bass-strings_480x480-1829338753.png

These are the same strings I use on my sixers.
Because the C string is .025.Thinner than most C strings.
The extra .018 is used on the BTB for a high G#
 
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#2,265
Watchootognbout said:
Because gold MR2 single string saddles have been non-existent, I've tolerated the dark nickel hardware.

Until now.

By a stroke of luck I have found a set of gold saddles the same size and style(I don't think they are genuine Ibanez,but so what)as MR2's.
Click to expand...
Pray tell @gebass6, where did you find those???? That is a win if they are the same size as the MR-2s :)
BTW - nice find!!! :hyper:
 
#2,266
Last edited:
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#2,268
Hey All!

I have an Ibanez BTB776PB that was for sale, but after playing it a lot while making a couple of bass cover videos, I decided I couldn't sell it, and instead I'm looking for a thumb ramp and some other accessories to dress it up a bit (not that it needs it, it is gorgeous).

It won me over.

Here's what I mean - the growl, the punch. It just sounds amazing!

Terrific bass.


 
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#2,269
rtav said:
Hey All!

I have an Ibanez BTB776PB that was for sale, but after playing it a lot while making a couple of bass cover videos, I decided I couldn't sell it, and instead I'm looking for a thumb ramp and some other accessories to dress it up a bit (not that it needs it, it is gorgeous).

It won me over.

Here's what I mean - the growl, the punch. It just sounds amazing!

Terrific bass.


Click to expand...
Now I've had a chance to hear your clip on my big rig, I think it sounds great, especially after reading for ages that the BH1s sound bad.
 
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#2,273
In further adventures of modifying BTBs, some of you may recall the easing of the upper bout posted here: NBD - My first Indonesia Bass. A Peacock or a Rooster. Since then, I've turned my BTB846V into a fretless/headless/one-pickup bass, and it's where I want it to be.

The fret slots are filled with birds eye maple veneer scraps from a long-ago conference table build. The bridge/tuners are from Ibanez, and the headpiece is from Hipshot. The original preamp remains, with the blend pot changed to a passive tone control. Using materials I had on hand, the nut is bone, slotted to better fit the headpiece. Two of the 3mm intonation screws had to be shorter than stock, but I didn't have black screws on hand (this and other catchy-aesthetic details do not matter so much to me on this bass—the stock finish isn't my first choice, either). The added materials at the head are walnut and wenge, from the scrap bin, as is the walnut ramp, which is cut-off from a book-matched door panel (the neck has walnut as part of its lamination, hence its use here). Nylon spacers and the stock strap pins keep the tuners off the ground (hardware store didn't have black, and again I don't mind as long as it's clean and functional).

I played two shows with this bass last Saturday, and it was terrific sounding and really helpful on crowded stages with a 9-piece band.

Other details should be evident in the images, and I'm happy to respond to questions.

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#2,274
Ralph Manak said:
In further adventures of modifying BTBs, some of you may recall the easing of the upper bout posted here: NBD - My first Indonesia Bass. A Peacock or a Rooster. Since then, I've turned my BTB846V into a fretless/headless/one-pickup bass, and it's where I want it to be.

The fret slots are filled with birds eye maple veneer scraps from a long-ago conference table build. The bridge/tuners are from Ibanez, and the headpiece is from Hipshot. The original preamp remains, with the blend pot changed to a passive tone control. Using materials I had on hand, the nut is bone, slotted to better fit the headpiece. Two of the 3mm intonation screws had to be shorter than stock, but I didn't have black screws on hand (this and other catchy-aesthetic details do not matter so much to me on this bass—the stock finish isn't my first choice, either). The added materials at the head are walnut and wenge, from the scrap bin, as is the walnut ramp, which is cut-off from a book-matched door panel (the neck has walnut as part of its lamination, hence its use here). Nylon spacers and the stock strap pins keep the tuners off the ground (hardware store didn't have black, and again I don't mind as long as it's clean and functional).

I played two shows with this bass last Saturday, and it was terrific sounding and really helpful on crowded stages with a 9-piece band.

Other details should be evident in the images, and I'm happy to respond to questions.

View attachment 5001427 View attachment 5001428 View attachment 5001431 View attachment 5001433 View attachment 5001434 View attachment 5001435 View attachment 5001436 View attachment 5001437 View attachment 5001438
Click to expand...

Wonderful custom works man, who id it?
I'm also wondering why Ibanez don't use maple fretboards for BTBs :wideyed:, the serie look and tone versatility will definitely gain more popularity..
 
#2,279
So, I have an Ibanez BTB1005 from 1999, the first year they were made (in Japan) and what a bass! I have more than 30 basses and I find myself coming back to this one over and over again. I'm not sure if its the flat fretboard radius, or the 19mm spacing but it sounds so nice. It even has those Ibanez pickups that some don't really rave about. I love them.

I was playing it tonight and was struck, once again, by how underrated these basses really are. I guess those of us who have them know what we gems we have.
 
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