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Ibanez BTB Club, Part 2!

#2,289
VillageIdiott said:
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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I tried a while ago one of the first Japanese BTB models with the good Bartolini pups, wow those model were sounds too good. In my opinion the BTB are too much underestimated and the SR overrated.
I really don't understand why Ibanez make the BTB 6s models with the narrow spacing, instead the same 19mm spacing of the 5s, if the will start to feature it and also start to use the maple fingeroboard I would be one of the first buyer :smug:
The only model they currently made wide is the Thundercat but is too much unique tone to get popular..
 
#2,292
thrakkor said:
earlier BTB strings indeed had 18mm and 19mm string spacing. only in the last decade or so did they go narrow, which IMHO, defeats much of the draw of the BTB (wide neck, wide spacing)
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I couldn't edit my earlier reply, so this should have said, earlier BTB 6 strings indeed had 18mm and 19mm string spacing. only in the last decade or so did they go narrow, which IMHO, defeats much of the draw of the BTB (wide neck, wide spacing)
 
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#2,294
thrakkor said:
earlier BTB strings indeed had 18mm and 19mm string spacing. only in the last decade or so did they go narrow, which IMHO, defeats much of the draw of the BTB (wide neck, wide spacing)
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The first production of BTB was launched in the late 90s and the five strings has been always 19mm spacing, just in the late years the production introduced the narrow spacing for the Workshop series and has been always 17mm for six strings unfortunately.
You can easily see the monorail bridge has been always the same more or less and the wide fingerboard at last fret, some particular models were mounting great Bartolini pups, one of the bass I tried years ago

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The earlier production were mostly bolt-on and in my opinion were sounding even better than current neck-through production, each note were super defined and with more attack.
Together the Yamaha TRB 1° series, were the only models made by big factory company with the wide spacing.
I've been always a fan of BTB because personally I'm not feel comfortable with narrow spacing than 19mm, and I truly think the BTB was a great innovation in terms of playability, quality and price.
 

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#2,295
Hi all

Question... I am looking at changing my MR2 matt chrome hardware (BTB556) to black. I have contacted Ibanez in Japan, and Ibanez in the UK, and I've come up with very little by way of "positive" feedback. I can't find any MR2 bridge units in black or even smoky chrome - anyone know if such replacement parts exist?
I am looking at the possibility of changing the bridge for an ABM hi-mass unit. I found one on eBay which is for 17mm spacing - perfect.
upload_2023-3-21_11-51-4.png

Buuuuuuuuuuuuut... has anyone ever seen, or heard of such a change? In theory, it's as simple as removing the monos and replacing it with a single bridge unit - taking into account the screw holes etc.

Any advise? Any suggestions? Any ideas?

Kind regards
Julian (Essex, UK)
 
#2,296
glassmoon said:
Hi all

Question... I am looking at changing my MR2 matt chrome hardware (BTB556) to black. I have contacted Ibanez in Japan, and Ibanez in the UK, and I've come up with very little by way of "positive" feedback. I can't find any MR2 bridge units in black or even smoky chrome - anyone know if such replacement parts exist?
I am looking at the possibility of changing the bridge for an ABM hi-mass unit. I found one on eBay which is for 17mm spacing - perfect.
View attachment 5006331
Buuuuuuuuuuuuut... has anyone ever seen, or heard of such a change? In theory, it's as simple as removing the monos and replacing it with a single bridge unit - taking into account the screw holes etc.

Any advise? Any suggestions? Any ideas?

Kind regards
Julian (Essex, UK)
Click to expand...
I've seen black OEM individual saddles on Amazon, but not personally used them so know nothing of durability or anything. You might be ok with the new bridge. It depends on the placement. Gonna be a lot of tension there with a lot of empty screw holes so if it was me, I would get longer screws or make sure there is enough wood to attach it. I would be worried if your new bridge was close to a screw hole and the screw strips the wood. (Just my humble 2 cents, I'm no luthier by any means).
 
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#2,298
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