Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
No... place I bought them from has taken over a week to deliver. Tracking says I'll get them tomorrow. My local music stores (one good , one decent and one lousy) all seemed to only cary Ernie ball or GHS boomers (yuck) so I ended up getting DR Black beauties 45-130's from a store on eBay. They were only $34 with free shipping and no sales tax. I heard a lot of great things about them with a few crap things. Mine has the original elixir strings. No dead strings but previous owner must have played with a pick because the na owed coating is all frayed and fuzzy around the pickup area. If the black strings suck, I'll just put a set of the OE Elixers back on it.
Shopping for a solid 2x10 combo amp now. Can't decide if I like the Fender Rumble 500 or the amped ba-210. A/B'd them at the good music store in my town. I liked them both. Fender had better eq and these little buttons to shape tone. A peg sounded a bit better, but not as "shapeabble" I guess. Maybe the amped sounded a tad better because it was on the floor and fender was on a shelf. Same price for each. However I can get either on eBay for $120 less. But I'll buy from local store to support them. That and the dude that works there is cool and taught me how to play the Digeridoo, lol!
Being my bass is so dark, I thought the novelty of the black strings would be cool. How the hold up/ feel will remain to be seen.
I think it's kinda funny when I hear about players complaining about the "higher" price of some strings and on the flip side they have a $500-$2000 bass, $$$ in pedals and a amp. Oh, but the extra $10 for a set of nice strings is a deal breaker... whatever.
Shopping for a solid 2x10 combo amp now. Can't decide if I like the Fender Rumble 500 or the amped ba-210. A/B'd them at the good music store in my town. I liked them both. Fender had better eq and these little buttons to shape tone. A peg sounded a bit better, but not as "shapeabble" I guess. Maybe the amped sounded a tad better because it was on the floor and fender was on a shelf. Same price for each. However I can get either on eBay for $120 less. But I'll buy from local store to support them. That and the dude that works there is cool and taught me how to play the Digeridoo, lol!
Being my bass is so dark, I thought the novelty of the black strings would be cool. How the hold up/ feel will remain to be seen.
I think it's kinda funny when I hear about players complaining about the "higher" price of some strings and on the flip side they have a $500-$2000 bass, $$$ in pedals and a amp. Oh, but the extra $10 for a set of nice strings is a deal breaker... whatever.
Question. Why do some BTB's have swept back tuning keys where others are, for lack of a better word, normally positioned? Seems swept back would be easily to manipulate while in the playing position... I picked up on this because I have bad shoulders. Today while practicing, I went to tune the A string ( furthest key) and I got a twinge of pain in my shoulder from the reach and angle.
Actually considering angling mine when I restring it. It would only require drilling a small hole in new position for each key. Would this ruin resale value? Or should I just do what works best for me and say screw it and do it?
Actually considering angling mine when I restring it. It would only require drilling a small hole in new position for each key. Would this ruin resale value? Or should I just do what works best for me and say screw it and do it?
Well my strings finally came today. Gave the old girl a once over during string chance. I don't think anyone has done a thing to her since the day she was sold. Looked like original elixirs on it. Action was way high, neck had no relief.
I cleaned and oiled the fretboard while strings were off, I also angled the tuning keys while strings were off. Re-strung it. Adjusted thevtruss rods, got proper relief. Then set string height. All were about 1.5 mm too high. Then filed nut as action at the nut was ridiculously high. I did leave it just a hair high. You know, you can alys remove more but can't put it back. Finally set the intonation. B was sharp, E was sharp, A dead on, D was flat and G was dead on. That monorail bridge was a snap to adjust. I'm used to Floyd rose!
MUCH easier to play now. Easier to adjust tuning keys while in playing position now that their angled. Not Nuer how I like the feel of the black strings. I guess I started to get used to the slimy elixir feeling. Bass looks really cool though with the black strings and angled tuners.
I'll post pics tomorrow. It's late here.
I cleaned and oiled the fretboard while strings were off, I also angled the tuning keys while strings were off. Re-strung it. Adjusted thevtruss rods, got proper relief. Then set string height. All were about 1.5 mm too high. Then filed nut as action at the nut was ridiculously high. I did leave it just a hair high. You know, you can alys remove more but can't put it back. Finally set the intonation. B was sharp, E was sharp, A dead on, D was flat and G was dead on. That monorail bridge was a snap to adjust. I'm used to Floyd rose!
MUCH easier to play now. Easier to adjust tuning keys while in playing position now that their angled. Not Nuer how I like the feel of the black strings. I guess I started to get used to the slimy elixir feeling. Bass looks really cool though with the black strings and angled tuners.
I'll post pics tomorrow. It's late here.
@Gunganish
hows the DR Black Beauties sound with MK2 pickups?
I'm under assumption you need bright sounded strings with those pickups.
and what gauges did you get for the low B?
I read the tapered one has too long taper part for stringing on top of bridge.
hows the DR Black Beauties sound with MK2 pickups?
I'm under assumption you need bright sounded strings with those pickups.
and what gauges did you get for the low B?
I read the tapered one has too long taper part for stringing on top of bridge.
Last edited:
Haven't plugged it I yet. Finished working on it late last night. Wife was asleep...
45-130's low b isn't tapered over bridge. I got extra long set.
45-130's low b isn't tapered over bridge. I got extra long set.
Well today I received a Brand New bass from Ibanez. I had purchased a BTB 775PB-AM from Zzounds when they were closing out inventory on the old model BTB basses. I got a great deal on it, lower than many used basses of the same model. It was a great bass however, after playing it for less than 3 weeks the output jack on the bass quit working. I was able to obtain an RMA for Ibanez and returned the bass to them. I was told the bass I sent returned to them was beyond repair and they would send me a new one. I don't know how the got me this bass that is out of production but they did. They set-it up for me at their warranty center and triple inspected it before sending it to me as a replacement. The set-up on this is great and the fret work on it is better then my crafted in Japan Fender Geddy Lee Jazz.
The bass I received was a slight bit different as it has a three way mid-selector switch rather than a two way switch. I'm not sure how it got upgraded but I'm happy it did.
I have to give a BIG SHOUT OUT TO IBANEZ they really stood behind their product. Their customer service was also very easy to deal with. They have friendly people working there help line. I will not hesitate to recommend them to anyone!
Also thank you to Zzounds for there assistance in providing me help with the RMA and being willing to allow me to return the original bass to them for a refund. Both good companies to do business with.
The bass I received was a slight bit different as it has a three way mid-selector switch rather than a two way switch. I'm not sure how it got upgraded but I'm happy it did.
I have to give a BIG SHOUT OUT TO IBANEZ they really stood behind their product. Their customer service was also very easy to deal with. They have friendly people working there help line. I will not hesitate to recommend them to anyone!
Also thank you to Zzounds for there assistance in providing me help with the RMA and being willing to allow me to return the original bass to them for a refund. Both good companies to do business with.
Congrats on the upgrade, looks like a real beauty! I've had my share of basses that were rendered beyond repair by a bad jack, I just hurl them into the fireplace
Nice bass, enjoy. And I also dig the protective fence you set up around it.
Love the angled mod, I have already-angled 705OM and even though ergonomy is probably the key here, it seems that mine would not be able to get straightened as top tuners are too close like in the attached pic. Way cooler looking when angled, too.
(damn, gotta take some pics of my bass to spam here)
Attachments
Last edited:
Guys I'm a total active basses noob and I consider getting one of the top of the line Ibanez BTB1805.
How is the battery box working on the guitars ? Does it contain a box where you input the battery (Music man style) ot does it have a wiring with the battery plug (like in Boss Pedals) ? It's important to me as I wholeheartedly hate the battery plugs and it's a dealbreaker to me.
Also is the mono rail bridge reliable without any problems ?
How is the battery box working on the guitars ? Does it contain a box where you input the battery (Music man style) ot does it have a wiring with the battery plug (like in Boss Pedals) ? It's important to me as I wholeheartedly hate the battery plugs and it's a dealbreaker to me.
Also is the mono rail bridge reliable without any problems ?
If it's the same as my BTB33 and other Ibanez basses, there is a wired connector. It's a bit of a pain, but given how long the battery lasts, it's not a big deal. You can also replace it with a box with just a bit of soldering.
I have the mono-rail bridges on 3 basses. They work perfectly and look great, IMO.
I have the mono-rail bridges on 3 basses. They work perfectly and look great, IMO.
I thought I read a few luthiers not liking the boxes because they thought it was less reliable than battery plugs.
The contacts on the box don't snap onto the battery's contacts, so I wouldn't be surprised if the conductivity between the two parts were worse and less consistent.
That battery box thing is worth as such big deal while it might only be touched like once a year? Mine are even there for years.
Come to think of it, I've only changed dead batteries out of my acoustic electric guitar and acoustic electric bass guitar since they have built in tuners which are used quite often. Never really had dead battery in any of my electric (active) basses, although I did changed a few only out of worries cause they were there too long.
I'm not saying that I wasn't tempted to do battery box mod with that drop in type, but even if it still use the wired connector, it won't count as a dealbreaker.
Also I have MR bridges (MR-II, MR-IV, and MR-V) on 3 basses which all are reliable and never give problem.
Loving the look of the new standard BTBs. If anyone gets their hands on a new BTB745 or 845, let me know what you think.
I have my eyes on the BTB845SC to replace my current go to bass, BTB685SC. That is if it's being reimported back to this its producing country by local distributor and at the time I have the budget for it.
I'm pretty sure it's going to be lighter judging by the number of truss rod inside the neck. BTB845SC online pictures show an opening at the heel of the neck for only one truss rod, whereas I was actuality shocked when setting up my BTB685SC for the first time knowing that, being a 5er, it had 2 truss rods. Don't get me wrong, I'm used to handle 2 truss rod necks, but they are all in my 6ers. I'm still perplexed by the fact that Ibanez puts 2 truss rods in a 5er, while in comparison one of my 6ers, which is also an Ibanez, uses only one truss rod.
I have my eyes on the BTB845SC to replace my current go to bass, BTB685SC. That is if it's being reimported back to this its producing country by local distributor and at the time I have the budget for it.
I'm pretty sure it's going to be lighter judging by the number of truss rod inside the neck. BTB845SC online pictures show an opening at the heel of the neck for only one truss rod, whereas I was actuality shocked when setting up my BTB685SC for the first time knowing that, being a 5er, it had 2 truss rods. Don't get me wrong, I'm used to handle 2 truss rod necks, but they are all in my 6ers. I'm still perplexed by the fact that Ibanez puts 2 truss rods in a 5er, while in comparison one of my 6ers, which is also an Ibanez, uses only one truss rod.
I have an old BTB575 that I've been playing since 2009. Good bass, though the pickups have always been a bit of a weak link. I love BTBs though, so I'm looking to upgrade. The new ones look like a throwback to the original design.
