Ibanez BTB Club, Part 2!

[ToS]

Anyone know the model number, and any other helpful info?

Looks like 500 (S)WNF

 

[Beau Kincade]

Awesome, what do the letters stand for?

 

[Jacques Beaudin]

Awesome, what do the letters stand for?

No idea, other then I’m pretty sure the W stands for the Wenge top and back.

 

[Beau Kincade]

No idea, other then I’m pretty sure the W stands for the Wenge top and back.

Still, thank you. I know more now than I did.

 

[Jacques Beaudin]

Still, thank you. I know more now than I did.

Yeah, they're super rare. I had an opportunity to buy one 10 years ago for $1600 CDN which was a good deal back then. No idea how much they cost brand new though. Back around '06 Ibanez had a lot of very limited models that are nearly impossible to find any information about. So when I saw this one, I knew I had to get it

 

[Beau Kincade]

No idea, other then I’m pretty sure the W stands for the Wenge top and back.

Actually I guess it stands for the color. Wnf is “walnut flat”

Here’s a link for all the color code Ibanez uses:

List of finishes

 

[Beau Kincade]

Yeah, they're super rare. I had an opportunity to buy one 10 years ago for $1600 CDN which was a good deal back then. No idea how much they cost brand new though. Back around '06 Ibanez had a lot of very limited models that are nearly impossible to find any information about. So when I saw this one, I knew I had to get it

Got this one for $150 US

 

[Jacques Beaudin]

what model? 500?

 

[Beau Kincade]

what model? 500?

Looks to be 1999 Fujigen model 500 wnf in awesome shape

 

[Jacques Beaudin]

Nice!

 

[Beau Kincade]

Nice!

Clearly the pawn shop guy had no clue as to what he had. Score one for me.

 

[Beau Kincade]

How do I know if my pickups are Bartolini, or something else?

 

[RBrownBass]

How do I know if my pickups are Bartolini, or something else?

If your Barts have the large "Bartolini" text in the center of the pickup, they're the real thing. Some Ibbys come with the small text and MK1 on them, closer to the treble side. Bart makes them, too, FWIW, but they're not particularly sought after.

 

[Beau Kincade]

If your Barts have the large "Bartolini" text in the center of the pickup, they're the real thing. Some Ibbys come with the small text and MK1 on them, closer to the treble side. Bart makes them, too, FWIW, but they're not particularly sought after.

Mine just say Ibanez in the lower right corner

 

[eddie16]

Mine just say Ibanez in the lower right corner

Mine have this as well. I've read that for the earlier BTB's, Ibanez worked with Bartolini to create these pickups, "Bart-designed" might describe it. However, this is the internet and I have no sources to back this up, so you may want to find someone to confirm that.

 

[Aidil]

Mine have this as well. I've read that for the earlier BTB's, Ibanez worked with Bartolini to create these pickups, "Bart-designed" might describe it. However, this is the internet and I have no sources to back this up, so you may want to find someone to confirm that.

These are from Bill Bartolini himself on his website:

"Bill Bartolini and Ibanez�s top engineers took two years to develop the fantastic MK-2 bass pickups and it�s a partnership that has pleased everyone, especially new BTB owners!

My relationship with Ibanez began in 1995 when they requested some samples. Ibanez started using our products on some models in 1996. In 1998 the (former Ibanez president) and I had a meeting at the Frankfurt Messe and I agreed to work with Ibanez on the Gary Willis Bass project. After sending Gary many samples he approved the pickup and the electronics for his signature instrument.

Since then, we have supplied Ibanez with many bass pickups and various electronics. Before this time, in the earliest years of our history, there was far more emphasis on neck-through construction and enhanced lows and low-mids. In the mid 90's the emphasis shifted to bolt-on construction with more mid and treble emphasis.

We always try to satisfy as many bass players and builders as we can, so we developed designs to satisfy the new requirements and tastes. Most builders were satisfied with an approximately equal tonality from bridge and neck pickups. The neck pickups were always a little brighter with slightly less output than the bridge pickups. But some builders and players preferred putting neck pickups at the bridge and bridge pickups at the neck intentionally. Ibanez was the first to ask for much deeper tone from the neck pickup while retaining a bright tone for the bridge.

When Ibanez asked for special pickups exclusively for Ibanez BTB series, they also asked me to try to blend the older enhanced lows and low mids with the newer, brighter tone in a narrower soapbar design. Could we go beyond what had been achieved in this direction?

The process of designing the final product is always a little bit like making a good salad: there are many ingredients, their characteristics are learned over many years and the final result depends on the mix. Our quad-coil design can yield many other tonalities but, in this case, the desired result was the deepest Deep Neck tone that balanced well with a Bright Bridge tone and retained this tonal balance with the Ibanez designed 4-, 5- and 6-string basses. After several tests and improvements, we reached our goal with the MK-2. Enjoy the wide tonal range!"

 

[RBrownBass]

The Brown Santa brought this today
BTB745 (not sure why it's upside down, but it's paid for and it's here)

Number, please, when you can get around to it...

 

[RBrownBass]

Also have some Aggie Super Doubles on the way, and will be getting a preamp, likely. I want to be able to use the bass passive if necessary, and I don't think the stock pre has a passive mode.

 

[Jacques Beaudin]

Why do you want to run passive?

 

[RBrownBass]

Why do you want to run passive?

??? If the battery dies or goes bad for any reason, I'd like to be able to keep playing.

Plus, I never had any problems with the sound of passive basses. Some people want active all the time, and some don't. I bought the bass as I buy almost every bass- for what it can be as opposed to what it is.