Ibanez EXB 404 bass?

[Direwoof]

I told you it would be more substantial than a Soundgear/SR or jazz people who don’t play them love to assume that every Ibanez bass is a Soundgear and casually toss off the phrase “skinny Ibanez necks” when many of their models don’t look or play anything like a Soundgear I would be interested to know the precise dimensions of that neck, to see how close it comes to the necks of the Japanese-made Roadbass models that immediately preceded (and clearly inspired) the EXB series; my Precision and ATK necks are both slightly but noticeably wider and deeper than the neck on my RD828.

I’m glad to hear it fits your hands, and the sound in your head as well I’m favoring my reverse-P/J Ibanez basses myself

Is teh reverse P pickup why it sounds so different? Even with teh P pickup soloed it sounds much more aggressive and loud than my Austin P bass.

 

[Riff Ranger]

If memory serves, the neck on my EXB-404 was in between a Fender Jazz and Precision, leaning more towards the Jazz, though. Not too thin and comfortable.

That sounds exactly like the Roadbass necks

Yeah I think my Austin P bass what im most used to has a slightly slimmer neck front to back than a real fender P bass and it feels pretty much exactly same as my EX 404.

Like a modern Precision neck only shallower, yup.

The width of the nut on my RD828 looks like 40mm/ 1 9/16” inch, so just a bit wider than a jazz (which typically measure 38mm/1 1/2”); I really have no good way to measure the depth of the neck, but it feels noticeably shallower and—despite the binding—more C-shaped than a typical P. Amazing the difference a couple millimeters or 1/16” will make!

 

[MonetBass]

That sounds exactly like the Roadbass necks

Do you mean Roadstar or Roadster basses?

 

[Riff Ranger]

Is teh reverse P pickup why it sounds so different? Even with teh P pickup soloed it sounds much more aggressive and loud than my Austin P bass.

It’s almost definitely part of it, more of a question of how much. Generally speaking the reverse configuration will brighten and tighten the lower-pitched strings and add a bit of oomph to the higher-pitched strings, which by itself will transfer to a more aggressive sound when chugging with a pick. A number of other factors likely contribute to what you’re hearing as well, though: the winding of the pickup, other electronic components, how you set the tone controls, and fresher or even just different strings can all have their own effects, and taken together that can add up to a dramatically different sound.

 

[Riff Ranger]

Do you mean Roadstar or Roadster basses?

Nope; the Roadbass line was its own thing. Nearly identical to the EXB series, but made in Japan in the late ‘80s as opposed to Korea in the early ‘90s. Here’s my Roadbass: looks A LOT like an EXB or RGB.

 

[hypercarrots]

Do you mean Roadstar or Roadster basses?

I know it's confusing because we have roadster, roadstar, roadbass and roadgear.

 

[hypercarrots]

Is teh reverse P pickup why it sounds so different? Even with teh P pickup soloed it sounds much more aggressive and loud than my Austin P bass.

It may also be that the ibanez pickup is more aggressive on its own. Combine that with strings, wood, electronics. There's a lot of variables there.

 

[Direwoof]

It may also be that the ibanez pickup is more aggressive on its own. Combine that with strings, wood, electronics. There's a lot of variables there.

Yeah on teh P bass I need to be at like 5 volume on teh amp and I turn to like 3 on teh Ibanez and even then it's still meaner sounding haha. I love it.

 

[hypercarrots]

Yeah on teh P bass I need to be at like 5 volume on teh amp and I turn to like 3 on teh Ibanez and even then it's still meaner sounding haha. I love it.

That might be because of the proximity of the pickup to the strings.

 

[Direwoof]

That might be because of the proximity of the pickup to the strings.

Eh their abt teh same distance but I guess teh P bass just maybe has lower output.

 

[hypercarrots]

By the way, here’s how the naming translates to their model codes:
RS = RoadSter
RB = Roadstar Bass
RD = RoaDbass and RoaDgear (some have RDGR on the headstock decal)
RGB = RG Bass. Because it has an RG shape body, which is what the EX and some of the roadbass were.

So why didn’t they name the new line RD or EX instead of RGB? Do they think ibanez bass fans don’t remember? And why don’t they also come in red and green in addition to blue, since they named it as such? Missed opportunities, ibanez

 

[Riff Ranger]

By the way, here’s how the naming translates to their model codes:
RS = RoadSter
RB = Roadstar Bass
RD = RoaDbass and RoaDgear (some have RDGR on the headstock decal)
RGB = RG Bass. Because it has an RG shape body, which is what the EX and some of the roadbass were.

So why didn’t they name the new line RD or EX instead of RGB? Do they think ibanez bass fans don’t remember? And why don’t they also come in red and green in addition to blue, since they named it as such? Missed opportunities, ibanez

I’m neither a businessperson nor an instrument builder, but I suspect they’re checking for interest with this new limited RGB line, and went with the new model “name” to play on the sustained success of the RG guitar line. Matte black is all the rage in metal right now. I personally would like something more colorful but literally every instrument that stays with me for long is black ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ hopefully my new guitar is black enough; sure seems like a keeper!

 

[hypercarrots]

I’m neither a businessperson nor an instrument builder, but I suspect they’re checking for interest with this new limited RGB line, and went with the new model “name” to play on the sustained success of the RG guitar line. Matte black is all the rage in metal right now. I personally would like something more colorful but literally every instrument that stays with me for long is black ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ hopefully my new guitar is black enough; sure seems like a keeper!
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There must be a tradition at ibanez that every model must exist in black at some point in its course. I know the RG is their long standing iconic guitar shape but i like many of their other bodies better, the radius, JS and S...

 

[VMD_ByTor]

I find it very interesting that my bass - which I know is a 1990 because I ordered it and took it out of the box myself at the music store - has a serial number not acknowledged or recognized by the Ibanez pages. I don't mind sharing it here: 9003178, Made in Korea. Stamped right there on the neckplate. The search functions for Ibanez SN#s only acknowledge a 7 digit SN# starting in '96. Strange.

I have an EX404 with a similar s/n: 9001365. Trying to find a wiring diagram for it as one of the cap leads is loose and I'm trying to solder it back.