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Ibanez Love?

mkfanforever58

mkfanforever58

Guest
Oct 3, 2014
153
27
#1
Where is the Ibanez love? As said in another forum I was planning on acquiring the new SR-650. What do you like and not like about Ibanez and what Ibby's do you own? Tell me your opinions on this bass if you have tried it and if I should get it or not.
 
#2
my current favorite bass in the universe is the ibanez SR1800e and its 5 string version, the SR1805e. just amazing tone, and it's also very versatile. the basses are light, so light, slender, and they look great. and again, the tone is wonderful. lately i've been playing a lot of lower priced ibanez basses at stores, and they really deliver a lot of bang for the buck. from the SR300 on up, they're also slim and light within the SR line. i've got an SR500 on layaway i'll be picking up this month, spent a few hours playing it and really liked the sound and feel.

i haven't tried the SR650 yet, but it's gorgeous and i can't wait to try it :)
 
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#4
I guess technically I still own the Ibanez I gave my nephew, which he left at my parents' place rather than take home... It's an old TR-series active PJ 4, black/rosewood (P body, jazz neck, PJ pups) with black hardware from circa 1992.

Besides the truss rod issue I blame on myself, it has awesome tone and feels incredible to play. Thanks to that one, I routinely pick up any Ibanez in the store and try them out - I love them all! The last one I tried was just last week, an active 4-string fretless with 5-piece neck for about $400... can't find it on their site at the moment but it was a glossy finish on nice-looking (birdseye?) with rounded edges, and a no-finish-like satin on the neck. WOW. Just wow.
 
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#5
I have to admit, I am not very familiar with what Ibanez has done since the early 90s. Some of that is because at that time I pretty much had my gear set up and laid out the way I needed and wanted it and just wasn't in the market for things or keeping up with what was available. Part of this is due to the fact that not long after this period I became a family man, gave up gigging and jamming and sold off most of my instruments and other music equipment.

However, I have always liked Ibanez products. Some of the guitars and basses they came out with (especially in the 80s IMO) were/are as good as anything mass-produced by any company anywhere at any time.

Back in the day I had a couple of Ibanez "lawsuit" guitars and basses that were stellar. Just wonderful instruments.

Now I really GAS for an old Roadstar or Blazer bass. I just love them.

I really should acquaint myself with the current offerings Ibanez has, but I'm just never in a position to purchase anything these days, plus I don't live near many music stores (one GC an hour away and some pawn shops--that's it.)

Also, boring as it may be, after 35+ years of playing, I've concluded I'm pretty much into passive P-type four bangers and not much else as far as basses go.

I have a couple of those already, so I feel like I am pretty good to go.

I would still snag an old Roadstar or Blazer if I found the right one and I had the money, and I definitely believe Ibanez is a good, trustworthy company. Even some of their most inexpensive instruments are really well put together.
 
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#7
I have an SR500 and also a Mikro

Sr500:- Has no neck dive, is nice and light, very playable neck, has EQ system that can dial in a lot of tones, scoop switch. A breeze and joy to play.

Mikro:- I like shortscales also. This one I have has no neck dive, is quite light comparatively, and has a fast playable neck. The tone is fairly good and it has a warm fat sound right out of the box. This bass isn't very much money but for what you get it's pretty good (if you get a good one). Breezy and easy to play.
 
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#8
I think you get a lot more for your money than average when you buy Ibanez.
I only currently own 1, a 1987 Roadstar RB800 w/ the lawsuit headstock that I may part out to get back down to a few basses.
It plays very well, and sounds pretty good though I don't love the old "Low-Z" pups.
I also owned an SRA550 that played and looked great but I hated the EMGhzs it had.
 
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#11
Marko 1 said:
ATK305 is the only Ibanez I have any experience with. It’s a great value in the used arena, and a well-built, good-sounding bass.

Otherwise I think of Ibanez as being thin-necked and don’t typically look at them.
Click to expand...

WP_20150520_001.jpg The old roadsters are definitely anything but thin-necked. Honestly my roadster will take on any p bass any day, and smoke it. Guitar center seems to think they would sell it for $200 and pay me $100 for it. I was insulted. No one will come up with a decent offer for it, so off it will go to a boutique shop on consignment for $550.
 
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#12
i've had an ibanez sr370, an older, japan made sr400 with dxp and dxj pickups, for a bit i also had a gsr200, and currently own a sr375 (traded the sr370 for the 5 string upgrade.) and so far, i have not had a reason to complain aboit any of these. i enjoyed playing each of them.
 
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#13
I have a love-hate relationship with Ibanez. I think they make wonderful instruments that are well made, versatile and extremely good value for the money (at just about every price point too) that's the love.
The hate part is they just don't seem to want to make a model that's right for ME. The new SR 600/700 with the Norstrand pickups are nice, but I can't handle the dull finish on a natural body - the ash is even LESS glossy than the mahogany on a 500 series! Given this is the beginning of their "working pro" line (or really one up from that) the finish is a little DULL (people will be performing on stage with these!) and way too delicate - see the classic thumb mark on every used SR500 ever. (I like the 500 too - but it's sound is a little "generic" - distinctly GOOD, but not unique or exciting).
The Talman is close, if they made a slightly higher end version - more like the older ATK 500s rather than keeping them in the decidedly beginner range - not against beginner basses, but I want one, but can't justify a vintage-y Fender inspired bass that's lower end than my existing Fenders. If they made a premium or prestige version - which would still be cheap considering the basic-ness of the model - I would be TOTALLY in. As-is, I'd have to put a couple hundred in pickups into it to be what I want - and I can't stomach the low end active electronics that are going to be in a $300 bass - (I want the block markers and metallic colours).
The ATK is nice too - but they discontinued the original one with the unique pickup in it for a more conventional, more Rayish pickup and went lower end with them too.
I also love the AFB200, but they cancelled the beautiful tobacco sunburst model just as I was ready to buy - and no one is parting with them used. Colour shouldn't matter - and most of my basses' colours were chosen by the previous owners (ie I bought them used) - but the new redburst they replaced the classy tobacco burst is FUGLY and you do have to be able to LIVE with something you bought.
Anyway, if anyone at Ibanez is listening - make the SRs at least available in gloss and make a higher-end Talman. I WILL buy it. And get rid of that awful finish on the AFB.
Anyway Rant over - Ibanez are great instruments so I'm not bashing them (I've said way worse things about my darling Danos and Fenders), it just frustrates me that a brand I like so much doesn't end up making something that suits me.
If they made a reissue of the musician series (in particular the 8 string) at sensible Ibanez pricing - not the insane pricing that Aria charges for it's 80s reissues - I'd also be WAY in - or really ANY 8 string at a sane price as I know Ibanez would do it right - I'd like to see it in a SR 370 kind of thing - not too low end, but cheap enough to be the EXTRA instrument that an string 8 must inevitably be for most of us.
Seriously Ibanez - SR 378 - you'll dominate the 8 string market!
 
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#16
Also do you think I would get criticized for having a somewhat cheap bass? Is there really much of a difference between say this bass and an SR1800e to justify the extra money? I would hope for my next bass to be something I could use for a while and I dont want to get this and later regret it, selling it and then losing money. I would hate to do that.
 
#17
I can't speak for the new Regular SR models with the Nordstrand Pickups but there is a huge difference in quality and tone between the Premium level Ibane basses and the older models with the Bartolini pickups. The regular Ibanez are still a lot of bang for the buck but the Premium level are amazing instruments that will hang with anything under the $1500 Price range.
 
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