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Ibanez old prestige vs new prestige
- Thread starter gusrb5
- Start date
I wonder if they switched to Nordies because they saw a lot of complaints or shying away from buying them because people wanted a more open and clear sound.
But if you watch videos of Japanese players, they use the Bart equipped Prestiges for everything from fusion to R&B to rock, etc. So its not quite the one-trick dark pony as described on USA forums by Fender die-harders.
In fact, I put the Bart SR Prestige against a Roscoe with Roscoe Barts and found the Prestige to be more clear and open. But I like the dark R&B sound of the Roscoe even more than the Prestige.
I myself much prefer Bartolini over pretty much everything else out there, so I'd like an older 5005 and have no interest in the newer Prestiges.
But going with Nordies leaves the newer Prestiges in the middle of the road spectrum wise than the darker Barts.
But if you watch videos of Japanese players, they use the Bart equipped Prestiges for everything from fusion to R&B to rock, etc. So its not quite the one-trick dark pony as described on USA forums by Fender die-harders.
In fact, I put the Bart SR Prestige against a Roscoe with Roscoe Barts and found the Prestige to be more clear and open. But I like the dark R&B sound of the Roscoe even more than the Prestige.
I myself much prefer Bartolini over pretty much everything else out there, so I'd like an older 5005 and have no interest in the newer Prestiges.
But going with Nordies leaves the newer Prestiges in the middle of the road spectrum wise than the darker Barts.
Curious. I'm brand new to Ibanez.
I just bought this 2019 SR5005 with Barts. From what I understand, Ibanez has been using Nordstrand since 2011 in their basses.
Would this 2019 bass be considered a newer or older model because of the Barts? What year do the new models start?
Just trying to learn. They are amazing basses for the money.
I just bought this 2019 SR5005 with Barts. From what I understand, Ibanez has been using Nordstrand since 2011 in their basses.
Would this 2019 bass be considered a newer or older model because of the Barts? What year do the new models start?
Just trying to learn. They are amazing basses for the money.
That’s the older model. That model went from 2009 and finished out in 2024 and the new ones came out for 2025. They’ve been using those USA Bartolini pickups in the prestige basses for close to 20 years of I’m not mistaken. Fantastic pickups, and the preamp is just ok. Ibanez has been using both Bartolini and Nordstrand for a long time. Ibanez also makes EXCELLENT in house pickups for various models throughout the years.Curious. I'm brand new to Ibanez.
I just bought this 2019 SR5005 with Barts. From what I understand, Ibanez has been using Nordstrand since 2011 in their basses.
Would this 2019 bass be considered a newer or older model because of the Barts? What year do the new models start?
Just trying to learn. They are amazing basses for the money.
I prefer the USA Bartolini Customs in the previous models over the Nordstrand Big Singles in the new model, personally. The Nords are more modern sounding and can be a bit harsh to my ears. I’ve got both series and love them both though. The new prestige’s have an excellent preamp in them and the addition of the separate tone control really helps to tame the harshness of the big singles. My 5006 prestige is currently at Sweetwater getting a Bartolini preamp , with the addition of a separate tone control that will function the same as the new series preamp, so I’m excited to compare the two when I get it back.
Barts aren't a homogeneous sounding range pickups that you can outright say are dark sounding. There are different voicings, shapes and coil arrangements.
What I don't understand is why Bart put their name to such underwhelming pickups such as the MK1 and BH3. I'm sure they made a heap of money but at cost of their reputation. Nordstrand also has overseas models made for Ibanez but seemingly out in more effort designing and voicing them to be closer to their USA pickups.
What I don't understand is why Bart put their name to such underwhelming pickups such as the MK1 and BH3. I'm sure they made a heap of money but at cost of their reputation. Nordstrand also has overseas models made for Ibanez but seemingly out in more effort designing and voicing them to be closer to their USA pickups.
I had a Premium with Nodstrand Big Singles and whatever I did it sounded unnatural.
Thank you for the detailed response! Very interesting. I appreciate the info. Was the ramp for your bass custom made of do these basses come with a ramp from the factory?
I like the 'exotic' woods they they had on the previous series more (wenge top/back/fretboard, bubinga neck). Also, even though the neck materials are treated to increase stability, it still feels like a downgrade not to have the titanium support rods.
@Kmrumedy: They don't come with ramps.
@Kmrumedy: They don't come with ramps.
I don’t have any issue with the Bart pups in my BTBs. I did swap out the Ibanez pre amp in the 670 & 740 to a Bartolini pre wired setup and it improved the sound to my ears. The addition of the pre amp bypass is also a great feature with that setup. The pups sound great in passive mode.
So, I think that the pups are fine, the pre is the weak link.
kgb
I can't tell for sure, but Ibanez did use those cheap knockoff barts that had the logo on, but were made in the far east, and as a pickup they were okay, but nothing to write home about.
Maybe these were also in the Prestige lines, and maybe they were real barts, but I'd assume that people might not get the difference between the two, so they changed to something that can easily be recognized as a premium brand.
Maybe these were also in the Prestige lines, and maybe they were real barts, but I'd assume that people might not get the difference between the two, so they changed to something that can easily be recognized as a premium brand.
I have one, a SR1350B. It's not just the p'ups, the preamp and the whole bass is tricky. Takes about 30 minutes when I haven't played it for awhile for me to get the hang of it, then it plays and sounds great. Combination of technique and patience.
If you want natural and easy, go for a P bass. If you want fast and tricky, SRs are good for that.
I am always more interested in how a bass sounds in a band context as opposed to how it sounds by itself or in my practice room. That said, to me there is something that Bartolini pickups lack that Nordstrom pickups have. It's hard to describe but I have found myself playing harder when I use a bass with Bart pickups, like I am trying to get something more out of it, like they need to be pushed. I tend to play a little softer on a bass with Nordstrom pickups. I do think that the preamp can have a big effect on this. I think Bart pickups absolutely need a preamp where I do have a passive bass with Nordstrom pickups and it sounds really good without a preamp. I keep thinking I will eventually install one on this bass but so far I really don't see the need.
I think they are pretty nice basses and very comfortable ergonomically. A 5 string with that wild Caribbean blue color was on my list for a bit.
If the distinction is just the pickups, I would definitely get the nords over the barts. Having owned some bart equipped basses in the past, i just never got along with them. Way too delicate in the mids, they are very polite sounding and hard to distinguish in a full band mix.
Just a head up for those that don’t know, but REAL USA made Bartolini pickups (the good ones) will have the Bartolini name across the ENTIRE pickup. The licensed barts (offshore made) such as the MK1, MK2, BH1 and BH2 pickups will only have the name in the BOTTOM RIGHT corner of the pickups. Examples below.
Real USA made Barts:
Offshore made liscensed Barts (still designed by Bill Bartolini) :
Real USA made Barts:
Offshore made liscensed Barts (still designed by Bill Bartolini) :
The notion of anyone with a fender describing an Ibanez bass as a “one trick pony” is so laughable it almost hurts.
Regarding the older vs newer ones, I actually think with quality control it’s hard to say, as some instruments are built by fugijen (the top end prestige from both eras), whereas the new premium are built in Indonesia and some older prestige were built by Cort in Korea. A serial number can help verify the country of origin.
Generally think the Indonesian ones can vary as far as quality control. I’ve had three or four Indonesian Ibanez and two were very well built and two definitely should have been considered “B stock” and weren’t in great shape. The Korean made basses from the Cort factory in my experience have more consistent quality control, sacrilege to some but that’s my opinion. The ones made in Japan are always well made, high quality instruments and I’ve had zero issues with any Japanese bass I’ve ever owned.
Regarding electronics. The US Bartolinis shine in the studio but may be a little polite in a live band mix. Whereas the nordstrands may be a little aggressive in a studio setting, they are great in a live band setting.
The biggest thing I’d say is I think both are served VERY well with a preamp swap. I have an older SR1006 prestige that came with US Bartolinis and the Vari-mid preamp. I don’t care what people say, that vari-mid preamp is just as crap as the mk1 preamp in the mid level basses and it makes the pickups sound thin, sterile and clankly. “But you can dial in any and boost or cut any mid frequency!” Yeah, you can sound like crap at any frequency you choose, great!
Once I put an Aguilar OBP-2 in the bass it became a completely different instrument. Sounds just as good as any $5000 bass I’ve heard. I also did the Aguilar preamp swap on a BTB1605 premium and that also improved the sound significantly (basically the same electronics as a Wyn bass, Nord pickup and Aggi preamp)
Also for what it’s worth, when I played my Adam Nitti soundgear bass at my friends church service (US Bart jazz pickups, Bart NTMB pre), the sound guys said it was the best bass they’ve ever heard in their lives … and the previous week I played my Wal bass
I’ve been thinking about that all week hahaha
Ughh I have two of those basses (SR1006 and ANB205) and I’m jealous of the rest of that stable. Gorgeous basses! Oh and put an OBP in the 1006 and it definitely improves the sound!
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