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Ibanez - Opinions & Experinces

N

ny_chan

Aug 5, 2005
116
1
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
#1
IBANEZ

Lately, there have been much following with regards to this brand.

No doubt, the build quality is very good, quality hardware, the price is reasonable and what more, at times tones that some claims to match higher priced bass.

Moreover, their prestige model looks like boutique/custom basses at a fraction of boutique offerings.

Who would want to pay more?

Personally, I think they are fantastic basses. Especially the SR & BTB series.

What do you think & feel >>>>
 
#3
Ibanez series I like:

- BTB
- ATK
- SR Prestige

Ibanez series I don`t like so much:

- CT and TR
- Many SDGR
- EDA, EDB.


There are other lines I haven`t played so I can`t give an opinion.
 
#4
Papersen said:
Ibanez series I like:

- BTB
- ATK
- SR Prestige

Ibanez series I don`t like so much:

- CT and TR
- Many SDGR
- EDA, EDB.


There are other lines I haven`t played so I can`t give an opinion.
Click to expand...

Agreed, though I'd toss in the RD500 and RD505 as ones I like as well.
 
#5
Personally, I think you get about what you pay for. There are a lot of companies offering competitive products to Ibanez in every price bracket, but you wouldn't necessarily know that just from browsing the wall at GC.

That said, I bought a BTB405 because a) it was the most comfortable neck I could find b) 35" inch scale c) it's pretty versitile, and has a nice preamp and solid hardware d) i could afford it. I think it was a good buy, and I'd do it again. If I had more to spend, I would have looked at the BTB1205, but the competition starts to get pretty stiff around the $1k mark.

Anyway, I tend to agree with the original post... a lot of Ibanez basses are pretty good buys.
 
#8
I bought an SR800 in 2001 at Steve's Music in Toronto and I've used it for FOUR YEARS before getting my warwick a few months back. I had it tuned BEAD as it was a four string and we played in that tuning.

I have to admit, I only jam on the SR800 occasionally now since my new purchase however I can't say I regret using the ibanez for the four years I had it. I played tons of live gigs (metal band) AND recorded 2 demos (on one of the demos I was the rhythm guitarist, but we didn't have a bassist so I recorded the bass as well).

Great bass. I'm never selling it that's for sure.

Just thought I'd share my experience with Ibanez. :D

-bart
 
#9
jrduer said:
Just curious: Did you have a specific problem with Ibanez? What was it? (Maybe I'm having a problem, but don't realize it yet...)
Click to expand...
Not really anything specific. They make good stuff from an objective perspective. The construction and "quality" is good enough for what you pay. However, they just seem to have no "soul". Tough to quantify. I've never played an Ibanez that "spoke" to me in any way at any price, but to be fair I've only tried a few. Pickups and electronics seem to be the consistent weak point. Possible exception: ATK series.

That's why I worded my post the way I did. Objectively they are fine, subjectively, I've never experienced one I liked. Plus I have a friend whose day job is the music business (really bigtime major label stuff - LOTS of gold and platinum records on his walls) , that's where the quote "they don't call them Ibeenhad for nothing" came from.

Give me the choice between the best Ibanez out there and a simple MIM Fender and I'd pick the Fender every time. Again, just an opinion, which is what was asked for, and no more or less valid than the opinion of someone who loves Ibanez stuff.
jrduer said:
I've been playing a BTB405 for quite awhile, and I love it.
Click to expand...
Enjoy!
 
#10
I have a old i think 1969 Jazz bass Ibanez. It has served me well i have been able to get what i need from it and the harmonics on it are just crazy i still can't find a bass to match the harmonics i get with this bass i would say that is the best thing on this bass is the harmonics otherwise it is a decent bass i would put above all the fender jazz basses ive played (MIA MIM both). The only problem for me is that its a four string and so i have been checking out some 6 strings and have been eyeing out the prestige models and have been impressed with them.
 
#11
To me Ibanez is like plain vanilla. Good but not great. Ibanez basses get the job done, but always left me feeling kinda eh. My first two basses were Ibanez. My first was an EXB404. Decent bass, but the nut came off during a string change. Back then, Ibanez was one of the biggest games in town when it came to reasonably priced basses for students that didn't cost an arm and a leg. When I switched to a 5-string, it was a TR 5-string and I never got on with the neck; but it was the only 5-string I could get at a budget price back in '94.

I do have an Ibanez now. One of the low level Soundgears to use as a beater to keep at my folks' house. As a beater, it's fine, but definitely not the first bass I'd want to pick up.

Plus, I feel for the price of the Prestige line, you can get much better. And even in the lower price brackets, there are much much much more options than there were a decade ago.

Nothing inherently bad about Ibanez, but given how the competition in their various price brackets has stepped up so much, Ibanez just seems that much more "meh." Still, Ibanez and Crate have kept a lot of teenage bassists in business. Would I buy another Ibanez these days? No.
 
#12
chimp said:
I have a old i think 1969 Jazz bass Ibanez. It has served me well i have been able to get what i need from it and the harmonics on it are just crazy i still can't find a bass to match the harmonics i get with this bass i would say that is the best thing on this bass is the harmonics otherwise it is a decent bass i would put above all the fender jazz basses ive played (MIA MIM both). The only problem for me is that its a four string and so i have been checking out some 6 strings and have been eyeing out the prestige models and have been impressed with them.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't go quite that far but back when I first started playing bass there was a store that sold the Ibanez lawsuit models like the one you have. I thought they compared very favorably to the 76 Fender I eventually bought.

But Ibanez' customer service is zilch. You guys think Fender has bad CS? It's nothing compared to Ibanez. You will notice that on the Ibanez website there is no listing to contact them directly if you have a problem. At least Fender has that info. Ibanez and Tama hide behind a parent company called Hoshino, and it once took me 2 days to find a number to call to ask for a schematic to a used bass I bought.

When I got through, the conversation went like this:

Hoshino: Hoshino.

Me: I would like to know if I can get a schematic for a Destroyer bass I just bought used.

Hoshino: Who are you?

Me: JimmyM from Florida.

Hoshino: Are you a dealer or repairman?

Me: No, I'm a customer.

Hoshino: This number is for dealers and authorized repar technicians only. You need to contact your dealer.

Me: I bought it at a pawn shop.

Hoshino: Well we aren't set up to help customers directly. This is strictly for dealers and repairmen.

Me: But I...

<click>

So Ibanez can take a flying F. I don't care how good their products are, they will never see a dime of my money. It's a shame because I really like the model that Carol Kaye plays and wouldn't mind having one. But I'll never buy anything of theirs again because when you buy it, you are on your own.
 
#15
JimmyM said:
I wouldn't go quite that far but back when I first started playing bass there was a store that sold the Ibanez lawsuit models like the one you have. I thought they compared very favorably to the 76 Fender I eventually bought.

But Ibanez' customer service is zilch. You guys think Fender has bad CS? It's nothing compared to Ibanez. You will notice that on the Ibanez website there is no listing to contact them directly if you have a problem. At least Fender has that info. Ibanez and Tama hide behind a parent company called Hoshino, and it once took me 2 days to find a number to call to ask for a schematic to a used bass I bought.

When I got through, the conversation went like this:

Hoshino: Hoshino.

Me: I would like to know if I can get a schematic for a Destroyer bass I just bought used.

Hoshino: Who are you?

Me: JimmyM from Florida.

Hoshino: Are you a dealer or repairman?

Me: No, I'm a customer.

Hoshino: This number is for dealers and authorized repar technicians only. You need to contact your dealer.

Me: I bought it at a pawn shop.

Hoshino: Well we aren't set up to help customers directly. This is strictly for dealers and repairmen.

Me: But I...

<click>

So Ibanez can take a flying F. I don't care how good their products are, they will never see a dime of my money. It's a shame because I really like the model that Carol Kaye plays and wouldn't mind having one. But I'll never buy anything of theirs again because when you buy it, you are on your own.
Click to expand...
Ive never had a problem contacting them, but i go through the UK details that were given

And alot of the wiring diagrams for thier basses new and old on the US site


To the guy with the 69, thats probably a pre lawsuit Ibanez, when they were making copies that were better instruments than the original, for cheaper :smug: , as you can guess by the pre lawsuit but, it didnt last long
 
#16
I've owned a few ibanez's and they have all been well constructed and very playable if set up properly. And they have all sounded pretty plain. I won't buy an Ibanez guitar because all of the necks are just too thin for my taste. Most of the basses fit in this catergory too, except I really like the BTB400's. The neck has a little more depth to it, and the 35" scale is still very playable while giving the bass some thump. The fact that the electronics suck isn't a concern to me. I'll easily swap them out. The thing that I'm looking for is one that really rings out when unplugged. If I find a BTB that rings out and vibrates well, then I'll get another Ibanez.

The thing that upsets me about Ibanez is that they have modelled themselves to teen rockers and thats pretty much it.

Chad
 
#19
I got lots to add to this.

I played a gs200 for 3 years for my schools band. And it had its fair share of abuse. I played pep band games with it, concert, and compititions. Out of the total of 3 years I was in the school band I think i played 20 pep band games, 9 total concerts, and 6 compititions.

It had worked great for everything else to, band practice, or solo jamming.

I played a edb600 the other day for about 20 mins, I loved it every bit, very cool, and I got a sound I liked instantly out of it.

I also played a sr505 for about 20 mins, loved it to, the string spacing isn't bad, but it is close. It weighs enxt to nothing, and the finish is AMAZING. Not to mention the tone is great.

My next bass will be a ibanez sr505 btw.

I've played peavey, g&l, jackson, schecter, fender (mim) and I personally like the ibanez over most of em for the tone, weight and efficicecy.

Really great basses for a budget.

-Rob
 

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