Ibanez SR Series

[MacaroniShrek]

I recently tried out a bunch of basses at a local store. I tried a ton from a large range of prices, too. $200-$2000.

I tried the Ibanez SR500E last, expecting nothing special. Holy crap, this thing blew me out of the water. I LOVED the neck on this thing. The pickups were fantastic and it fit me like a glove. I really loved the body shape.

I pretty much am in love with this bass.

With this revelation, I am very interested in the SR series.

I have a few questions.

Firstly, what are the major differences in the SR500E to the SR500?

Is the neck usually the same profile and wood throughout the SR series? Same with body shape and metal parts?

Is there anything I should know with QC issues or how they wear over time?

Thank you for any help!

 

[Snert]

Is the neck usually the same profile and wood throughout the SR series?

Neck profiles are pretty consistent, but they can vary widely in the woods used, and even with the same model number over different years these might vary.

Same with body shape and metal parts?

Body shape has felt the same on all of them to me, just a bit larger for the 6s. Metal work also varies a lot.

Is there anything I should know with QC issues or how they wear over time?

The SR500s come in a horrible brown mahogany finish that is prone to wearing through to the base timber. Many of the other models use different body woods and finishes so without a specific model and year it's hard to be more specific.

You really need to look at the Ibanez website to see the differences in the models as they range from basic to boutique grade.

I own a number of SRs and they are by far my favourite bass range.

Dunno the difference between the 500 and 500e.

 

[MacaroniShrek]

I own a number of SRs and they are by far my favourite bass range.

I can see why, I can't imagine a better feeling bass to play. The one I played was absolutely fantastic and a huge shock. I played the $1600 Affirma they had on display as well. That was second to the SR500E. I never really considered Ibanez to be my thing, but now I know.

Thank you for the information!

 

[Gothic]

Back in the early 00's I got my SR506 (way, WAY cheaper) just as an experiment because I wanted to see how I got on with sixers. It was sort of a revelation how well it did "fit", although I did know Ibanez to be one of -if not THE- best fitting guitar necks for me but I didn't expect the same on bass.
In any case, soundgears are very decent instruments even down to their most budget offerings. I'm really trying to not buy that 306...

 

[Snert]

There's an Ibanez club thread here too.
The Ibanez Club (Part 6) | TalkBass.com
Lots of members, experience and advice.

 

[BassmanM]

I recently tried out a bunch of basses at a local store. I tried a ton from a large range of prices, too. $200-$2000.

I tried the Ibanez SR500E last, expecting nothing special. Holy crap, this thing blew me out of the water. I LOVED the neck on this thing. The pickups were fantastic and it fit me like a glove. I really loved the body shape.

I pretty much am in love with this bass.

With this revelation, I am very interested in the SR series.

I have a few questions.

Firstly, what are the major differences in the SR500E to the SR500?

Is the neck usually the same profile and wood throughout the SR series? Same with body shape and metal parts?

Is there anything I should know with QC issues or how they wear over time?

Thank you for any help!

This might be an interesting place for you now:

The Soundgear Club

 

[themickster]

I recently tried out a bunch of basses at a local store. I tried a ton from a large range of prices, too. $200-$2000.

I tried the Ibanez SR500E last, expecting nothing special. Holy crap, this thing blew me out of the water. I LOVED the neck on this thing. The pickups were fantastic and it fit me like a glove. I really loved the body shape.

I pretty much am in love with this bass.

With this revelation, I am very interested in the SR series.

I have a few questions.

Firstly, what are the major differences in the SR500E to the SR500?

Is the neck usually the same profile and wood throughout the SR series? Same with body shape and metal parts?

Is there anything I should know with QC issues or how they wear over time?

Thank you for any help!

500E has a switch for bypassing the active EQ. Its Bartolini BH2 pickups are said to be better than the Bartolini MK1s on the 500.

 

[makanudo]

Get anything 600 and up and avoid that brown finish like the plague.

I personally owned one made in 09 and player an older one that was lent to me. Amazing feel but the finish gets dented and scratched just by looking at it, let alone playing it.

Ur nail will get dug in wherever you rest your thumb and your nail will scratch wherever you slap and it will just keep getting bigger and bigger with time.

Any finish that's glossy and of your liking will feel and sound just about the same but won't age as poorly.

 

[Outbush]

I have to say, ergonomically they are the pick of the bunch for me. I have a 5 string & also really like the narrow spacing. I’ve played a SR500 before I bought mine and it was beautifully light and comfortable. Had it been a PJ I think I would have bought it there and then (but I bought an SR755NTF with the PJ combination instead). If that very bass has you thinking that, I’d buy it if I were you!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

+1 on the "Brown Mahogany" finish, perhaps the least durable finish on any recent production bass, which is inexplicable on an otherwise superb bass. I've long schemed to buy buy an SR500 and strip that crap finish off and re-do it as Tru -Oil or wipe on poly, hundreds of them for sale on Ebay and Reverb, all with finish wear in the same spots. The ergonomics and super slim neck just fit my hands. Personally I like how the Barts sound, but a lot of people like the Nordstrom. A bewildering number of models to choose from kind of "dilutes" the brand IMO, they ought to pare down the product line to essentials. The Prestige series are truly boutique level basses.

 

[Ggaa]

Get anything 600 and up and avoid that brown finish like the plague.

I personally owned one made in 09 and player an older one that was lent to me. Amazing feel but the finish gets dented and scratched just by looking at it, let alone playing it.

Ur nail will get dug in wherever you rest your thumb and your nail will scratch wherever you slap and it will just keep getting bigger and bigger with time.

Any finish that's glossy and of your liking will feel and sound just about the same but won't age as poorly.

Mine had the Silver Wave finish, ditto on the dents, and it didn't look like a silver wave. That was the only downside though, great ax.

 

[Zooberwerx]

These are commonly referred to as "pencil necked groovers" but I like the narrower body waist, as well. My older 755 has a body center block but the attached wings are actually two-piece "sandwiches"...I can just barely make out the seam.

Riis

 

[Jscriv]

I've had an ibanez sr305 for about 18 years now and I still love it. I bought an srms800 recently and while I love the neck and feel, the bartolini pickups leave something seriously to be desired from for me in the low end. Very muddy. No matter how hard I eq it I can't get any growl in the low end and it leaves my high SCREAMING. Gunna try a compressor first and then maybe gut the electronics. If anyone has any experience with these help a brother out!

 

[Dincrest]

Although this doesn't pertain to the 4-strings, for Soundgear 5-strings the string spacing at the bridge is 16.5mm except for the SR1605DW which has 18mm spacing.

And what's cool about Ibanez is that they have such extensive bass offerings. Many companies might have 1 or 2 6-strings, but Ibanez has several, including some solid budget 6ers for anything thinking of starting out.

And for those who aren't into the slender-necked Soundgears, the BTB line have chunky necks. Pity there isn't a BTB 4-string any more.

I've had some killer Soundgears pass through my hands and will be the first to say that they are comfortable, balanced basses that I could gig all night without any shoulder fatigue. That being said, I'm more of an ESP/LTD guy nowadays (I prefer their slightly rounder and thicker neck profiles), but will always recommend Soundgears to anyone looking for something sleek, balanced, and light enough to gig for hours-long sets.

And it's easy to be drawn into hype (be it here on TalkBass or elsewhere) of people calling Ibanez instruments "I-been-hadz" or dismissing Soundgears because they're the most common basses outside of Fender/Fender-style ones, but there is a reason so many gigging bassists use them.

@Jscriv May I ask what strings you use? I have a 2004 SR905 with the stock Bartolini MK-1 pickups and Ibanez preamp. Normally, I'm with you on finding the Bartolini sound "bleh" but with DR Fat Beams, the thing growls like a beast.

Another option might be to keep the pickups, but upgrade the preamp. Getting pickups the dimensions of MK-1s is not easy. Bartolini themselves make upgraded soapbars that fit. But it's often said that the Ibanez preamp is what chokes the tone out of otherwise decent pickups.

 

[Vodyanoi]

Is there anything I should know with QC issues or how they wear over time?

I'll join the folks above and I'll agree that the brown finish of the older (and the newer too, if they still have it) SR500 models is something to be avoided at all costs, except if you enjoy that kind of distressed look.

In any case, every SR that I've played--from the budget GSR200 to the more expensive models--were flawless when it comes to QC.

 

[Relayer71]

Ibanez has some of the highest bang-for-your buck ratio and you can't go wrong with an SR unless you prefer a chunkier neck. On the lower end, the electronics tend to be just OK, but you're still getting great value.

Agree with all on the poor quality of the brown finish. However, I remember reading somewhere that they had improved the quality of this in the last few years.

If your budget allows, I would just get one of the SR Premiums. Or look for an older SR600 and above used which are generally inexpensive. Occasionally, you will even see an older Prestige, the high end, made in Japan, going for close to what a new SR500 would cost.

 

[songwriter21]

+1 on the "Brown Mahogany" finish, perhaps the least durable finish on any recent production bass, which is inexplicable on an otherwise superb bass. I've long schemed to buy buy an SR500 and strip that crap finish off and re-do it as Tru -Oil or wipe on poly, hundreds of them for sale on Ebay and Reverb, all with finish wear in the same spots. The ergonomics and super slim neck just fit my hands. Personally I like how the Barts sound, but a lot of people like the Nordstrom. A bewildering number of models to choose from kind of "dilutes" the brand IMO, they ought to pare down the product line to essentials. The Prestige series are truly boutique level basses.

There really is a big difference between Bartolinis and clothing accessories from Nordstrom. Night and day.

 

[Phlipper]

As someone mentioned, the E series has the active/passive switch and BH2 Barts. I never liked the Mk1 Barts on my older SR. Love the BH2s. And yes ... the brown finish sux. I bought a 505e in violin sunburst from GC a couple years ago and it wears MUCH better than the brown. Still finally getting a mark from where my thumbnail rests. My new 600e finish appears also to be rather thin. It seems unless it is a Premium or above, or has that thick gloss finish (300 and 400) they don't wear particularly well. For the feel, weight, neck, and tone of the SRs I'll take a thin finish any day. But I'm weird.

 

[Herrick]

Ibanez has some of the highest bang-for-your buck ratio and you can't go wrong with an SR unless you prefer a chunkier neck. On the lower end, the electronics tend to be just OK, but you're still getting great value.

Agree with all on the poor quality of the brown finish. However, I remember reading somewhere that they had improved the quality of this in the last few years.

If your budget allows, I would just get one of the SR Premiums. Or look for an older SR600 and above used which are generally inexpensive. Occasionally, you will even see an older Prestige, the high end, made in Japan, going for close to what a new SR500 would cost.

Just throwing it out there in case weight is an issue for anyone; the more high-end Ibanez SRs seem to be heavier than the cheaper ones...at least going by what I've seen on Sweetwater. They're not as heavy as Stingrays or Yamaha BBs though.

 

[juggahnaught]

I have a korean SR506 from 2005 or sp, and the finish is markedly different from.the ones that flake off. Mine is more burgundy than brownn and holds up really well. Something to be aware of if you look for an older model 500 series.