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Ibanez SR300EL: "Powertap" Why?

#61
TheBlueFalcon said:
I see what you mean about the matte finish, that and the matching neck colour looks far better.

I'm shocked though, that the SR375EF has outperformed the SRF705 with a neck-through design!! Did you consider upgrading the pickups in the SRF705?
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As I said,
Previous was an Ibanez SRF705 (portamento) with upgraded Bartolini pickups and preamp.
​
:thumbsup:

I upgraded the electronics in the 705 soon after I bought it. It was a fine bass, but once I used the 375 live, I just found that I preferred it. I haven't found that every neck-through bass I've owned has outperformed every bolt-on bass, although the best bass I've ever owned, a Pedulla Buzz fretless, is neck-through.

I do miss the extended fingerboard on the Portamento ... I used to play an intro to one of our songs that started on the G string where the 28th fret would be on a fretted bass. I have to use artificial harmonics to do that section now.

I may get another Portamento some day, and try some Nordstrands in it instead of Bartolinis. It really is a nice instrument.
 
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#62
re: neck-through higher model not always preferred over a bolt-on lower model

Here's my experience in that regard:

Had a SRX2EX2, the lowest model SR eXtreme they made, bolt-on, Ceramic-magnet PFR pickups, basswood body.
Thought to myself that the SRX700, neck-through, Ash body, AlNiCo-magnet PFR pickups, that Carol Kaye uses, must be better, right?

Cut to my opportunity when a SRX700 came up for only $300 USD, so I bought it & compared it directly to my SRX2EX2.
The SRX2EX2 was lighter by more than one pound, the Ceramic-magnet pickups were a more aggressive (more high-mids) sound that I like.

Returned the SRX700, but only after sitting here all weekend thinking about swapping the pickups in them, LOL!
Eventually I resolved that the Ash body was also scooping the mids a little, so swapping the pickups might not do much.

Right now I prefer Ibanez's PowerSpan pickups over any Bartolini pickup, including those in higher-end Ibanez.

The PFR pickups I prefer over any Music-Man pickups I've tried.

Disclaimer: I even swapped strings around on those basses over the weekend to confirm my observations. That's the great thing about these quick-release bridges!
 
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#64
Inara said:
As I said,
Previous was an Ibanez SRF705 (portamento) with upgraded Bartolini pickups and preamp.
​
I upgraded the electronics in the 705 soon after I bought it. It was a fine bass, but once I used the 375 live, I just found that I preferred it.

I may get another Portamento some day, and try some Nordstrands in it instead of Bartolinis. It really is a nice instrument.
Click to expand...
Yes sorry, I did mean to say replacing the pickups in the 705 again with something else. But I guess it would have been an expensive experiment, although it would have been very interesting to hear what you thought of the 705 with the Nordy pickups.

The main thing is that you're happy with what you've got, which says a lot about a relatively cheap bass that many would avoid based on price and never realise just how good it is.
 
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#71
Doing that, the selected pickups in single coil mode are closer to the bridge.. making it have this Warwick or yamahaish tone.... Rotating only the bridge pickup made it sound like a jazz bass because of the increased distance between the selected single coil pickups. Buh in humbucking mode, imo, rotating both pickups sounds the best. Sounded like an MTD bass sort of.. I compared it with that of MTD and they sounded similar
 
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#72
JakesAy said:
Doing that, the selected pickups in single coil mode are closer to the bridge.. making it have this Warwick or yamahaish tone.... Rotating only the bridge pickup made it sound like a jazz bass because of the increased distance between the selected single coil pickups. Buh in humbucking mode, imo, rotating both pickups sounds the best. Sounded like an MTD bass sort of.. I compared it with that of MTD and they sounded similar
Click to expand...
The more you describe your sound the more tempted I am in trying this on my SR300EL. Compared to my Sterling MM (which I'm returning) the pickups sound weaker. But the SR300EL and SR500L are my two favorite basses.
 
#76
I find all position usable. Not that surprise to see how this 300/305e get that love from the players.
Middle humbucking is most versatile, so baaaaassy.
Up coil tap is Jazz, thinner bass, buzz free with blend in the middle
Down power tap with the bass boost and some single clarity reminds me a lot a Precision with only neck pickup, and the DeLuxe combo pre 2010 with both.
 
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#77
archtop2 said:
I find all position usable. Not that surprise to see how this 300/305e get that love from the players.
Middle humbucking is most versatile, so baaaaassy.
Up coil tap is Jazz, thinner bass, buzz free with blend in the middle
Down power tap with the bass boost and some single clarity reminds me a lot a Precision with only neck pickup, and the DeLuxe combo pre 2010 with both.
Click to expand...
I usually use down position and other times middle. I never need to sound like a Jazz bass! LOL! :thumbsup:
 
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#79
Sorry cant help with a circuit diagram for the Ibanez OEM. I was after this a while back too.

I have just replaced the electronics on my sr300e with a Nordstrand 2b preamp and a pair of Big Singles. Added an active/passive switch and tone control. This set up uses all standard holes on the body without needing to add holes or block any up.

The original set up was good, however I love single coils. A humbucker split to single coil mode is always going to be a compromise due to the limited amount of copper wire in the given space. That’s why I decided to go to single coil only pickups.
The Big singles are very big/full sounding pickups that still have a single coil character. The power span pickups sound thin by comparison when split-Still perfectly usable with good character though I must admit.

These lower end Ibanez Basses are great as they are. I have made a decent improvement by spending another 80% the cost of the instrument upgrading electronics. I would not have done that if I didn’t think the quality of the instrument was a match for that expenditure.
 
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#80
Dontleavedayjob said:
Sorry cant help with a circuit diagram for the Ibanez OEM. I was after this a while back too.

I have just replaced the electronics on my sr300e with a Nordstrand 2b preamp and a pair of Big Singles. Added an active/passive switch and tone control. This set up uses all standard holes on the body without needing to add holes or block any up.

The original set up was good, however I love single coils. A humbucker split to single coil mode is always going to be a compromise due to the limited amount of copper wire in the given space. That’s why I decided to go to single coil only pickups.
The Big singles are very big/full sounding pickups that still have a single coil character. The power span pickups sound thin by comparison when split-Still perfectly usable with good character though I must admit.

These lower end Ibanez Basses are great as they are. I have made a decent improvement by spending another 80% the cost of the instrument upgrading electronics. I would not have done that if I didn’t think the quality of the instrument was a match for that expenditure.
Click to expand...
Good upgrade. Do the Big Singles hum under fluorescent lights?
 

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