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Ibanez SRX question

coastie72

coastie72

Apr 6, 2009
153
0
Columbia SC
#1
I was in a music shop to order my new amp when I seen this Ibanez SRX655 hanging on the rack. I took it from the rack and in 5 minutes had decided to buy my first 5 string. Three weeks later I love the balance, weight and the way it plays. The only issue is I can't really get a clean sound out of it. After doing some reading after the fact, maybe I should have bought something with Bartolini pickups? I can get decent sound from this bass, just not the clean sound I am used to. It seems to have a growl to it no matter how I set the controls. I like it enough that I will keep it, but what Ibanez should I buy that plays like the SRX but has the cleaner sound I am trying to find :confused:
 
#2
I've found these to play similar to the SRX's and have a much cleaner tone.

If you read the specs, you'll notice the only major difference (other than the 605 being made of Ash) is the necks. All have 5 piece Jatoba/Bubinga necks except for the 535 which is made of 5 piece maple/rosewood.

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#4
cassanova said:
I've found these to play similar to the SRX's and have a much cleaner tone.

If you read the specs, you'll notice the only major difference (other than the 605 being made of Ash) is the necks. All have 5 piece Jatoba/Bubinga necks except for the 535 which is made of 5 piece maple/rosewood.

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Click to expand...

I'll have to find one these and try it, I really like the neck on the SRX, I hope there is not a lot of difference.:smug:
 
#7
coastie72 said:
How much difference is there in the sr and sr prestige series, I know the money, but is it really worth the difference?
Click to expand...

There are some considerable differences in between the Prestige and Sr series.

Most notably the pickups and electronics. Prestige use the Bartolini Customs and the electronics also have a bypass option so you can play passive and IIRC I think they also offer a sweepable mid range frequency control. The necks on the Presitige's are also different, they're wenge/bubinga with wenge boards. The Sr505, and Sr705 use jatoba/bubinga and rosewood boards. With the exception of the 535, its a maple/rosewood neck with rosewood board. Prestige models also have abolone/mother of pearl inlays as well compared to just the abolone of the regular sr line.

The Sr505 and up thru the Prestige's (with the exception of the 605) are all made from mahogany and all of them use the Sr5 necks. The biggest difference IMO affecting the tonality of these basses is the pickups and electronics.

I can live without the bubinga/wenge necks, wenge fretboard, and wenge top/back. So to me no they aren't worth the extra coin because I can go out and modify the pickups and electronics and have a bass that plays and sounds just as good if not better for less than what they cost. YMMV
 
#12
lug said:
My recollection is that they are exactly the same.
Click to expand...

Negative, The neck specs are different between the SR and SRX's. The Sr505, Sr535, Sr605, Sr705, Sr5005E and Sr4005E, have identical specs within the series and the SRX695 and SRX475 have identical specs with each other in their respective series.

Sr505, Sr535, Sr605, Sr705, neck specs:
Scale/Length - 864mm/34"
a: Width at Nut - 45mm
b: Width Last Fret - 67mm
c: Thickness 1st Fret - 19.5mm
d: Thickness 12th Fret - 21.5mm
Radius - 305mm

SRX695 and SRX475 neck specs:
Scale/Length 864mm/34"
a: Width at Nut - 45mm
b: Width Last Fret - 73mm
c: Thickness 1st Fret - 21mm
d: Thickness 12th Fret - 23mm
Radius - 400mm

So as you can see the SRX necks are wider and have less of a radius than the Sr line does.
 
#13
cassanova said:
Negative, The neck specs are different between the SR and SRX's. The Sr505, Sr535, Sr605, Sr705, Sr5005E and Sr4005E, have identical specs within the series and the SRX695 and SRX475 have identical specs with each other in their respective series.

Sr505, Sr535, Sr605, Sr705, neck specs:
Scale/Length - 864mm/34"
a: Width at Nut - 45mm
b: Width Last Fret - 67mm
c: Thickness 1st Fret - 19.5mm
d: Thickness 12th Fret - 21.5mm
Radius - 305mm

SRX695 and SRX475 neck specs:
Scale/Length 864mm/34"
a: Width at Nut - 45mm
b: Width Last Fret - 73mm
c: Thickness 1st Fret - 21mm
d: Thickness 12th Fret - 23mm
Radius - 400mm

So as you can see the SRX necks are wider and have less of a radius than the Sr line does.
Click to expand...

It would also appear that the SRX neck is slightly thicker.
 
#14
coastie72 said:
I'll have to find one these and try it, I really like the neck on the SRX, I hope there is not a lot of difference.:smug:
Click to expand...

The SRX4 necks are 1.5mm thicker (not wider) - I think that's the only difference neck wise. You can go to their site - it shows neck dimensions.
Like the other guys said - the SR500 series and up have a Bart system with 3-band EQ. I think the SRX line is 2-band only.

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#17
Solarmist said:
The SRX4 necks are 1.5mm thicker (not wider) - I think that's the only difference neck wise. You can go to their site - it shows neck dimensions.
Like the other guys said - the SR500 series and up have a Bart system with 3-band EQ. I think the SRX line is 2-band only.

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Click to expand...

They are also wider at the last fret, Sr series is 67 mm the SRX at the last fret is 73 mm. I cut/pasted the specs in my previous post from the Ibanez website.
 
#18
blackconstant said:
yeah you'll like the sr necks...they feel the same as srx's.
Click to expand...

-1

I've owned a few SR's and SRX's and played numerous others, and I couldn't disagree more with this statement. In 5 string basses, the SR and SRX necks differ quite a bit, most notably in the width across the fingerboard. The SRX's have a 18mm string spacing at the bridge, while the SR's have a 16.5 mm spacing. This forces the neck taper to differ between the two.
 
#20
Well my bottom line is I really like the feel, balance, neck, looks of my SRX655. The only thing I am not pleased totally with at this point is that clean tone I am searching for. This was my first 5 string, I use to say I never would own one, I now know I like that b string. I have small hands for a bass player so I need the 34" scale for certain. I really need to get my hand on a Prestige model and give it a try. Other brands I am open too as well, suggestions appreciated. I am not rich, so money is an object, but I will stretch my budget a bit to buy the right bass. I am sure that the pup's are the issue with the SRX. I like it enough to want to keep it and I can get decent tone for what I am looking for, the ShuttleMax 12.0 helps with that. It don't have that good clean tone I am able to get from my 28 year old Gibson that has active and passive pups, switchable.
 

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