• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Is this to be expected from a "900 dollar" instrument?

Keep it or send it back?

  • Keep it, deal with the flaws and eventually upgrade the electronics

    Votes: 7 11.5%

  • Send it back and get something cheaper from a different brand

    Votes: 54 88.5%
  • Total voters
    61
#62
BobaSeth said:
Maybe I'm just being picky, but this looks pretty gruesome to me. Just got this bass yesterday, brand new. I put 900 in quotes because I got it cheaper since it was an older model.
Anyway, its an Ibanez SR805, I LOVE the neck. I'm concerned about a few quality issues.
Also, while I love playing it, and I like the bedroom tone (haven't had a chance to play in a group setting yet), the output is EXTREMELY low and I THINK it's getting quieter, despite a new battery.
What do you guys think, would you keep it or take it back?
For the price I paid for it (600), I'm not going to find much else, but even at the price I paid, I would hope for better quality control than this. Or is this just how it is with Ibanez these days?
pic doesn't show well, neck pickup is level, bridge pickup is heavily canted back toward bridge. no adjustment for angle
View attachment 2824126
they say the finish is supposed to have these dents, the description doesn't tell you that, but the follow up emails said that all of them come like that
View attachment 2824127
View attachment 2824128
and this doesn't make me very happy either for an instrument at that price
View attachment 2824129
so am I just nitpicking, or for the price, should I expect more at that price point?
Financially I'm very limited, I have no cash to spare, and the only way I got this was on my credit card that I can only use at that dealer. So if I return it, I have to pick something for 600 or less.
Click to expand...
Oh Hell No!! Take it back!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: BobaSeth
#63
If I were you, I’d send it back.

You said “Or is this just how it is with Ibanez these days?” I don’t think so. I ordered and received a new Ibanez SR1800E from a small music store located near me last June. It was in perfect condition.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BobaSeth
#64
Skybone said:
This.

If the shop tell you they can't take it back, call the Head Office Customer Services No. from the shop, and explain to them what the situation is. Make sure you do this in the shop, in full view of other customers and the staff, though be professional & be polite all the time.
Click to expand...
I'm sure they will take it back, just going through the "it's ok , don't worry about it, they are all like that, its supposed to be that" phase and now I'm in the "well, you should send it in to have it checked out to see if the preamp issue is a simple fix" phase. I said I don't want to deal with that and I want to get out from under this one. Waiting to hear.
And I DEFINITELY don't want to have to go to the shop, that's 65 miles away, don't want to use the fuel. I'm expecting they will send fedex out for a pickup
 
#65
Maxdusty said:
What other basses do they have at the store you can exchange it with? I've owned about 20-30 Ibanez basses in my lifetime and I haven't seen anything like this even on used ones I've bought. Even my Gio has better qc on it.
When you buy a new bass, well - it should look new, not used or a factory second- it's not unreasonable to expect it to look like it passed qc - you're certainly paying the dollar price for it and no, they don't normally look like that.
You shouldn't have to deal with the issues like the quick draining battery on a new bass - if it needs fixing, it's a defective bass from the get go.
Click to expand...
If I went Ibanez, for the price I'd be limited to either an sr405 or a talman standard 600, no interest in either. Wish my card was good at places that didn't put candy in their packages.
 
#66
blubass said:
I'd send it back, if you go through more Ibanez basses and they're all the same quality... then absolutely, you can expect that kind of quality from Ibanez SR805 basses of that specific year of manufacture. Since it's the only Ibanez bass you've purchased so far, it's probably a little premature to start asking if that's expected of Ibanez.
Click to expand...
Since it's the only Ibanez I've purchased recently, it would be premature to ASSUME that's expected. But it's actually a perfect time to ask what you guys to expect.
 
#69
IMO that's not a $900 bass. I don't know about the electronics (the ones in my passive EX were junk, but the rest of the bass was great). But I wouldn't expect dents or especially cracks on anything but possibly the most bottom of the barrel instrument. Same goes for that control cavity cover fitment job. Possibly on a $200 bass, not on a $900 bass.

Also is it just me, or the lighting, or does the finish in pics 2 and 3 look like a rattlecan job?
 
  • Like
Reactions: quickfix
#71
Jeff Scott said:
Is this a brand new bass you bought from an Ibanez dealer? And their telling you there is nothing wrong with the bass and will not return/exchange it? :rollno:

Or, did I miss something, here?
Click to expand...
He can get his "money" back but all this particular store will do is credit the card he can only use at this particular store. In his post, he doesn't have the funds nor can he use this card elsewhere.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BobaSeth
#72
BobaSeth said:
If I went Ibanez, for the price I'd be limited to either an sr405 or a talman standard 600, no interest in either. Wish my card was good at places that didn't put candy in their packages.
Click to expand...
You can always get $600 in candy instead. Joking....
Yes, that is a predicament - neither model will be comparable to the SR805. You can try this too:- post a possible trade on CL , credit for a brand new in the box bass for a used SR705, 805 or above and see if anyone might be interested in that. You would order the bass the buyer would be interested in - a TMB 600 for example and swap.
 
#73
tlc1976 said:
IMO that's not a $900 bass. I don't know about the electronics (the ones in my passive EX were junk, but the rest of the bass was great). But I wouldn't expect dents or especially cracks on anything but possibly the most bottom of the barrel instrument. Same goes for that control cavity cover fitment job. Possibly on a $200 bass, not on a $900 bass.

Also is it just me, or the lighting, or does the finish in pics 2 and 3 look like a rattlecan job?
Click to expand...
It does have high spots that look a lot like rattlecan splatter
 
#74
Jeff Scott said:
Is this a brand new bass you bought from an Ibanez dealer? And their telling you there is nothing wrong with the bass and will not return/exchange it? :rollno:

Or, did I miss something, here?
Click to expand...
they will take it back, but I'm being "encouraged" to accept the finish for what it is, ignore the control cavity as a non-issue and send the instrument into their service to have the electronics issue looked at to see if it's an easy fix.
I said I want to get out from under it, it's left a bad taste in my mouth.
They said they'll get to it when they can.
 
#75
BobaSeth said:
they will take it back, but I'm being "encouraged" to accept the finish for what it is, ignore the control cavity as a non-issue and send the instrument into their service to have the electronics issue looked at to see if it's an easy fix.
I said I want to get out from under it, it's left a bad taste in my mouth.
They said they'll get to it when they can.
Click to expand...

This is Sweetwater's great customer service?!?!? If so, man, have they gone downhill.
 
#78
BobaSeth said:
got a respone from Ibanez, they want pics to see what's going on, and want the bass back to check out the electronics. Wound up talking to a REALLY cool guy on the phone. I've played Ibanez on and off for 30 years, this is my first time talking with anyone from their company and so far, I am VERY impressed.
Click to expand...

That's great. I suspect they'll be surprised by the photos. Hopefully they'll set things right for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BobaSeth
#79
Maxdusty said:
That's great. I suspect they'll be surprised by the photos. Hopefully they'll set things right for you.
Click to expand...
ALREADY heard back from him. WOW!
"The control cavity is definitely not commonly like that. It looks like there was an issue fitting the cavity cover, so someone at the factory chiseled(as you said) away to make it fit without doing it properly. I also see the “crack” spot that looks like it also could have been due to poor application of the finish. The last pic shows some kind of “pinpoint” like dents which I’m more inclined to think is due to the burled grain. I think the small splatter spots might even be spots that the woodgrain caused a small bubble in the poly and cured like that. At any rate, I don’t believe these should have any bubbles or splatter spots sticking out from the finish, so this is also a concern for me."
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dieboy, Maxdusty and dukeorock
#80
Well Shucks.
Ibanez can't help me. They don't see the body as repairable, so they were totally awesome in offering me a replacement, but they have nothing to replace it with at the same price point. The best they can do is offer me an SR505 :[
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dieboy

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back