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Love / hate relationship with a bass.

A

Agito

Jun 27, 2009
742
3
#1
Hey guys, I'm having some serious annoying stuff going on

I have this Ibanez SR20TH Prestige which is a good bass overall but I'm having trouble sometimes with

Sometimes it's sounds great and sometimes it's just horrible even though I play with different settings, I used DR strings, Elixir nickel, even the Sadowsky strings which I like can't help the fact this bass is too thin sounding and for some reason not resonating with harmonics or good low end.

You guys probably are familiar with this situation, I don't want to mess with all the selling and buying things again and I'm not sure changing pickups will be a choice... Though I really don't like Barts...

So tell me TB, what should I do, what should I try?
 
#7
Look at pickup heights....especially if you have a lot of attack but very little sustain.....

Warwick recommends that pressing the top and bottom string at the highest fret respectively should leave a gap of 2mm between string and pickup. I went for this setting and got a nice warm tone with good sustain...so I like my Ibanez again. It does not sound like my Corvette $$, admittedly, but it does sound good.
 
#9
Oh trust me you are not alone. Mine issue is with my loved 73 telecaster. love the look ,feel, mojo,vibe all the coolness. Hate having to work the EQ and wondering if the strings are still right to tame the mudbucker and its power.
 
#10
Sounds like a lower end/cheap pickup problem.
You've already done the smart thing (IMO), and tried different strings, which many folks overlook.

No matter how much you like the bass' overall look or feel ... if the tone isn't what you want, and the bass isn't flexible enough for you ... it's time to move on.

Frankly, changing out the PU's will most likely be the cheapest and easiest solution to your problem. Changing out PU's are quite common for these basses. Your issues with the tone, are the same reasons why folks change theirs too.
 
#12
I slap and tap etc with this, so flat is a no no for me.
Pickups aren't cheap, they are special made bla bla bla by Bartolini, this is a limited edition of the SR series, but the problem is the sound is somehow hollow not by good means, if pickups can change this I'll definitely do it.
 
#15
Another thing to check is that the strings aren't twisted, which can easily happen when strings are put on the instrument. Do this to check, one string at a time:

- Loosen the string just so that the ring end is a bit loose in the bridge.

- Grab the string at the first fret between an index finger and thumb, then slide alognthe string all the way down to the bridge. Watch the ring end as you do this to see if it rotates. If so, there was a twist in the string.

- Let go of the string and tighten / tune it.

Twisted strings sound bad and this might be part of your problem.
 
#19
Another possibility would be to look into a new preamp. I find that changing out a preamp in many cases makes "stock" pu's sound much better. A good preamp will help bring out nuances that you never knew exsisted. This will usually be a cheaper alternative to new pu's ... and a fairly easy install. However some of the prewired preamps might call for enlarging the holes for the pots.

Since you have an Ibanez ... finding pu's that fit the existing routs can be quite difficult. Thus limiting your selection.

When I look to upgrade a bass ... one of the first things I do is to figure out where the problem comes from. Is it ultimately a tone issue? ... or is it an eq issue?

Since one of your complaints is the lack of harmonics ... that would be a pu issue. As far as low-end ... a preamp can help this issue, boosting the low-end, as well as, giving you much more control over your mids, but it really won't help bring out the harmonics as much. IMO


As far as Barts ... they aren't for everyone. However US made Bartolini's are well known for their harmonic abilities. And yes, there is a distinct difference between US made Barts, and the "made by" Barts (which usually are import Barts, which are known to be thinner, have less harmonics, and lack the same output and tonal range of the US made ones).
A couple of PU brands to consider ... EMG's and SGD's (a TB'er owned brand). I'd also throw Nordstrands out there too.

With that ... it looks like you have a lot of research, as well as thinking to do. IMO ... IF this is not a bass that you see yourself playing for a long time ... find another. To me, it's also a matter of "how much money am I willing to invest" ... dropping another $350-$500 probably isn't a road you'll want to go down, as you won't get your investment back. Personally, I'd find the most bang for my buck alternative.
 

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