Most unique bass I've seen yet

[jaybones]

Why not? Not for me, but I'm not opposed to the concept.

 

[monsterthompson]

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[Jazz Ad]

The Ashula was a lot more elegant and made a lot more sense.

 

[Bassist4Eris]

Not my thing, but I have to applaud Ibanez for trying something different.

 

[Treadstone71]

I'm sure this solves a lot of people's problems!

Not "back problems", I bet...

 

[REV]

It's great to see a company trying new things instead of continually trotting out variations of the same old stuff.

 

[Ellery]

Trippy!

 

[Dug2]

i hate it

 

[Ellery]

BTW "into it" doesn't mean I would actually buy one. But it's trippy!

 

[BlueAliceOasis]

Ibanez actually had a production line of similar basses a few years back called the Ashula. The fretless portion was the higher strings though.
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There have been numerous fretted/fretless bass variations from many companies over the years, splitting the fingerboard vertically, horizontally, or even using retractable frets.

The Ashula is much simpler in other aspects though, and prettier IMO

 

[tattooSAM]

It sure looks pretty. It would be interesting to get used to.

 

[Felken]

Is this a 4 string bass with 3 fretless EAD strings????

 

[gln1955]

It's great to see a company trying new things instead of continually trotting out variations of the same old stuff.

Yeah, but if Fender made this, the torches and pitchforks would be out.

 

[40Hz]

I think it's great people keep pushing boundaries and innovating. I'm not usually all that impressed with what they come up with. But that's just me and doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. So I'm all for it even if I'm not going to buy one.

Truth is, whenever I get tired of playing bass - or I get in the mood to fill a different musical role - I go play a different instrument. As in completely different instrument. Not another spin on what I usually play.

 

[bolophonic]

Why is only one fretless string included in the pickup field?

 

[Dean N]

Interesting.

But I just want a 5 string fretted Soundgear with an all-wenge neck. And solid wenge body. And filter preamp.

And a really good bottle of Scotch.

 

[gln1955]

Why is only one fretless string included in the pickup field?

The fretless side has a Piezo.

 

[bolophonic]

The fretless side has a Piezo.

I figured it must have a piezo, but it looks like only 2/3 of the fretless strings are piezo-only?!?

 

[spade2you]

Interesting idea. Not sure who people seem so afraid of a fully fretless bass.

 

[Papazita]

Not digging the thumb rest and I wish they would have matched woods on the finger board. With all the different wood on the bass, it looks thrown together. Still, a cool idea and would love to try it.

The thumbrest is removable and can also be reversed, moving the actual rest side closer or farther from the string.

That's pretty interesting but not for me at all.

Is that an ADG fretless combined with an EADG fretted? With piezo on the A and D fretless side I assume?

Yep.

I can't see the point of either of their Ashula concepts personally, but I'm sure some folks out there will have fun with it. Hats off to Ibanez for being unafraid of the oddball weird basses!