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NBD: Help me ID this Ibanez!

DuluthDank

DuluthDank

May 11, 2008
2,115
3,365
Minneapolis, MN
#1
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So I ran into this bass at a local music shop while I was dropping off another one for a setup. It's had the finish stripped, and then it's been stained. It seems like the Ibanez decal on the headstock may be a sticker the previous owner applied. I'm not totally sure if the Gotoh tuners and EMG pups are stock.

I wasn't expecting to like this bass, as I tend not to like Soundgears, and I've never been an active EMG guy. But what do you know, it's probably the second best fretless I've ever had the chance to play (the best was a used Tony Franklin on consignment at another music shop, but I digress). I tell you, these full range EMGs really bring out those flat wounds...I almost feel like I'm playing a semi acoustic with a piezo pickup. It's making me want to break out my sheet music for the Bach cello suites. With how little I paid, it's also my cheapest bass by a long shot.

Anyways, I'm posting more to get this bass ID'd than to brag, so what do you all think?

Edit: sorry for double posting the photos. I think if I try to change that now I'm just going to mess it up further.
 
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#2
DuluthDank said:
View attachment 5144629 View attachment 5144630 View attachment 5144631 View attachment 5144632 View attachment 5144633 View attachment 5144629 View attachment 5144630 View attachment 5144631 View attachment 5144632 View attachment 5144633 So I ran into this bass at a local music shop while I was dropping off another one for a setup. It's had the finish stripped, and then it's been stained. It seems like the Ibanez decal on the headstock may be a sticker the previous owner applied. I'm not totally sure if the Gotoh tuners and EMG pups are stock.

I wasn't expecting to like this bass, as I tend not to like Soundgears, and I've never been an active EMG guy. But what do you know, it's probably the second best fretless I've ever had the chance to play (the best was a used Tony Franklin on consignment at another music shop, but I digress). I tell you, these full range EMGs really bring out those flat wounds...I almost feel like I'm playing a semi acoustic with a piezo pickup. It's making me want to break out my sheet music for the Bach cello suites. With how little I paid, it's also my cheapest bass by a long shot.

Anyways, I'm posting more to get this bass ID'd than to brag, so what do you all think?
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Im not as thick on Ibanez as others but it looks like an older sr400 or 600. However it being older they had a lot of in between basses like 375 475 etc. The numbers dont mean a whole lot aside from having certain options like pickups, preamp, wood choices, tuners. Im sure someone with an sr just like it will give you a better idea. Still a really cool bass and reminds me how much i still want a 5 string fretless SR. I have a fretted one that i really like.
 
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#3
GTHintz said:
Im not as thick on Ibanez as others but it looks like an older sr400 or 600. However it being older they had a lot of in between basses like 375 475 etc. The numbers dont mean a whole lot aside from having certain options like pickups, preamp, wood choices, tuners. Im sure someone with an sr just like it will give you a better idea. Still a really cool bass and reminds me how much i still want a 5 string fretless SR. I have a fretted one that i really like.
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Yeah there are some older Korean made sr500's that look somewhat similar. Maybe there's just been too many mods at this point to figure it out definitively.
 
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#5
C Stone said:
Looks like an SR800FL
Try a search on this ^ never played one, looks like a cool bass. Congrats, enjoy it.

Edit: here ya go…
Ibanez SR800FL (Fretless) | Reverb
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Wow, I think you figured it out! You also gave me good news, as I never expected this was MIJ. Maybe that helps to explain a bit of the magic behind this thing.
 
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#10
GTHintz said:
If you got an older Korean or Japanese build its a score for sure! The hardware, emgs and tuners seem to point to being one of those. Side note to op, i actually didn't think I'd like the SR bass as much as I did. I got my first one and its made me really think hard about buying another one.
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Yes, this bass has shown me the light with regards to Soundgears, but also more modern pickups like EMGs. "If you don't like the extra highs, just turn down the treble, dummy!"
 
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#14
DuluthDank said:
Hey, maybe that's what's explaining that weird "mmwwwaa" sound I keep hearing.
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DuluthDank said:
Yes, this bass has shown me the light with regards to Soundgears, but also more modern pickups like EMGs. "If you don't like the extra highs, just turn down the treble, dummy!"
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What i really like is the string spacing on the 5 strings. Also the lightweight is nice. The tone is just really deep and rich and i can do a lot with it. I like how wide of a tonal variety i can get. So much room to blend the pickups. When im not jamming my Warwicks its a nice change. Like yin to the yang.
 
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#15
GTHintz said:
What i really like is the string spacing on the 5 strings. Also the lightweight is nice. The tone is just really deep and rich and i can do a lot with it. I like how wide of a tonal variety i can get. So much room to blend the pickups. When im not jamming my Warwicks its a nice change. Like yin to the yang.
Click to expand...

I also wonder if the smaller, light bodies vibrate more with the string. This is first Soundgear I've spent much time with, but I'm pretty sure it's my most resonant bass.
 
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#17
DuluthDank said:
I'm sure nobody is as interested in me, but I'll post anyways: I guess this model was made in Japan by Fijigen in 1990 only. SR800FL.
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That makes it extra cool! Weight isnt exactly everything in terms of what goes into tone but one thing i can say is that if its resonating well and its got mojo it means its good wood. It's a good cut of lumber and i think it all makes a difference. Body, neck, fretboard are all critical and we've seen the bad ones so ot makes us appreciate the good cuts all the more. I know i do. Ive grown up with carpentry and I've seen what good cuts of lumber can do. Also i think in 1990 there were more great trees than now where its all genetic modified steroided forests trying to replace all the naturally aged trees.
 
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