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NBD: Ibanez headless multiscale (EHB1505MS)

lucas303

lucas303

Mar 11, 2019
3,582
7,433
NH
#1
I've been following this model since it was just a rumor, and when preorders started I ended up preordering through Sweetwater. Turns out I was the first one. After a good amount of uncertainty about when these would ship in light of current events, mine arrived today. It's still too early for a real evaluation, but there are certainly no issues visible out of the gate. Mine weighs 7.19 lbs. It feels incredibly light.

Now I'm off to play it as much as my fingers will stand.
 

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#2
lucas303 said:
I was the first one.
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there's a first time for everyone --- i'm glad this one's yours!

that's a great looking ax! it'll be great to hear your evaluation after playing it until your fingers bleed: :laugh:

enjoy your ax...it's a looker. congratulations on your new instrument! :thumbsup:
 
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#5
A couple hours in and I am loving this thing. I'm going to wait a week or so to do a proper setup, but out of the box it plays and sounds great. One thing I didn't think much about ahead of time is that this has a flatter fingerboard than my SRMS805 and Dingwall NG2. I'm already liking that aspect of it a lot. I also like the upper fret access though I'm certainly no virtuoso doing all sorts of sweet solos up there.

This is my first headless bass, and I don't miss having a headstock at all. To the contrary...I can't help but wonder why more people don't go headless (spoiler alert: I already know the answer...I've read the threads).

Between not having a headstock and the light weight, it's still amazing to me just how comfortable this thing is. I can just stand around with it and hardly notice it's there (I mean, I notice of course but you get the picture).

If I have one complaint so far it's the locking output jack. It's just annoying more than anything else. That's a very minor complaint, though, and if that's the only thing wrong with this bass then it's way ahead of the curve.
 
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#7
Epitaph04 said:
How does the feel of the scale and string balance compare to your NG2?
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I'm not the OP, but I just sold my Dingwall NG-2 after I got my EHB1505. Normal 34" scale just plays more comfortable to me, and I can use any kind of strings I want. The Dingwall's string balance is always going to be better than vast majority of the basses out there, but ultimately that isn't as important to me as the overall ergonomics and availability of strings.
 
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#8
Epitaph04 said:
How does the feel of the scale and string balance compare to your NG2?
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Well the scale length is noticeably shorter on this. It is a two inch difference on the B string. This scale length is obviously more comfortable than the Dingwall.

As far as string balance goes, do you mean tension or the actual sound of the strings? This one feels like the strings are higher tension than the Dingwall, but not by much. I've got no complaints about the sound of the strings relative to each other on this, though comparing the two the Dingwall probably is a little better (at the end of the day there's no avoiding the laws of physics).
 
#9
Some people might consider the EHB series to be "lesser" basses than the Dingwalls on price alone, or the less drastic fan-fret, but for me, the EHB series ticks all the right boxes, which is why I sold the Dingwall and am selling my NS WAV Radius and will be selling my SR650 once my EHB1000 gets here too.

One misconception I had about the Dingwall, was that I assumed because of its "magical B-string," I would be able to play equivalent notes on it and it'll sound just as clear as the same notes on the E-string, and I was sorely disappointed when I realized that wasn't the case. It's physically impossible due to the difference in gauge between the two strings. I had thought I'd have more freedom in fingering position and not have jump up and down the neck as much to access certain notes once I had that "magical B string," but the timbre sounded too different and I'd still have to stay on the E string if I wanted more brightness/clarity to those notes. As soon as I was disabused of the misconception, the Dingwall lost most of its allure for me, as all that was left was more difficult/uncomfortable fingering due to the drastic multi-scale. The sound is awesome and it looks amazing and has impeccable workmanship, but none of that mattered if I couldn't get comfortable on it.
 
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#11
lucas303 said:
If I have one complaint so far it's the locking output jack. It's just annoying more than anything else. That's a very minor complaint, though, and if that's the only thing wrong with this bass then it's way ahead of the curve.
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I ordered one of the plain jackplates that was mentioned in the big thread - it was cheap in case I decide to swap my locking one out.
 
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#14
lucas303 said:
I've been following this model since it was just a rumor, and when preorders started I ended up preordering through Sweetwater. Turns out I was the first one. After a good amount of uncertainty about when these would ship in light of current events, mine arrived today. It's still too early for a real evaluation, but there are certainly no issues visible out of the gate. Mine weighs 7.19 lbs. It feels incredibly light.

Now I'm off to play it as much as my fingers will stand.
Click to expand...

Awesome! Mine has been delayed and delayed. Still don't have an update on when it will ship. Enjoy!
 
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#17
Lunatique said:
One misconception I had about the Dingwall, was that I assumed because of its "magical B-string," I would be able to play equivalent notes on it and it'll sound just as clear as the same notes on the E-string, and I was sorely disappointed when I realized that wasn't the case. It's physically impossible due to the difference in gauge between the two strings.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY. There is more to the tone difference between B and E than scale length. 34" is plenty long enough for a perfect feeling and sounding B string with modern string technology (DR anyone?). You can't get away from the tone difference from a different gauge string, though. It's unavoidable.... because, as someone said earlier in this thread - you can't avoid the laws of physics. There are huge, audible tone differences imho are from string choices and gauge differences, and from playing in different positions.

So for me, the fanned fret thing would be a no go for this unless it fell into my lap.

I'd get a non fanned version though! Probably would be my favorite bass! I've been an Ibanez guy from the 80s.
 

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