NBD - Ibanez PCBE12 "Open Pore" ABG

[Gorn]

Yet another unintentional Sam Ash purchase. I saw it in the acoustic room and tried it out. For not too much money, it's an excellent acoustic bass. 32" scale. No super glossy (sticky) finish like the AEB5E or AEB10E that a ton of people have. Nice low action. Sounds great amplified. My elderly downstairs neighbors live in FL for most of the year and come back to NY for the warmer months, so when they're here, an acoustic will come in handy. Anyone know the deal with this open pore business? Is it a good thing? Anyways....it plays and sounds great.

 

[Martin89]

That looks great, looks like a similar finish to a lot of Taylor guitars the guys I play with have. Do you know how it sounds compared to the AEB10? I have one in the deep violin sunburst(beautiful) but the gloss on it is weird, wish they would've gone with a flat finish.

 

[Gorn]

I had an AEB5E, and it sounds a lot better. The preamp is more responsive and....I don't know, it just sounds more civilized. The whole thing seems more well built. My AEB5E always felt cheap. This doesn't.

 

[experimental bassist]

Nice, love it, and appreciate all the pics!

Not much experience on Ibanez ABGs myself, but I have lots of love and respect for Ibby acoustics non the less. My youngest son's favorite guitar in the world is his Ibanez V200S and I have to say it's a great sounding and recording instrument and continues to serve him well.

 

[Martin89]

Can you post a pic of the preamp? I like the one on my 10 a lot which has been a deciding factor on keeping it compared to the others I've seen and played. The 10 is very high quality and I make due with the gloss lol.

 

[202dy]

Open pour means that they did not fill the grain. Mahogany is an open grain wood. To get a smooth finish, the grain must be filled with grain filler. There are various blends, many contain silica and clays. The filler is applied with the grain and wiped off against the grain after the solvent flashes off. Sometimes this process is done twice. Then it is final sanded, sealed, and finished glass smooth. As you can see, it is labor intensive and certainly will increase the price of the instrument.

So what does "open pour" really mean? It means "cheap finish."

 

[Martin89]

Sounds like it will relic naturally/quickly on it's own then lol.

 

[Gorn]

Can you post a pic of the preamp? I like the one on my 10 a lot which has been a deciding factor on keeping it compared to the others I've seen and played. The 10 is very high quality and I make due with the gloss lol.

As far as I can remember it's the same as on my old five. I think the 10 has a better one, but I have no complaints.

I plan on putting a set of the new labella copper white tapewounds on it. It seems to me they'll be the ultimate acosutic bass strings.

 

[Martin89]

Oh I've seen one like that on my friends AE starter kit from ibanez. It was really decent actually. I use D'addario EXP Reds. They're copper and have a nice acoustic tone unplugged and you can eq a really bassy or mild upright mimic through amp/di. Exps have a light coating with great life and the reds are cheaper than the coated phosphor bronze sets from any manufacturer by $10+.

 

[Splods]

Lovely bass. I have a Ibanez EWB 5 string. It is quieter than a lot of other AB's, but has a beautiful tone to it.

 

[SirMjac28]

Beautiful bass congrats and I think we are buying too many basses I have two more NBD's coming.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

OK Gorn Captain, this one is YOUR fault!

I play in a Beatles acoustic band, and I played my Ibanez AEB10 for a couple years, but switched to a Höfner Verythin because the AEB10 was too bulky and we play alot of intimate gigs in tight spaces, and I've been itching to get a small-scale acoustic bass (since the band IS called "Liverpool Acoustic").

Nothing out there appealed to me, until I saw this thread and your review.

So...today, I pulled the trigger on this one on eBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161371884708?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Post some pix of yours to tide me over 'til mine arrives??

 

[Gorn]

OK Gorn Captain, this one is YOUR fault!

I play in a Beatles acoustic band, and I played my Ibanez AEB10 for a couple years, but switched to a Höfner Verythin because the AEB10 was too bulky and we play alot of intimate gigs in tight spaces, and I've been itching to get a small-scale acoustic bass (since the band IS called "Liverpool Acoustic").

Nothing out there appealed to me, until I saw this thread and your review.

So...today, I pulled the trigger on this one on eBay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161371884708?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Post some pix of yours to tide me over 'til mine arrives??

Like I tend to do, I sold it a while back. The pictures I posted were from a photobucket account I don't have anymore. It looked exactly like the stock photos though. If you wanna visit one while you wait for yours, most Sam Ash stores carry them.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

I often do the same, but I'm strictly a short-scale player now...so this might just fit the bill (and fit in with the other two acoustic guitars in the band)

 

[Gorn]

It's actually medium scale, not short, but still very comfortable.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Body has to be less bulky than the AEB10

I liked the size of the Fender T-Bucket, but the finish is awful...high gloss and cheap looking

 

[Mountain Mike]

Yet another unintentional _________ purchase.

Just happened to me! lol

Picked up a PCBE12MH for less than $200 too my door!
Saw it for that price and ran across this thread and found your post. Couldn't pass it up after that.

Never played an acoustic bass.
Well, had a U-Bass so I guess that's not completely true but I doubt they're very similar.