I have no idea. But I'm going to pretend that it does.
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NBD: Ibanez Roadster RS900
- Thread starter ChickWithaRic
- Start date
Fourth? Hell, I have 7 in the house at the moment (BTB846v, SR706, SR256B, 2x SRC6, SR370e and RB620), plus the Blazer I mentioned and the MC and RS824s I owned, and regret letting go of, and probably 40 others in the early 2000s when I was trading early and lawsuit Japanese guitars and basses. Not had a bad one yet, but I have a weakness for the older models. Plus my nephew has my RB850.
I was going to post yesterday that I'd like to do a modern take on the Musician for next years WBO, maybe a guitar though as I don't need any more 4s.
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I mean ok, let's talk briefly about insane, almost obsessive, over engineering.
I was messing with the pickup height, just to mess with something, and I was super impressed by how smooth and easily adjusted the height screws were. I thought I'd remove the pickup to investigate. I'd been told by somebody, somewhere, that these Roadsters had no pickup cavity shielding. Imagine my surprise...
At first glance I thought it was aluminum foil.
No, it's not. It's a 1/8 thick plate, threaded to take the pickup screws, and with a welded or soldered ground wire to the main control cavity.
In terms of manufacturing, that is a really expensive feature even for something at the high end of your product range. Leaving aside the idea that you need a precisely machined chunk of aluminum, somebody also either welded or soldered a copper wire to the aluminum. Neither of those processes are cheap or easy, in the context of mass production.
I've never seen this before. It's nuts. But in a very endearing way.
I was messing with the pickup height, just to mess with something, and I was super impressed by how smooth and easily adjusted the height screws were. I thought I'd remove the pickup to investigate. I'd been told by somebody, somewhere, that these Roadsters had no pickup cavity shielding. Imagine my surprise...
At first glance I thought it was aluminum foil.
No, it's not. It's a 1/8 thick plate, threaded to take the pickup screws, and with a welded or soldered ground wire to the main control cavity.
In terms of manufacturing, that is a really expensive feature even for something at the high end of your product range. Leaving aside the idea that you need a precisely machined chunk of aluminum, somebody also either welded or soldered a copper wire to the aluminum. Neither of those processes are cheap or easy, in the context of mass production.
I've never seen this before. It's nuts. But in a very endearing way.
that's how i feel about my RB820 with the super j6
that's why we love that era of ibanez. engineered and crafted with care. they deserve respect.
I've always loved Ibanez, but this was not expected. I only wish it had the V shaped strap buttons, but I think they came later.
I have several Musicians a Roadstar and a Studio.
Playing anything aside from a vintage Ibanez was disappointing, so I got rid of everything else.
Well, I kept my 90s ATK too, but at this point that may be considered vintage.
Playing anything aside from a vintage Ibanez was disappointing, so I got rid of everything else.
Well, I kept my 90s ATK too, but at this point that may be considered vintage.
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I tried an ATK out when I bought my BTB. I wish I'd had enough money for both of them.
The market has gone up quite a bit on ATKs and all old Ibanez. I got all mine 5 to 10 years ago and they were CHEAP! I also bought most of them broken or poorly modded as project basses.
The ATK is often called the "poor man's Stingray". However I think they sound better and look cooler.
If you do consider an ATK at some point, look for the 90s ones. I've heard the reissues lack the gusto of the originals.
this is quite similar to what a lot of japanese manufacturers were doing with pickup shielding in that era. Usually using brass plates soldered into. In my experience, I got a Goya bass and a greco guitar shielded and installed in a similar manner
Greco and Ibanez shared the same factory in this era. If you look at an Ibanez Musician and a Greco GOB, they often appear to be the same bass with only slight aesthetic differences.
I have an 84 bean bass and an 85 roadstar with those, think it was a mid 80s deal
When I was buying them in the early 00's they were even cheaper, and were very poorly appreciated. I bought them to have fun and then move on for a small profit or at least break even. It was very hit and miss what I got, but overall I think it was even. My MC824 sold on epay for $A525/$US375 in really excellent condition. I was so disappointed, but the kid who bought it had scrimped to pay for it and was thrilled, so I didn't mind so much.
When I could get people to come over and actually try them out in person, they sold immediately and for decent, but low money and everyone was impressed with the fit and finish, quality and tone.
I'd love an early 5 but they seldom come up and command more than I can afford at the moment, but that and a BTB33 (still E-C, not converted) and '18 BTB1826 are about all I have on my 'want' list for basses. And an NS Stick but that's on a separate list.
I had an 80's Ibanez Studio model bass, came with a brass nut.
ATKs are future classics. I remember playing one about 15 years ago which was fitted as standard with a kind of boiler plate pickguard. It was... very interesting.
The actives in my 1981 RS924 went bad a few years after I got it. The Dimarzio style P pickup is so hot and articulate that I hardly miss it.
