NBD: Ibanez SDGB1

[McThumpenstein]

I have one of those on my Cordoba Stage. What do they call them, if you recall?

Jeeone Guitar Pickup Battery Box Battery Guitar Case Acoustic Guitar Pickup Parts, Pickup Shell Cover Installed on Guitar Bass with 9V Battery Box, Case Holder Replacement for EQ 7545R - 2Pcs https://a.co/d/05fip04K

 

[SirMjac28]

 

[Riff Ranger]

I hate when people say "pictures don't do it justice", but ....pictures don't do it justice. I never thought I'd own a green bass, but this is stunning.

I want green, but somehow all of mine are either black or very dark, subdued bursts
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Snert]

I like it, but it needs frets for me.

 

[Yahboy]

Stunning !!!! Limited run ??

 

[Prodigus Filius]

Work of art

 

[poochiecheeks]

Is there enough room on the saddles to intonnate each of the strings on the dots? That was a concern when these were announced with the individual saddles.
Have you played any Death on it yet? Lol

 

[McThumpenstein]

Stunning !!!! Limited run ??

It's part of their Artist series. They don't mention anywhere that it's a limited run. I ordered this on April 4th and got it yesterday, and according to my Sales rep, they immediately sold out of any extra they got in and are now back-ordered until October. I hope they keep making it, so far (less than 24 hours) it's fantastic. I'll be doing a setup on it in the next few days, but I don't think it's going to need much.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I 've never picked up an Ibanez that wasnt, at a minimum, very well made and a good player right off the rack. About the only one that didn't grab me was the Talman, mainly just the weight and balance, but I love the slender necks on most Ibanez. Is that a real ebony boardor are they using sythetics now? Not that it matters, I have a Rocklite faux ebony board on one of my basses, and it's nearly impossible to tell the difference. If it lloks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... it's ebony. Nice score and cool color.

 

[McThumpenstein]

Is there enough room on the saddles to intonate each of the strings on the dots? That was a concern when these were announced with the individual saddles.
Have you played any Death on it yet? Lol

The intonation is really close, it intonates just left (down-neck) of the dots, and a little further down-neck of the half-string (12 "fret") dots than I like, so I'll bring them up a bit. I think there'll be plenty of room.
I have not played any Death yet, but it's definitely on the list. I think I spent 3.5 hours on it last night after work and I reluctantly put it down to take care of some things that needed doing.

 

[McThumpenstein]

I 've never picked up an Ibanez that wasnt, at a minimum, very well made and a good player right off the rack. About the only one that didn't grab me was the Talman, mainly just the weight and balance, but I love the slender necks on most Ibanez. Is that a real ebony boardor are they using sythetics now? Not that it matters, I have a Rocklite faux ebony board on one of my basses, and it's nearly impossible to tell the difference. If it lloks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... it's ebony. Nice score and cool color.

When I got my Portamento, there were a few issues with it, but I fixed them and now it's a great bass. I want to write up a more complete review of this bass soon, which will include some comparison to the Portamento since it's really all I have to compare it to. The fingerboard is Ebonol, which is a first for me, but so far I really like it.
I read a few threads about the pros/cons of Ebanol vs. wood vs. rocklite vs. all the other synthetics.
I love the color, which is good because it's the only color it comes in.

 

[Nightsprinter]

Yeah I'm curious about the factory fingerboard leveling. my experiences with Ibanez fretless playability in relation to fingerboard finish quality has been downright negative so it will take a lot for me to ever try another, despite wanting this soooo bad.

 

[McThumpenstein]

Yeah I'm curious about the factory fingerboard leveling. my experiences with Ibanez fretless playability in relation to fingerboard finish quality has been downright negative so it will take a lot for me to ever try another, despite wanting this soooo bad.

I've read a lot of good and bad comments about ebonol. I'm pretty sure it's used on Violins on other stringed instruments at the student level, and if it can survive that, it's gotta be good. My Portamento has the "bound Panga-panga" which I will only ever use Flats on. This bass comes with Rounds, so I figure that's a statement about how they expect it to hold up. It plays wonderfully though.

 

[poochiecheeks]

I've read a lot of good and bad comments about ebonol. I'm pretty sure it's used on Violins on other stringed instruments at the student level, and if it can survive that, it's gotta be good. My Portamento has the "bound Panga-panga" which I will only ever use Flats on. This bass comes with Rounds, so I figure that's a statement about how they expect it to hold up. It plays wonderfully though.

Once you level it it sounds very bright, very plasticky which is basically Steves tone anyway. Ebonol is especially bad on lined fingerboards as the lines will always stick out no matter how much you level it. It takes forever to sand too

 

[Nightsprinter]

Interesting. Luckily I've had the opposite experience. My lined ebonol board has been stable and level but my lined ebony board is like a temperamental child. I'll keep that in mind when shopping for a new lined fretless though.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

This is a Rocklite board, I think it's actual wood fibers impregnated with dye and resin... or something. It looks a little more like real wood than ebanol, but the company that made it went under during Covid, except on a really limited basis. I'm hoping they come back into production eventually, or some other good substitute comes along. Most of the ebony for sale now is either gray streaked or dyed black, but I guess there is still some naturally jet black stuff available. I played a few of the Squire "Jaco" Jazz clones with ebanol, and didn't notice any raised line issues, but apparently that's a problem long-term. Shouldn't be an issue on an unlined board. Nice "mwah" with ebanol.

 

[poochiecheeks]

Interesting. Luckily I've had the opposite experience. My lined ebonol board has been stable and level but my lined ebony board is like a temperamental child. I'll keep that in mind when shopping for a new lined fretless though.

I have not heard that before. My one experience was with a Squier VM Jaco
jazz bass, ebonol board with white fret lines. The lines were plastic and almost acted like frets, to the point where you would get buzz 1/8"-3/16" before the line as you would with a low fret. I tried to level it 3 times with flat aluminum sanding beams, and it would be perfectly flat and smooth for a while until the humidity changed and the lines would sprout again. I got an unlined Allparts ebony P bass neck which is dead flat and doesn't move, which solved that. I found the ebony to be slightly warmer too, I had to use flats on the ebonol to get any kind of body or warmth out of it. Killer mwah/buzz though with roundwounds.

 

[McThumpenstein]

Nice "mwah" with ebanol.

I agree. Nice looking bass!

 

[Dana R Gregory]

Man, I love that green. Hope you have a St Patrick's gig next year LOL. I just purchased a Ibanez SRH505F fretless fiver and love it. Plenty of mwah. I agree with you on the neck, it does feel great!

 

[JRA]

You got me. Okay, here it is.

killer! congratulations on your new instrument!

....I'd own a green bass, but this is stunning.

The fingerboard is Ebonol, which is a first for me, but so far I really like it.

my mighty mite ebonol board took string markings immediately, but it has held up very well. it's a ~15 year old neck, lots of miles, but it's still flat despite the round wound string marks. i'd also bet that ebonol has improved over the years, and that ibanez would use the best stuff.