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NBD- Ibanez SR800 (older MIJ)

Maxdusty

Maxdusty

Mar 9, 2012
6,556
7,035
Michigan USA
#1
I was perusing Craigslist late last night, not really looking to buy anything as I've hit my quota of basses but I saw a posting for an Ibanez bass for $100. I took a look at the picture and even ran the serial number through the Ibanez Serial Number identifier site- it was a 2000 Ibanez SR800 that appeared to be in pretty good condition made at the Fuji-gen plant in Japan.
I bought it and after a few adjustments (string height, truss rod a tweak) I have to say the bass was well worth $100. It may not look like much at first (in fact reminded me of one of my other basses, an Ibanez Gio GSR190, but I have to say the sound was very nice and the feel of the bass was just right.
The bass is active, both active pickups (AFR-Active Full Range P and Jazz pickups) and with a preamp - the craftsmanship of this MIJ bass is just so much better than most of the SR series basses I've owned or tried.
It certainly was money well spent- glad I decided to forgo the self imposed quota - it was just too hard to resist for $100.

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#4
$100 is a steal, though it looks like the body has some irregularities with the finish?

I have 2 of these from the late 80s when they were at their best, and when they were IMO the bass that propelled Ibanez to the point that companies like Fender starting copying them. They switched in the 90s to unpainted necks and simpler bridges, but the early accucast models were great.

If everything works as it's supposed, get a new set of your fave strings on there, give it the best setup you can and that baby should sing.
 
#7
Maxdusty said:
I was perusing Craigslist late last night, not really looking to buy anything as I've hit my quota of basses but I saw a posting for an Ibanez bass for $100. I took a look at the picture and even ran the serial number through the Ibanez Serial Number identifier site- it was a 2000 Ibanez SR800 that appeared to be in pretty good condition made at the Fuji-gen plant in Japan.
I bought it and after a few adjustments (string height, truss rod a tweak) I have to say the bass was well worth $100. It may not look like much at first (in fact reminded me of one of my other basses, an Ibanez Gio GSR190, but I have to say the sound was very nice and the feel of the bass was just right.
The bass is active, both active pickups (AFR-Active Full Range P and Jazz pickups) and with a preamp - the craftsmanship of this MIJ bass is just so much better than most of the SR series basses I've owned or tried.
It certainly was money well spent- glad I decided to forgo the self imposed quota - it was just too hard to resist for $100.

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There's a red one of those for sale at a local shop on consignment. Has the worst setup I've ever seen but that's easily changed. Its sound is sterile, though. That pre-amp is blah! If it was $100-200, I'd likely pick it up. The guy's asking $400, though. -_- At that price I'll buy the beat up 80's Squier P/J on Jazz body that's sitting beside it.
 
#9
DavidEdenAria said:
You stole it...oddly enough I just bought a black one off GC used from Michigan for $149......we'll see how it looks but these are killer basses from the few folks I know that love Ibanez....I avoid the entry/mid grade stuff.
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I think part of the problem is that "SR800" appears nowhere on my headstock. On the back of the headstock there's the serial number and just below in small letters "made in Japan". Unless the store or person selling the bass knows it's the SR800, it can very easily be mistaken for the Ibanez GSR200 which is indeed a cheaper bass selling usually for $199.
In fact, the seller who sold this bass did not put the model of the bass anywhere in the ad because it wasn't known- it was listed simply as a "Silver Ibanez Bass" - which made me click on the ad, as you can see by my user pic, I have a penchant for silver Ibanez basses.
Unless you pick it up and play it, you won't realize the quality is incredible on these basses and the feel is nothing at all like the cheaper basses. It feels like a much better bass even before you plug it in. This is absolutely not like one of the entry level basses.
To be honest with you, I wouldn't have even considered a SR800 bass had not one fallen into my radar for that price, I wouldn't have known it was this good.
I think you'll really like this bass.
 
#10
I'm not sure I would consider the preamps blah, but it's possible they changed over the years. The thing with these SR basses is that they work better with some strings than others. I suppose that's true for all basses, really, but the light weight and think neck aren't for everyone to begin with.

I have both of mine strung with half-round Chromes and for me, this just works.

The SR800 was a sticker that was usually applied over the clear coat on the back of the headstock, and many have gotten peeled off over the years. Once you know this bass it's easy to pick out (the concentric pots and knobs are unique to this model, I believe). They do suffer from the "unknown Ibanez so it must be cheap" syndrome a little, which works out in favor of those in the know - but these MIJ models are really on another level from the regular Indonesian or earlier Korean Soundgears. Even though these are not in the Prestige class of Ibby's made in Japan, they are a fantastic bass for the buck.
 
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#12
@MarkoYYZ: I totally agree. There's quite a difference even when comparing it to the more recent SR300 (I've had two)- this quiet unassuming bass ( come to think of it, it also looks like one of the Rogue basses you see selling for cheap) smokes them! While not the best Japanese bass I've had or currently have- the quality is definitely there, it's a great bargain indeed if they can be bought cheaply. I'm not one to look at labels or country of manufacture at all, but it's uncanny how you can almost instantly notice a difference - even picking up a later MIK or Indonesian Ibanez to compare, you can tell the SR800 is better made. A well made bass is a well made bass. Fuji-gen really does make them well.
Will definitely keep my eye on more if they should show up on my local CL for cheap.

@StevieMac: heh heh, you lucky...*&*(! You get a gig bag too??
 
#15
I believe the models from 98 would differ as follows...

1) They should have a fully painted neck and headstock, matching the body finish. Even the teal green or whatever. I think they switched over to unpainted necks in the late 90s, but it must have been after '98 if yours has a painted neck.

2) The tuners would be Gotoh and the bridge is an earlier Accucast or some variant. They went through a few variations of the bridge and I think at the same time that they went with unpainted necks, they stuck with the bridges that are on all newer SR models 500 and up.

3) The very first ones had a Volume-Blend-Bass-Treble preamp, no stacked knobs. They switched after a couple of years to a 3 band pre with a sweepable mid, which would then be Volume-Blend-Bass/Treble-Mid/MidSweep. These have the concentric pots on them, and to most would be the preferred model. I don't know what year they switched over, but it was still during the painted neck years.

I have one in Black and one in Pearl White. I scored a newer 2000ish model on the GC website for $129, which I picked up and gave to my nephew, because he preferred it to the Warwick Rockbass I had him playing for the year or so prior. I essentially traded him the SR800 and a Squier fretless Jazz (also a $125 score) for the Rockbass, which I sold locally for $380 then after sealing that deal, lucked into a pristine 89 Fender Jazz Bass Special fretless - for just $300. I made out good, I think.
 
#17
DavidEdenAria said:
I just purchased a 1998 model SR800 with painted neck but it has not shipped yet ....how does it differ from the 2000 model if any?
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My 2000 has a painted neck too. Looking at pictures of the 1998 Sr800 on the net, they both look very similar. Same pickups, knobs (two stacked knobs). No separate battery compartment, the battery is in the main compartment.
I plugged in my serial number in the Ibanez serial number site to confirm the year of manufacture before I bought it (the seller had taken a picture of the back of the neck and you could make out the serial number). It is a 2000 Fuji-gen - so it has a painted neck but yet also made after the late 1990s.
It also looks the first ones, made in the late 80s to early 90s had different pickups, or what look to be different ones, it has red text on it,"regulated lo-z", whereas samples of ones in the later nineties and on have "AFR-P and AFR-J" on the pickups in white text.
Here's a 1987 SR800 (one of the pics in the posting also has the serial number on it so I ran it through the dater to confirm it is from 1987 - "F=Fuji-gen first number is the last digit of the year of manufacture).
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I was just playing it an hour ago and comparing it to some of my Ibanez basses, including one I also recently bought, an Ergodyne EDC700 - this SR800 sounds better with a considerable tone variety range advantage. Pretty darn good bass I have to say. Very impressed.
 
#18
Maxdusty said:
I was perusing Craigslist late last night, not really looking to buy anything as I've hit my quota of basses but I saw a posting for an Ibanez bass for $100. I took a look at the picture and even ran the serial number through the Ibanez Serial Number identifier site- it was a 2000 Ibanez SR800 that appeared to be in pretty good condition made at the Fuji-gen plant in Japan.
I bought it and after a few adjustments (string height, truss rod a tweak) I have to say the bass was well worth $100. It may not look like much at first (in fact reminded me of one of my other basses, an Ibanez Gio GSR190, but I have to say the sound was very nice and the feel of the bass was just right.
The bass is active, both active pickups (AFR-Active Full Range P and Jazz pickups) and with a preamp - the craftsmanship of this MIJ bass is just so much better than most of the SR series basses I've owned or tried.
It certainly was money well spent- glad I decided to forgo the self imposed quota - it was just too hard to resist for $100.

View attachment 479792
Click to expand...
 
#19
I have the 1988 Ibanez Sound Gear SR800 active pick up bass. It has REGULATED in red print on the PB pick up and the JB pick ups. I think one of the blending pots is not working. If someone knows where I can get a diagram schematic or parts for this bass I would like know I have had in my studio since 1995. I have the heavy clamp locking case also. I love this bass. If any one knows thank you. Tubeblues Jame Mc
 

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