NBD: Ibanez SR875

[T McClure]

Bought my first Ibanez today, and I wasn't even planning on it... wasn't even considering an Ibanez.

I've been shopping around for a five string for a while and was sure I would buy a Yamaha BB, but to make my decision final, I sat down and tried three different Yamahas, a Jackson, a G&L (it must have weighed 12 pounds), a Stingray, a Cort, and a Fender.

But this Ibanez SR875 was by far the most comfortable for me and only weighs 8.6 pounds. The neck and string spacing have the feel like a five string version of my Nordstrand Acinonyx, which I think also made it so very easy to play.

It has way too many knobs, but I'll deal with it.

It looks like Ibanez only made these for a couple of years. There's virtually no reviews out there about them, and even here on Talkbass this model seemed to go unnoticed (probably explains why it was cancelled so quickly). I tried to see if Ibanez replaced them with a new model, but I can't make any sense of the Ibanez model naming scheme.

 

[Killing Floor]

Nice looking bass. And that’s the way to do it, try whatever you can.

 

[Lowendchamp]

I had an old Ibanez for about a decade with the same amp too! Enjoy in good health!

 

[Snert]

Nice bass, but I'm a bit of an SR fan and own 6, and have owned a number of others, so...

The neck and string spacing have the feel like a five string version of my Nordstrand Acinonyx

Spacing on the Ibby is 16.5mm and the Nordy is 17mm (at the bridge) so they'll feel very similar. Most 4s are 19-20mm. Never had the Nordy in hand so I can't comment beyond that in terms of feel.

It has way too many knobs, but I'll deal with it.

Set the 3 band EQ to the centre and just use the volume and balance and it will work like a lot of passive basses, and flat setting are actually flat. No need to use the EQ unless you want to.

It looks like Ibanez only made these for a couple of years. There's virtually no reviews out there about them, and even here on Talkbass this model seemed to go unnoticed (probably explains why it was cancelled so quickly). I tried to see if Ibanez replaced them with a new model, but I can't make any sense of the Ibanez model naming scheme.

But it's much the same as most other Ibanezes of similar model ranges. My 806 is a similar mahogany body with a maple centre strip, and spalted wing tops. Necks are all the same basic shape throughout all of the SR line; my 206 feels similar to my 655 and 806 in that regard, unlike some other brands that can vary radically between similar models, eg P necks vary a lot.

Ibanez changes minor details of models every couple of years but they don't actually vary all that much in basic terms, so don't make much of it went out in a couple of years, as the models on either side of it chronologically will generally be similar. Models have better spec as the numbers go up, some different woods etc and the numbering will make sense if you look at it closely enough.

As for reviews anything with the same PU and pre will be the same sonically, just a bit cosmetically different.

Here's your model from the fandom site, which is pretty good for specs, but sometimes they get it wrong, so double check.
SR875 and the SR805 (2013–2017) that preceded it.

There's also a Soundgear Club and an Ibanez Club thread here with lots of owners, info and advice.