NBD: Ibanez SRSC805 Cerro

[Basehead]

@Basehead

How did you like the bass after the pick-up change? I did the 4-string version of this swap on my SR500 and liked the results, but I'm interested in your opinion of the swap on this bass wth this preamp.

Well, I DID get the Pope preamp but I'm still in the middle of the install. I have everything hooked up but found I connected the MK5 PUPs incorrectly. I also have to connect all ground wires (the Cerro has 7!) to the copperfoil shielding I installed and connect that to the proper terminal. This weekend I'm starting a thread on my experience with the install, the mistakes I made, and the resources I found online that helped me understand this whole thing. I've never done any of this work so I'm learning as I'm going.

I've been so busy with work I plan on getting things done in the next couple days. From what I did hear in my testing, I think this thing is going to be amazing!

 

[skeeler]

Understood. I look forward to your report and to your build thread.

 

[wintremute]

No longer for sale. I've decide to keep it for now. I love the way it sounds and sustains. I love the way it looks. I love the 18-mm string spacing for slap and especially pop. What I hate is the position of the upper strap button at fret 14. It worsens the balance (even with Res-O-Lite tuners) and increases the reach. I'm compensating for both by keeping my forearm on the bass and holding it a a steep angle. If Ibanez had just made the upper bout 2 frets longer, I would love the bass overall.

That is a wise choice. Please let me know when you're ready to send that unused BTB to me. Thanks.

 

[skeeler]

Thanks. This bass is sooo close to being great. If they had just put the strap button at the 12th fret...

Ibanez showed what appeared to be a revises BTB Terra Firma at Bass Player Live. I plan to send them a letter to request that, when they update the Cerro (probably in a few years), they extend the upper bout.

 

[Basehead]

No longer for sale. I've decide to keep it for now. I love the way it sounds and sustains. I love the way it looks. I love the 18-mm string spacing for slap and especially pop. What I hate is the position of the upper strap button at fret 14. It worsens the balance (even with Res-O-Lite tuners) and increases the reach. I'm compensating for both by keeping my forearm on the bass and holding it a a steep angle. If Ibanez had just made the upper bout 2 frets longer, I would love the bass overall.

I need to add this note on the sound...

I REALLY like the way it sits in a mix with the stock electronics package. Here's a link to a partial recording of the last gig I did with the Cerro:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

IMHO, the bass sits very nicely in the mix and handled effects very well (Boss OC-2 and a 3 Leaf Audio Proton). I just wanted a hotter output, an Active Passive tone control, and the coil tapping capability.

 

[skeeler]

The treble knob is the passive tone control.

 

[Basehead]

^ for sure, but the Pope gives me the tone on the Active section as well, which is amazing....and updated my previous post.

 

[skeeler]

Understood. Just wanted to make sure you hand't overlooked that feature. You will certainly have many more parameters to play with once the new pickups and preamp are in.

By the way, do the MK5 pickups have blade-shaped magnets, so you don't have to worry about string spacing?

 

[Basehead]

My understanding is yes, they have blade style magnets

 

[Real Soon]

It took me somewhere in the range of 2lbs' worth of fishing weights in a bag attached to my strap right above the rear strap button, which of course does a number on the overall weight, but it now sits perfectly still and comfortable on my shoulder at any angle. The better balance more than compensates for the extra weight.

I may look at velcro'ing a flatpack of some kind, ideally tough cloth, to the back of the bass to really make it as inconspicuous as possible and balanced with the weights that way.

And after getting ready to call Hoshino-Gakki to raise hell about their terrible service response with dealers, I discovered I could just call them myself (despite the Ibanez website claiming directly contrary) in the morning and order parts. So, the bad preamp module's been replaced and I really love this thing. The rest of my small collection of instruments is getting totally neglected these days.

 

[Daniel Immel]

Have you ever tried raising the position of the back strap button? I saw Keith Horn doing this years ago and never understood why until I just tried it on a Lakeland 5594 that I knew I’d never sell and it TOTALLY fixed the neck dive. I now do this on every bass I own. I’m seeing lots of luthiers do it stock now as well. Might be worth a shot.

BTW I stumbled on to this thread while looking for specs on the 805 spacing. 18mm sounds like a manageable difference from most of our standard 19mm spacings. My tiny hands might benefit.

Thanks. This bass is sooo close to being great. If they had just put the strap button at the 12th fret...

Ibanez showed what appeared to be a revises BTB Terra Firma at Bass Player Live. I plan to send them a letter to request that, when they update the Cerro (probably in a few years), they extend the upper bout.

 

[skeeler]

Have you ever tried raising the position of the back strap button? I saw Keith Horn doing this years ago and never understood why until I just tried it on a Lakeland 5594 that I knew I’d never sell and it TOTALLY fixed the neck dive. I now do this on every bass I own. I’m seeing lots of luthiers do it stock now as well. Might be worth a shot.

BTW I stumbled on to this thread while looking for specs on the 805 spacing. 18mm sounds like a manageable difference from most of our standard 19mm spacings. My tiny hands might benefit.

I'd say 19 mm is only standard on 4-string basses. On 5-strings, there's a huge range. Just within the Ibanez brand, there's everything from 16.5 to 19 mm on the 5-strings. (With the new adjustable-spacing bridges, you can go 2*1.5/4=0.75 mm in either direction from there.) I find that the narrow, 16.5-mm spacing on my SR1305E makes it easier to reach the B string with my fretting hand. However, the 18-mm spacing on the SRSC805 gives just enough room for slap and pop (though I still need to clean up my slap technique). I also have short fingers. If you are concerned about the width of the fretboard, you should check out one of the "normal" SR 5-strings with 16.5-mm spacing.