• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

NBD..torture......

#61
so I opend up the bag last night and the bass was still pretty cold so I zipt her back up til this morning and it was worth the wait this is easily the nicest ibanez iv'e ever laid hands on it feels rounder and more contoured than my sr500 and more like my old 80's era sr800, even unplugged the sound is noticeably fatter and more punchy than the sr500, the back of the neck could be a little smother for my taste but I guess im one of the few guys that prefer a finish on a wenge neck over raw wood then again I dont think anyone else finishes a neck like I do either,other than that the bass plays beautifully with super low action that these basses are known for.
the woodwork on this bass is just awesome, I love the layering of the woods on the body and I was surprised to see nice piece of rosewood on the headstock as well, I do wish they had matched up the neck woods a little better but the piece that I see when im playing it awesome so im over it. the actual finish on the body leaves the painter in me wanting to get out some 400 grit paper and go to work finish sanding this thing because it kinda feels like that step was skipped on this bass, I can feel the edges of every lamination on this body, its possible this is a result of the trip in extreme weather but im not to worried about it because I bought this bass fully intending on putting a clearcoat on it myself, I have seen how bad these basses can get beat up and im an aggressive player so it will be getting a nice thick layer of high gloss clear to protect it along with a oil rubbed satin clear on the neck.
as of this writing I have not pluged the bass in yet, but everyone in the house is awake now so its getting to be that time..
014.JPG
015.JPG
016.JPG
hears some pics
 
  • Like
Reactions: vmabus, Matthew_84, KramerDon and 5 others
#68
Very nice!! I picked up the SR1400TE just before the holidays and really like it but I was wishing they made a neckthru version of yours, I would've got that instead in a heartbeat.For what it's worth,the output jack recess is very,very fragile at the top because it's so undercut,I've been very careful and still somehow managed to take a small chip off the top edge.I went ahead and got a hard case at the same time,I think for the money they could've included more than a bag but when you consider the quality of the components and woods these are still a great deal!!
Enjoy your beautiful new bass!!!
 
Last edited:
#72
no walnut on the toes but they might have a few corns.
had a little play time now and im loving this bass, to get a good impression of the basses own tone I started out with my mb800 set flat into my fearful 1212/6 and right off the bat im pretty impressed, the tone is right up their with my European spectors and leaps and bounds above my sr500 very tight and punchy,clear and well defined across the frequency spectrum compaired to this bass my sr500 sounds mushy even with the aguliar pre and emg's, I think the wenge neck is a key factor in this difference.
one thing I love is that very useable sounds can be had with the eq switched on or off witch means you can have very different tones available at the flick of a switch, the eq in this bass sounds more natural than the one that came with the sr500 witch I did not think sounded very good with a lot of boost in any of the frequencys
the description of the nordstrand big singled as "a jazz bass on steroids" is pretty accurate but I think the combination of neck and body woods give this bass a bit more fundamental warmth and thickness than any of my maple neckt basses i have witch is something I think you can't rely dial up with eq
 
#73
KramerDon said:
Very nice!! I picked up the SR1400TE just before the holidays and really like it but I was wishing they made a neckthru version of yours, I would've got that instead in a heartbeat.For what it's worth,the output jack recess is very,very fragile at the top because it's so undercut,I've been very careful and still somehow managed to take a small chip off the top edge.I went ahead and got a hard case at the same time,I think for the money they could've included more than a bag but when you consider the quality of the components and woods these are still a great deal!!
Enjoy your beautiful new bass!!!
Click to expand...
I did the same thing to my sr505QM, after I touched up the stain I coverd all my straight plugs with 5/8ths shrink tubeing, covers up the knurled metal andleaves a nice smooth rounded edge and it looks pretty cool.
023.JPG
024.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: Matthew_84, organworthyplayer337, KramerDon and 1 other person
#74
@gpx1200,... nice rig!:thumbsup:

Hopkins said:
Hey, if sticky, fragile finishes that can't handle being brought indoors when its cold outside without cracking, and react with 90% of music stands and wall hangers is your thing, more power to ya. But a urethane finish is still a superior finish.
Click to expand...

Hopkins?!!,.. i've never known you to exaggerate to make a point! ..., oh wait a minute.... :D
btw, in my world Nitro is King! YMDV
 
#75
Solarmist said:
Sweetwater is one of the best places to purchase gear with their 55 point evaluation, and actual pics of the basses for sale.
I've got my last 3 basses there, and 3 bags of candy too!
Click to expand...
I've had a few issues with basses from Sweetwater. I had to go directly to the manufacturer's to get support to fix them and in both cases the manufacturere HATES Sweetwater's 55-point evaluation. They said that Sweetwater techs who know absolutely nothing about their instruments and aren't luthiers are always screwing with the specs of their basses and causing more issues that are unnecessary. They both told me they've asked Sweetwater to stop doing that with their instruments but that they refuse.

Something to consider....
 
#76
pacojas said:
@gpx1200,... nice rig!:thumbsup:



Hopkins?!!,.. i've never known you to exaggerate to make a point! ..., oh wait a minute.... :D
btw, in my world Nitro is King! YMDV
Click to expand...
poly is better protection, but I prefer light finishes (tru oil etc) over nitro over poly - then again, I'm not dragging them around to practices & gigs, if I were, the list would be in the other direction. :)
 
#77
gpx1200 said:
I did the same thing to my sr505QM, after I touched up the stain I coverd all my straight plugs with 5/8ths shrink tubeing, covers up the knurled metal andleaves a nice smooth rounded edge and it looks pretty cool.View attachment 567236 View attachment 567237
Click to expand...
gotta remember that one, useful for color coding (instrument vs. speaker etc.) as well. I had a tape pattern marking system, marked all my cables, 15 years ago, but I have since forgotten my secret decoder ring! :)
 
#78
Eublet said:
I've had a few issues with basses from Sweetwater. I had to go directly to the manufacturer's to get support to fix them and in both cases the manufacturere HATES Sweetwater's 55-point evaluation. They said that Sweetwater techs who know absolutely nothing about their instruments and aren't luthiers are always screwing with the specs of their basses and causing more issues that are unnecessary. They both told me they've asked Sweetwater to stop doing that with their instruments but that they refuse.

Something to consider....
Click to expand...
I believe this, from my past experience the 55 point evaluation is useless and I kind of wish they would just send the bass as it comes from the factory, I had to clean some polish residue off of the tuners and that kind of thing should have never even been used on a bass with an oil finish, if you look at the photos with the flash you can see the white residue that it left in the poores of the wood, it only shows in very bright light but ill probably be stuck with it until I refinish the bass and it shows that they don't use a lot of common sense in what theyr doing
in theyr defence ive seen plenty of salesmen at guitar stores do the same thing but still if that's what you do for a living you should know how to treat different finishes
 
#80
pacojas said:
@gpx1200,... nice rig!:thumbsup:



Hopkins?!!,.. i've never known you to exaggerate to make a point! ..., oh wait a minute.... :D
btw, in my world Nitro is King! YMDV
Click to expand...


Well, the thing is, I didn't exaggerate at all. All of the things I mentioned were issues with nitro finishes that don't happen with poly. Some people, like yourself, like nitro because of those issues. I never said there was anything wrong with that. It doesn't change the fact that urethane is a superior finish. If we were talking about your vehicle instead of basses there is no doubt in my mind that you would agree. There is a reason they quit using nitro lacquer on automobiles.

I don't like a thick, UV cured poly finish either, but a two part catalyzed urethane can be applied just as thin as a nitro finish and stays looking new longer. So it is no exaggeration that it is a superior finish. Have you ever heard of a distortion pedal that's been downgraded to germanium transistors? Its the same thing, they aren't as good but the flaws are preferred by some people. Personally I prefer my basses to stay looking new.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back