Would it be fair to think, this might be due to a rush to fill preorders and supply stock to brick-n-mortar stores? In a couple of months (if we haven't devolved to global anarchy) perhaps things will be more reliable out of the box...
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New Ibanez (headless, multiscale)
- Thread starter chanson
- Start date
There are always kinks to be worked out with a new product. Dealing with those is one of the risks that comes with being an early adopter.
I was thinking that too, but companies should know how important the first batch is, as it will create the first wave of customer reviews, and those get seen by people interested in the new line of products. That early impression can dissuade people, especially ones already on the fence.
To companies, sadly it's a numbers game. Put out as many as possible and they see what sticks. Find some kind of scapegoat and then move on.
This will be my first sight unseen instrument purchase. And I will still definitely go through with my leap of faith in Ibanez.
This will be my first sight unseen instrument purchase. And I will still definitely go through with my leap of faith in Ibanez.
I'm not too surprised they aren't as light as people assumed they'd be. My Kiesel headless guitar (swamp ash) really isn't much lighter than a similar spec'd normal guitar.
Realistically there's not that much excess material removed. A headstock and tuners don't weigh that much. I do expect around the 8ish mark for the 6 but I won't be gobsmacked if it's any heavier.
People have to also consider the bridge will be WAY heavier than a conventional nigh mass bridge since it houses to tuning system as well. Even back in the Steinberger days, it wasn't about weight, it was about balance...
One thing I've noticed is that the B string is completely missing that metallic zing that new roundwound strings are supposed to have. Compared to the other strings, it sounds totally dead. All the examples I've heard of on YouTube don't sound like this, but they're pretty much all videos of the multi-scale version, and mine is the normal scale. Still, none of my other 5-string basses ever had the B string sound this dead when it's new roundwounds. I'm wondering if I should buy a new B string and see if that makes any difference--just in case when the factory put the strings on, they happened to put on a dead B string without realizing it.
I just noticed that on the Ibanez's page for the bass, it lists the strings used as D'Addario® EXL165 + .130
EHB1505 | EHB | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars
That looks to me like the B-string is not part of the set, and that raises the likelihood of them putting on a dead one without knowing it.
EHB1505 | EHB | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars
That looks to me like the B-string is not part of the set, and that raises the likelihood of them putting on a dead one without knowing it.
I called Guitar Center and I played them my bass over the phone, and the guys said, "Yeah, even over the phone that B-string sounds totally dead." He got permission to send me a new set so I can put a fresh B-string on, to make sure it's just the string and not the bass. If it turns out to be the bass, then I'll have to return it for exchange because who wants a bass that has a dead sounding B-string no matter if the string is fresh or not?
Since your EHB isn't the MS version, I'd suggest getting a taperwound XLB130T from D'Addario single strings collection as the replacement of that "dead" low-B. I've almost always prefer a tapered low-B for roundwounds on my Ibanez basses.
I had a chance to side-by-side compare the EHB1005MS and EHB1505MS and really thought the stock strings + the Bartolini pickups on the 1005 line did bring much life out of the B. The Ichika promotional video of the 1005MS for example has a really dead sounding B-string -
After changing the strings on my 1505MS, the B did sound appreciably better.
After changing the strings on my 1505MS, the B did sound appreciably better.
We've been dealing with wonky sounding B strings for as long as there have been B strings. I highly doubt they put a bad string on the bass at the factory. More likely the B will probably never sound quite the same as the other strings on that bass.
No, this is not that. This is very different from the typical "B-string not quite as articulate as other strings" issue. We're talking about a completely dead B-string that has zero metallic zing that a fresh, new roundwound string is supposed to have, while the other four strings have tons of that zing. It simply sounds like the B-string is at least a year old and completely dead. That's not normal.
The B on mine is anything but dead. This may speak to the QC issues we've been seeing. The B on mine is actually the best be out of the 8 or 9 (or more) 5+ stringers I have.
Do you have any Dingwalls? Curious to see how the shorter scale on the Ibby stacks up against the DWs, tone-wise.
I do not. Maybe down the line once I review and sell off a few more of the review flock. I have waaaay too many basses right now that there's no where to put them. 8x on the wall, two 9x stands and a 5x stand all full
.
I do not. Maybe down the line once I review and sell off a few more of the review flock. I have waaaay too many basses right now that there's no where to put them. 8x on the wall, two 9x stands and a 5x stand all full
Wow, I'm so jelly
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