• 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.

New Ibanez Mode series

#401
@BassicJazzy @crazycloud @mickebas thanks all for the tips. I've done quite a few of my own setups on many guitars and a few of my basses but this one was disturbingly tough to budge. Never faced any issues with my 2 other basses with roasted necks one of which also has a truss rod wheel (Sterling StingRay & Sire P5R). That being said, my luthier (who also thought it was terribly tight) took care of it and got it moving again after taking the neck off. We don't get much weather variation in humidity here in Kuwait so once it's settled in hopefully it won't need much adjusting anyways. Other than that, I'm really loving this bass now 🥰

@Testing123 yes after my luthier got it moving again it's not stiff anymore and easy to adjust now and hopefully it stays that way in the future.

@Bassplayer1586 thanks for pointing that detail out, didn't pay attention to the fact that they're “luminescent” side dot inlays not "Luminlay". You're absolutely right, it's right there on the official spec page but the photo they have there looks nothing like mine (barely glowing after sitting in a bright room for hours). Makes my idea of just coloring them white even better now :thumbsup:

Beautiful bass by the way 😍
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bassplayer1586, Testing123, BassicJazzy and 1 other person
#403
Hey guys, just got the MDM1605 and wow!!! What a bass!


I have Alembics, Warwicks, Zons, Fenders, and I have to say this thing holds its own. I used to make fun of Ibanez and now I am fully on board.


I played 2 gigs the day before I bought the Ibanez on a big, heavy-ass Warwick Corvette that I love, and I really struggled with the weight and dialing in the tone on the backlined amps. At the second show, Anthony Crawford played after me with his Roscoe bass and had an absolutely killer, dialed-in tone. It immediately made me realize I wanted more control over my sound.


I’ve been checking out these Ibanez basses for a while because of the tonal capabilities and weight. I went and bought it the next day and have not regretted it since.


The string spacing is also really comfortable for me. I grew up on a Fender Jazz 4, so the spacing on this feels very natural in my hands. And the B string is 200% solid. Seriously, I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.


To be completely honest, I’m not used to light basses, so the neck feels a little bit like a toy and kind of cheap to me. But I’ve been using it in the studio for the last 2 weeks and have already played 3 shows with it.


Bro.


I’m able to dial in random combinations with the HEXA system and knobs for shows that make it sound SO good. I thought I had figured out what I like for the studio, but every time I play it, I’m able to find a new, perfect tone for whatever I’m doing. It’s like finding a new combination that I didn’t even practice.


One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of the YouTube videos on these basses don’t really do a great job of dialing in what I think these things are capable of. There is SO much tonal range here, and I feel like you really have to spend some time with the controls before you get what this bass can actually do.


Oh yeah, and my back doesn’t hurt.


Also, the slap tone on these things is super interesting. The zing on the pop has this really interesting, mellow sound, but it works so well. You can get very cool combinations from Fender to Music Man to Spector type sounds really easily, and those mid-scooped tones with the bass boosted are pure Marcus magic.


I also feel like a lot of modern players are scared of having “too much boom” or “too much bass.” I get wanting a clean, controlled sound, but then you listen to players like Chris Foley and Travis Burniss and realize you can have a HUGE, bassy tone without losing control or clarity.


It’s funny because sometimes it feels like newer players are almost afraid of a bass actually sounding like a bass 😂. Everything has to be super tight and polite because apparently having some actual low end means your tone isn’t “clean.”


Right now, this is the bass I’m taking on tour because it’s light and it’s shaging funky. It’s easier to fit into live music than almost any of my other basses because you can find the PERFECT sound.


Only thing is Guitar Center Hollywood shaged me and didn’t sell it with the ramp or any of the tools because they’re shaging stupid.
 
  • Heart
Reactions: FirasR
#405
Bassplayer1586 said:
Just a heads up guys…..the Mode Series basses DO NOT get actual Luminlay side dots. They get “luminescent” side dots, which are terrible in comparison to actual Luminlay side dots. The only bass from the mode series, currently, that gets the real deal, is the $6000 Japan custom shop one.
Click to expand...
Fascinating! This is the first I've heard about luminescent side dots. All of the literature I'd seen/read had said "Luminlay". I just had a look at the Ibanez website (MDM1605 | Mode | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars) and sure enough, it states luminescent, not Luminlay. They must have changed their documentation / literature.
Anyway, thanks for the heads up. My less than stellar experience with it makes more sense now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kevk and Bassplayer1586
#406
I just did a Google search on “Current side dots aren't glowing well on an Ibanez MDM1605 bass guitar” with the following result:

---
The reason your factory side dots aren't glowing well is likely due to the type of light you are using to activate them. Factory luminescent dots on modern Ibanez basses rely on strontium aluminate pigments, which require short-wavelength light to fully charge.

Why Your Dots Aren't Glowing

  • Wrong Light Spectrum: Standard indoor LED lightbulbs, warm incandescent lighting, and phone screens do not emit enough UV light. They will leave the dots looking dim or cause the glow to fade within minutes.
  • Charging Time: Attempting to charge the dots by just leaving the bass in a brightly lit room takes a long time and yields weak results.
The Fix: Use a UV Flashlight

To get a bright, long-lasting glow that stays visible on a dark stage, you need to charge the side dots with a UV (ultraviolet) blacklight flashlight.

  • How to do it: Hold a UV flashlight directly against the side dots for 5 to 10 seconds per section before you play.
  • The result: This will instantly charge the pigments to their maximum brightness, allowing them to glow intensely for hours.
  • Where to find one: You can purchase an official Luminlay Light Charger (LLC-3) pocket UV light for roughly $8 to $12, or buy a generic 395nm UV flashlight at any local hardware store or online retailer.
Next Steps

Try charging the dots with a dedicated UV light or a strong outdoor sunlight exposure first. If the factory dots still fail to hold a charge, it means the luminescent material has degraded or was defective, and you may want to proceed with a professional replacement.

If you test a UV light and it still doesn't work, let me know. I can recommend some local luthier shops in your area to look at the bass, or help you find the exact size of Luminlay rod you would need for a DIY swap.
---

As I don’t have one of these basses, I can’t say, but maybe this will help others.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FirasR
#408
Testing123 said:
and sure enough, it states luminescent, not Luminlay. They must have changed their documentation / literature.
Click to expand...
The only Wayback is Jan 28 this year and also says luminescent.
web.archive.org

MDM1605 | Mode | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars

MDM1605 at Ibanez. Ibanez offers electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, effect and pedals, amps, plus guitar accessories like tuners, straps and picks.
web.archive.org web.archive.org

My guess is that people have misread luminescent as luminlay and that has just been repeated with no one actually looking at the specs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FirasR, kevk, who and 2 others
#409
crazycloud said:
The only Wayback is Jan 28 this year and also says luminescent.
web.archive.org

MDM1605 | Mode | ELECTRIC BASSES | PRODUCTS | Ibanez guitars

MDM1605 at Ibanez. Ibanez offers electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, effect and pedals, amps, plus guitar accessories like tuners, straps and picks.
web.archive.org web.archive.org

My guess is that people have misread luminescent as luminlay and that has just been repeated with no one actually looking at the specs.
Click to expand...
Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
I just checked a file I prepared on 4/23/2026 on the MDM1605 and found luminescent rather than Luminlay.
I apologize for my error.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FirasR

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back