Newer Ibanez SR500/5/6 line?

[squiresuzuki]

I was looking at a used sr506, but then I went to the ibanez site and saw that the model looks a little different now. It now has a better transition from the neck to the body (from the front), as well as a mid selector switch.
Are there any other changes i'm missing?
Do you think it's worth an extra $200 to get the newer model?

 

[SwagAttack]

I read posts that people thought that mids was always a problem with those basses. And the midswitch helps a lot now. I think the new 600s look awesome. I was gassing for 600 hard and saved money then thought I was going to buy the premium, but got a prestige instead. You could save some for the premium sr. The Nordstrands make it sound incredible. Those look awesome, a few hundred more though.

 

[squiresuzuki]

Oh believe me, I want the premium more than anything (I've heard bad things about the prestige preamp, and the top isn't as beautiful as the premium's IMO).
Unfortunately there isn't a premium 6 string, so it's not an option for me.

 

[Wild_Cat]

I can confirm that the Prestige preamp (Ibanez PWC-3) is very meh, having had one in my SR4005. It's a 3-volt system (not very powerful and you have to change the batteries often -- fortunately it's just 2 AAs, which are cheap), the Q control isn't anywhere near as useful as a mid-sweep would have been (on mine it stayed in the most narrow setting with a slight boost), and while I hope it's just a freak accident, the treble control stopped working after 2 years (no, it wasn't the pot, I checked ).

On the plus side, there's an active/passive switch, the bass still sounded very nice in passive mode, and I got that preamp replaced with an Audere 3ZB, which was a marked improvement in all areas (except that I don't have a passive mode anymore -- but since the Audere warns me a long time in advance that the battery is dying, it's a non-issue).


As far as the non-prestige SRs are concerned, the new preamps have mid-selector switches, but they're also a completely different circuits: old ones had a Bartolini Mk1 preamp, and the new ones are the Ibanez-made EQB-IIIS circuit. No idea how much of a difference in sound that makes.

Still, they're killer basses, and the SR506 is probably the best bang-for-buck 6-string you'll find, ever.

 

[SwagAttack]

Ya I liked the Premium a lot, but the wenge top just got to me to much.

I would still go for the newer one. I went into GC to see if they had a Premium/Prestige to try, and they didn't. But they had the new 506. It plays nice, has a super small string spacing, but knowing SR's that is normal. I still think the new mid-toggle is worth the upgrade, plus the other new additions to the newer model (whatever they are). I couldn't play it since it wasn't functioning correctly. I wasn't a fan of the finish, but the 706 looks classy.

 

[squiresuzuki]

Yeah that's the other thing, I can't decide whether I like the 506 or 706 finish more. I generally don't like the look black basses, but the figured wood is nice.

I was considering just buying the sr506 and sanding down the finish so that it looks like this, but I'm kind of scared because i'm not sure what it will look like under the stain.

 

[SwagAttack]

Yeah that's the other thing, I can't decide whether I like the 506 or 706 finish more. I generally don't like the look black basses, but the figured wood is nice.

I was considering just buying the sr506 and sanding down the finish so that it looks like this, but I'm kind of scared because i'm not sure what it will look like under the stain.

Well the 706 isn't quite black, more see-through black. I wouldn't take a chance sanding down the bass unless you have experience. But the 706 and 506 are basically identical. If you don't like the 706 finish, definitely save yourself some money and get the 506.

 

[squiresuzuki]

That's very weird...for some reason I remember trying out the sr706 at guitar center and I'm almost sure it was neck through. i guess not.

 

[Wild_Cat]

No, current SRs are all bolt-on (including the Prestige series -- although those were neck-through until a few years ago, as I recall).

 

[lowendrasta56]

I can confirm that the Prestige preamp (Ibanez PWC-3) is very meh, having had one in my SR4005. It's a 3-volt system (not very powerful and you have to change the batteries often -- fortunately it's just 2 AAs, which are cheap), the Q control isn't anywhere near as useful as a mid-sweep would have been (on mine it stayed in the most narrow setting with a slight boost), and while I hope it's just a freak accident, the treble control stopped working after 2 years (no, it wasn't the pot, I checked ).

On the plus side, there's an active/passive switch, the bass still sounded very nice in passive mode, and I got that preamp replaced with an Audere 3ZB, which was a marked improvement in all areas (except that I don't have a passive mode anymore -- but since the Audere warns me a long time in advance that the battery is dying, it's a non-issue).

As far as the non-prestige SRs are concerned, the new preamps have mid-selector switches, but they're also a completely different circuits: old ones had a Bartolini Mk1 preamp, and the new ones are the Ibanez-made EQB-IIIS circuit. No idea how much of a difference in sound that makes.

Still, they're killer basses, and the SR506 is probably the best bang-for-buck 6-string you'll find, ever.

Im also GASing hard for an SR506. Im currently a Fender man comfortably slapping and rocking out on active jazz basses and finding it very easy to slide my right hand down, kill the treble and THUMP out that Ampeg into reggae mode.

Enough! Business calls me towards an R&b/hip-hop project. I started on an Ibanez and am a very, very big supporter of their amazingly fast playing necks. With my newfound gas for a six string to kill these r&b projects, I dont want a baseball bat neck and just find it almost a little too natural to gas for a slim, sleek six string sr

Sorry im rambling lol but im excited how would you guys describe the sound of the bottom on the SR506?? Any input on how it performs or would perform in a smooth, boomy, majorly whole note r&b situation??