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Restore Ibanez SR505 or sell it for cheap?

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by BigKD, Sep 11, 2017.


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  1. Sep 11, 2017 #1
    BigKD

    BigKD

    Apr 19, 2014
    I've got a nice Korean Ibanez SR505 that plays great and sounds good (electronics could be better). The neck is wenge and pure butter...very easy to play. The low B is surprisingly tight for a 34" bolt on.

    Aesthetically, it has some issues...it's got the classic dinged/scraped finish from slapping and popping. All the hardware works perfectly but is heavily oxidized/tarnished.

    I've got it up for sale, but Ibanez made a TON of these basses and so there are a ton of them up for sale. I have a feeling I won't be able to sell without dropping the price way low.

    So my question is...should I pump money into this bass and keep it for myself or just let it go for cheap? I can do the refinish myself by sanding off the finish and then using Warwick surface finisher. The wood underneath has a nice grain. Then I would need new tuners/knobs/bridge/electronics to bring it up to the bass it could/should be.

    Thoughts?
     
  5. Sep 11, 2017 #2
    Gilmourisgod

    Gilmourisgod

    Jun 23, 2014
    Cape Cod MA
    Like you said, plenty of these on the market with the same chipped finish. It's otherwise such a great bass, I'd Refinish it. That finish is barely holding on there as it is, should be very easy to chemically strip, or just sand off. I may eventually buy a used one myself and do just that, though I'd use Tru-Oil.
     
    Solarmist likes this.
  9. Sep 11, 2017 #3
    BigKD

    BigKD

    Apr 19, 2014
    It's the perfect bar gig bass...light, cheap, and easily replaceable.

    And as you said, the finish comes off easily. Not sure if sanding or chemical is the way to go...

    I really like what the wax does on my Warwick...and I have a lot of it.

    I'm thinking putting Aguilar OBP-3 preamp in their with some real Bartolinis. We shall see...that might cost more than I paid for the bass new!
     
  13. Sep 11, 2017 #4
    BigKD

    BigKD

    Apr 19, 2014
    Yea this bass literally sounds like cardboard right now compared to my Warwick thumb :(
     
  18. Sep 11, 2017 #5
    JGbassman

    JGbassman

    May 31, 2011
    The midwest. South of Lakes, North of Rocks.
    The 505's respond nicely to either a pickup change or a different preamp. And if you want to get the color back, get some furniture touch up dye. I've got some, I think it's brown or cherry, but one swipe from the applicator bottle and the color is back.

    Put some Nordstrands emgs or the good bartolinis, a good preamp of your choice, and be prepared to have a new sounding bass. You know it's a good player, no sense giving it away.
     
  22. Sep 11, 2017 #6
    BigKD

    BigKD

    Apr 19, 2014
    After going over it again today, I'd say it needs about $500 dollars worth of parts/work to bring it up to snuff with my other gear (Lakland 55-02 and Warwick custom shop Thumb). Soo $500 + $200 that it's likely worth and you do the math....that's $700 that could go to a better instrument.

    I think I'm going to sell it...
     
  26. Sep 14, 2017 #7
    BigKD

    BigKD

    Apr 19, 2014
    Put new strings on the SR505 today before putting it up for sale, and now it sounds 100x better. I think I like it better than my Warwick thumb that I just pumped more money into with a new EMG setup...

    So now I am tempted to keep the SR505 and try Bartolinis and a differnt pre in the 'Wick. GAH IT NEVER ENDS.

    Hardware is going to poopie, though. I snapped off part of a tuner just winding a new string up...argh.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2017
  30. Sep 14, 2017 #8
    UNICORN BASS

    UNICORN BASS

    Feb 10, 2016
    Michigan USA
    My MIK 505 is very sensitive to string brand. I thought the stock Elixers were good until i replaced them with Curt Mangen rounds, wow!
     
  34. Sep 14, 2017 #9
    BigKD

    BigKD

    Apr 19, 2014
    Yup.

    Has your hardware disintegrated yet?
     

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