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The Ibanez Club (Part 3)

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#783
Hi Ibanez club ! May I get a number, please ?

This my Ibanez SR700, bought in 2009.
I preferred the charcoal brown finish to the amber, because this one features a gorgeous almost red color, nicely matching my Lag Roxane Standard guitar, also present in this pic.

I really love that bass, the build quality is top-notch, even though it's been made in Indonesia.
I tried a lot of basses in the shop, from the cheapest Cort's to MIA fender j basses, and that's the one that impressed me the most with its playing comfort and tonal versatility :)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#784
elroyjetsn said:
Good idea to start out with a 5 and a medium size combo.:bassist:
Click to expand...
I started with a 5-string. I actually recommend it. If you learn on a 5-string, you'll soon figure out if you like having the extra notes or if you prefer to stick to a 4-banger.

Also, I know plenty of 4-string players that have had a tough time adjusting to a 5-string. Since I learned on a 5-string, I can play both pretty easily.
 
#786
Hi y'all!

Always being on the lookout for garage-sale finds, I spotted this bass on Friday morning after we finished up on a seizure call. :ninja:

Now, I need another bass like a hole in my head...but I'm an addict and had my money clip on the pumper. I still had enough to pay in for chow, so I paid the man and threw it up on the hosebed.

It's a vintage short-scale Ibby Roadster (which my research has revealed is different from a Roadstar). According to the neck plate, it's MIJ and serial number indicates a May '82 build, manufactured only for the Japanese market. Never sold new here in the U.S. It's got some dings and scratches, but I've strung it with an old set of Rotos, done a quick set-up, and cleaned it up a bit. It plays well enough for a 28 year-old bass.

So far, I've determined that if I'm gonna keep it, I'll need to add a tone control, a different bridge, and the right knobs. I don't guess there's a ton of value in it, so i may also strip it down and refinish the body for some practice before I start my own build next year.

Before I do anything, I was hoping you Ibby experts would help me answer some questions:
Is this, in fact a 1982?
  • What model of Roadster is this?
  • What's it worth (after I do the tone, jack, and p'ups)?
  • Will a refinish (if well-done) affect it's value either way?
Thanks in advance.

Here's some photos to get the idea...
IMG_20101114_113532-1.jpg

IMG_20101114_113200-1.jpg

IMG_20101114_114115-1.jpg

IMG_20101114_113610-1.jpg

IMG_20101114_113743-1.jpg
 
#787
KingRazor said:
Depends on what tone you're after. I don't personally like the barts but most people prefer them.

Difference between the 500 and 600 is the body wood. Neck woods are the same, pickups are the same. The 700 is just a 500 with a figured maple top.

If you don't wind up liking the jatoba/bubinga necks on the 500, 600 and 700 series, then you can try the 300, 400 or 370 series which all have maple necks.

However, if you do wind up liking that neck then the 500 is probably the best deal.
Click to expand...

There are more options than that out there as well...

Try an SR 530 if you can find one. The color may turn many off, but I think it's the best of both worlds - Maple/Rosewood neck, Mahog body, Barts. If that won't float your boat, try to find a '90s SR500 or 900. Both MIJ and have P-J configurations. The All Maple makes them a little bright, but they sound impeccable and very organic.

As well, to make it full post, here's the new rigs - '93 MIJ SR500, '06 SR535, '10 Ashula (review post coming soon), and '09 SR700.
 

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#788
SirDarius said:
Hi Ibanez club ! May I get a number, please ?

This my Ibanez SR700, bought in 2009.
I preferred the charcoal brown finish to the amber, because this one features a gorgeous almost red color, nicely matching my Lag Roxane Standard guitar, also present in this pic.

I really love that bass, the build quality is top-notch, even though it's been made in Indonesia.
I tried a lot of basses in the shop, from the cheapest Cort's to MIA fender j basses, and that's the one that impressed me the most with its playing comfort and tonal versatility :)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

+2 on the 700 - I liked the Maple quilt, but hey still a badass rig for the dough you fork out. Compared mine to the Geddy Lee Jazz, a Warwick $$ and a Czech made Spector NS4. More versatility than all of them, and i found dialing in the other basses sound was pretty easy..:bassist:.
 
#789
3k Mylz said:
There are more options than that out there as well...

Try an SR 530 if you can find one. The color may turn many off, but I think it's the best of both worlds - Maple/Rosewood neck, Mahog body, Barts. If that won't float your boat, try to find a '90s SR500 or 900. Both MIJ and have P-J configurations. The All Maple makes them a little bright, but they sound impeccable and very organic.
Click to expand...
I wasn't aware that the 530 had a maple neck. Interesting. Hate that gold hardware though...

I haven't seen any 90s Ibanez basses for sale anywhere around here. Almost all new stuff.
 
#792
ArmyHawk said:
Don't know too much on the subject, but those tuning machines on the Ibby look like the same ones I have on my '09 SR. They also look too shiny to be original 1982 parts.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you are referring to my post, but before posting, I cleaned the bass up pretty good. If the keywinds aren't original, the previous owner obviously bothered to get genuine Ibanez replacement parts.

Also obvious is the BadAss II replacement bridge. I have them on a few other basses and like them well enough. Is there somewhere to get original parts? What do they look like?

Also, any guesses on the model number, or if its value would matter any by refinishing the body? I don't guess it's worth much either way, but I've heard Fender stories of folks finding old worn Jazzes and refinishing the value right out of them.
 
#794
Engine207 said:
I'm not sure if you are referring to my post, but before posting, I cleaned the bass up pretty good. If the keywinds aren't original, the previous owner obviously bothered to get genuine Ibanez replacement parts.

Also obvious is the BadAss II replacement bridge. I have them on a few other basses and like them well enough. Is there somewhere to get original parts? What do they look like?

Also, any guesses on the model number, or if its value would matter any by refinishing the body? I don't guess it's worth much either way, but I've heard Fender stories of folks finding old worn Jazzes and refinishing the value right out of them.
Click to expand...

Your bass is a RS721TR. The tuners are original. I believe the original bridge was the Blazer series brass bridge:

BlazerBridge.jpg
 
#795
danomite64 said:
Your bass is a RS721TR. The tuners are original. I believe the original bridge was the Blazer series brass bridge:

BlazerBridge.jpg
Click to expand...

Cool! Thanks Dano! That bridge looks remarkably similar to the Gotoh 201 I have on my P-Bass.

I played awhile yesterday, and it sounded pretty good, but the scale is freaking me out. I must be super sensative to my usual 34" scale length, because I remember having similar issues with my BTB455 years ago.

I might fire up the sander and turn this little bass into a lab rat...:eyebrow:
 
#799
ArmyHawk said:
I'm not so sure the roadsters I've seen have ones like these. Again, I'm no expert I'm just trying to help.
IbanezRoadStar.jpg
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Thanks, Hawk, but looking at the offset and heart keywinds on this bass vs. the RS271, I think Dano is right. The '82 manufacture date and the photos I've seen since I have searched "RS271" seem to back the conclusion, too.

As for value, I emailed with a dude who said he sold his on eBay a few months back for $300!! I don't think mine will fetch near that on account of all the wear, but if I got half...I'd be real happy. Hell, I could swap the bridge and sell that BadAss II for $75.

I'm still swirling the idea of refinishing it around in my head...kinda leaning that way, now.
 
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