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The Soundgear Club

#2,721
That's a mighty low B string, right there!! :eek: .140, .145?

stingray69 said:
No two ways about it, the Barts are hotter - but the CAP EFX's have a tone that suits my needs better. IMO, the CAP's are a spitting image of the Barts in the lows and low mids, but just not as far reaching in the high end as the Barts sound, nor as loud in output. The CAP's top end is very nice and seems to roll off around 5Khz to my ears. I removed the stock Bart MK1's in my SR705 in favor of the CAP EFX pickups.

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#2,722
GAPendragon said:
Anyone know if any SR basses other than the 400QM can be found in lavenderburst? I love that finish, but was planning to get something around the 8 or 900 mark for my future second Ibanez.
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I agree. It'd be nice to have more color options with Bartolini pick-ups, & I think Ibanez owes us more options if we're willing to pay the price. In addition to quilted maple colors, I'd LOVE to also see the colors offered for Mark Hoppus basses. But then I'd probably be broke!
 
#2,723
Trayster2 said:
I agree. It'd be nice to have more color options with Bartolini pick-ups, & I think Ibanez owes us more options if we're willing to pay the price. In addition to quilted maple colors, I'd LOVE to also see the colors offered for Mark Hoppus basses. But then I'd probably be broke!
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I was thinking the same thing. ALL their mid-level and higher basses (SR500 and above) have some kind of wood finish. That’s not necessarily bad but IMHO some of the colors look horrid! In their guitar lines they offer a much wider selection of colors and finishes. I see some guitars with beautiful colored flame and quilted tops. I wish they would start producing basses with those finishes. I’m partial to red so a red flame top would be my first choice.
 
#2,726
45acp said:
This is my (now) fretless SR900. I am almost scared to post this as I know the 900's get a lot of love around here... and I've just ruined one in most peoples eyes. :p
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I'll be honest: IMO you've managed indeed to ruin that bass. SRs have a modern shape & look that doesn't work with a relic finish (leaving the debate about how stupid is to do that to any bass in the first place aside). Second, the 900 model has a very attractive factory finish. Sorry, but I simply can't understand why someone would buy that bass just to make it looking...like that :(

I hope you really love that bass 'cause it will be hard as hell to flip it - at least among Ibby fans.
 
#2,727
Well, he did say that the finish was in "rough" shape and that he didn't like the sunburst anyway. So if he didn't like it, a change of some sort probably going to happen one way or another.

I do get what you're saying about the modern look vs. the relic'd look and it IS an unusual combination. No debate there. I guess some people just like different things than others.

Hey, if this is a relic'd version of a modern bass, is he showing us the future??!! :hiding:

Anyway, I agree, it would be damn hard to turn as is, but I also don't see anything that's been done that can't be redone.
 
#2,728
45acp said:
This is my (now) fretless SR900. I am almost scared to post this as I know the 900's get a lot of love around here... and I've just ruined one in most peoples eyes. :p

Last weekend I was out in the shop, working on the defretting job. My guitar player and another friend showed up as I was finishing the job. We were discussing ideas on refinishing this bass, as it was in fairly rough condition- on top of the fact that I've never liked the factory sunburst. We also discussed the trend of making relics, and how that's kindof lame.

Then the guitar player suggested I make this one a relic, "but do it ironically".

I don't know if it was the trashcan full of crushed pbr cans, but at that moment I thought that was the greatest idea I have ever heard. Out came the torch, palm sander, drill, etc. etc.

This is what I wound up with- plays like a dream, looks like... uh... well it looks like something
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I'm not usually a fan of relics, but I think this looks pretty cool. the holes set it off and really make it seem more like a purposeful "design", rather than some random and misguided attempt at putting some wear marks on a bass. Good job!
 
#2,730
IngerAlb said:
I'll be honest: IMO you've managed indeed to ruin that bass. SRs have a modern shape & look that doesn't work with a relic finish (leaving the debate about how stupid is to do that to any bass in the first place aside). Second, the 900 model has a very attractive factory finish. Sorry, but I simply can't understand why someone would buy that bass just to make it looking...like that :(

I hope you really love that bass 'cause it will be hard as hell to flip it - at least among Ibby fans.
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No biggie- it was half way a relic when I got it (caseless road abuse) and I never planned on flipping it. Also, the factory finish was a very unattractive old timey sunburst that did not fit the modern body shape.

It was a $50 bass when I got it... now it's a $25 bass. I have one of the best playing fretless basses ive ever laid my hands on and I don't have to worry about it being stolen. :D
 
#2,731
45acp said:
No biggie- it was half way a relic when I got it (caseless road abuse) and I never planned on flipping it. Also, the factory finish was a very unattractive old timey sunburst that did not fit the modern body shape.

It was a $50 bass when I got it... now it's a $25 bass. I have one of the best playing fretless basses ive ever laid my hands on and I don't have to worry about it being stolen. :D
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All that matters is that you like it!

It's not something I'd personally do, but I find the "relic on a modern bass" (dare I say it) "ironic" in a cool sort of way.
 
#2,732
Anyone tried these? I want to dive back into fretless, but I don't know if I want to spend over $600 to do it.

I have defretted basses before with good results, but nothing turned out as nice as the Ebonal fretboard, So I bought a used Rockbass Streamer for the purpose of defretting, but can't bring myself to do it. Also I am not crazy about getting another Squier VM Jazz fretless. So the next option is the 500 or 505 route. I am kind of leading toward the 505 and trading some other gear against some of the price.

But back on topic, has anyone owned one of these and what are your views on them?
 
#2,734
Here's the link to Ibanez: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

As far as pricing the higher the model number, the higher the price. I would agree that the 500's begin the mid-priced range, but anything after that would either depend on what you'd consider high-end, or the highest model number.
 
#2,736
jallenbass said:
It sounds like the SR500 series is the start of the mid level Ibanez basses. What about the next levels? Where does mid transition to upper? How much difference is there between the best Ibanez SR and the SR500 series? Thanks in advance.
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SR 500 to 800 are the "mid level" price wise. The premium series, 1200 and up would be the next level. Beyond that is anything labeled prestige. There are no real differences between different prestige models nor between different premium models, just wood choices. I'd say "upper" starts at the premium series.

The difference between the highest priced prestige models and the 500 would be pickups, bridge, wood and preamp. So, uh, everything except physical dimension. Both basses are great, it's probably close to comparing a MiM Fender to a US Fender. Subjectively "better" but not to everyone.

Premium's imo are the way to go. They're prestige models with better pickups as far as I'm concerned.
 
#2,737
Warmuth said:
SR 500 to 800 are the "mid level" price wise. The premium series, 1200 and up would be the next level. Beyond that is anything labeled prestige. There are no real differences between different prestige models nor between different premium models, just wood choices. I'd say "upper" starts at the premium series.

The difference between the highest priced prestige models and the 500 would be pickups, bridge, wood and preamp. So, uh, everything except physical dimension. Both basses are great, it's probably close to comparing a MiM Fender to a US Fender. Subjectively "better" but not to everyone.

Premium's imo are the way to go. They're prestige models with better pickups as far as I'm concerned.
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Prestige do have different neck dimensions, as well ; )
 
#2,739
Warmuth said:
I admit I've never used a caliper on any of mine so there may be some small difference, but all of my SR's feel the same. They're all close enough to each other that I prefer the neck of any model SR over every other bass I've ever tried.
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The Ibanez site does give the neck measurements, and states an extra couple of mm's on the depth of the neck for the prestige models.
 
#2,740
Oh, didn't know there was a Soundgear Club!

Here's my 1987 SR-885LE. I bought it new when they first came out, and it was my first 5 string. Even after building several basses for my self, I use this bass all the time. Back then it was second to the top of the line, which was the SR-05.

It's been modified over the years. I replaced the original Ibanez "Regulated Lo-Z" active pickups with EMG Js, because the original pickups were a tad noisy. Then I had an experimental 5 coil low Z pickup at the bridge for a while.

Now it sports my Neo Jazzbuckers, 2 band preamp and an aluminum Hipshot Type A bridge. Still has the original frets and tuners.

87_sr885_le_mesa.jpg
 

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