• 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.

The Soundgear Club

#5,521
I love the wood on that SR650. One of my irritations with the SR line is that once you decide on the features you want, there are usually only one or two choices of finish (unless you want the Nordstrand Big Singles, in which case you have the entire Premium line to choose from). Since I very much did not want hum-prone single-coil pickups, my selections were somewhat limited. I ended up buying an SR505, which is a great bass, but I'm not really wild about the body finish. (The neck, on the other hand, is gorgeous.) You can always replace electronics, of course, but I felt like buying something I could keep stock without messing with it.
 
#5,522
Craig4003 said:
I love the wood on that SR650. One of my irritations with the SR line is that once you decide on the features you want, there are usually only one or two choices of finish (unless you want the Nordstrand Big Singles, in which case you have the entire Premium line to choose from). Since I very much did not want hum-prone single-coil pickups, my selections were somewhat limited. I ended up buying an SR505, which is a great bass, but I'm not really wild about the body finish. (The neck, on the other hand, is gorgeous.) You can always replace electronics, of course, but I felt like buying something I could keep stock without messing with it.
Click to expand...
Finish is the only complaint I have with my SR505 and SR506. I hav actually used those furniture "markers" on mine with some success. I wouldn't recommend slapping/popping on them, as that's where most of my damage (samll as it is) was done. I don't do that much these days.
 
#5,523
1 SR1000, 1 SR1300 neck on a SR800 body, 2 SR800, 2 SB900, 2 SB1200


ibanez.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Yahboy, Bassist Jay, Basehead and 1 other person
#5,525
Continuing the Soundgear pr0n...

My collection so far starting with the 4 stringers....

Ibanez SR950TT
Ibanez SR950TT_front.jpg


Ibanez SR1300PM
Ibanez SR1300PM_front.jpg


Ibanez SR5000MM
Ibanez SR5000MM_front.jpg


Ibanez SR650PBAM (modded)
Ibanez SR650PBAM_front.jpg


Ibanez SRSC805DTF (heavily modded)
Ibanez SRSC805DTF_front.jpg


Ibanez SRSM5LTD
Ibanez SRSM5LTD_front.jpg


And last...Ibanez SRH505F Aerium
Ibanez SRH505F_front.jpg


Closeup of the cheap, yet effective thumb rest...
Ibanez SRH505F_closeup.jpg

Cheers!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Solarmist, christle, Aidil and 2 others
#5,529
ClusterFlux said:
You're killing me!!! :smug:

How is the Cerro, and what did you change? And how is the Aerium? I'm looking at both of those (fretted) for 5 string.
Click to expand...

I love the Cerro. I upgraded the preamp to a Mike Pope Flexcore and dropped in US Bartolini MK5 pups. Also upgraded the battery box with a Fishman battery box for powerbridge.
The Aerium is amazing for an upright sound. I've been using it for an Americana project right now. Feels great and sounds big.
 
#5,530
@Basehead

Which version of the MK5s did you use? The Classic Bass or Singularity or something else? I'm not entirely happy with the tone on my SRSC805, but I haven't decided which pickups to swap in?

I really like the idea of the Aerium models, and I'm glad to hear you are happy with it. I agree that the thumbrest idea is a good one, especially because it requires no permanent modification. Are those intended as rubber feet?
 
#5,531
skeeler said:
@Basehead

Which version of the MK5s did you use? The Classic Bass or Singularity or something else? I'm not entirely happy with the tone on my SRSC805, but I haven't decided which pickups to swap in?

I really like the idea of the Aerium models, and I'm glad to hear you are happy with it. I agree that the thumbrest idea is a good one, especially because it requires no permanent modification. Are those intended as rubber feet?
Click to expand...
I went with Nordy Fat Stacks did not look back
 
#5,534
skeeler said:
Did you use the P2 size? How did they fit? I'd love to see photos showing how well they fit the cavities, if you have some.
Click to expand...
The cavity size is standardised, and it's the P2 size.
The bartolini MK1s , nordstrand big singles and all models in P2 size will fit it in.

But I was wondering if some of you guys ever tried to fit the bartolini pups from the prestige series on an another bass ?
And where to find those pups, local dealer I suppose?
 
#5,535
skeeler said:
Also, Nordstrand offers their pickups with several different string spacings. Do you select the spacing at the bridge or something slightly narrower to compensate for the way the string spacing narrows toward the nut?
Click to expand...
For string spacing for our 5 strings 16.5mm and 4 19mm.
Big blades, Dual Blades are designed for volume equality between strings so string spacing don't matter anymore.
And no the spacing at the bridge pup isn't narrower than the bridge's pup.
 
#5,537
Storius-GVA said:
For string spacing for our 5 strings 16.5mm and 4 19mm.
Big blades, Dual Blades are designed for volume equality between strings so string spacing don't matter anymore.
And no the spacing at the bridge pup isn't narrower than the bridge's pup.
Click to expand...

The SRSC805 has 18-mm spacing at the bridge.

I agree that string spacing doesn't matter on the blade designs.

The string spacing at the pickups is slightly narrower than at the bridge, since the string spacing at the nut is narrower than at the bridge. I haven't measured to see how much the spacing changes, so it may not be enough to impact pickup selection, but the spacing is certainly narrower.
 
#5,538
skeeler said:
Bartolini says the P2 size is not quite the same as the MK shape, and I was worried that the ~1.5-mm difference in width would be noticeable.
Click to expand...
Got to measure the cavity on your bass and check by yourself then, and compare to the size given by nordstrand on the model you're interested in.
But if you take big singles it's :
"P2 Shape:
Length: 4.27" (108.46 mm)
Width: 1.27" (32.36 mm)"
Or big blade :
Length: 4.27" (108.46 mm)
Width: 1.27" (32.36 mm)

Even with the ibanez K5 which had ibanez ADX5 pups, the size was standard, emg 40... as proposed on the nordstrand website
 
  • Like
Reactions: PawleeP
#5,539
skeeler said:
The SRSC805 has 18-mm spacing at the bridge.

I agree that string spacing doesn't matter on the blade designs.

The string spacing at the pickups is slightly narrower than at the bridge, since the string spacing at the nut is narrower than at the bridge. I haven't measured to see how much the spacing changes, so it may not be enough to impact pickup selection, but the spacing is certainly narrower.
Click to expand...
Yes of course, but it's not noticeable on the pickups as the difference is tiny, and the poles of nordstrand are designed pretty large to be sure to capture everything.
But then if you take the problem in another way, theres the problem of Radius of the strings/fretboard/saddles , the A string is definitely higher (and further from the pup) than the G or E...

That's why they've put those special pups on the prestige series, which are following the radius of the strings' heights.

But I can't find them on the bartolini website.
Has anyone looked for those already?
 
#5,540
Thanks. It's good to know the narrowing of the strings is not significant from a pickup-selection standpoint. I don't have my basses handy to measure. The information that the P2 shapes fit well in the MK cavity makes things easier for me, since it opens up the options of using Nordstrand pickups. I like the Big Singles in my SR1305.

The arcing shape of the strings is also an issue, as you point out. I'm interested in the Nordstrand Big Blades for this reason. Does anyone know how they compare, sonically, to the Big Singles. I'd guess they are similar.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PawleeP

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back