The Soundgear Club

[hypercarrots]

Which one is your avatar?

95 SR800

 

[neptoon]

any sr675 / sr670 owners here? that bass is about 90% of what i would request from a custom shop at ibanez, if that were available to a mortal like myself...any opinions on the bh2 pickups and the newer bridge that allows for some adjustable string spacing?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I was "this" close to buying a SR5000 today, but it slipped away!

Spent too much time sitting here convincing myself I wanted it & then it sold.

Any owners out there that can tell me how much yours weighs?
I saw a Japanese video online & they weighed one at 4 kg = 8.8 lbs., but that's just one.

Also if anyone has compared the Premium with Big Singles to the SR5000 with the Custom Bartolini's, I'd love to know what you think.
Do those customs have as much snarl as the Big Singles?

I've compared to Bartolini's BH2 & TBH the Big Singles sound better to me.
That doesn't mean the SR5000 OEM pickups sound anything like the BH2, however.

 

[pellomoco14]

Almost, I have a 5005. The lightest I could find 9.0 lbs after upgrading the tuners. I've had it for a couple months and still cant imagine better. I hear the the neck pu similar to a "warm" big single the bridge pu is aggressive in the upper mids with a scoup around 500-600hz, over all doesnt sound overly agressive, the peak gently tapers through the high end. One dark the other bright at 50/50 mix its HUGE. Thr bridge pu has all the growl/snarl I need to mock a roundwound sound. Deeper and clearer compared to a big single set, bartolini bh2 doesn't hold up i call it muddy if I remember not really a fan. I do really like big singles just not as much. TheBought it from zzounds.com. You could just wait for a light one to pop up.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Thanks for your insight about the pickups. Reads like Big Singles are just "the" pickup for me.
Checked SweetWater just now, hadn't thought of that, & both their SR5000 are around 9 lbs..
My SR1800E is 1 lb. lighter.

 

[wolfkeller]

Hey fellas! I started on an SR300 back in 97 and since moved on to other "fancy" basses but lately ive been onto my original bass, which i still have. Its totally different now, flat black, all different hardware, Dimarzios, sounds and plays awsome.

I want to get a new one. Being lefty....I dont like the Sr300 they have nor the 505, im definitely a PJ guy. Im on the lookout for an older one, maybe an 800 or higher. Anyone selling a lefty or seen one?

 

[Storius-GVA]

I was "this" close to buying a SR5000 today, but it slipped away!

Spent too much time sitting here convincing myself I wanted it & then it sold.

Any owners out there that can tell me how much yours weighs?
I saw a Japanese video online & they weighed one at 4 kg = 8.8 lbs., but that's just one.

Also if anyone has compared the Premium with Big Singles to the SR5000 with the Custom Bartolini's, I'd love to know what you think.
Do those customs have as much snarl as the Big Singles?

I've compared to Bartolini's BH2 & TBH the Big Singles sound better to me.
That doesn't mean the SR5000 OEM pickups sound anything like the BH2, however.

Hi,
Having a Premium and a prestige, and had a sr500 before,
About the weight: sr500 very light, a bit lighter than the premium
Premium is still quite light, no problem for the shoulder
Prestige is a lot heavier than the premium.
With the same strap as the premium i couldnt keep playing standing for more than 30min. But with a larger strap its fine.
The prestige is as heavy as an oldschool sterling... min 4.2 - 4.5 kg (5 string)

Now pickup wise: the prestige is way way better than big singles.
Much more definition and clarity. A bit less output volume...
You can almost get the same attack and pockyness of the big single's bridge, and get an even warmer sound at the neck! Amazing stuff for humbuckers...
The big singles are great dont get me wrong here, but since i have a prestige, the difference is obvious.
If you can go with à prestige, (weight, price,...) I say go for it!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I really appreciate the feedback about the Prestige, since I've never seen one in a store.
For over a year now I've been thinking the Premium is just right for me. The light weight & the aggressiveness of the Big Singles.

At one time I considered switching out the pickups to Big Splits, but I wouldn't want to lose that aggressiveness.
Just last night I found out there are 3 models of LTD that come stock with Big Splits, so I might get one of those, if they're as lightweight as my Premium.

 

[Bass V]

this nat. maple SR400 is awaiting a new home for $150 and if it sticks around another week it might be mine. while I have time to sweat it out I'll ask those here in the know about things beyond the norm I should be aware of if I get lucky to play it. outside of yer typical look / feel / hear test are there quirks that might be deal breakers? I've done my research and for minimal $ these seem to be quite ok (minus a so-so peamp if big giggin', which thankfully I'm not), especially for home noodling and jams. we know they're built well, super comfy, no neck fatigue, and I like that the pre has a substantial bass boost which seems too powerful and deep for most folk's applications yet might come in handy cos we are talking about bass. lol from the low zone to the ozone! it's coming from a pro player's collection so that may bode well in it's favor. maybe I just want a cheering section as I count down the many hours since this example seems to be the oft-preferred version with the PJ and 5 knob set up, plus the natural finish looks a bit nicer than most of the other basic styles imo. I've long wanted to get into the Ibby field having never even tried the brand thanx to their broad fan base and I'll be bummed if it gets yoinked from consideration, to my ears the lesser 400 sounds the best in my years of video research even with all the newer models costing far more. besides, if a PJ'd 400 was good enuf for White Zombie's hard rocking wonder woman then who am I to think any less of them?

 

[Bass V]

aaaaaaaaannnnd... it's gone

 

[Basehead]

Question for my SoundGear brethren...

Anyone ever swap out the stock PJ pickups on an older model SR with Bartolini B Axis or Nordstrand pickups (something with exposed pole pieces)? I'm replacing the electronics in my SR950TT and want to go with something other than EMGs. I'd like to try a set of the B Axis pups but my OCD would go into overdrive if the alignment was off. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[hypercarrots]

Question for my SoundGear brethren...

Anyone ever swap out the stock PJ pickups on an older model SR with Bartolini B Axis or Nordstrand pickups (something with exposed pole pieces)? I'm replacing the electronics in my SR950TT and want to go with something other than EMGs. I'd like to try a set of the B Axis pups but my OCD would go into overdrive if the alignment was off. Any help would be appreciated!

Dimensions are on the bartolini website. Measure your string spacing and compare

B-Axis P Bass 4 String

• Split Coil
• 53mm string center to center

b-axis – Jazz (9j, 9cbjs, 9cbjd, etc)
the bridge pickup which is 3-3/4″ long. Please check the physical size of the pickups you want to replace to make sure the replacements fit properly.
Fits Fender Standard Jazz , etc. 4 string is designed for 19mm string spacing.

Bridge pickup – b-axis J44J-L – E-Center to G-Center = 56.5mm.

 

[PawleeP]

are there any upgaded pups around for a sr700 to replace bart mk1 pups?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I'd think MK1 would have a pretty standard size. Just measure them & find something with the same specs.

Yesterday evening I bought another SR300E.

I had one over the Summer & sold it, because the neck on it was flimsy in comparison to two other Ibanez (including a SRX with a one-piece neck).
Last night I was surprised at how much better the one I picked up sounded. It had that springiness to it over a G-B Shuttle hybrid amp, similar to my SR1800E.

Just to be sure, I compared it to a BTB with Big Singles (same pickups in my SR1800E) & yep it was pretty darn close!
Switched over to a Rumble 500 (have a Rumble 40 at home) & the B.S. in the BTBs still sounded the same as the PowerSpan in the SR300E.

Checked the weight, 1/2 lb. lighter than my SR1800E, so I bought it!
Driving home I was thinking of all sorts of crazy things, taking off the finish & leaving it natural, rewiring it for passive only, with push/pulls for series/parallel, etc..

Then it crossed my mind that I could have just bought a BTB I'd seen earlier that was even lighter (yeah, unusual for a BTB).
TBH I don't dig the power-tap switch on the SR300E & was thinking of just replacing that with a DPDT switch for passive/active & wiring the pickups permanently in parallel.

It's a long drive, so I had time to think. (& re-think)

Anyone here done anything unusual with the wiring on their SR300E?

 

[Aidil]

are there any upgaded pups around for a sr700 to replace bart mk1 pups?

The size of Bartolini MK pickup is almost the same as Bartolini P2 size, which other pickup manufacturers often refer to.

 

[B-Mac]

Currently G.A.S.-ing for a SR700 that is more lust than anything as it is a real looker. Flame maple top in a Mahogany type stain with gloss and Bart MK-1's. What can you tell me about it?

I already have the fretless Portamento and the SR1200 Premium.

Is the SR700 I'm looking at just another SR bass with a different finish and frets than the Portamento?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Looks nice, but yes, it's just another SR with their worst pickups, IME.
I'd be more interested if it was MIJ or if it was really light, sub-8lbs..

 

[Aidil]

View attachment 3183229 Currently G.A.S.-ing for a SR700 that is more lust than anything as it is a real looker. Flame maple top in a Mahogany type stain with gloss and Bart MK-1's. What can you tell me about it?

I already have the fretless Portamento and the SR1200 Premium.

Is the SR700 I'm looking at just another SR bass with a different finish and frets than the Portamento?

AFAIK, SR700 was one of Ibanez SR popular models. It has been available since ages ago... The last production were ceased sometime in 2015.

Nothing can stop GAS than buying the gear.

Looks nice, but yes, it's just another SR with their worst pickups, IME.
I'd be more interested if it was MIJ or if it was really light, sub-8lbs..

Pickups work differently in different basses. IME, Bartolini MK1s are marvelous on some basses. The Portamento referred by @B-Mac was one of them. To my ears, the stok MK1s on my Portamento SRF705 were still better than the USA Bartolini MK5CBC pickups that I replaced them with.

 

[B-Mac]

Little conversation I had with Doug Sommervell from Bartolini regarding my Portamento Fretless:


Hi B-Mac,

Thanks for writing. It is confusing and it's taken me a very long time to get my head around it all. This article may help. If all it does is create questions then please ask and I'll do my best to make it clearer.

Invalid Link Removed

So the thing is we do not make active pickups all of our pickups are passive. BUT the thing is so are the MK1's you have and it would fully a step up or maybe 2 to replace the split coil MK1's with the Classic bass MK4CBC B&T. These pickups have the wonderful rich and deep low end barts are famous for but also a lot of high and high mid overtones that give it a modern, airy sound; one that will cut through the mix as well. I think it would enhance the "acoustic" qualities of the tone of this.

If you feel like driving a Maserati instead of a Cadillac you could put our ADGB918 Buffer between the pickups and the blend of the magnetic system and you would have independent control over the boost of both pickups. it's a flat response 0 to 12 db boost on the output. It's pretty killer actually.

I hope that helps... .least a little.

Best Regards,

Doug



Douglas Somervell
Master Luthier
Customer Service/Tech Support
Bartolini, Inc.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Until just now I had no idea the MK1 are split-coil design!

Bartolini MK1s are marvelous on some basses.

I used to really dislike the MK1 pickups, until I tried them in a SR500 through a hybrid amp.
The BH2 sound better, however.