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The Soundgear Club

#7,702
Moving Pictures said:
With all the pickup discussion I have to say that the MK1's were always underwhelming for me. The BH2s are much better and I have made the work very well in a mix. My favs on an Ibanez are still the Nordstrand pickups. They are very dynamic. Ibanez continues to push improvements and I like that.
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I agree BH2 are pretty good, much better than the MK1 to me.

The Nordstrand are great, I wouldn't say the custom US Barts in the Prestige are better, I just like them better.
 
#7,705
Phlipper said:
Yeah, the Mk1s didn't trip my trigger, either, and I thought the BH2s were far better. Currently looking for a P/J wish I could try the TMB605 and get a feel for the CNDs.

I still prefer the cheapo Power Spans over all of them though. Maybe my ears are broken. :laugh:
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Not broken. You just have a preference for a pickup that ain't bad at all.
 
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#7,706
To my ears, there's just so much presence, definition and crispness in Nordy's. I'm almost obsessed about swapping out my pickups on two of my 'working' basses just to get that sound. After using an SR1200L with Nordy's the SR500L with Ibanez Barts sound soooo flat. Plus my SR500L is older so it doesn't have the pickup or on/off active mini switches. Other's have said maybe I should swap out the preamp too.
 
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#7,707
alaskaleftybass said:
To my ears, there's just so much presence, definition and crispness in Nordy's. I'm almost obsessed about swapping out my pickups on two of my 'working' basses just to get that sound. After using an SR1200L with Nordy's the SR500L with Ibanez Barts sound soooo flat. Plus my SR500L is older so it doesn't have the pickup or on/off active mini switches. Other's have said maybe I should swap out the preamp too.
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I think that the Nordstrand pickups and a Nordstrand preamp would be a great upgrade for the SR500L if you like the bass. You may have to drill a couple holes but I think it would dramatically improve the sound.
 
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#7,709
I pulled out my SR400M this weekend that has been in the case since the new SR505e came in, and remembered how much I love the pickups/pre. I can get everything from awesome piano-like plink to smooth Sting Ray-like grind to great mid-scooped slap to muted upright (with a sponge at the bridge) to Tommy Shannon tone. I know they're not everyone's jam, but I just love those PSpans.

But I love the feel of the 505. The neck is a tiny bit beefier. It just feels very solid and the spacing is perfect. I love the way it plays. And I can get a very decent PBass tone out of it, which the others won't do. But ...

If I went totally insane and swapped the BH2s (which would then go into my SR300F) for Power Spans I'm assuming I could duplicate the 'Power Tap' switching using the 3-way mid switch, which I never use. IIRC, the ICE pre is the same in both. Seems like I could swap 'em out easily and duplicate the tones of the 400. There'd be a slight gap at the sides of the pickup. But the spacing is the same.

Am I missing anything?

Other than brain cells, I mean?

Am I crazy?

Just spitballing.
 
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#7,711
Phlipper said:
Power Spans I'm assuming I could duplicate the 'Power Tap' switching using the 3-way mid switch
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The 'power tap' feature is using a small PCB mounted to the switch, which has capacitors, which do some version of the OMG setting that G&L used to have on their basses:

>> more here <<
 
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#7,712
I'm in the process of defretting the 400. I need to pull the rear cover and take photos and figure out what I need to duplicate the preamp in case I can't buy one. But I'll check with Ibanez support to see if they'll sell me a harness. At one time you could buy almost any part used in a production bass.
 
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#7,713
first time i've seen sharktooth inlays on a soundgear bass
bsnlxruiapcxv6evgbbe.jpg
 
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#7,716
Outbush said:
If you really forgot you had that bass you either have way too many basses or you're showing off...
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i posted the black bass and said "first time i've seen sharktooth inlays on a soundgear bass"
but then i forgot i had also seen the painted one so i posted it and said "i forgot about this one".
i don't own either and didn't say i did. do you understand now?
 
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#7,717
hypercarrots said:
i posted the black bass and said "first time i've seen sharktooth inlays on a soundgear bass"
but then i forgot i had also seen the painted one so i posted it and said "i forgot about this one".
i don't own either and didn't say i did. do you understand now?
Click to expand...

Yeah, fair enough. That has eased some pangs of jealousy some-what. I don't normally go for that sort of paint job but I really like the look of that one in particular. Any idea if it was a stock finish or a custom?
 
#7,718
My new main, and first 6 string bass, an Ibanez SR306EB in Weathered Black finish, 34" scale with a Naytoh body, 5 piece Maple/Walnut neck, and Jatoba fretboard with 24 medium frets, 16.5mm string spacing, tuned to D standard, as in 3 half steps above regular 6 string bass B standard tuning, or 2 half steps bellow regular 4 string bass E standard tuning, and strung accordingly, which I have named "The Noodle Queen" :
A-Ibanez-SR306-EB-020121-666l-noodle-queen-copy-2-dark-red.jpg


Absolutely love it!

Sounds and plays amazing!
 
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#7,719
Outbush said:
Yeah, fair enough. That has eased some pangs of jealousy some-what. I don't normally go for that sort of paint job but I really like the look of that one in particular. Any idea if it was a stock finish or a custom?
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the listing said:
"it was part of a multi-instrument Japanese Samurai art mural done by artist Takeshi in 1988 and used for Ibanez promotion in Japan"
link to listing here:
*SOLD* Ibanez SDGR1000(?) 'Samurai' Custom. EMGs etc. Unique!
 
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