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I have something much like this, though I thinkthe pickups are P/J configuration. Still the 3 band EQ. Bought it for $100 off the used rack at Guitar Center.
I have an SR1805 (5-string) and an SR1346B (6 string). They both came with Big Singles stock. I tried playing them for awhile with the Big Singles and although they had a lot of clarity, they were very aggressive sounding in the upper mids/lower treble to me. Also, since I like to solo pickups, I wasn't too keen dealing with single coil hum. Honestly in a good (i.e. not electrically noisy) environment, that would be only a minor issue, they're decently quiet in that case, but the tonal character was not really for me. If you play heavy music and really want to cut through the mix, I would say that the Big Singles do that well. In my case, playing mostly jazz / jazz fusion and worship music, I wanted something warmer / more mellow. After a lot of searching and listening to sound samples (by the way Fat Bass Tone has a Youtube channel with a lot of pickup demos that are good for comparison. They have a number of Nordstrand demos, the DCB's, various Bart soapbars, etc) I leaned towards the DCB's. I tried the DCB's in the 1346 first, and I actually vacillated between the two swapping them in and out few times. I settled on the DCB's. They give a more mellow but punchy and articulate tone with nice mids, and a good amount of treble, but more polite. I did the same with the 1805 and settled on the DCB's as well. They can cut pretty well if you turn up the treble but not as aggressively as the Big Singles.
Also interested in this. The NTMB pre really helps my SR505, but I still have the MK1s. Everything I've heard is that it's definite improvement, but I don't really hear any specifics when people talk about the upgrade.
Hello,
It is an option, yes. Not every NTMB has that feature, but I made sure mine did, just in case. There is a noticeable volume difference between the two modes, however - and I'm typically only boosting mids and blending slightly towards the bridge.
My 505 and 305 were made about 20 years apart, and I'd say that my old(er) 505 as it was stock, is incredibly similar to my recent 305. That being said, it has been a few years since I modded my 505, so my memory isn't that fresh. But I'd say they're far more similar than dissimilar. And if you plan on upgrading any part of the 300 (specifically the pre-amp), I'd say it's easily on par with a 505.
I would not likely be modding it. I sold the 300 I had a few years ago. Just never liked the sound except with flats of all things. The Sr800 I lost in a fire years before was the standard it could not live up to.
I enjoy it in its current (stock) state as a counterpoint to my modded 505. It sounds a bit more "flat-like" in its natural tone, if that makes sense. It needs new strings, which I'm sure would add some zing, but as a similar yet different tone to my 505, my 305 is a solid offering. Overall, it's not quite as expressive as the 505, but is exactly how I remember the 505 sounding before I swapped the pre-amp. In short, somewhat muddled lows, and indistinct highs. Not terrible, and you can hear everything well enough, but slightly muddy. The NTMB pre-amp solved that on the 505, cleaned up the muddy lows and gave them clarity and authority, made the highs crisper and clearer, and overall just made the tone clearer than stock. I imagine it would do the same for the 305.
Huge difference, really
My check book doesn't want to hear that! But one day, I'll probably get some US Barts to go with the NTMB in my SR505.
There are also the Bart Singularity pups, they are wider single coil pups similar to the Nord Big Singles. I've put a set of SIngularties (along with a Glockenklang pre) in my SR900 and I really love 'm. They're more mellow but still have great definition. Both pickups dialed in gives a tone reminiscent to that of Victor Wootens ol' Fodera (which sports an EMG P/J set...)
I have a 505 too. The biggest difference I found between the 500 line and 300 is that the ovankol neck definitely changes the character vs the maple in the 300. It's a bit of a change in the resonance and matched with the electronics makes the 500 sound a little bit more detailed and closer to the unique tone that the Warwicks all share (ovankol) but still has the trademark depth and growl Ibanez SR is all about. The 300 actually sounds even bigger and bassier naturally but I'd say it's a more natural scoop in the mids. But I think it's the character of the Ibanez pickups vs the bartolini in the 500. I'd love to try bartolini in a 300 and see how much it's the pickups. I've compared both basses back to back and eventually found a nice deal on a 505 because I like the ovankol neck more than maple. However if I had a 305 I'd be very happy with the tone I can get. I have a cheap gsr205 that even sounds good. Once again every Ibanez SR that I've tried has a signature tone that really works and you can make it fit so many things musically.
