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This cheap '99 SoundGear is... Incredible?

P

PuffusMaximus

May 31, 2011
119
39
#1
I got this at my local pawn a few weeks ago for $350. The only thing it needed was dusting and it plays wonderfully, being the best feeling 4 string I've yet to own 🤯 so far I've tracked down the year and facility but it's my first Ibby so I'm unsure of the models and why this one feels ~special~. Controls are volume, blend, stacked bass and treble cut/boost, and cut/boost with sweepable frequency. It's so light and thin I can bear to use a flat strap with it!

Do you know anything about this model or the strings?
 

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#2
PuffusMaximus said:
I got this at my local pawn a few weeks ago for $350. The only thing it needed was dusting and it plays wonderfully, being the best feeling 4 string I've yet to own 🤯 so far I've tracked down the year and facility but it's my first Ibby so I'm unsure of the models and why this one feels ~special~. Controls are volume, blend, stacked bass and treble cut/boost, and cut/boost with sweepable frequency. It's so light and thin I can bear to use a flat strap with it!

Do you know anything about this model or the strings?
Click to expand...
It's MIJ, so it's a safe bet that it will probably play really well. Nice!!
 
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#4
Congrats on your "new" bass! May it serve you well.

I'm always confused by SR model numbering although I've owned quite a few of them, but it's definitely a higher-end piece given the woods/construction used. These were referred to as "poor man's Warwick" in some circles, and they can be quite addictive.

Play it in good health and enjoy!
 
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#15
That's a wenge neck (apart from the stringers), which is the most incredible neck wood, with a very distinct tight growly tone - but it's so expensive to work with that it's pretty rare on basses nowadays. It's the cornerstone of the iconic Warwick sounds, but it's very hard so blunts tools, splinters easily, and generates particularly poisonous sawdust (and the timber itself is expensive too).

What a great find!
 
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#16
Snert said:
ibanez.fandom.com

SR1100KA

The SR1100KA is a Soundgear series solid body electric bass model introduced by Ibanez for 1996. It was produced in Japan by FujiGen as part of the Standard line. The SR1100KA features a double-cutaway mahogany body with koa top bolted to a bubinga and wenge neck with a 24-fret rosewood...
ibanez.fandom.com ibanez.fandom.com
Click to expand...
That gives a link to the SR1100QM for Quilted Maple. There are very few Google results for that exact model number! Here's one of them: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/identifying-my-ibanez-custom-sdgr.1462750/
 
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#17
SR990QS! That wasn't a cheap bass new, would've been just below the Prestige tier with much the same neck construction. Pretty rare, too.

ibanez.fandom.com

SR990QS

The SR990QS is Soundgear series solid body electric bass model introduced by Ibanez for 1999. It was made in Japan by FujiGen as a limited edition model. The SR990QS features a quilted sapele top on a double-cutaway mahogany body bolted to a wenge and bubinga SR4 neck with a 24-fret rosewood...
ibanez.fandom.com ibanez.fandom.com
 
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#20
Snert said:
No it doesn't, it's the Koa top version, hence the KA suffix and I have seen Koa with a sort of quilted figuring before.
Click to expand...
I didn't say "that IS a link", I said "that GIVES a link" — on the page you linked to, there is a link to the bass I referred to. I suppose I could have been more wordy to avoid being misunderstood, but also, you could have credited me with the ability to read 🤷
 
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