What actually is the "Ibanez sound"?

[Dan_reeves]

I assume because those players want that tone. It helps that most Ibanez basses feel good and are above average quality for the price.

Saying you can get any bass to sound neutral is like saying you can stick an EQ on any amp/cab rig and get it to have a flat frequency response. It's theoretically sort of true, but you're going to be fighting against a baked in sound. If you want neutral you should start with neutral. If you want color, start with color.

Another way of looking at it is that if the bass isn't coloring the sound, it's not going to mask the technique of the player, for better or worse. There's nothing to get in your way, and nothing to hide behind either.

Completely agree - was basically going to say the same thing.

 

[Dan_reeves]

I would add, when I think of Ibanez in general I think of Sound Gears. I know they have great basses across a variety of sounds and looks (like an ATK), but SR's are what I see the most and tend to associate the most. And, although I know better, I tend to think soapbars because that seems more common. I realize that they did a lot of PJ's (and still do) but I tend to see the soapbars (see MK1's in an SR505) most in my area.

 

[lz4005]

I would add, when I think of Ibanez in general I think of Sound Gears. I know they have great basses across a variety of sounds and looks (like an ATK), but SR's are what I see the most and tend to associate the most. And, although I know better, I tend to think soapbars because that seems more common. I realize that they did a lot of PJ's (and still do) but I tend to see the soapbars (see MK1's in an SR505) most in my area.

Very true. The ATKs and others with different pickups and/or pickup locations have their own sound. Or sound similar to other brands with the same configuration.

 

[Wesley R]

I once heard it said that Ibanez's sound polite.

 

[Maxdusty]

To me, the sound is more tied in with the pickup configuration and electronics- sure the P Bass sound is unique, but now not uniquely a "Fender" tone as there are other manufacturers out there with basses of this configuration, same with the Jazz bass with it's two single coils. A Sadowsky, or a Sire sounds just like a jazz bass but the origins is of course attributed to the Fender Jazz.
Once you get into basses with active EQ preamp and that dual humbucker pickups, they are capable of more variety of tones, so there's really no distinct one single tone, the versatility is the trademark of the Ibanez basses and similar ones like it - that being said, one distinctly different active bass though is the Stingray due to that powerful pickup.

 

[bassstrangler]

I've been playing a fair amount of time - about 25 years. In my 25 years of playing and listening, Ive come across, and appreciate that certain basses, even brands, have their own identifiable SOUND... The Fender Jazz sound, The Precision sound, The Stingray sound, The "70's" Fender Jazz sound, The Rickenbacker sound, The fender Mustang sound, The Yamaha sound, The Sadowsky sound, Smith, Fodera, Hofner, Gibson, Starfire.... Etc., etc.

That said - I cannot identify the "Ibanez sound." Im mostly talking about those very nice looking, light weight feeling, skinny necked, active electronics with soapbar pickups, Japanese made Ibanez Soundgear family of basses. I can't hear their sonic "signature."

I went to see a band play, bassist used a nice old Ibanez. I could hear the bass, through a Fender Rumble and through the house PA, but couldn't make out any discernible tones or timbre that made me say: "Ibanez!"....

So what Im asking is : Do any of you feel the same as I regarding Ibanez? And of those that love Ibanez, would you kindly post some example(s) of players really showing the IBANEZ sound?

If your talking soapbar Ibbies then I'd say thin, hollow, trebley, weak. Just my opinion of course.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

They are usually quite malleable IME. They are very sensitive to string changes, right hand technique, and generally play well with effects depending on the model (my SRX3EX is GREAT with effects!).

They are incredibly affordable and so many of them give you the option of modding them to create a great bass without paying an arm and a leg for basic parts. In the right hands they are great for styles of music where you don't want to stand out too much in the mix, such as for church music. I used to see guys with Ibbys all the time doing church P&W gigs.

 

[BassBrass]

The first few times I came across Ibanez basses were in the late 80s early 90s in studios and they did have a similar sound, they always had dead strings kind of mid range accent (the strings were dead on these studio not gigging basses). For a home recording studio sound they did have a voice that worked. Then about 2002 I got an RB400 and it was just good in every way, a real fine Stingray copy. I still use it with flats strung BEAD, my only flats bass. It has a great punch. Since then they have too many models to have one sound and I don't like either the neck or the fake hifi sound of the skinny neck series, but the Talman and the ATK are good basses. The hollowbody models look good by are too light in my opinion.

 

[bearfoot]

There is no such thing as a "Fender sound". There are various Fender designs that have particular sounds, and which any manufacturer, including Ibanez, can copy, and no one here is likely to tell the difference blind.

So, Ibanez sounds like whichever design it is derivative of.

As for the MK-1 soapbar configuration, yes, that one is a swiss army bass. It sounds like a Fender P with the neck pickup solo'd, etc. etc.

Specifically Ibanez sounds would be unique designs Ibanez FIRST successfully marketed, like the Micro, and I don't know what else.

 

[TolerancEJ]

Maybe that means they're not a one trick pony

They come in so many different pickup configurations, I don't think there is one true Ibby sound. The biggest exception I can think of is the ATK series, but that's just one of many different offerings.

I think these replies are on point. It is difficult to pinpoint a specific Ibanez-tone because they're so versatile.

I still have my 1992 SR885 with a nice padauk top. I always received compliments after live performances and recordings. No extra work put into it. Completely stock with basic 2 active AFR pickups, bass, treble, blend and volume control.

 

[InternetAlias]

Modern two soapbar Ibanez generally strives towards having as flat an EQ as possible with tone on full (if any) and EQ at flat (if any). This makes them very EQable to get many different sounds from them, there are no overbearing peaks like you'd expect on Ps and Js, for example.

But you might not like them if the overbearing mid hump on a P is exactly what you're looking for in a bass, or want that heavy mid scoop from two single coil jazz pickups. To each their own, I like all the tones and think they're great for different purposes, but the Ibanez sound is the most studio-friendly if you want to EQ it to your taste, IMO. I like the J sound and you can KINDA get there from a soundgear, but a J bass will always sound more "J" than an EQ'd Ibanez, even if the EQ'd Ibanez can get really close.

 

[MOEBASSPLAYER]

I have 3 "lawsuit" Ibanez basses (1976-1977) and I think they sound great.
Carry on.

 

[El-Bob]

High end ibanez basses have nordstrands and bartolinis. They sound like high end basses with nordstrand and bartolini pickups. The mid tier stuff has those controversial import barts. The cheap stuff sounds better these days than it used to.

I think thats about all there is to it. Any negative stereotypes that persist are outdated by a decade or two.

 

[micguy]

Ibanez started out making copies of other people's stuff. So, at least the original Ibanez sound was "like a Fender...almost".

 

[micguy]

M
But you might not like them if the overbearing mid hump on a P is exactly what you're looking for in a bass, or want that heavy mid scoop from two single coil jazz pickups.

Those traits come from pickup positioning. Any Ibanez (or other bass with the same pickup configuration) will have those traits as well. And no, active electronics can't undo that, unless you have quadrophonic pickups and eq for each string.

 

[InternetAlias]

Those traits come from pickup positioning. Any Ibanez (or other bass with the same pickup configuration) will have those traits as well. And no, active electronics can't undo that, unless you have quadrophonic pickups and eq for each string.

The P tone comes from the coil shapes as well, since they seem to exaggerate that mid hump by design. Also a P pickup doesn't have two coils over the same strings. To get as close as possible to this on a SR, soloing a neck pickup is a good step.

As for the J mid cut, I'd have to agree... To an extent. It seems that on SRs pickups are relatively closer so that the scoop is slightly moved and less potent. It's still there if you crank both pickups, however, so getting the closest possible J tone would start with cranking both pickups, obviously.

 

[Yammybass]

Just gotta love fieldy's clakitty clakitty sound. Always think of the sr series. Just love it.

 

[VolverseLoco]

Although I have played (and was going to buy just 2 weeks ago) one of those thin Ibanez bass with the soapbars, I chose my Schecter to buy instead. I can tell you I remember so vividly (and audibly), when me and my cousin were teenagers, he stole $300 from his dads wallet. I had a guitar and he bought a beautiful new red Ibanez Destroyer bass. Had to have been summer of 1983. All we did was play the intro to Quiet Riot's "bang your head,, metal health..blah blah..) Now that Ibanez Destroyer had a very nice sound, natural, we had no effects,, he didn't steal enough money.

 

[Rib 13]

Most basses arent one trick ponies...but several have signature settings. If we discuss that Ric sound, or J-sound, MM sound, etc....we have a pretty good idea what we are referencing without having to explain it even though most of these basses have a full spectrum of Swiss Army capabilities

With that said, Ive always viewed what would be the Ibanez sound as the typical Soundgear....and I usually best describe it as "generic". Generic isnt a bad thing, its just not a signature -- its just kinda non-descript, somewhere J-ish, somewhere its own "non-descript" thing

This post got me thinking - I would say that it can best be heard on select recordings between 1989-1996 or so. Thinking back there were many Warwick's coming out in this era and they were more copping the Ibby Soundgear thing than its own thing. Interesting retrospect, thanks.

 

[micguy]

The P tone comes from the coil shapes as well, since they seem to exaggerate that mid hump by design.

In the low mids, the wavelengths on the strings are such that the pickup position matters - that's where the "hump" comes from. The sonic contribution of the wide aperture coils are further up in frequency - yes, they affect the tone, but not the low mid hump.

And yes, the mid dip of a J is different than on Ibby's - because the spacing of the pickups is different. You're agreeing with me more than you might think if you sort through it all.