What actually is the "Ibanez sound"?

[Skillet]

The Ibanez "sound" is that satisfied "ahhh" when the player feels how slim and fast the neck is, and how imminently playable the instrument is.

 

[StatesideRambler]

I've had a Musician MC824DS (that's single p/u, passive bass) for about 34 years and I've kept it because it feels great and because of the wide range of sounds it offers by twiddling the controls. It doesn't have a distinctive, "baked in" sound à la P, J, MM, Gibson or Ric but I've heard compliments on how it sounds in several musical genres and how it sits in the mix.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Plug it in, turn it up, and drop it on the floor.

It's the "KWANG" sound you hear.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[aldaa]

Sure - nearly any good bass can be set up and EQ'ed to sound "uncolored" or neutral...

But how many of you guys agree there isn't a definable Ibanez tone - I suppose outside of Fieldy and other NuMetal artists (whom are probably also using other effects like chorus, drive, etc)?

And if the instruments do tend to possess a very neutral tone, why do so many bassists flock to them?

To me, they're very comfortable basses. Easy to play, relatively lightweight (or can be).

 

[hypercarrots]

it's the sound of one hand clapping

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

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?

Modern, and open for suggestion.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I have never heard of someone talking about the Ibanez sound before.

 

[two fingers]

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

That may have been me. I had a BTB with Bart MK1 pickups. I couldn't get that thing to react to my playing no matter what. It was just "blah". I have described it as "polite" several times here.

The BTB I had with Ibanez pickups sounded great. It would go wherever I took it.

Which kinda proves that there is no "Ibanez sound".

 

[India_Sierra]

If you can't define an Ibanez tone well... so what?

They have such a wide range of basses it's perhaps a little silly to expect there to be an easily definable adjective that you can hang your hat on when it comes to describing the tone. There range is not simply twenty Precisions and twenty Jazzes in various colours.

For a few years, many years ago, I had a BTB405QM. I would describe the tone as bright, deep and punchy. Modern. Very quiet electronics, very strong low B.

I recently also sold an SR3006 Prestige that I bought in 2015. That had Bartolini pickups and pre, and sounded warm and middy. It was an eminently pleasing tone.

If we are quite honest, a lot of basses don't have a signature tone. The old classics set the standards for pick up type and placement, which I find to be very important to tone shaping. Most everything is just some permutation of one of those templates. It's when these basses end up in the hands of a player that they start to sing.

 

[Snakeman1066]

I have always associated them with being fairly "generic" sounding...not fantastic...not horrible....just there...

you know those digital bass files that come with software samples? and it's always some generic funk riff? yea Ibanez...in my mind

 

[lancimouspitt]

Never considered it before, but perhaps that's why i never really gravitated to ibanez. Because it's hard to pin down a specific sound to them?

 

[whero]

I like Ibanez basses - I've owned several - but there are so many different combinations of body shape, wood, neck, pickups, etc., different strings, then active electronics with tone and sweep which everyone will set differently... Just seems to be too many variables for there to be one characteristic sound.

 

[kleinenenten]

I don't think there is a single Ibanez tone. I have played for 17 years, only Ibanez, and they all sound different. Some more neutral, some more P-Bass like. But they can also be quite versatile, and cop plenty of tones. I have never found a tone I need that I couldn't achieve from my SR505 or 506.

 

[Rib 13]

Doesn't matter. Develop the Admiral Akbar sound and it will override gear to a great extent.

^ DONT DO THIS --- Its a Trap!!

 

[murph7489]

Fieldy-ish "click"

yeah

 

[JimmyM]

I know like a dozen recording studio engineers that would disagree with this statement

There are many different Fender sounds. Think of any 10 Fender players off the top of your head and ask yourself if they sound alike. Maybe a couple will but most won't. Even when they play the exact same bass, they don't sound alike.

 

[murph7489]

So are there any New basses that have their own sound...?...I mean there's Fender J and P , rick, Gibson, Stingrays, etc mostly passive...I'm kinda thinkin that once you enter the realm of active Eq or pups you are entering a sphere of modern tone...which to me means that you are developing a tone from that active components that can be modified to sound like some different basses...however somewhat alike if that makes any sense...

 

[Usidore T Blue]

With a stock preamp, I would describe the Ibanez sound as relatively thin and "HiFi on a budget" neutral, with harsh hissy highs with treble boosted, muddy boomy lows with bass boosted, and a rather annoying dark boxy blurry mid-range honk that can't be dialed out.
Don't get me wrong, I like the Ibanez basses themselves and I own four of them, 3 SR's & a Lakland-ish RD, but their preamp designs are always pretty weak.

Yes, I heard a guy on Youtube describe the preamp as "bringing out everything you don't want to hear." I still think Ibanez is a great valu.

 

[Old Blastard]

Beats me. I have a Talman and an AFB-200 which sound nothing alike and are nothing alike. I also have a Fender J, a Fender MIJ Jag and a Fender Starcaster that sound nothing alike. If it plays well and feels good and sounds decent, play it.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I DON'T LIKE IBANEZ GRUMPY OLD MAN RANT
film at 11

Funny - I usually see older players sporting Ibby Soundgears! Lol