What actually is the "Ibanez sound"?

[nabilhuakbar]

I have a 2016 SR750 (right after they introduced the CND P/J setup) and I gotta say...my favorite thing about it is that it is so completely flexible with tone. I was playing some soul/funk with it the other night and comparing it to my Schecter Diamond J with Dimarzio pickups in it and...in passive mode with the tone turned down the SR750 sounded way better despite the J bass being more accurate to what people were actually using at the time.

I love my SR750 because I can go from playing Tool to Earth, Wind, and Fire to Beastie Boys to Aerosmith with it and everything will not just sound great, but I can shape the tone so it sounds right for the song/genre.

 

[jonnybass1]

I'm sure this has already been stated. Actually imho there isn't an Ibanez tone, I can shape the tone to sound like almost anything I want mine to. And once you are in a mix most of the signature tones you hear are very minor in difference. But that's just my $0.02

 

[Bassdirty]

Well, IMO, while I cant describe any individual tone of their own, they do NOT sound like a Fender P, a fender J, or a Ric. (and I'm actually glad about that) I suppose id like a P sound now and again, but a Jazz bazz Bridge pickup sound? NO THANKS. Ric sound? I'll politely decline, and keep my "Generic" Ibby SR sound.

The main reason I chose Ibby SRs was the feel. Thin neck (that NEVER needs adjusting to keep my low action), and narrow string spacing. The look was..ok. Started on the lower rung (well sr405 was my low end in the 90's) and every time I went to upgrade to a new bass (and I really wanted to love a fender), nothing felt/ played right except a higher "level" Ibby sr 5 string.

And whomever said that they are Mid /hi end heavy? Well, they could be, if you turn the mids and highs up. (For the record, the guy from Korn dials that sound/plays like that on purpose, its NOT an inherent sound of ANY Ibanez that I've ever heard/played.)


But to imply that they lack ANYTHING in the low bass arena..well is just not true. Even my lowly 405 Can have soo much low end, that I keep the active EQ flat, and dial in tone at my amp, which is relatively flat as well.

T$

 

[Bassdirty]

I'm sure this has already been stated. Actually imho there isn't an Ibanez tone, I can shape the tone to sound like almost anything I want mine to. And once you are in a mix most of the signature tones you hear are very minor in difference. But that's just my $0.02

^^this^^

I'd wager that if Ibby bases were around in 1950's, IT would be the most recorded bass ever.

 

[nabilhuakbar]

W I suppose id like a P sound now and again, but a Jazz bazz Bridge pickup sound? NO THANKS. Ric sound? I'll politely decline, and keep my "Generic" Ibby SR sound.

T$

Yeah, I'm in that same boat as well. I just got a Jazz bass and at first I was totally enamored with it...until I played it side-by-side with my Ibby. I was actually on a huge kick recently about Chickenbacker builds -- I was gonna get one of those Chinese Ric copies and put real Ric hardware in it so I could have a decent approximation of that "legendary" Ric tone for relatively cheap. Then I started thinking about it more, and I realized that I would have absolutely no other use for that bass except for that one particular tone. Everything else I'd want, my Ibby would be just fine for.

The main reason I chose Ibby SRs was the feel. Thin neck (that NEVER needs adjusting to keep my low action), and narrow string spacing. The look was..ok. Started on the lower rung (well sr405 was my low end in the 90's) and every time I went to upgrade to a new bass (and I really wanted to love a fender), nothing felt/ played right except a higher "level" Ibby sr 5 string.

T$

That's the same reason I keep coming back to them...you just can't beat that neck. Well, unless you wanna do slap, and then that string spacing definitely takes a little more effort to get used to.

And whomever said that they are Mid /hi end heavy? Well, they could be, if you turn the mids and highs up. (For the record, the guy from Korn dials that sound/plays like that on purpose, its NOT an inherent sound of ANY Ibanez that I've ever heard/played.)


But to imply that they lack ANYTHING in the low bass arena..well is just not true. Even my lowly 405 Can have soo much low end, that I keep the active EQ flat, and dial in tone at my amp, which is relatively flat as well.

T$

Hear hear...if I want my 750 to thunder and boom, I just turn it on active and crank up the bass. Bam.

 

[Bassdirty]

... There's no way I could call the sound of this bass "thin, hollow, trebley or weak" at all. I use it mostly in passive mode with the neck pickup only. ... It's fat and warm and grunts down low just like I want it too. ...

^^ THIS ^^

I just can't understand what people are hearing that would make them say "thin/hollow/trebley". Just not true.
I know there haters everywhere, but IMO, these folks have never played one themselves. (or maybe they played one with a Gorilla practice amp in the bedroom ).
Not trying to start a ruckus here, but, A Jazz "type" bass or a Ric is waay more "trebley" /Thin sounding than any SR I've ever played. (never played anything lower than a 405 though- close to the bottom.)

YMMV, just not sure how it could.

T$