What's with Ibby?

[Nuage420]

I say it in person at least once a week and on TB every other day- CHEAP IBANEZ ARE THE SINGLE MOST UNDERRATED INSTRUMENT ON THE PLANET.
I mean it!!

The necks play quick and easy, the PJ’s they have are fantastic, with a great J placement for burpy Jaco and the PJ placement/ratio as a combo/even blend is the BEST sounding of ANY non boutique PJ. The solo P is a great sound, but it’s not a true Pbass replacement- that’s it’s only ‘flaw’ but, again, it’s still a great sounding neck pickup / position. The pickups and the bass itself upgrades well for all of the cheap / kinda cheap Ibanez as well, and when you get into the midrange they start having Nordstrand pickups lol...


truly an underrated brand, the cheap ones are better than MANY ‘great’ Basses I’ve played. The only downside is that the cheap ones don’t look incredible, but I love a project anyway.

I play a Roscoe as my main bass, and I still went back and re-bought a GSR to own one, and used the neck of a Mikro 5 as the basis of a short scale ‘piccolo’ bass I built.

I couldn't agree more, I bought a gsr206 and my ehb within a week of each other. Love them both!

 

[thetragichero]

my pair of 85 ibanez roadstar ii basses

I've had the people rb850 since i was 13, my first bass
the black one i restored this year. immediately sold my fender (bridge humbucker and p pickup, preamp, etc) i had been playing for a decade because this thing was just plug and play (and like half the weight)
these 80s ibanez basses are probably the best value out there. $300-400 for amazing instruments

 

[stuntbass77]

Ibanez doesn't actually build any of their own instruments except those in the US custom shop (Tak Hosino) and Japan, which are very rare nowadays. Most are built by Cort. The same factory that makes Indonesian Squiers makes alot of those nice Ibanezes.

That being said, when I pick up any Ibanez in a store, from the cheapest to the most expensive, one thing I can always count on is that they all seem to play well, are set up well, have flawless finishes, and are built to a very high standard. From the bottom line to the top line. Although I prefer Rickenbackers, Spectors, Fenders, Squiers, and Peavey T-40s, I also own 5 Ibanez basses. They hold their own, quality and tone-wise. I'm frequently astonished at their finishes and woodwork.

Their tone and style isn't for everybody, and those of us who grew up in the 80's usually remember basses like the SR as the first bass the guy in the sucky hair metal band down the street bought when he learned how to play.

They were everywhere, and ubiquitous with Crate amps and Series 10 guitars. But, that doesn't make them bad. Quite the contrary.

They were (and are) very good instruments for beginners and pros alike. But, for better or for worse, they can have a stigma attached to them (in the same way Peavey is unfairly judged). If Charvels and Jacksons hadn't 90% disappeared from the collective mindset in decades past, they would also still have that "80's metal band stigma" attached to them as well. But, they produced fine instruments as well.

Ibanez always seems to try something new, and they succeed. But they are not, and never will be, a "classic" instrument, nor do they have one single identifiable tone all their own (ala Rickenbacker, Fender P, Spector, etc) that is easily identifiable and desirable to a flock of people. No one ever says, "Ooooh listen to that Ibanez growl on that track!" like they would one of the basses I just listed.

And, remember, groupthink is very, very strong. Besides the admittedly great tone, there is a very distinct reason why "Sunburst tort P with flats" is the current flavor of the decade. It's not all due to just the sound.

Rock your Ibanez. Or Peavey. Or Yamaha. Or anything that you like. Who gives a flying *&#$ what anyone else thinks.

For instance, I would frequently start a set with a nice Rick, Spector, or vintage Fender, then switch to either a puke green or hot pink Dean Zone (which is a great sounding well-made bass in it's own right when set up). People usually think it's a joke, but they think nothing less of me for it. However, if I had started the set with that Dean, they would think less of me for it.

People judge unfairly with their eyes and preconceptions rather than their ears.

Like I said, you do you and whatever makes you happy.

Peavey does make good stuff, especially the US made amps. I have a “session bass” head and used along side it for years ( although I sold it ) a Peavey “T-max” head. I ended up going down the Ampeg road after that and mainly using a SVT-5 head with a SVT 4/10 + 1/15 bottom. I use to run the top 4 ten with the T-Max and the bottom 15 with the session bass. Not sure why I didn’t just stick with the 2 peavey’s as the Ampeg wasn’t better, just different and was easier to bring along as it was only one head.

 

[BioDriver]

The sad truth is most expect a bassist to play Fender. I've owned multiple P and J basses only to see them go for stuff that works better for me.

As for why people don't play Ibanez, IME it's been the neck - people either don't like the more narrow string spacing, think the neck is too thin, or both. That was the case for me and many others who sold their Ibbies.

I found that Schecter fits me perfectly. Fender is not the silver bullet.

 

[mistermikev]

- This is a kinda generic topic (no trolls plz) - but
I am a beginner/intermediate player (4 years of bass studies, long time ago) and I have begun playing the bass again during quarantine.

I've just exchanged a very good lookin and sounding fender jazz mex (2008) with an Ibanez sr1300.

I don't want to disappoint all the Fender adherents here but these are instruments at different levels.
Even though the Jazz sounds great, it is just that, and that's it. Ok, long life to simplicity but once I came across this Ibanez (fine wooded, NS pickupped, multidimensionally equalised, agile and good looking). I thougth: 'how it is possible that people do not even take into consideration this bass, if not for live performance, at least for studio recs or experimentation?'.

'Ibanez sounds poopie' is the most common thing I hear from people in general who probably are not used to different and more articulated sounds. - Have u ever played a high-end ibanez?

I can partly say the same thing for Yamaha,
Is it because they r Japanese and not American?
Has it something to do with tradition and visual customs? Powerful branding and marketing?
Is it because most of bass playing and sounding has been very standard since the beginning of rock-blues and the bass is still forced within these limits?

Ok, these questions are provocative but what are your thoughts about Ibanez' ostracising?

don't take this the right way... but I think that anyone who doesn't appreciate both doesn't deserve either. both do things the other doesn't. both make me play differently... and for that I thank them.

 

[micguy]

I don't have any Ibanez basses for the same reason that I don't have any Fender Jazz basses: My gargantuan hands don't work with skinny necks. For some folks, they're just the ticket. For me, the strings are too close together, and I trip over myself when trying to play on a skinny neck. I'm actually faster and cleaner on a wider neck.

If they're your thing, go for it. Nothing wrong with them - they (like pretty much everything in this world) just don't work for everyone.

 

[Delsan]

- This is a kinda generic topic (no trolls plz) - but
I am a beginner/intermediate player (4 years of bass studies, long time ago) and I have begun playing the bass again during quarantine.

I've just exchanged a very good lookin and sounding fender jazz mex (2008) with an Ibanez sr1300.

I don't want to disappoint all the Fender adherents here but these are instruments at different levels.
Even though the Jazz sounds great, it is just that, and that's it. Ok, long life to simplicity but once I came across this Ibanez (fine wooded, NS pickupped, multidimensionally equalised, agile and good looking). I thougth: 'how it is possible that people do not even take into consideration this bass, if not for live performance, at least for studio recs or experimentation?'.

'Ibanez sounds poopie' is the most common thing I hear from people in general who probably are not used to different and more articulated sounds. - Have u ever played a high-end ibanez?

I can partly say the same thing for Yamaha,
Is it because they r Japanese and not American?
Has it something to do with tradition and visual customs? Powerful branding and marketing?
Is it because most of bass playing and sounding has been very standard since the beginning of rock-blues and the bass is still forced within these limits?

Ok, these questions are provocative but what are your thoughts about Ibanez' ostracising?

Fenders are notorious for being well made and easy to put in the mix, as well as the fact that they're considered classic aesthetic and all that.

Ibanez feel like toys, and maybe not to everybody, but dollar for dollar, Fender is way more road worthy and their sound has much more oomph. Ibas usually sound very mid-cutty and that can be something you want. But fender p and j are both really ballsy and provide a lot of bite and tone that midscooped, active basses like iba are hard pressed to provide. Try and play what you like, cause that's what matters in the end.

But like anything, brands divide people. Sometimes for good reason.

 

[Relayer71]

The result being that I have no idea at all, from the model name, whether it’s a $200 instrument or a $2,000 instrument.

That's actually easy: higher number, higher price/quality. SR300 is the low end. SR2000 is the high end.

 

[DoctorZee]

I can't bond with Ibanez necks, but I love my Ibanez Artcore semi-hollowbody guitar.

 

[TinIndian]

Nothing wrong with Ibanez. They make some really nice basses at a good price point. I think the stigma comes from the fact they sell all their instruments under the same name. They don't have a budget low line brand like Squire or Epiphone. So the high end stuff is lumped in with the lower end basses.

Peavey had the same problem.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

They used to be my go to bass brand, because ot theirs necks, but I'm into other stuff now. Good basses nonetheless.

 

[Delsan]

Nothing wrong with Ibanez. They make some really nice basses at a good price point. I think the stigma comes from the fact they sell all their instruments under the same name. They don't have a budget low line brand like Squire or Epiphone. So the high end stuff is lumped in with the lower end basses.

Peavey had the same problem.

I can believe it with Peavey. But honestly brand has never made me stop to think about Ibanez's stuff.

Peaveys only good instrument I know of is the Cirrus USA, anything else is budget, at least for what I know.

Sdgrs have a pretty simple to understand model lineup. The higher the number attached to the model name, the more premium the bass. The problem is, at what point do you match a nice Fender?

Fender USA you get a really keen bass with quality hardware and electronics for say 12-1400 USD.

At the same price point, you get an Indonesian Ibanez made with medium to low level stewmac hardware, some "officially licensed electronics" like emghz or at best some low tier bartos/nords made specifically for those basses, and you get a bass that, let's face it, doesn't feel as solidly made as a fender rock.

Ibanez also has too many basses and none that are standout pieces that you say "Ooooooh you mean the good one". Iba has signature models that are supposed to be good. But so does Fender. I'm talking stock normal instrument.

Fender's good ones are USA and to a lesser known extent, the old Japanese ones. Mexicans are obviously budget. Now if you say its a 77 p bass with a maple neck, yeah, nut. But any year fender American is gonna be just great.

By contrast, which ibanez we goin with? The SDQMB400475? Or the SDTSC50875? I'm half joking with these cause the model names are even more convoluted than this.

Lemme add that I'm a Mayones player. I dont play ibas and I'm getting rid of my fender precision (though it's a god tier bass)

 

[mr80htz]

- This is a kinda generic topic (no trolls plz) - but
I am a beginner/intermediate player (4 years of bass studies, long time ago) and I have begun playing the bass again during quarantine.

I've just exchanged a very good lookin and sounding fender jazz mex (2008) with an Ibanez sr1300.

I don't want to disappoint all the Fender adherents here but these are instruments at different levels.
Even though the Jazz sounds great, it is just that, and that's it. Ok, long life to simplicity but once I came across this Ibanez (fine wooded, NS pickupped, multidimensionally equalised, agile and good looking). I thougth: 'how it is possible that people do not even take into consideration this bass, if not for live performance, at least for studio recs or experimentation?'.

'Ibanez sounds poopie' is the most common thing I hear from people in general who probably are not used to different and more articulated sounds. - Have u ever played a high-end ibanez?

I can partly say the same thing for Yamaha,
Is it because they r Japanese and not American?
Has it something to do with tradition and visual customs? Powerful branding and marketing?
Is it because most of bass playing and sounding has been very standard since the beginning of rock-blues and the bass is still forced within these limits?

Ok, these questions are provocative but what are your thoughts about Ibanez' ostracising?

I have an Ibanez Talman 310 and I have been playing finer instruments for 25 years. I don't enjoy playing the majority of Ibazez basses but I have never been so impressed with a $300 bass in my life. Also, I can't remember the model but the Ibanez hollow body that came out in the last 3-5 years is my favourite fretless bass to play. I don't desire to have a fretless bass so it's not for me but whenever I see one in a store I give it go. Almost makes me want to buy it...but 4 basses is enough for me...and one of them that Talman.

 

[nabilhuakbar]

i am ibanez player and love its neck,...some people found it inconvenient to play in slim neck,....that's why they choose fender rather than ibanez i think

That's pretty much it. I loved the way my SR750 looked and sounded but I couldn't get over the super thin pencil neck.

If Ibanez released something with a Jazz-width neck I'd be "shut up and take my money!"-ing it in a heartbeat

 

[crankypants]

Wow! 5 pages! Are we going to 11?

 

[Nuage420]

That's pretty much it. I loved the way my SR750 looked and sounded but I couldn't get over the super thin pencil neck.

If Ibanez released something with a Jazz-width neck I'd be "shut up and take my money!"-ing it in a heartbeat

Try the 2405 or the anb205

 

[dkelley]

I dunno. Ibby made it's name with their 70s basses... long time ago, and they aren't particularly modern sounding basses.. not like sound gears are or btbs are.

I loved and played them because they were better built, had better features and design, and sounded good.

Same as now.

Fenders sound great. They're both great.

Cheaper fenders don't all sound great, but some do. Like cheaper Ibanez. Pretty comparable, but I get more for my money with ibanez.

Sr1300 or whatever sounds like top of the line, which helps I'm sure.

But my current Ibanez is bottom of the line yet it's still amazing.

 

[GlennRH]

With black hardware (the gold hardware is a deal-breaker for me) I consider the Ibanez SR-1300 a highly desirable bass. More desirable to me than any Fender Jazz.

With the SR-1300 and other models like it (e.g. the SR-1800), Ibanez takes an approach to instrument-making fundamentally different from Fender's.

1. The people who designed the original Fender basses - George Fullerton and Leo Fender - believed in making a body of a single type of wood (e.g. only alder or only ash; the pieces as few as possible in number and as identical as possible in grain, weight, and density) and in making a neck of a single piece of maple with the fingerboard as limited as possible in its power to twist or warp the neck over time. With this, they set the standard for how instruments bearing the Fender name would ever be made, and for how instruments bearing other names (MusicMan and G&L plus many others following their lead) should be made.

The people who design Ibanez instruments cannot be named in the same manner: as individuals whose contributions to instrument design and making set distinct standards and attract followers/imitators. Some Ibanez instruments follow the Fender lead in most ways. Some vary from the Fender standard much more. These include instruments made with bodies comprising multiple species of wood (laminate bodies) and instruments with more on-board tone-shaping control than trad Fenders (e.g. the SR-1300).

2. Whoever owns the rights to make instruments under the Fender name and using Fender trademarks has obligations to make traditional Fender instruments. They can vary somewhat with spin-off models that offer other features. Yet, market forces require them to continue making P and J models that closely resemble what players expect year after year.

Ibanez does not have the same market-expectation forces determining what it makes. Moreover, Ibanez comes from a country where all brands have much more freedom. This is how you can get a Yamaha piano, Yamaha outboard motor, Yamaha motorcycle, and Yamaha electric bass all sporting the very same logo. Yamaha comes from the same country and business culture as Ibanez. Harley-Davidson is known only for motorcycles. 25+ years ago, it also made golf carts. Learning that required looking at the back page of the Holiday Rambler owner's manual. Harley-Davidson comes from the same country and business culture as Fender - typically much more focused. While Ibanez has the freedom to offer an extensive catalogue of models, to change models often, and to drop models and introduce models whenever it chooses, the main trade-off for this freedom is that the Ibanez brand lacks the perennial certainty of meaning that the Fender brand has.

People know the P bass and have known it for decades. Same with the J bass. When it comes to Ibanez basses, I wonder why, for example, SDGR appears in such large letters on the headstock of an SR-1300. Other Ibanez basses don't say SDGR anywhere on them. How they play and how they sound, for many musicians, comes after that.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I’ve never been draw to Ibanez. When I finally bought a P-bass, it quickly became my favorite.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

I’m a life time Fender player, almost 5 decades, that wanted to check out a decent 5 string. Saw this at my local shop for half price used and bought the thing on impulse. Very impressed with it in every way.