• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Where do you find the shorties?

#124
blue4 said:
I will start selling off some gear now to clear room for a 30" Ibanez Talman. The only thing better would be a 30" SR. I know the Mikro is supposed to be that but 28" scale is a no go for me. Between 30" and "32 is the sweet spot IMO.
Click to expand...

I've had a Mikro for a couple of years now, and for the most part I like it, at least after having upgraded it with new pickups, bridge and knobs. It's not worth the bother of taking it with me when I move back to the US later this year (plus I've promised to leave it with a friend here in Ecuador), so I've been speculating about what to inexpensively replace it with. If I don't go full-scale, the TMB30 goes on the possibilities list rather than another Mikro, and the 30" scale rather than the Mikro's 28.6" wouldn't necessarily be the main reason why, though it would figure in; there just seems to be more bassy goodness with Ibanez's Talman line, and what I figure will be the slight additional cost of the TMB30 (whatever that finally turns out to be in the States) over the Mikro will probably be outweighed by not having to do the same upgrades that I did on my current Mikro. So the TMB30 definitely goes in the "to be considered" pile.

Plus the more I look at the online pics of the TMB30, the more I like the black pickguard; the tort pickguard on the full-scale Talmans was the main thing turning me off about them. That's just personal taste, though.
 
#127
mrufino1 said:
It's the only bass I do gigs on anymore, arthritis is making it hard to even play my birdsong now, but the u bass has saved me. Round wounds coming for the 5 string soon I'm told if you want that type of sound. Here's a short clip from a gig last week:

Click to expand...


Thanks for reply ... sounds great. I want to like one of these ... I even travel to Oahu for business occasionally and have stopped by that Uke shop on the north shore ... just haven't been able to justify the expense or know where I would use it. That "thump" sounds awesome in what you're playing there. I would end up with more interest in the round wounds for what I play ... I'll be looking for them.
 
#129
Dradder said:
I've had a Mikro for a couple of years now, and for the most part I like it, at least after having upgraded it with new pickups, bridge and knobs. It's not worth the bother of taking it with me when I move back to the US later this year (plus I've promised to leave it with a friend here in Ecuador), so I've been speculating about what to inexpensively replace it with. If I don't go full-scale, the TMB30 goes on the possibilities list rather than another Mikro, and the 30" scale rather than the Mikro's 28.6" wouldn't necessarily be the main reason why, though it would figure in; there just seems to be more bassy goodness with Ibanez's Talman line, and what I figure will be the slight additional cost of the TMB30 (whatever that finally turns out to be in the States) over the Mikro will probably be outweighed by not having to do the same upgrades that I did on my current Mikro. So the TMB30 definitely goes in the "to be considered" pile.

Plus the more I look at the online pics of the TMB30, the more I like the black pickguard; the tort pickguard on the full-scale Talmans was the main thing turning me off about them. That's just personal taste, though.
Click to expand...

If I ever went full scale again, it'd be the SR line. My P bass rarely if ever even gets picked up.

I like the split coil PU on the Talman 30" I've got the semi hollow covered, I found a great ash SX jazz that plays far above its price point, and I've got a modded Bronco that is great except for a finicky neck in cold weather. That Ibanez P style Talman is what I need to round out my short scale stable.

Plus, I just like Ibanez. I've never been disappointed in anything Ibanez I've owned.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dradder
#131
This is a fun, inexpensive and good sounding short scale.
Invalid Link Removed
0301082517_gtr_frt_001_rr.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Duder, ERIC31, macmanlou and 2 others
#135
mongo2 said:
What do you find to be "finicky" about the Mikro bridge?
Click to expand...

Adjustment space on the saddles for starters.....easy to run out of room on the E and A string.

Also depending on which Mikro you end up with, the saddles may have the through-saddle screws or they may have the saddles where the screw only goes so far.

Found this can be problematic on string height.
I went to a B-20 bridge and that fixed everything.......but the B-20 is not an exact replacement fit and strings can sit too high even after adjusting.... I opted to sink mine into the body which worked very well for me. Others said it's easier to just shim the neck...but I didn't go that route.

Mikro has a nice fat tone to it.
Of course with any short, finding and matching strings by scale and winding length can be a pain the rear end. I just use D'addario nickel roundwounds with no complaints on winding length. They fit. Good tone.
Tried half-rounds on it. Not good.
Tried Labella Low Tension Flats on it. Not good.
Tried Chrome Flats. Not happy.
Was going to try tapewounds...but the tapes sound a little pillowy to me in demos I've seen.
I may try GHS flats on it in the near future.....
 
#137
As mentioned above the MIKEY WAY MUSTANG is a decent "cheap" bass.Rosewood 'board and a pretty good pickup.I bought mine used with a crack in the finish so it was cheap.I'm not crazy about the finish ,but it has become my go to at home (don't have to worry about dinging it) beater bass.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back