Why don't all basses have...

[ardgedee]

Not just higher end Ibanez. The Mikro has the slide open cover as well.

Fair enough. I have an older Ibanez without one, I guess Ibanez started using them later.

 

[Nedmundo]

I hate staggered polepieces. They’re incredibly uncomfortable when digging in above the pickup, I always hit my fingers on the magnets. That’s the first thing I changed on all of my Stingrays - push the pole pieces so that they’re flush with the cover. Instantly better string to string balance and comfort when playing above the pickup.

Here’s a compromise for you - adjustable pole piece height like on MFD pickups. So if you want to raise them, you can, if you want them flush - you can do that too.

Yes, adjustable poles are best, and one of my main basses is a G&L M-2500 with MFD humbuckers. It had excellent balance with the poles set even, but it's even better with the poles under the A string raised slightly.

Staggered poles don't necessarily need to protrude above the cover. The highest poles could be flush, and others recessed below the cover. No need to have a finger-shredding design.

 

[definenredefine]

I agree.
I can't understand anybody wanting to have one the old way when there are a few much better ways that don't really interfere with the looks of a bass. But I don't really understand caring about a new bass being an exact replica of an old bass if that means a deliberately inferior mechanical system.

Agreed on all points.

 

[StyleOverShow]

Kill switch

 

[Chris Chong]

Yes, adjustable poles are best, and one of my main basses is a G&L M-2500 with MFD humbuckers. It had excellent balance with the poles set even, but it's even better with the poles under the A string raised slightly.

Staggered poles don't necessarily need to protrude above the cover. The highest poles could be flush, and others recessed below the cover. No need to have a finger-shredding design.

I had the musicman sterling, and hated those raised pole piece.

 

[tvbop]

Rolled/rounded fingerboard edges. Biggest bang for buck improvement any manufacturer could do for an instrument.

 

[blr2]

Rick-o-sound type stereo output. Another feature that may be useful, but found only on a couple of basses.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

self tuning as per the infamous Gibson Robot Guitars Paul Invalid Link Removed

 

[BassicJazzy]

Rick-o-sound type stereo output. Another feature that may be useful, but found only on a couple of basses.

Honestly, I had it, used it all the time on my '72 Risk 4001, but unless you are running into two rigs through different effects it's not that useful.

 

[dabbler]

Kill switch

This used to be a desire of mine. Then I got a trio of the Daddario cables with the switch built in. The old style that would lock in either the on or off position, I never understood why they changed it to be a momentary switch.

 

[blr2]

Honestly, I had it, used it all the time on my '72 Risk 4001, but unless you are running into two rigs through different effects it's not that useful.

It's extremely useful in the studio.