Ibanez RB950

[clauster]

I've been on an urgent lookout for an inexpensive bass the last couple of days (suddenly found myself bassless with a gig in three weeks time).

The second shop I visited today was a tiny second hand guitar shop - maybe 15 guitars top, and half a dozen amps.

The basses were at the back of the rack. Nice refinished 70s Jazz, but way over my immediate price range by many hundreds of pounds. Behind that I spotted an 80's Ibanez, had a look at the headstock - Roadstar II. I remember them from guitar mags back in the mid-80s. Checked the price - comfortably within budget. Asked to have a look at it. Grubby as hell, but seems to be all original. Checked the neckplate - made in Japan. At the price it was up for, I wasn't expecting to see that. Long scratch/crack in the lacquer on the back but no signs of it going as deep as the wood. Quick, quiet play through a guitar amp just to check everything works - yep, it makes noise. Neck seems fine, comfortable, one fret (fifth) buzzes a bit, but it's about 25 years old and obviously not been looked after in a while. A fret dress won;t put me over budget.

5 Minutes later and for the first time in my life I own a bass made by Ibanez, even though, beyind the range I haven't a clue what it is.

Back to my folks house (where we were for the day) and unamplified it's a joy to play. Still a bit buzzy at the low end, but checking with a straight edge, there's neck is almost perfectly flat. Maybe just a bit of turn on the truss rod will fix that buzz.

I'm back home now and have done a bit of googling. I'm pretty certain it's an RB 950. Blue burst top over flame maple (?), cream binding, black back, neck and headstock. Three knobs, the back two of which have push switches. I think (front to back) they are pan, vol, tone. I haven't a clue what the switches do. The pickups are some sort of humbucker (so maybe the switches are coil-taps). Gold hardware which, thankfully, has dulled a lot (I'm playing in a punk band - shiny gold would stand out a mile lol).

The googling also turned up that the value is probably about £200, so (without saying what I paid) I'm still happy.

Off for a play through the amp to see what needs doing.

If any can confirm what the knobs and switches do tough, that would be great.

Happy, happy, joy, joy

Edited March 20, 2011 by clauster

[clauster]

And here's a pic

Knobs are definitely Pan/Vol/Tone - still not sure about switches

[untune]

That's nice!!! I really want one of those pickups

The horns and binding remind me of a Ric, a little bit

[clauster]

[quote name='untune' post='1168803' date='Mar 19 2011, 08:47 PM']That's nice!!! I really want one of those pickups

The horns and binding remind me of a Ric, a little bit[/quote]

That's what I keep thinking... sort of P bass meets Ric

[geoffbyrne]

Those were *very* nice instruments - I think you've got lucky there.

Tap the poles of the pickups with a littlt screwdriver while playing with the switches & see if any of the coils turn on/off.

You might find one switch is coil split & the other is phase - or there might be an individual split for each pup, which would be more useable - I've always found out-of-phase pretty unuseable.

G.

[Jigster]

i love those 80's Ibanez models - how's the weight?

[clauster]

[quote name='Jigster' post='1169247' date='Mar 20 2011, 10:08 AM']how's the weight?[/quote]

I'd call the weight medium, but then again for the last 15 years I've only had Precisions and a Warwick.

Quick edit: According to my kitchen scales: 9lb and a tiny bit.

Edited March 20, 2011 by clauster

[clauster]

Update: In the OP I said it has a flame maple top. WRONG! It was hust smears of dirt over the lacquer. After 15 mins of polishing. I'd decided it didn't have much figuring at all. After another 30 mins and having got rid of about 90% of the grime there is a nice birdseye maple top under there.

This is the fithiest bass I have ever seen. I've temporarily given up on lemon oil for the fretboard and am just very gently scraping at the grime with my thumbnail.

The headstock is worse than the body, but I'm leaving that until last.

[clauster]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='1169242' date='Mar 20 2011, 10:04 AM']I think you've got lucky there.[/quote]

Not half - I got it for £75.00!

Okay, it needs several hours of cleaning, new strings, a setup, all of which I can do myself, and I want to get a refret done too, which I'll need to get done professionally, but even taking that into account..... BARGAIN!

[clauster]

FFS, how do plastic pickup covers get ingrained dirt??!!

[clauster]

Thanks Geoff, the switches are individual coil taps

[Musky]

[quote name='clauster' post='1169318' date='Mar 20 2011, 11:13 AM']FFS, how do plastic pickup covers get ingrained dirt??!![/quote]
Best not to even think about it.

[DaveB]

Very nice find mate. I have an RB850, the differences I can see is mine doesn't have the flash maple top, blinding or coil switches, and the body is a slighty different shape. You got a good buy there, mine was £120 lol

I always find this bass is my go to bass and is one i've got the perfect setup on for me.

[waynepunkdude]

Nice one, Nic.

Reminds me of an Aerodyne, I have to get over yours at some point I look forward to seeing this when I do.

[clauster]

The body is nearly as clean as it's going to be. The bridge has come up okay after a brush out with an old toothbrush (full of dust, fluff and pet hair).

Just working my way gradually up the fretboard.

Also, I learnt from google that a little bit of toothpaste on a cloth works really well for cleaning metal plate - it does, just done two of the tuner buttons

Pots are crackle free, but I might replace the vol and tone and fit seperate sitches for the coil taps. If I do, I'll go for single coil, parallel, series - even more tone options

Dieing to get some strings on it, but only after I'd junked the old ones did I find out I haven't got any spares in and there aren't any music shops open locally.

[clauster]

Wayne, you're welcome anytime mate.

[martindupras]

I have an RB850; same series but cosmetically quite different (rounded boundy, no binding, black hardware).

Mine has the same two humbucker pickups. On mine, the pickups are split to single coil by pulling two of the knobs up. I would imagine that if you have two switches, they are also wired as coil split.

- martin


[quote name='clauster' post='1169474' date='Mar 20 2011, 01:46 PM']Wayne, you're welcome anytime mate.[/quote]

[clauster]

[quote name='martindupras' post='1169493' date='Mar 20 2011, 02:05 PM']I have an RB850; same series but cosmetically quite different (rounded boundy, no binding, black hardware).

Mine has the same two humbucker pickups. On mine, the pickups are split to single coil by pulling two of the knobs up. I would imagine that if you have two switches, they are also wired as coil split.

- martin[/quote]

Push/pull switching is better IMO - you can tell at a glance whether you're in humbucker or single coil mode. These are push/push and the only way to tell is by clicking to hear the difference in tone.

Hence the idea of toggle switching.

[gub]

I own a black ibanez roadstar and have done since 88, great bass ,would never part with it .

[Bassassin]

Stupendous bargain for £75! These are probably my favourite Roadstars, love the bound body & Rick-influenced horns.

I always though Schecter had these in mind when they came up with [url="http://www.visionguitars.co.uk/schecter_diamond_series_004_bass_guitar_-_used.html"]this[/url].

Jon.

[clauster]

Wow, that schecter is really similar in shape.

Update: just a bit more polishing around the pickups and and another go up the fretboard the cleaning is finished.

Can't wait to get some strings on it and give it a proper play.

[merello]

New pics please! That's a real cracker of a bass!

[clauster]

Update - Deep cleaning was finally finished (for now) at 9.30 last night. Total time spent on cleaning was about 8 hours. Matrials - good old Dunlop 65 guitar polish, lemon oil, cheap toothpaste, diluted vinegar, one old pillowcase, microfibre cloth, cheap soft toothbrush, cotton buds, sponge backed nylon scourer, fingernails! The only thing I'm going to come back to in a few weeks is the washers under the tuner bushes. They've got a few rust spots on them, but nothing that can't be polished out. But for now, I just want to et some strings on there, do a setup and PLAY, PLAY, PLAY.

I'm really pleased with how well it's come up - there is a tiny dent in the top finish and very fine scratches around the G and D strings between the front pickup and neck I'm guessing it's been owned by a slapper at some point). In total though, the front is in very good condition for a bass that's nearly 27 years old. Round the back, there's a couple of laquer cracks/scrathes and a little bit of buckle rash. The headstock is a similar - some faint scratches on the front and a few chips on the back.

I went to town on the fretboard and frets with cleaning materials yesterday evening. That has come up really nicely. I thought it might need a refret, but I think a level and crown will be fine.

Hopefully I'll get the chance to get some strings today (just cheapies - as I say, I think it needs a fret dress) and do a setup. The neck is so flat I think it might have a bit of back-bow dialled in.

[quote name='merello' post='1171268' date='Mar 21 2011, 08:38 PM']New pics please! That's a real cracker of a bass![/quote]

The difference in this bass makes me wish I'd taken better (and more) before pics.

But, there will be more pics by the weekend - it's come up so nicely I think it deserves a thread in the bass porn section

For now, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that with new strings on it sounds half as good as it looks.

[clauster]

New strings went on at 4:30, checked the relief - tightened the truss rod 1/8 turn. The previous stirngs must have been incredibly light. Lowered the saddles a bit too. Action was still a bit high but no time for more adjustment as it was time to be off to band practise. I think a bit more tightening of the truss-rod and a touch lower on the saddles and it will be perfect.

My god! What an awesome sound Actually, what an awesome range of sounds. I was worried that 27 year old pickups might be past their best, but jeez, they're hot with loads of punch in humbucker mode, but clear as a bell in single coil. My favourite is front HB, rear SC and slightly towards the front on the pan pot, tone fully open - deep and punchy bass but with just enough edge without being strident. I really want to do my idea of having the pickup switches as toggles so I can put in series mode - that's going to be incredibly hot.

Incredibly playable neck too - possibly the most comfortable of any bass I've owned. The flat spots on some frets didn't cause any probs (but maybe when the action is a bit lower?)


The only downside is I've got to get used to physical size of those pickups. I kept catching both my pick and fingers on them. I hadn't realised I dig in so hard. A few evenings' practise and I'll be fine though.

R E S U L T ! ! !

and another

[megallica]

I paid £150 for my Roadstar Series II bass back in December and it's one of the best basses I've ever played.
I did some research and checked out all the reviews on harmony central and all the reviews were very positive, which was very encouraging.
The machine heads aren't original unfortunately.

Edited March 24, 2011 by megallica