muttley Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBANEZ-ROADSTAR-ACTIVE-BASS-/330933895043?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4d0d327f83"]clicky[/url] Body looks right for a Soundgear, as does neck pocket. But what's going on with that neck??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 (edited) The seller never claimed it was a Soundgear You're right though, this is a bit of an oddball. I think at some point this may have been an old SR800 that had its frets ripped out, the headstock shape altered, the Ibanez decal moved from the headstock to the body, and a Roadstar truss rod cover and tuners installed (and quite crookedly too, the cover is not exactly mounted straight). The finish is interesting though, it looks like it's been very well applied. It's not your average DIY jobbie. Mind you, there have been Roadstars that looked a lot like the first Soundgears (the 1986 Roadstar Deluxe (DX) models for example), and even the last Musicians (MC2924) had a very similar bodyshape. But not like this, and the hardware is too recent for that. The bridge on this one was introduced by Ibanez in the late 1990s. Edited June 5, 2013 by LeftyJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megallica Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 I think its the transitional 1988 Roadstar RB800, I think Ibanez were forced to change the headstock as it was too close to an existing design It does look very Soundgear like. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amL90leO8SU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amL90leO8SU[/url] I did message the seller about it and he isn't too sure what model it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiipopes Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 This line is the predecessor to SoundGear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted June 5, 2013 Author Share Posted June 5, 2013 [quote name='megallica' timestamp='1370436802' post='2100791'] I think its the transitional 1988 Roadstar RB800, I think Ibanez were forced to change the headstock as it was too close to an existing design It does look very Soundgear like. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amL90leO8SU"]https://www.youtube....h?v=amL90leO8SU[/url] I did message the seller about it and he isn't too sure what model it is. [/quote] Thanks for the info and the link. The reason I wrote that the body looks right for a Soundgear was because I wondered if someone had just fitted another truss rod cover as all the Roadstar basses I looked up were different (ie what I expected them to look like). What threw me was the headstock. Not because it's a different shape but because it looks like an amateur job (except the finish) in that the strings don't take a straight path to the tuners and there's no logo. This isn't the sort of thing I would have excepted from Ibanez; their other models are a bit more elegant in this respect. It's still a cool bass though. Shame it's red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megallica Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 [quote name='muttley' timestamp='1370460404' post='2101364'] Thanks for the info and the link. The reason I wrote that the body looks right for a Soundgear was because I wondered if someone had just fitted another truss rod cover as all the Roadstar basses I looked up were different (ie what I expected them to look like). What threw me was the headstock. Not because it's a different shape but because it looks like an amateur job (except the finish) in that the strings don't take a straight path to the tuners and there's no logo. This isn't the sort of thing I would have excepted from Ibanez; their other models are a bit more elegant in this respect. It's still a cool bass though. Shame it's red. [/quote] Yeah I think the 1988 online catalogue is just their six string range. Found this page which give a bit more info [url="http://dontai.com/wp/2011/04/04/ibanez-rb800-roadstar-ii-bass-identification/"]http://dontai.com/wp/2011/04/04/ibanez-rb800-roadstar-ii-bass-identification/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megallica Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 There is something about this Roadster on gumtree that doesn't look right. [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ibanez-fretless-bass-guitar/1020956614#photo-content"]http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ibanez-fretless-bass-guitar/1020956614#photo-content[/url] As far as I know they never offered any other fingerboard other than maple and the quote that they "cost around £1600 new" is hilarious. Not saying it isn't a decent bass but it's a bit on the expensive side, especially if it's been modified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) [quote name='megallica' timestamp='1370436802' post='2100791'] I think its the transitional 1988 Roadstar RB800, I think Ibanez were forced to change the headstock as it was too close to an existing design It does look very Soundgear like. [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amL90leO8SU"]https://www.youtube....h?v=amL90leO8SU[/url] I did message the seller about it and he isn't too sure what model it is. [/quote] Wow, thanks, I was never aware of that model, nor did I know Ibanez still made Roadstars after the Soundgear came out in 1987. Even the book "Ibanez, the untold story" doesn't feature it, I think. The bridge is definitely a replacement though, and comes from a late 90s, early 00s Soundgear. Edited June 7, 2013 by LeftyJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.