Ibanez guitars - opinions?

[Spoombung]

The SR series have the nicest necks of ANY bass IMO - beautifully slim and contoured. However, the sound is not to my taste whatever pickup is installed and whatever wood is used. I don't understand why that is.

Edited February 13, 2015 by Spoombung

[Pinball]

[quote name='[email protected]' timestamp='1423782650' post='2689106']
A big hanks to everyone for their replies and comments. Really helpful.
So it seems the consensus is that they are good bases throughout the range, well built and good tone (but not for everyone), with thin necks, so easy to play but not to everyone's taste, and buy second hand because they loose their value quickly (even though they are good). All great advice. I will go and try some out.
Huge thanks again.
S
[/quote]
They are great value I would point out that there are also larger necked basses-the BTB range, wioth 35" scale and ATK. They are also capable machines but have a totally different feel.

[SaxyBassist]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1423821016' post='2689315']
It's the slim neck that really makes me an Ibby fan.

Whilst I love the tone quality, you can get comparable (and better) sound in a lot of cases.

Being a girl, my hands aren't very big, and I had a P bass and would be very quickly in pain through playing.

Switched to my original SR300 and never looked back!

I don't think I could play anything else now! Have had a tinkle on a few basses (a gorgeous Aria the other day) but I don't think I'd ever own anything else!
[/quote]

Same here SpaceChick re the neck, and being an old granny I can't take the weight of anything else, plus the size of the necks - I had a P bass copy 4 years ago but gave up after a month, got my SR300 18 months ago and haven't looked back - now out jamming and in a blues band - love mine!

Edited February 13, 2015 by SaxyBassist

[Wil]

Worth noting the ATK has a rather thick neck rather unlike the SR series. Well, mine did anyway. It was almost too thick for me and I normally prefer a P neck.

[Guest]

I've got a BTB775 shipped in from the US. Looks brilliant, it's somewhat heavier than the SRs but it shares the fantastic slim neck. It's got bart mk2s, which give it a clear, mid-heavy sound with a lot of options. Good if you're a fan of a more 'modern' sound, as it were.

[Paul S]

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1423830845' post='2689460']
The SR series have the nicest necks of ANY bass IMO - beautifully slim and contoured. However, the sound is not to my taste whatever pickup is installed and whatever wood is used. I don't understand why that is.
[/quote]

My to my annoyance I found exactly this, too. I had a 90s MIJ SR800 which was absolutely superlative in every respect with a vast range of tones - none of which I found myself liking.

[Ed_S]

Must be a couple of years ago I bought an SR505 that played really well in the shop but started to rattle once it settled in at home. I went to tweak the truss rod but it wouldn't move at all, so sadly it had to go back and I got a refund. Last weekend I noticed that somebody had been into the same shop and slapped the living daylights out of a 505, leaving nail marks in the wood as they went and forcing them to sell it as 'ex-demo with marks' with £110 off the price tag. So I ended up buying it again and this time seem to have a good one at a bargain price. You really have to look for the 'damage' and it plays just as nicely as I remember.

Even more years ago I bought two BTBs - a 405QM in trans black and a 406QM in trans blue. The 405 became my main bass for a good few years, but the 406 was a soulless lump that got dispatched as soon as was feasible.

Guess I'm saying there are good ones and bad ones just like anything else, but don't let that put you off!

[Phil Adams]

I've got an SR305 and an SRF700 neck thro' fretless. Only had the SRF for a week or so and haven't really had a chance to bond with it yet, but will rehearse with it tonight.
Before I bought the 305, I played a few different Ibby 4s and 5s in different shops and each one was spot on.

[TolerancEJ]

I've owned my Ibanez SR885 for more than 20 years and it still sounds/plays great. I've always received compliments on its tone both in live and recording situations.

[patrikmarky]

Love the atk's .....great looking bass for the money...seriously thinking of a Sr 805 in Amber or a 1205 ...great sounding great looking ...
I do struggle with the neck as I have big old butcher hands .....though like any bass find one and try ...

[Pinball]

Stingrays have hit the spot for me. Otherwise his would be my choice if I played 4's. Check out the neck-ideal for the nimble fingered.
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/255738-beautiful-ibanez-sr4000e-prestige-for-sale/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url]

You can see why I'm always broke lol

Edited February 13, 2015 by Pinball

[Bassassin]

Slightly more modestly-priced (and specced) SR500:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/254908-ibanez-sr500/"]http://basschat.co.u...8-ibanez-sr500/[/url]

J.

[[email protected]]

Many thanks again to everyone for your thoughts and comments. Sounds like they are a good bet. I will go and try some out.
S

[subrob]

My earliest gas was an Iceman bass, that I'd all but forgotten. It's back. Thanks, thread. ;-)

[Bassassin]

Shouldn't really post this here, but this is the best example of Ibby SR silly-cheapness I've seen in a very, very long time - looks like a 1990 MIJ, Fujigen-built SR1300 or 1500 (not really sure) for a massive £126 BIN:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191504734916"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191504734916[/url]

J.

[Dr H]

I've just come back to Ibanez after using other basses.
My first 'real' bass was a polar white Musician MC924 (1982), which was superb in all tonal respects, but was really heavy and had 24 fret neck which was comparatively wide. Build quality was great and unusually it held its value well on re-sale.
I wanted another (in dark stain), but was simply put off by the weight.
I've recently picked up a RB-888 (Bean Bass) and this has won me over - so lightweight, medium scale, thin, fast neck and a great range of tones from a single humbucker.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Dr H' timestamp='1424463601' post='2696714']
I've recently picked up a RB-888 (Bean Bass) and this has won me over - so lightweight, medium scale, thin, fast neck and a great range of tones from a single humbucker.
[/quote]
Those are proper rare - they hardly ever come up & I don't remember ever seeing one in real life, even back in the Olden Days.

Pics or it didn't happen etc.

J.

[Dr H]

Will do - pitch black here now (following sleet ) so photos will follow.
I bought it from the USA through an ad on Talk Bass after a quick bit of chasing in the threads (it was very reasonably priced too).
It's the version that Sting used in the 90s: the Roadster version in the sparkly black with the bolt on neck rather than the through-neck Musician that I would have preferred. The Musician is a bit more curved at the edges and I've always liked the laminated neck strip. Still, beggars can't be choosers - as you said, they're rare enough as it is.
My go-to bass at the moment.