NBD: Ibanez fan fret

[Woodinblack]

I have been after one of these for a while, but wanted to wait until I tried one. However, impossible to find anywhere around here, although I did try the 6 string in PMT Bristol. Which told me I liked the bass but couldn't cope with a 6 string.

There haven't been many around here, and I did follow one on eBay and make some offers for it, but he would only go down to £620, which seemed too high for a bass that is £700 new. So after that I thought that I might as well get one, so ordered last week, and turned up today, here it is:

[IMG]http://www.alienrat.co.uk/photobucket/IMG_3249_zpsf6x3gwfz.jpg[/IMG]

First impressions are very good. Unmistakably Ibanez, the fan fret thing isn't anywhere near as pronounced as the dingwall, and the scale isn't as long. The pickups seem darker than my last bartolini equipped Ibanez, the SR550, and my SR1000, and there is quite a difference panning between the front and back. Still prefer the big singles in the SR1605 I think.
One thing I hadn't seen on the others is that the mid frequency switch has 3 positions. Don't know what they are, but they are noticably different - suppose I could read the book that comes with it!

need to lower the action a bit, but that is tonight sorted!

Edited July 1, 2017 by Woodinblack

[White Cloud]

Lovely bass, Ibanez are on point right now.

[Geek99]

Nice ! Only thing I'm not wild about is the knobs - they'd look better in chrome in my humble opinion but very lovely indeed

[Cameronj279]

I played a 6 string one of these last week and really liked it. Normally I don't like the sounds of Bartoninis (in anything other than Roscoes) but it did sound different that the other ones I tried...I was tempted...

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1461006097' post='3030604']
Nice ! Only thing I'm not wild about is the knobs - they'd look better in chrome in my humble opinion but very lovely indeed
[/quote]

If I could get some black chrome knobs they would probably go on there!

[biro]

Looks lovely. I am really looking forward to your opinions, most importantly because if I recall correctly, you did own a Dingwall for some time.

[Geek99]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1461009271' post='3030651']


If I could get some black chrome knobs they would probably go on there!
[/quote]
Shiny ones, like the bridge

[Woodinblack]

Yep - cosmo black. They look a bit darker in real life and not straight on. No idea why they didn't make it with those knobs.

[DarkHeart]

Looks ace but does the bridge for the B string overhang the back of the body?

[Woodinblack]

Not quite:

[IMG]http://www.alienrat.co.uk/photobucket/IMG_3250%201_zpstuq480pp.jpg[/IMG]


[IMG]http://www.alienrat.co.uk/photobucket/IMG_3251%201_zps4ah7ges7.jpg[/IMG]

Edited July 1, 2017 by Woodinblack

[DarkHeart]

Ah theyre recessed, very nice.

[Musashimonkey]

I'm a fan of getting the bridge as close to the end of the body as possible. I'm not a fan of a bridge that creeps towards the middle and pushes the neck and first position too far from the body.

Very nice bass, congratulations 😀

[FuNkShUi]

Like the look of that!!
Seems a good price too.
Think a full review is needed....

[keefbaker]

Lovely... but... <ocd> Take.... plastic... off.. bottom... pickup... <\ocd>

[wheredragonsdwell]

Did you end up buying the bass from PMT? I've tried both the 5 and 6 string versions of this bass and really liked the way they played and sounded. Got a 7 string guitar I'll need to shift before I'll actually be able to afford one though.

[LewisK1975]

When I shift all my unnecessary Basses all I'll have left is 2 Precisions and 2 Jazzes, and I'll be looking to add something else in the category of 'something different', this might very well fit the bill!

[lowhand_mike]

they are lovely basses but then i'm slightly biased
i was tempted by this, are they USA barts or the MK1's?

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1461051142' post='3030881']
Lovely... but... <ocd> Take.... plastic... off.. bottom... pickup... <\ocd>
[/quote]

It came off a few seconds after the photo!

[quote name='wheredragonsdwell' timestamp='1461081962' post='3031290']
Did you end up buying the bass from PMT?
[/quote]

No, they didn't have the 5 string, just the 6. They said they could get it for me but that was before the eBay and the decisions to get one.

In the end I got it from Guitar Galleries in Scarborough. I hadn't used them before but they were at £700, whereas most other places (apart from the gallery in London) where at £769, and as noone had one in stock to try (I would have bought there if they had), thought I might as well go by cost. Also they had interest free, so I thought I would go for that - didn't need it but interest free is better value than just buying it outright!

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='lowhand_mike' timestamp='1461082450' post='3031303']
i was tempted by this, are they USA barts or the MK1's?
[/quote]

Apparently BH1 pickups. Not sure what they are, not US, but different to the normal SR barts, like the ones on the SR505, or the ones on the SR1000 premier (again different). Maybe just because they are longer.

[lowhand_mike]

hmm ok, had a quick look on ibanez site and they say the MK1 are split coil and the BH1 are dual coil, no idea what that means in real terms mind

[Woodinblack]

Well, that is hanging up at the moment, I need to get a picture outside in the light at some point, the grain is good

[IMG]http://www.alienrat.co.uk/photobucket/P1040857_zpsuymtxkwf.jpg[/IMG]

And look how big those pickups are compared to the others:




[IMG]http://www.alienrat.co.uk/photobucket/P1040855_zpsqldi0mtb.jpg[/IMG]

Edited July 1, 2017 by Woodinblack

[therealting]

They are pretty spectacular, aren't they? I am debating getting some Nordstrands wound for mine.

[lowhand_mike]

the only thing that lets it down is they havent angled the join of fret board to headstock, so a bit of the fretboard sticks out past the nut. still looks sweet though.

Edited April 21, 2016 by lowhand_mike

[Woodinblack]

It does look odd in the picture, although not so noticable when you are playing. Strangely I went to audition with a new band today, the drummer asked if he could play the bass, played it for a bit and failed to notice it was a fan fret!

[lowhand_mike]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1461273360' post='3033313']
It does look odd in the picture, although not so noticable when you are playing. Strangely I went to audition with a new band today, the drummer asked if he could play the bass, played it for a bit and failed to notice it was a fan fret!
[/quote]

it is not quite as extreme as say a Dingwall and everyone says you get used to it very quickly (i've yet to try one)
it is a very minor point about the fret board overlap so i guess when playing its invisible. Really love the finish on the body Ibanez do have some nice woods