Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

New, 2017 Ibanez fretless


anzoid
 Share

Recommended Posts

Guess it was shown at NAMM... but Ibanez has a new fretless in the SR series (4 and 5-string available):
[url="http://www.ibanez.com/products/u_eb_detail17.php?year=2017&cat_id=2&series_id=51&data_id=104&color=CL01"]http://www.ibanez.co...=104&color=CL01[/url]

Piezo bridge and supplied with flatwounds. Presumably a replacement for the Portamento SRF700/705 (which is a pretty sweet bass itself - had one for all of one day :D)

Only downer is that it's another "turdburst" finish from Ibanez...

Edited by anzoid
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Jecklin

I would really like to try one of these!

However I'm with you on the finish:
The brown colour on the back I like. The natural I like, but the burst/fade looks a little naff to me.

Will be interested to see their pricing when they hit the UK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Jecklin' timestamp='1487187178' post='3237929']
Will be interested to see their pricing when they hit the UK
[/quote]
I've seen it listed a handful of places for pre-order at £609 for the four string. Not seen any five strings listed. So, slightly lower price point than the Portamento...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1487183843' post='3237887']
It looks like it's had its frets pulled. They're careful not to show you the positions of the dots on the side of the neck.
[/quote]
Yeah, noticed that - I've found that it's kind of rare to get photos of where the side markers/dots/whatever are on any unlined fretless - but a pretty crucial omission . Despite having a Portamento for a very short while I don't actually remember where the marks were... Both my fretlesses (fretlii? :D) are lined so no problems there but I've had unlined ones where the dots mark the fretlines - so if the Ibanez was like that - I think I'd get confused.

[quote name='Harryburke14' timestamp='1487196702' post='3238044']
I've tried one, they're OK. Not brilliant, but OK. to me felt like the satin neck was a bit rough and the sound a bit too dull.
[/quote]
Where did you manage to get your hands on one? Isn't the idea with the piezo that you get more of a double bass type thump? The Portamento at least has a couple of normal pickups to balance out the piezo in the bridge. I wasn't overly keen on the open-pore (wenge?) neck on the Portamento - it felt weird, the neck on this new one looks similar...

Edited by anzoid
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Digging around a bit for photos - the bridges of the SRH500 (the new one - [url="http://www.ibanez.com/products/images/feat/2219.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co...s/feat/2219.jpg[/url]) and the SRF700 (Portamento - [url="http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Data/Product_Images/IBANSRF700-BBF05.jpg"]http://www.richtonem...RF700-BBF05.jpg[/url]) look very similar - so unless they've tweaked the guts the new one will sound similar to the old one. But overall you've got less options because you don't get the normal pickups... so what's the advantage of the new one...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried one when I was in PMT on Saturday, it sounded really good, but it is just a bit too ugly to get on with for me!
That and they only had the 4 string, so that was a non starter, and I am much more in the market for the portamento.

Edited by Woodinblack
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='anzoid' timestamp='1487197233' post='3238049']

Yeah, noticed that - I've found that it's kind of rare to get photos of where the side markers/dots/whatever are on any unlined fretless - but a pretty crucial omission . Despite having a Portamento for a very short while I don't actually remember where the marks were... Both my fretlesses (fretlii? :D) are lined so no problems there but I've had unlined ones where the dots mark the fretlines - so if the Ibanez was like that - I think I'd get confused.


Where did you manage to get your hands on one? Isn't the idea with the piezo that you get more of a double bass type thump? The Portamento at least has a couple of normal pickups to balance out the piezo in the bridge. I wasn't overly keen on the open-pore (wenge?) neck on the Portamento - it felt weird, the neck on this new one looks similar...
[/quote]

Ibanez Event at PMT in Brum. Sounded far too tame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='anzoid' timestamp='1487197233' post='3238049']
Yeah, noticed that - I've found that it's kind of rare to get photos of where the side markers/dots/whatever are on any unlined fretless - but a pretty crucial omission . Despite having a Portamento for a very short while I don't actually remember where the marks were...
[/quote]

The Portamento has side dots in a fretted bass position, but it has the little fret lines too.
It's the only thing that annoys me about my Portamento, I'm considering getting the board replaced...

Edited by bartelby
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...