anzoid Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 (edited) 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 ) Only downer is that it's another "turdburst" finish from Ibanez... Edited February 15, 2017 by anzoid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jecklin Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBobTTD Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Nice...except for the offset dots on the front of the fingerboard. They totally ruin it for me. If not for them, I would be investigating the prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Never a fan of 'burst finishes, but that's not insupportable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 [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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harryburke14 Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 (edited) [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? ) 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 February 15, 2017 by anzoid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 I saw one in GuitarGuitar Birmingham today. Looked on for the price but boring enough not to warrant plugging it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 (edited) 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 February 15, 2017 by Woodinblack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harryburke14 Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [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? ) 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 (edited) [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 February 16, 2017 by bartelby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defo Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Basically a copy of Spectorcore fretless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocketflup Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 Id say that's a step or two backwards from the Portamento IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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