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Ibanez SRF705-BBF ... catchy!


Witters
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Anyone got one, tried one?

http://www.ibanez.com/products/eb_detail18.php?year=2018&area_id=3&cat_id=2&series_id=51&data_id=161&color=CL01

Having tried @Rich unique Yam fretless for a few days I am now considering the above, or maybe an ESP version at half the price(ish).

https://www.espguitars.com/products/9854-b-205sm-fl-ns?category_id=1963318-b-series

Any experience with either maker’s fretless basses?  What do you think?  I’m leaning towards the Ibanez but that’s only coz I have one leg shorter than the other.

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Not tried the five string but had a the four string version for a while. Very nicely made - typical Ibanez quality etc. 

Pickups are the standard Bart Mk1s - you either love em or you don't. I find them a bit "meh" personally - adequate but nothing to write home about. (Don't know whether a set of Nordy Big Singles would fit - they'd make for a massive improvement...). Where the SRF700 shone was the piezo in the bridge - so smooth and gives an extra dimension you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Double bass type thump and pretty mellow - no harshness that I've had with other piezo equipped basses. You can mix the piezo and the ordinary pups which makes for some nice combinations overall.

Overall:
Pros - build quality, bridge piezo. 
Cons (well, more like OKs) - Bart Mk1s

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1 hour ago, songofthewind said:

Bart mark ones are fine! Ignore the naysayers!

Just my opinion - have had four basses with Mk1s and they've all been a little bit disappointing *for me* - which makes me wonder why I kept buying 'em :D 
S
o I'm just offering a point the OP may want to consider in what is/are otherwise very nice basses. Glad your experience has been better than mine.

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I've owned both the Ibby and LTD.

Don't bother with the LTD. It looks pretty, but felt cheap and the electronics were hugely underwhelming. As someone on here said before it was like they took a bass and stuck a guitar pre-amp in it. Having to turn the bass EQ knob all the way up to make it actually sound like a bass should be a deal breaker for anyone. Also the "rawwwk" headstock is cringe, and I say this as an avid extreme metal fan of going on two decades.

The Portamento? Beautiful instrument. I sold it as I fell out of love with the tone (tend to prefer the simplicity of passive these days and the Barts are great but I did go off them), but it played like an absolutely dream. Very good B string and the piezo is very convincing and organic sounding. I used it (just piezo) on a track on my old band's album and they were all wowed by the sound. I then re-recorded every other fretless part on the record originally done with a Hohner Jazz because I loved the Ibanez so much. I quite miss it actually!

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34 minutes ago, burno70 said:

I'm gassing for the 4 string version but am determined to hang fire for now - not quite ready to make the leap to fretless yet.

Go for it! G’wan. I wasn’t sure about fretless when I first tried, took a while to get used to it but I really like it.  

I’m waiting for the next payday and confirmation from @Rich for our Boys Bass Day Trip.

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