New Ibanez Headless basses

[fretmeister]

3 hours ago, visog said:

But not height adjustable by the looki of it? What's the gap between the ramp and the strings?

 

The ramp is lower than the pickups!

 

I used some thick micropore tape under my ramp instead. Does the job now.

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, visog said:

But not height adjustable by the looki of it? What's the gap between the ramp and the strings?

 

Height adjustable, no, that is a lot higher tech, it is a piece of wood with double sided tape that is 6mm high. By default that is about the hight of the pickups when it comes, gap obviously depends on your string height

 

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, bnt said:

What Ibanez is doing with the T1 pickups is something I've thought about before: to me it makes total sense for multiscales to have two humbucker coils in separate housings for flexibility in mounting. 

 

Sounds like a good plan, although if you don't like the pickups there is nothing you can do about it, I doubt there are any replacements for those. I think I would have to hear it first as its number puts it in the bart pickup bracket, and I wouldn't want anything like the barts.

[fretmeister]

14 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Sounds like a good plan, although if you don't like the pickups there is nothing you can do about it, I doubt there are any replacements for those. I think I would have to hear it first as its number puts it in the bart pickup bracket, and I wouldn't want anything like the barts.

 

 

Aye - I think those pickups are a terrible idea.

 

Ok - so there's not many pickups that can cope with the span of a 6 string fan fret, but sticking with the dimension ratio of scaled up EMG / BARTs etc would make it far easier to find something.

[bnt]

I have thought about this, you know, and read some pickup specs ... in the case of 6-string multiscale basses, there aren't any standard sized pickups that would fit, and fully cover all the strings, at the required angle. The EHB1506MS uses Nordstrand Custom Big Splits, not a standard size, off-the-shelf model. Now, I know that Nordstrand don't charge a lot for custom orders - the website says $20 or $40 - which may be a factor in why Ibanez use them. (I haven't ruled out the EHB1506MS for myself. )

 

So If you're going to replace angled pickups in a 6-string multiscale, about the only off-the-shelf option I can find with the required coverage would be an EMG 45P or PX (split-P) with the reverse option, which would have the bass and treble coils placed about correctly. With their other single or dual coil models, at least one string would be outside coverage of at least one coil. Bartolini offers the similar H66P and others, but they say all H6 series pickups are special order with long lead times.

 

So I don't fault Ibanez for doing their own thing when it comes to pickups for EHB1006MS, since it was either that, use the same Nordstrand Custom Big Splits ($$), or investigate other custom - low volume options such as the Bartolinis I mentioned ($$). I expect there are other options, but good options?

 

PS: Dingwall uses pickups custom made to their specs, not a standard size either.

Edited January 16, 2022 by bnt

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, bnt said:

I have thought about this, you know, and read some pickup specs ... in the case of 6-string multiscale basses, there aren't any standard sized pickups that would fit, and fully cover all the strings, at the required angle.

 

No I would imagine not.

 

I am not against ibanez doing this, it seems sensible and it looks good, but why I said I would have to try it is what are those pickups like? If they are like the nords or something then that is great. if they are like the barts, then I am never going to like it and there is no choice but to move the whole bass on.

 

I think it looks better than the nords in the 1506, but I know what those sound like, so I would order them without worrying about them.

 

Hopefully that way of doing things could become standard.

 

 

3 hours ago, bnt said:

PS: Dingwall uses pickups custom made to their specs, not a standard size either.

 

Yes, and in the case of the combustions, the bart rules apply, not something I could live with!

[Old Horse Murphy]

I actually gigged with my EHB1505MS on Saturday and it was lovely and light. The ergonomics are fantastic too. 
 

The only issue I had with it and it is an issue to me at least, was moving from the fanned frets back to "normal" frets on my 4 string caused me quite a bit of consternation. I use the 4 string for plectrum playing and when I'm singing and using two basses is definitely part of my set up. 
 

I've got a practice tomorrow and will take my SR5 to compare and contrast and if I get in with it better I will move the Ibanez on as I have simply too many basses to have one of these sat around gathering dust (and I have a reduced fees offer on EBay!) It really is a super bass though. 

Edited January 17, 2022 by Old Horse Murphy

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

The only issue I had with it and it is an issue to me at least, was moving from the fanned frets back to "normal" frets on my 4 string caused me quite a bit of consternation. I use the 4 string for plectrum playing and when I'm singing and using two basses is definitely part of my set up.

 

THey do a EHB1000 too!

[Old Horse Murphy]

2 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

THey do a EHB1000 too!

Alas, the cupboards are bears at the moment. I need to sell something before I can invest in anything else. 

[visog]

Good video on arguably the best looking of the range:

 

 

[NT1991]

Sorry for being a bit late to the party on this one (only just rejoined the site). My main bass at the moment is the EHB1505ms and I love it, the shorter scale length at 35" to 33" is really helpful if you haven't got massive hands. I adjusted to the fanned frets almost instantly, it's comfortable to play, and those Nordstrand pickups with the EQ sound amazing. Whilst I still love my old SR600 since getting this I don't really play it that much.

Has anyone AB'd it against the 1005ms to hear the difference in pickups electronics? Whilst I'm really happy with it but I would be interested to hear the difference just to see what it is.

[lowregisterhead]

I just picked up a new EHB1265MS-NML from Andertons, after seeing it on their website a couple of weeks back due in soon, and putting a deposit down. It's one of only two they got into stock, and the other one was sold before it arrived as well.

After my niggles with the EHB1505MS two years ago, I have to say this is quite a different animal. Knowing what the potential pitfalls are helped, but not only was this very playable straight out of the box, but the preamp re-plugging (as suggested by @fretmeister and @6feet7 in my original review thread) made a substantial difference to the sound - not just a higher output, but noticeably more top end bite. I'll stick with the factory-fitted Barts for now, but I'm interested in the replacement Aguilars, just not interested enough to shell out £299 for the set!

 

I love the look of the walnut top and ash body combination, much less gaudy to my eye than the pacific blue burst, but more interesting than a solid colour. I also have a Dingwall Combustion, so the multi-scale was no surprise, but the 35"-33" scale is really nice to play - not as much of a stretch as the Dingwall's 37"-34" scale. Particularly since re-plugging the preamp, the EHB has noticeably more zing and bark to its sound, making the Dingwall sound a little pedestrian in comparison.

 

The strap button's going to have to move though. At least with the fanning of the tuners due to the multi scale, it can be re-sited on the body in a more traditional position in line with the middle tuner, which will help with the neck tilt issue. I've got a rehearsal with one of the bands on Sunday, so I'll report back once I've had a chance to use it in anger! First impressions are very positive though.

Edited March 9, 2022 by lowregisterhead

[thebassist]

3 hours ago, lowregisterhead said:

I just picked up a new EHB1265MS-NML from Andertons, after seeing it on their website a couple of weeks back due in soon, and putting a deposit down. It's one of only two they got into stock, and the other one was sold before it arrived as well.

After my niggles with the EHB1505MS two years ago, I have to say this is quite a different animal. Knowing what the potential pitfalls are helped, but not only was this very playable straight out of the box, but the preamp re-plugging (as suggested by @fretmeister in my original review thread) made a substantial difference to the sound - not just a higher output, but noticeably more top end bite. I'll stick with the factory-fitted Barts for now, but I'm interested in the replacement Aguilars, just not interested enough to shell out £299 for the set!

 

I love the look of the walnut top and ash body combination, much less gaudy to my eye than the pacific blue burst, but more interesting than a solid colour. I also have a Dingwall Combustion, so the multi-scale was no surprise, but the 35"-33" scale is really nice to play - not as much of a stretch as the Dingwall's 37"-34" scale. Particularly since re-plugging the preamp, the EHB has noticeably more zing and bark to its sound, making the Dingwall sound a little pedestrian in comparison.

 

The strap button's going to have to move though. At least with the fanning of the tuners due to the multi scale, it can be re-sited on the body in a more traditional position in line with the middle tuner, which will help with the neck tilt issue. I've got a rehearsal with one of the bands on Sunday, so I'll report back once I've had a chance to use it in anger! First impressions are very positive though.

Nice little initial view that - thanks for sharing!

What do you mean by “preamp re-plugging”?

 

[lowregisterhead]

14 hours ago, thebassist said:

Nice little initial view that - thanks for sharing!

What do you mean by “preamp re-plugging”?

 

 

This was shared by fretmeister, who apparently saw it on a YouTube video by the user LowEndLobster. I found it made a big difference, but I have to say at this point that you obviously try this completely at your own risk - if something fries, I accept no responsibility! It's probably also advisable to have nothing plugged into the jack socket when you do this so the preamp isn't active, or better still, remove the battery.

 

There's a long connector board uppermost in the control cavity. The plug furthest to the right is in a socket marked '0dB IN'. If you move that into the empty socket to its left marked '+6dB IN' it gives a noticeable boost in overall output. I also found that moving the plug on the end of the board which is in 'VM3 OUT' to the adjacent socket marked 'BEQ3 OUT' boosted the treble and overall clarity of the tone quote a bit, giving the Bartolinis more edge and bite.

[fretmeister]

Yup.

It makes a big difference.