NBD: Ibanez EHB Fanfret medium/short scale

[fretmeister]

 

 

Loving it so far! Obviously it's an Ibby so out of the box the action was far too high, but I've sorted that. Just need my preferred strings to arrive on Monday now.

 

However the Neutrik locking jack is the work of Satan so I'm going to try this in a mo...

 

[fretmeister]

I've been playing it for hours today.

 

It's only 7lb dead on. It's super comfy.

The funny thing with the fan frets is that if I look at the bass I get confused - if I just play then I'm spot on. Very odd!

The included finger ramp is crap - it's too thin and doesn't get anywhere near the strings. I like ramps so I'll get some thick double nanotape and put it on that way.

 

Many people don't like the Barts apparently, but so far I'm liking them. I like a sort of Duck Dunn tone most of the time, maybe a bit clankier in the mids, and they seem great for that into a T21 VT500 head and a BF Super Twin.

 

The nut *might* be a tiny little bit high, but I'll wait for my strings of choice to arrive before getting the files out. Don't want to get that wrong!

The fret markers are crap and are difficult to see. I'll put some stickers on when I get a mo. Not really an issue as I don't often look at my left hand when I'm playing anyway, but nice to know they are there as I get used to the fan frets.

 

It came with a pretty good gig bag - not up to a Mono standard of course, but still nice, and being Ibanez it came with 3 allen keys for adjustments. It also came with Schaller strap locks too.

 

The colour is almost impossible to photograph well. In the flesh it is tasty. I didn't pick the colour - it is the only option in the UK for this bass, and TBF I don't really care about bass colours. It's the very last thing on my list when looking for a bass. But I like it.

 

I might do a little video demo if I get the chance, but the colour will definitely play havoc with my green screen!  

 

 

GAK were great in getting it out of their warehouse and weighing it for me. A few other large shops who had them in stock told me they didn't have time to weight stuff or just didn't offer that as a service... 

Bad choice boys.

[Woodinblack]

I agree about the socket, but you don't need to do all that,  just take the spring out of the socket, then all is fine with them. Thats what I did with mine.

[lee650]

Beautiful colour! Every thing about this instrument is wrong in my head, but I'm completely intrigued by it. 

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

I agree about the socket, but you don't need to do all that,  just take the spring out of the socket, then all is fine with them. Thats what I did with mine.

is that easy? How do I get to the spring?

[Woodinblack]

36 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

is that easy? How do I get to the spring?

 

Drop the socket out, take out the screw and the spring comes out. Without that it doesn't force it to lock. I can't be doing with those sort of sockets on an instrument.

[fretmeister]

Lovely! Thank you.

 

Pointless things. Cable always goes around the strap anyway. Or I use a wireless.

[Woodinblack]

Not only pointless but a bit harmful I would say. If I accidentally trip over a cable on a stage, do I want the bass to go flying, the amp to go flying, the cable to be ripped out of the plug or just the plug to come out so I can put it back in?

I really don't get the problem it is trying to solve.

 

I got a bit fed up having to take the bass off to remove the plug!

 

thing is, without the spring, it is a nice socket

Edited September 5, 2021 by Woodinblack

[fretmeister]

I’ve taken out the star shaped screw but I can’t figure out how to disassemble further.

 

I haven’t got a lot of wire to work with. Is there another screw somewhere?

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I’ve taken out the star shaped screw but I can’t figure out how to disassemble further.

 

I haven’t got a lot of wire to work with. Is there another screw somewhere?

 

When I took mine apart I had seen a takeapart guide on the internet, although there wasn't much to it. Now I look I can find the guide but the pictures are missing (which is odd as it was only last year). 

 

That was here https://www.head-fi.org/threads/guide-to-modifying-a-neutrik-locking-jack.86990/

 

but when I took mine out (I didn't have a lot of wire either) it was pretty clear how to get the spring out (I was looking to get the red bit out but when I tried the spring came out instead, so that worked).

 

[fretmeister]

Sorry for the stupid question

 

Is the spring the bit the screw goes through - looks more like a contact for the jack plug and is actually connected to a wire?

Doesn't it need that to active the active electronic when plugged in? Like on EMGs?

[Woodinblack]

I assume that is the earth. It turns the active electronics on by shorting the sleve with the ring of a stereo socket, nothing to do with the spring or other part of the mechanism.

[fretmeister]

In that case I cannot figure it out at all.

 

When I take the little screw out (with the red collar) nothing comes out apart from that contact and I can't see anything else at all.

I think I'll just order a regular one and swap it.

[Woodinblack]

Give me a while, I will take mine apart again tonight and have a look.

[fretmeister]

Very kind of you. 

[Woodinblack]

Ere we go then.

 

Probably too much detail but better than not enough!

 

1) Remove the socket from the bass with the 2 screws.

 

 

2) pull the socket out from the bass. Not much cable spare so this is about as far as you can get it

 

 

3) Undo the T7 torx bolt holding the case (and one of the legs) on. Really sorry about the state of my skin above my nail, just got out of the bath

 

 

4) With this undone you can push the black bit in the middle out of the metal holder, although as there is not much spare cable it is easier to put the metal bit back in the body. Don't worry about the little red disk, it doesn't seem to want to come out.

 

 

5) Lift the red bit out of the channel. In that channel is the spring, which you can then take out. I can't show that because my spring isn't there. It is in a box somewhere in case I ever need to put it back in, although if I ever do, I will never be able to find the right box again, but I kid myself that I can.

 

6) Put the red bit back in the channel, ensuring that the top of it is in line with the top of the socket, it will line up below and above, but those aren't the right places. Push the metal sleeve back over the black internal part.

 

 

 

7) In the process of doing this, almost certainly one of the little legs will have come out of the socket. Just push it back in the obvious space where it goes, so it lines up with where the screw goes in, and put the screw back in

 

8 ) then put it back in the body, do the screws up, check everything still works, and not the wonder of being able to put a jack plug in and take it out without having to use two hands!

 

[fretmeister]

You star!

I will do that after work.

 

thank you!

[fretmeister]

AAARRRRGGGHHHHHH

 

I followed Mr @Woodinblack instructions and that went perfectly... and then while twisting the socket unit back into the hole I tore a wire off the socket connector.

 

Does my soldering iron work?

 

No.

 

FFS!

 

Ah well, at least this way I'll drop it into my favourite luthier and at the same time get the nut lowered just a tiny bit and get a quote for replacing the not-even-luminay side dots with some nice bright white markers.

They really are crap!

[Killed_by_Death]

 

The locking jack is a great feature carried over from the BTB series, I love it!

 

[Woodinblack]

2 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

AAARRRRGGGHHHHHH

 

I followed Mr @Woodinblack instructions and that went perfectly... and then while twisting the socket unit back into the hole I tore a wire off the socket connector.

 

Oh no, that is odd, mine are pretty solid. And I didn't do much twisting!

 

Can't you find anyone else around with a soldering iron?

 

 

[fretmeister]

15 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Oh no, that is odd, mine are pretty solid. And I didn't do much twisting!

 

Can't you find anyone else around with a soldering iron?

 

 

 

My luthier is under 15 mins away in the car so it's not a problem really. And I wouldn't do the nut myself. Widening slots - no problem. Lowering them... I hate to think how long it would take to order a replacement nut from ibanez!

 

I think each time I tried to start with I might have twisted it another rotation. I'm such an idiot!

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, Killed_by_Death said:

The locking jack is a great feature carried over from the BTB series, I love it!

 

You are welcome to it - its not something I want on any of my basses.

[Killed_by_Death]

 

I'm glad you're allowing me to enjoy it 😄

[fretmeister]

I have my bass back. Socket fixed, nut slots lowered, Prosteels installed while the slots were getting done, and a set up tweak.

 

It's lovely. First rehearsal in 18 months is this Saturday and I'm going to take this bass. I'll still be getting used to it, but as everyone is going to be really really rusty it won't be a problem in the slightest!

 

Also - 9.30am to be next to the trombones is just a crime against humanity!

[fretmeister]

I have now used it in anger with far too many brass players, not enough Reed players, and a good drummer.

 

very easy to play but I did find the prosteels a bit tinny so I’ve put some DR Pure Blues on instead.  They are my favourite nickels.

I took my MB Marcus head with a BF Super Twin and a compressor. Sounded very nice. Got a pretty good emulation of a P bass with some tweaking.

 

Might try the Tech21 head next week to see what I like best with it.