For Sale: Ibanez EHB1005SMS. 5 string 32-30 fan fret with £300 Aguilar DCB upgrade and improved side dots! PRICE DROP! - *SOLD* £800 Northants.

[fretmeister]

The eldest spawn is off to university in September and I need funds for everything from rent, books, computers etc etc.

So, alas, I have to sell a few things.

 

First up: Ibanez EHB1005SMS. 

 

This lovely thing is a Medium / Short scale 5 string. B string is 32 inch and the G is 30 inch.

 

It's very easy to play and sounds excellent with flats or rounds.

 

Full specs https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/modern-bass-guitars/ibanez-ehb1005smsemm-ehb-5-string-bass-in-emerald-green-metallic-matte

 

 

Pickup upgrades and the Preamp plug swap and the locking jack socket

 

It's no secret that the stock pickups are a bit uninspiring on these. So this one has been fitted with the wonderful Aguilar DCB humbuckers. Because of the angle they are the 6 string version and they were a whopping £300 from Bass Direct!

 

I've also done the preamp "modification" - TBH it's not really a mod as such. As stock the preamp has 2 plugs and 2 socket locations for each of them. When new the Output Socket is in the Unity position so the output of the bass is the same whether active or passive. I've swapped that to the 6db increase for when the preamp is on as I like a bit more output to match my other high output basses.

 

The other plug is about EQ. When new it is in a socket that makes the tone flat when the pots are all centred. I've moved that to the other socket that gives a little boost to bass and treble and reduces the mids a bit.

 

The plugs are very simple to move for any combination of the positions.

 

The locking jack socket was awful. It was so stiff that I'd have to take the bass off and put it on my lap just to get enough pressure on the switch to make it release. I know other owners on here have had the same issue. So the socket has had the internal spring removed. It is now just a normal high quality socket that won't break your thumb.

 

The preamp is a 3 band with a mid freq. The Treble control is a tiny bit bent but works perfectly. 

 

 

Other modifications

 

The large dots on the neck are just stickers. If you have a look at the reviews on this bass one of the complaints is that the tiny abalone dots are pretty much invisible against the roasted maple board. So I put some stickers on top. They are the easily removable laptop Webcam covering stickers.

 

In reviews you'll also see that the Glow-In-The-Dark side dots are beyond crap. Even with a powerful UV light shining on them they fade after less than 2 minutes and then are as impossible to see as the front dots are. I did originally try stickers on the side too but my thumb just moved them or rolled them up, or they just got stuck to my thumb!

 

So, the crap original dots have been removed and replaced with proper traditional side dots that now can be seen properly.

 

 

 

Strap Locks

 

It comes with the strap locks but not the strap itself.

 

 

 

Dings

 

As you can see from the photo there are a couple of dings on the headstock. The paint there is really really thin. I'm sure it could be touched up a bit with some superglue and a black sharpie. 

Those are the only dings I can see.

 

 

Strings

 

I play really lightly most of the time so I've got a set of Thomastik Jazz ROUNDS on it. They only come in one gauge and some might find the B a bit sloppy.

 

The headstock string retainers will apparently take a 140 B string. Biggest I've tried was a 136.

 

Ramp

 

The ramp that comes with these is a bit pointless. It's just a flat bit of wood that doesn't match the board radius and is too small anyway. I like a ramp so I've used some 2mm thick micro suction tape to mount it for a bit of a ramp effect and get it closer to the strings. If I was keeping the bass I'd get Andy to make me a proper one for it. The ramp will come off without leaving any marks

 

 

Sounds

 

It's a very versatile bass now it's had the pickup upgrades. 

 

Here's a video with Flatwounds with plenty of use of the B string.

 

VIDEO COLOUR: The strange colour effect on the bass in the video is just because of a green bass with a Green Screen effect for the background. The bass colour is just the usual Emerald Green Metallic.

 

If I had a blue screen instead of green it wouldn't have looked like that!

 

 

 

 

Gig Bag

 

It comes with a pretty good gig bag.

 

 

 

Brand new, these are a grand. With the £300 worth of Aguilars I'm looking for as close to £800 as I can get.

 

 

EDIT Chunky price drop to £725

 

Collection from Northants area please.

 

Not looking for any trades. The money will be spent on pots and pans, student rent and engineering books.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by fretmeister

[Machines]

Having recently bought an EHB1505, my attention is very much on these currently. This is an absolutely killer bass for someone wanting short scale and light weight, those upgrades make this a great deal.

[fretmeister]

Bump.

 

Don’t be afraid to make an offer.

[6feet7]

I’ve got one of these and done the exact same mods (pickups/side dots etc.)

It’s now my number one bass. I don’t think I’ve ever gelled so well with any instrument. If my eldest wasn’t at uni I’d be getting this like a shot. GLWTS. 

[fretmeister]

Short term Price drop to £725.

 

That's including the £300 aguilars.

[fretmeister]

Sold