Which Ibanez EHB?

[crazycloud]

On 04/05/2023 at 02:00, TheGreek said:

I really don't like the looks of these

I feel the same about FSOs. I think the EHBs look fine, but the ergos. weight and tone are more important to me.

[Kev]

There are a few bits I don't like.  The contour on the back feels odd, I really don't like how there's an odd space between the bottom of the fretboard and the body on the treble side, but otherwise I like the concept, just not the execution re: specs.

 

As for so many for sale, typical ibanez really, they make tons of the tons of different types and as such there's a lot around used too.  Nothing unusual I wouldn't say personally.

[franzbassist]

Can anyone recommend a good gig bag upgrade for the multiscale version?

[lemmywinks]

1 hour ago, franzbassist said:

Can anyone recommend a good gig bag upgrade for the multiscale version?

 

What's the overall length? 

 

I can fit the standard scale 1505 in a Gator Pro Go without removing the extra padding at the bottom, I imagine you'd have to remove it (or replace with thinner padding) for the MS version.

[Kev]

3 hours ago, franzbassist said:

Can anyone recommend a good gig bag upgrade for the multiscale version?

I've just taken a risk and ordered a Mono Vertigo guitar bag as it should fit my Leduc Headless, which is around 105cm long.  Ill let you know if it fits, but I imagine your ibby will be a similar length?

[franzbassist]

3 hours ago, Kev said:

I've just taken a risk and ordered a Mono Vertigo guitar bag as it should fit my Leduc Headless, which is around 105cm long.  Ill let you know if it fits, but I imagine your ibby will be a similar length?

Thanks @Kev.  Yes, the EHB is about the same.

[40hz]

Just picked up an EHB1005sms in Emerald.

 

Needed something lightweight with a shorter scale, to ease shoulder pain that's started to become a bit more prevalent of late.

 

When I first saw these I thought they were absolutely *horrendous* looking, but slowly over time, they've grown on me, and now I love the Cyberpunk aesthetic. It's striking if nothing else!

 

I was super dubious about the B-String being 32 inch, as we're conditioned to believe scale length is everything when it comes to a good B. However, bar the MTD KZ5 I had, this has the best B I've used! No flubby-ness and it speaks clearly.

 

The general hardware/finishing is of extremely high quality and it's nice to have a bass, like my old Modulus, that you trust to take a beating and deliver.

 

And finally, I don't get the whole thing of 'the Bartolinis are dark and crap, you must switch to Aguilars or Nordstrands' - I have never been the biggest Bart fan, but in this instance, the standard pickups are genuinely very good - some real depth and punch to them, and decent treble. If anything, sound-wise I'd say it's the preamp that's the issue. The treble frequency and highs are more 'hi-mids' to my ears and don't quite cut in the way I like.

 

All in all though, an absolutely stellar machine- can't wait to get it out on the road this weekend.

Edited May 12, 2023 by 40hz

[tauzero]

17 hours ago, 40hz said:

And finally, I don't get the whole thing of 'the Bartolinis are dark and crap, you must switch to Aguilars or Nordstrands' - I have never been the biggest Bart fan, but in this instance, the standard pickups are genuinely very good - some real depth and punch to them, and decent treble. If anything, sound-wise I'd say it's the preamp that's the issue. The treble frequency and highs are more 'hi-mids' to my ears and don't quite cut in the way I like.

 

I wouldn't describe them as dark, as I don't even know what dark means in an aural context. I thought they were somewhat lacking in clarity, a bit woolly. If mine had come with the original Barts in it, I'd have thought about the suggested change to Aguilars, but as it came with the Aguilars already in, that saved making the decision.

[franzbassist]

I went ahead and bought an EHB1006.  It is, without doubt, the easiest playing six I have owned.

 

What I like:

• It weighs just 7 lbs!
• It looks fab: the roasted maple against the grey is uber sexy IMO
• It sounds fab: the T1 pickups are great and the EQ is very versatile
• Setup out of the box was perfect
• The ramp is a nice addition

What I don't like:

• QC issues: grey finish missed in a couple of less obvious spots (neck bolt recess, tint patch under the bridge)
• As many people have said, the rear strap position combined with the wedge shape angles the neck away from the hand, forcing you to twist your wrist.  I have added a second button below the bridge (near the jack) and it has completely transformed how the bass plays.  
• The luminlay dots are rubbish: even if you charge them with a torch you're lucky if they last twenty minutes, and when they fade you can't see anything on a darkened stage
• The plastic knobs are tacky: decent metal ones on order.

Edited May 12, 2023 by franzbassist

[lemmywinks]

On 10/05/2023 at 22:08, 40hz said:

Just picked up an EHB1005sms in Emerald.

 

Needed something lightweight with a shorter scale, to ease shoulder pain that's started to become a bit more prevalent of late.

 

When I first saw these I thought they were absolutely *horrendous* looking, but slowly over time, they've grown on me, and now I love the Cyberpunk aesthetic. It's striking if nothing else!

 

I was super dubious about the B-String being 32 inch, as we're conditioned to believe scale length is everything when it comes to a good B. However, bar the MTD KZ5 I had, this has the best B I've used! No flubby-ness and it speaks clearly.

 

The general hardware/finishing is of extremely high quality and it's nice to have a bass, like my old Modulus, that you trust to take a beating and deliver.

 

And finally, I don't get the whole thing of 'the Bartolinis are dark and crap, you must switch to Aguilars or Nordstrands' - I have never been the biggest Bart fan, but in this instance, the standard pickups are genuinely very good - some real depth and punch to them, and decent treble. If anything, sound-wise I'd say it's the preamp that's the issue. The treble frequency and highs are more 'hi-mids' to my ears and don't quite cut in the way I like.

 

All in all though, an absolutely stellar machine- can't wait to get it out on the road this weekend.

 

Do you find the BH2 pickups sound better passive? Tbh it might be that the 3EMP3LD preamp is just a bad fit for them as it has no shortage of high end with the Nordstrand equipped EHB, it's not something I feel the need to switch out in fact I cut a lot of highs to get to where I like. Did you try changing the preamp connector from VM3 to BEQ3? That was supposed to boost the treble according to some people, although others said the BEQ3 was muddy like the old MkI preamp so as usual YMMV. There's also a +6db boost connector on that preamp.
 

[Kev]

48 minutes ago, lemmywinks said:

 

Do you find the BH2 pickups sound better passive? Tbh it might be that the 3EMP3LD preamp is just a bad fit for them as it has no shortage of high end with the Nordstrand equipped EHB, it's not something I feel the need to switch out in fact I cut a lot of highs to get to where I like. Did you try changing the preamp connector from VM3 to BEQ3? That was supposed to boost the treble according to some people, although others said the BEQ3 was muddy like the old MkI preamp so as usual YMMV. There's also a +6db boost connector on that preamp.
 

I didn't have any issues with the preamp, seemed pretty transparent.  I found the BH2s themselves to be very lacking in high end clarity and deep lows, "woolly", as I think someone put it, describes them well.  They're just not very exciting pickups.  The upgrade I did to real Barts was night and day, and Nordstrand models naturally have a ton more high end, but in fairness they're a different type of Pickup altogether (single coil models in the ibbys, aren't they?)

[lemmywinks]

22 minutes ago, Kev said:

I didn't have any issues with the preamp, seemed pretty transparent.  I found the BH2s themselves to be very lacking in high end clarity and deep lows, "woolly", as I think someone put it, describes them well.  They're just not very exciting pickups.  The upgrade I did to real Barts was night and day, and Nordstrand models naturally have a ton more high end, but in fairness they're a different type of Pickup altogether (single coil models in the ibbys, aren't they?)

 

Big Splits in the EHB so hum cancelling split coils, most Nord equipped Ibanez have Big Singles or the CND variation of them I think.

 

I also really like the preamp but maybe it isn't the best fit for the licensed Barts which do have a reputation of being dark, suits the Nords really well though.

Edited May 12, 2023 by lemmywinks

[lemmywinks]

Was there ever any clarification on what the BEQ3 and VM3 voicings are btw and do they change the frequency points of the eq?

 

So far most people seem to think the VM3 is pretty transparent whereas the BEQ3 is slightly scooped. I know they are meant for different pot configs (varimid being VM3) but the general consensus is that there's other differences as well.

[Kev]

24 minutes ago, lemmywinks said:

 

Big Splits in the EHB so hum cancelling split coils, most Nord equipped Ibanez have Big Singles or the CND variation of them I think.

 

I also really like the preamp but maybe it isn't the best fit for the licensed Barts which do have a reputation of being dark, suits the Nords really well though.

AH okay didn't know that, fair enough then!

 

Perhaps I am also talking of my experience with a different preamp, the one I had (and found transparent, and thus quite revealing of the chinese Bart character) was the one fitted to an SRMS805?

[lemmywinks]

1 minute ago, Kev said:

AH okay didn't know that, fair enough then!

 

Perhaps I am also talking of my experience with a different preamp, the one I had (and found transparent, and thus quite revealing of the chinese Bart character) was the one fitted to an SRMS805?

 

I think the 3EMP3LD preamp has been in everything for a while now as it's their modular design so chances are it will have been the same.

[Kev]

On 09/05/2023 at 18:06, franzbassist said:

Thanks @Kev.  Yes, the EHB is about the same.

Can confirm the Vertigo guitar case is a perfect fit for my 105cm headless, highly recommend 👍🏻

[TheGreek]

This one??

 

https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/ibanez-ehb-series-e-bass-ehb1000s-gold-metallic-mat-bag/1457815932

[Gonzuki]

I carry my EHB1005MS on a mono guitar sleeve, it fits just fine.

[franzbassist]

Here’s mine, with the extra strap button and some transfer dots.

[visog]

Franzbassist,

 

I've got that one too. Mine came with a gig bag. I see you've put markers on the neck. Good addition. I still get lost down low or high...

[franzbassist]

30 minutes ago, visog said:

I've got that one too. Mine came with a gig bag. I see you've put markers on the neck. Good addition. I still get lost down low or high...

Yes mine came with the standard gig bag too.  Decent enough but a tight fit at the headstock with minimal padding there.

 

The dots are just transfers from Amazon.  Do the job for now but might get them drilled out in due course.

Edited May 14, 2023 by franzbassist

[Wolfram]

I've had the EHB1506MS for about 18 months now. I actually really like the tone - the stock Nordstrand pickups are really versatile. I actually use it in passive mode more often than active,  though again the active preamp enables you to dial in just about any tone type you could want. Despite the looks I think this bass could definitely be an all-rounder.

 

However... as others have said, the build quality leaves something to be desired. i get that the price point is attractive for a bass with these features, but mine (bought brand new) has a catalogue of fit and finish issues (ugly white pore filler left all over the neck, patches where the finish appeared worn, a couple of small but noticeable gouges on the side of the neck/fingerboard... and just a general utilitarian feeing that it doesn't quite fit together right, that the pieces have just dropped off a machine and been screwed together, and the playability (which is good btw) resulted from components like the height- and width-adjustable saddles being adjusted to correct for alignment issues. For the record, I think it's one of the ugliest basses/guitars you can buy.

 

So why did I buy mine at all? I wanted an extremely portable six-string bass to sling in the car along with Stuart Clayton's excellent Giants of Bass series, on a trip to the French Alps. Wife and daughter were skiing; not my thing, so I decided to learn to play bass that week 😀 It completed this mission very satisfactorily.

 

In comparison, the used Dingwall AB2 I bought recently (I know.. different price point) blows it comprehensively out of the water in every way (except it is obviously much larger and less portable). Fit, finish and quality are absolutely impeccable and its tone and sustain are on another level, particularly that low B (even though mine is just passive). But I've kept the EHB because I do still enjoy its sweet sound, particularly for solo fingerstyle work. If only it had been a £2k bass built with a bit of love!

Cheers, David

[Kev]

1 hour ago, Wolfram said:

i get that the price point is attractive for a bass with these features

Have to say, at ~£1,500, it shouldn't have any flaws.  I'd have sent it back for the issues you've listed if you paid anything like that.

 

I agree that I would rather they drop the fancy woods and fancy features than have a bass with a myriad of finishing issues and just build a good bass worthy of the price point.  Dingwall absolutely nailed that whole ideology with the combustion series, though sadly they're becoming far from affordable now.

[Wolfram]

18 minutes ago, Kev said:

Have to say, at ~£1,500, it shouldn't have any flaws.  I'd have sent it back for the issues you've listed if you paid anything like that.

 

I agree that I would rather they drop the fancy woods and fancy features than have a bass with a myriad of finishing issues and just build a good bass worthy of the price point.  Dingwall absolutely nailed that whole ideology with the combustion series, though sadly they're becoming far from affordable now.

I paid £1400 new, but on reporting the issues the dealer offered to refund £120 for me to keep it,so I did. I've seen two more since, and both had similar issues. 

[bnt]

Don't forget there's a quick preamp mod you can do to engage "+6dB Mode", if you feel you need more oomph from the preamp. Low End Lobster shows it around the 5 min mark in this video.