Ibanez EHB 1505 vs 1006MS or maybe 1265

[Yago]

I am between these three.  I can’t still decide. I am not a fan of these natural poplar Burl finishes even though they look awesome, but they are pretty soft and everything is visiable and left marks right away. If this poplar Burl got some other processing or some lacquer. I would prolly go with it. That 1006 is also amazing. I love the one colour and I use high c a lot and its amazing to have both low and high notes. And from shat I’ve heard these t1 pickups sound also nice. Thats the reason I don’t want 1265 because they got these Bartolinis BH2 other than that amazing woods - ash and walnut as a top. If there were Nordstrands I would take her. I know about these mods like boost the pre and also switch to BEQ3 preamp - so maybe this would great amazing sound with Bartolinis. 

[80Hz]

Former EHB 1505 owner here. I found it great to play - ergonomics are excellent, and with the chambering it was very light. Not to mention it just looks wonderful and futuristic But you're correct, those low gloss finishes need to be babied as they will ding and mark just by looking at them (well, not quite, but you know what I mean).

 

I sold it as I just couldn't get a sound out of it that I was happy with. I must be the only person on the planet who doesn't dig Nordstrands!! The B string also had (to my ears) a strange inharmonic overtone that dominated the note.

 

So yeah, if you're interested in an EHB I would be tempted to go for one with a more "standard" poly finish.

 

I can also attest that the T1 pickups are excellent - I had a BTB 805 MS for a short time and it was a great sounding bass (I sold it because of the satin finish problem, it was an absolute boat anchor, and the German carve around the body was nearly slicing through my forearm).

 

Can't help you on the 1265, but my experience with the Nordstrands would lead me to not dismiss the Bartolinis out of hand - it just depends on the type of music you play and whether the tone profile of the Barts would be a good match.

[80Hz]

This prompted me to look at the Ibanez website and I see there are now EHB models with the Fishman Fluence pickups. I would definitely be checking out any demos of those. I came close to buying a SR MS720 earlier in the year as I thought the Fluences sounded great.

[crazycloud]

9 hours ago, Yago said:

Thats the reason I don’t want 1265 because they got these Bartolinis BH2 other than that amazing woods - ash and walnut as a top. If there were Nordstrands I would take her.

So swap them out for what you want if the rest of the bass does it for you.

 

Personally, I have lusted after the 1006 since I first saw/heard one.

[visog]

10 hours ago, 80Hz said:

This prompted me to look at the Ibanez website and I see there are now EHB models with the Fishman Fluence pickups. I would definitely be checking out any demos of those. I came close to buying a SR MS720 earlier in the year as I thought the Fluences sounded great.

Yep, new for this year although only in a five so far. If they do well, no doubt a four and a six will come along.

[80Hz]

Just now, visog said:

Yep, new for this year although only in a five so far. If they do well, no doubt a four and a six will come along.

 

I'm a longtime Ibanez fanboy so I really want the EHB series to be successful. Ibanez tend to do a good job of iterative refinements and improvements, so it's probably just a matter of time before "my" model comes along 🙂

[visog]

7 hours ago, 80Hz said:

 

I'm a longtime Ibanez fanboy so I really want the EHB series to be successful. Ibanez tend to do a good job of iterative refinements and improvements, so it's probably just a matter of time before "my" model comes along 🙂

EHBs are now in their fifth year so are reasonably well-established. And as you say, Ibanez are tinkering all the time. The EHBs have had different pick-ups, finishes, scale lengths and fanned frets.

[tauzero]

9 hours ago, 80Hz said:

 

I'm a longtime Ibanez fanboy so I really want the EHB series to be successful. Ibanez tend to do a good job of iterative refinements and improvements, so it's probably just a matter of time before "my" model comes along 🙂

 

I think there's 15 different models in the range now, and the 1265 has disappeared. The fact that there are so many models and they're increasing the range is a good sign. I'd like to see a fretless 5 in a natural finish.

[tauzero]

I haven't heard a 1265 with the original Bartolinis in the flesh - mine had them replaced with Aguilar DCBs and sounds great. I've heard the original 1265 pickups and the Nordstrand pickups in reviews, and the BH2s sounded slightly indistinct but the Nordstrands were very shouty - I thought they were rather too aggressive. And I hate trying to describe sound verbally.

[andruca]

I might come out as BITTER. Sorry for that. Thing is I DEFINITELY AM, after spending a lot of money in the fraud over the years.

 

My only advice is: AVOID BARTOLINIS AT ALL COSTS. They simply ignore how to manufacture pickups that don't sound dead. I've owned many, including the P452Js set I put in my 1005MS (the drop that broke the camel's back), and haven't owned nor played even one that's even been acceptable to me. The alnico Wilkinsons (under 3D printer covers) I have on now in my EHB are bizarrely better than those Bart quad coils, so yes, they're THAT BAD. Not dumping any more BIG money only to have instruments sound POORER and more generic. HUGE pile of decades long hype. My apologies to all snobs.

 

Told ya' I'm bitter, sorry.

Edited 13 hours ago by andruca

[tauzero]

1 hour ago, andruca said:

I might come out as BITTER. Sorry for that. Thing is I DEFINITELY AM, after spending a lot of money in the fraud over the years.

 

My only advice is: AVOID BARTOLINIS AT ALL COSTS. They simply ignore how to manufacture pickups that don't sound dead. I've owned many, including the P452Js set I put in my 1005MS (the drop that broke the camel's back), and haven't owned nor played even one that's even been acceptable to me. The alnico Wilkinsons (under 3D printer covers) I have on now in my EHB are bizarrely better than those Bart quad coils, so yes, they're THAT BAD. Not dumping any more BIG money only to have instruments sound POORER and more generic. HUGE pile of decades long hype. My apologies to all snobs.

 

Told ya' I'm bitter, sorry.

 

Do you ever post anything other than slagging off Bartolinis? Great pickups.

[Machines]

5 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

Do you ever post anything other than slagging off Bartolinis? Great pickups.

 

USA Bartolinis ? Yes. Mk1s ? Never been able to get them to sound good myself.