BTB NOTORIOUS V

[octaedro7]

Hi fellows,
I just wanted to introduce my prodigal son (in Spanish Basses are males):
[size=5][font="Impact"][color="#000080"]BTB Notorious V[/color][/font][/size]

This is my first tuning project. I bought this bass online on mid 2009, after several years of not playing a note. This is an Ibanez BTB 475; Mahogany body, 5 pc maple and bubinga neckthrough construction, Rosewood fingerboard, Mono-Rail II bridges and Mk2 pups and 18v preamp. 19 mm (3/4”) string spacing @ bridge with a very thin profile that I would describe as a bracket “(“ rather than a C. They are pretty known but I guess is important to give its specs.
This is the model numbering used in Europe. In the States was numbered as 575 with a flamed maple top although I’m not sure if the body is Mahogany too.
After some setup, the feeling and the sound of the bass really caught me. Soon after buying it I started to buy several other axes including a Cirrus fiver, an 82’ Musician and lately a Lakland 55-02 (does GAS rings any bells here?). While I dig all those basses a lot I’ve always considered my BTB as a tremendous instrument [s]for the money[/s] period.
I haven’t had the chance to try any other BTB from this very same year of production, not the same 475 nor the 675 (walnut over ash) nor 775 (poplar over mahogany). I don’t know if I was lucky and it’s just mine that sounds so great, but the tightness and depth of its tone is simply superb. Many experienced (to not say old ;-) and knowledgeable bassists including my teacher are of the same opinion. I’ve read in many places people complaining about the electronics, that they sound cheaply hi-fi and stuff like that. I was able to dial in several good tones with the MK2 preamp. That said, no doubt that the NTMB is in another league. Now the BTB growls like no other I have. It was “the” upgrade. His weakest characteristic is weight, not being an anvil at all, is my heavier bass. Unfortunately I have no means to weight it. I guess it’s around 4,5 kg (9,9 lbs).
The upgrades:
• My own designed perloid pickguard.
• Matching Pickups & Truss Roads perloid covers
• Hipshot’s Ultralight Black “Y” Tuners
• Aluminium Black Knobs a la 70’s Home Hi-Fi Amp-Receivers
• Bartolini NTMB-918F, 3 band with p/p switchable mids pot (250hz-800hz).
Obs:
The stock tuners are completely functional; I changed them just to clear some weight but mostly for aesthetics, so do the knobs.
When I purchased it, the pups were advertised as humbuckers (currently they are sold as quadcoils) but only two wires come out of them. They are dead silent but I was disappointed because I was expecting to use a switch to commute from serial-parallel-single. As I suspected, and contrary to what many people think of them just because they are made in Korea or Indonesia, they sound terrific.
To the bone, here are some more pictures and a couple of audio clips to show the tone and how it cuts through the mix. I’ll make some more when I have the time:
[url="http://soundcloud.com/emilio-valdez/btb-notorious-bridge"]Audio clip, 3/4 panned to the Bridge pickup. Bass and treble flat, mid pot at 2 o'clock @ 800hz. Straight to the sound card.[/url]
[url="http://soundcloud.com/emilio-valdez/btb-notorious-mid"]Audio Clip Mid panned pups. Eq flat, straight to the soundcard[/url]

Edited July 27, 2010 by octaedro7

[Balcro]

That is nice.

The sounds are rich, crisp and growly all at the same time. Thanks. Enjoy.

Balcro.

[Kongo]

Wow that's something you don't see everyday! Musta been some work I mean, BTB's don't have parts made for them like say a P-bass would...and you never see anyone touch them, even though they are awesome!
Own one of those myself, Quilted Maple top in a Cherry Red finish, and the 6-string up from it, the BTB556MP. Solid built basses and the 5-strings keep the same spacing as a 4-string for those picky about spacing.

Let's see some more interesting stuff like this!

[octaedro7]

Thanks folks, I did put in it a fairly amount of work, as it's my first time doing actual luthier's work.
The preamp, although being harnessed needed a bigger hole for the mid pot, and it fitted very tight so it was not an easy one.
The problem is that now that I'm finished I'm looking for some other things to upgrade . Eventually I'll build my own axe, but definitively need more experience for that.