Ibanez SR605E - The New Standard for SoundGear Basses is on The Right Track - LowEndLobster Review
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
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Hey everyone! Today we're going to be reviewing the Soundgear SR605E from Ibanez. This bass is the successor to the SoundGear staple - the SR500 series. This new SR605E brings upgraded Nordstrand electronics and better quality materials to the table, but are these upgrades enough to make this Soundgear a budget champion? Let's find out!
This bass and all my other basses with rounds are strung with SIT Foundation Nickel Plated Stainless Steel 45-105(125) unless otherwise noted. Check them out at sitstrings.com/
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I like the quality control on the cat.
I bought this bass, because to my ears it was by far the best sounding bass in the price range. It looks unbelievable, too! After almost 14 years on a cheap p-bass copy (brand is called Aria) this is a major upgrade and I can't stop myself from picking this thing up every chance I get. As a person who doesn't know anything about fixing electronics I have no idea how bad the quality control is on my particular SR605, therefore I can't name anything negativ about this freaking beauty!
the only thing i know about aria basses is that cliff burton used one, so i only connect good things to them.
@@bthonk actually I'm also still impressed with the value I got out of my ~150$ Aria bass, even now that I am playing the ~800$ Ibanez
@@sanyo_neezy so im guessing aria basses are good?
Can't complain at all, bro :)
The only issue I have is that the output has a loose connection and it seems to be kinda hard for technicians to resolve fully since it keeps reappearing.
But the sound is really good and the playability is actually insane once you get your set up done :)
The aria basses are kind of a two edged sword.
They made amazingly good instruments in the 80s and 90s.
If you can get your hands on an aria pro dating back to that time. The neck-through constructed ones were made in Japan.
I had another aria here about 3 or 5 years ago.
Dark as night compared to the light of older times. Quality issues all around. Bad pickups, bad electronics. Swapped them out for a complete emg set.
Neck and body were good. Sold it after a while, when I switched over to 5-strings only.
Don't be fooled. Some are great, some are atrocious.
Would still say -> ok for a beginner.
I’m getting mine tomorrow, I’m so excited. Im not worried about the finish tbh, I’ll just repaint it later if need be and make more unique and different from the only 2 available lol
Awesome pickups. It is actually interesting that under the cover the BEA coil has two poles per string (all exposed), but for the DG coil there are three poles per string (only two are exposed, and the third one is under the cover).
I've been eyeing this model for months now and there are no (in my opinion) good demos out there, so thanks for making this one!
I normally find Ibanez basses to sound really anemic and lifeless but this one sounds great!
That's the Nordstrand pickups you're hearing. This is the cheapest Ibanez to come with them. Most Ibanez basses in this price range have Bartolini pickups which are more mellow, not as bright.
I have the SR600 and love it. Got it for the Norstrand pickups. Mine sounds great and it is so light. After a long, hard day at work it’s not gonna kill you shoulder or back. As always great video and have a great day!
I keep an extra bolt on neck screw in my took kit - it's handy for those control cavity cover plates that are really tight and get stuck. Just put the tip of that big fat screw into one of the screw holes of the cover plate and rotate clockwise just enough to get sufficient 'grab' to pull that cover plate out. I've done this probably thousands of times and works great.
In case it hasn’t been mentioned here the string spacing is adjustable on the SREs starting on the SR500E and going up the range. Owners may want to experiment with the string spacing. I’d personally watch out for the string alignment with the pole pieces.
I would love to have both a four string model in the blue finish and a six string model. Currently the four is $750-$800 and the six is $850 so I’d have to wait for one to surface on the used market.
After reading and wading thru what seems like endlessly bland uninformative reviews of various Ibanez models online, I finally find one (yours!) that is actually useful and helps make a purchase decision. I'm happy to say your comments were favorable and useful enough to convince me to pull the trigger on a new one. Not only does this model seem to meet the quality/dollar value criteria for an instrument you would want to live with, carry around and play regularly anywhere you go, it has the distinction of not being ugly or just so basic looking like so many other brands. Additionally, it clearly plays well in your capable hands and its my hope that it will be completely acceptable for my use. Just to clarify my position, I have an upper end SR series (SR1305SB) that I really like but wanted something a bit less pricey to carry around as a gigging instrument that would still play and perform well. Of course, I didn't want to go too cheap and end up disappointed with the quality of the instrument. Thanks to your help I believe I hit the sweet spot. Consider me subscribed to your channel ongoing. :) You truly Rock!!!
Hi Thomas, your comments are so relevant to my current situation. I'm thinking about buying this SR600e bass. I could buy it now or wait a few months, pay $840 more dollars, and get the new Sr1350b model that would be quite similar to your 1305SB. It's for a gigging bass - pubs and weddings - and I don't have another good bass right now. Any advice based on your experience?
@@steveperry4243 the higher priced model has a better finish and holds tune better over a long period of time so if those things are really important to you, you should wait, but if you can deal with an instrument that plays just as well and sounds just as good but maybe lacks a bit in the detail and finish department, by all means go for the less expensive model. I travel with this instrument and find it completely satisfactory. Its not as pretty as the one that costs twice as much but i have made my peace with that. If it gets messed up its not as much a loss either
@@thomaswomack3888 Great comments Thomas. Thanks for taking time to respond. You really helped me make my decision so I very much appreciate that. I ordered the sr600e.
@@steveperry4243 I am so glad to hear that please let me know how you like it. after you get the action set up on it I think you will be in love with it. I can't wait to hear how it works for you.
@@thomaswomack3888 will do! Should be here tomorrow or Tuesday. I’ll update you this week.
There's more variety in that basses tone than my whole album!
Sounds great love the distinct clarity of each string , / notes
I purchased this bass new and have to say it sounds amazing. Just to comment on a few things discussed… there is no evidence that the finish will wear away any sooner then any other instrument, it is a quality finish. I had no reason to open the cavity cover, but I did out of curiosity. There is not much room inside with wires neatly secured. The bass is dead quiet and with the battery in it’s own compartment there honestly is no reason to fool around in there. Nice tonal options with mid frequency controls too… ignore what sounds best soled that’s irrelevant find what works in a band/mix setting. Thanks for the review.
That sneaked-in "Zelda Ocarina of TIme" music when transitioning from Lobster hand to Bass playing.... loved it... nice touch. 😀
I recently bought and...fantastic bass, thanks for the review which helped me to take this decision.
I love Ibanez basses. I own 4 of the higher end models where they have better quality control. Better shielding and wiring.
Hey Lobster, Thank you for this review. I have got the SR505E. I was thinking of changing pickups to big singles. But since I have adjusted string to pickup height(important sound changer), redone string 12inch radius at the bridge, really sounds great. No need to change pickups.
Also I have used the Hi beams(Great strings), now the Rotosound RS665-LD (Great Strings too), last pack to try is the slinky cobalts (just for fun happy with Rotosound much)
So far I am happy with the bass, sounds great with the Bartolini BH2. Correct setup makes a huge difference. Down side is the soft body, dents. But teaches me to look after my bass.
Hopefully the newer accucast bridges are better than the ones from a few years ago that consistently bent/broke where the ball end was anchored. Thankfully Ibanez still sends replacements for free when I get those in at the shop, but still. Thanks for the video Lobster!
Idk I'm questioning the accucast on the sr600e
This is still the same SKU, so not likely
Mine (it's actually a six string model) has noiseless electronics and the cavity looks much better (yet still crowded), but the neck seems less smooth to the touch than the neck of the lower end model, the 306 that I bought a few years ago. And the fretwork out of the box was also much worse than in case of that cheaper bass. It was an easy fix though, and given the sonic flexibility the instrument is still a gem in its price range. And as far as the quality control, I think the Ibanez company should redefine its priorities there. What they seem to do is offer more and more sophisticated and eye-catching finishes and wood combinations which naturally elevates the manufacturing costs. To keep the prices within the acceptable range, the company must then reduce the manufacturing lead time which affects the QC as well. Hence blemishes, rough fret edges, uneven frets and poorly cut nuts even in their "premium line" instruments. If that's the deal, I don't accept it. And yet, I bought my SR606 instead of the "premium''' 1346 because of the finish issues I mentioned above.
Nice review as always, and your cat is a real beauty.
Cheers from Poland.
Thank you for the great comment :)
Great Job Lobster, another very informative review. Pretty much the only reviews I go to are on your channel. Great job, keep it up.
I NEED THIS!!!!
Great vid
I like a suction cup for removing tight control plates.
This was well beyond a suction cup hahaha, there was a good 1-2mm of extra material. The cover wouldn't even fit back in until I sanded it significantly.
Yikes
Used to have an Ibanez BTB575 and HATED the Bart MKIIs. I could never get a sound that wowed me. Loved the body and playability though. Wish I still had it.
Added bonus with you giving your cat some love-n while playing. Funny.
Got the SR650 with the PJ set up. Love it.
Very nice bass!! Pretty cool you were able to snatch it up locally! Never know what the next person owns lol I absolutely love that neck!! I’ve never been a fan of Ibanez “except theATK” but this one growls!! Them Nords sound killer!! Ps. That opening bassline you played was beautiful lob!!! 🦞 🤘🤘
The SR500s are also known for having the same ultra-thin finish. Almost every one I ever see used has a big chunk rubbed out of the finish around the pickups.
i could see the appeal for certain people who like their instruments look worn you know? its hard to achieve these days with the poly finishes
i purchased a sr605e and it was riddled with QC issues so I had to send it back, the worst offender was one of the bridge mounting screws (mounting bridge to body) had the screw-head broken off! So bummed cause I loved the bass but that QC issue coupled with a bunch of others led me to return it. instead, I bit the bullet and doubled my budget to get the SR1345B (Premium) and its fantastic--great build quality! I'd love to see you review an SR Premium bass sometime soon!
Bummer to hear about that! I definitely will check out some higher end soundgears in the future (and hopefully BTBs too)
@@LowEndLobster Yeah all the 500/600 levels I've played over the years have been really good. I wonder if QC is lowered because of pandemic. Yeah I'd love to see you review some SR and BTB Premiums! I'm curious about the newer Jackson Pro Spectra's as well
I have the same control cover problem with my EHB 1505, and it costs twice the price of the that SR605E! What makes it worse is that 2 weeks after I got the bass the neck pickup stopped working and I had to send it out to an Ibanez repair facility to have it fixed. I was happy they honored the warranty and I got the bass back in three days with a brand new pickup, but they didn't bother to fix the control cavity issue, which they had to know about since they would have had to remove it to replace the pickup! I can understand sometimes there are production issues and the pickup did work when it received it, it just sucked to have to ship the bass out to have it fixed but they treated me well so I can be understanding with that issue. But the control cover issue is pretty annoying.
I didn't think to file it down some, I will probably do that if I ever have to take it off again.
Sounds amazing
Great review. With those bridges you can set it at 18mm
This is true!
I don’t typically like the sound of Ibanez basses. But this one sounds very good.
I like 18.5 spacing. That is fast and comfortable.
I bought SR1205 for my birthday last year. I agree with there are some QC issue. For example mine has a fret level issue on 15th fret on G string. It really kept me busy to fix it. Since it is ok now It is awesome bass. Also after this model I bought a FGN bass unfortunately there is a huge QC and Settings gap between Ibanez and FGN. FGN was more superior out of the box.
Having heel adjustment solves one of the weaknesses of the SR500 - on the SR500 the “fairy door” hatch installation means that the nut doesn’t sit on a solid piece of wood so it’s quite easy for the nut to ping off
I've never been a huge fan of the SR series but this bass sounds really good. These Nords are killer pickups! Thumbs up for the passive mode and tone control. I'd definitely like an Ibby like this one - it would be a great bass for long gigs (weight!) and to go on tour so I wouldn't have to risk taking my beloved Alembic Essence to far away places I've never been to ;-) I only wish Ibanez updated the headstock design a bit. While not nearly as fugly as in the Talman, it's, well... just bland. But we've already discussed that, haven't we ;-)
I love your reviews, many thanks! One thing that would be incredibly useful is if you say where each bass is made; it's a major factor when I'm deciding whether to buy a particular bass or how much I'm prepared to pay for it.
Nice work as always Lobster 🦞
Sounds pretty good!!! I'm really liking my SR506 since I had Bartolini CBCMK6 pickups and a Bartolini active/passive pre-installed!!! Night and day difference compared to the stock MK1 pickups and pre!!!
Good review Lobster. I too appreciate the SR series for those same functions and usability. I really like my 505. Though an older one with a 2 position mid switch, which I don't use much. The thin finish is a bit bothersome. The cavity cover would be an easy fix once I got it off. The finish however... I agree. Cheap & thin. I'm not a fan of the blue. I'd sand it off and stain it to a complimentary or similar color and urethane a gloss clear coat. I just love warm wood grain tones. The cavity is tight as well. Modding it would be a little difficult. Stacked and push/pull controls won't work in this cavity. So you'll have to know how you want to mod it. Great review Dr Lobster. I appreciate all your in depth studies of your "bass patients". Until you groove again ✌️😎👍🎸
Yea I agree I’m not a fan of that color either, be cool if he did sand it off and did something different with it. I’ve never done anything like that tho
I agree. Let the pros do it, if you're unsure. I'm not a fan of the tiger wood grain either. A nice translucent colored laquer would be cool. A warm amber or light brown I'm thinking.
Looking at getting a sr2600 and this was the closest review of your's to that. Thanks for it!
I genuinely can't concentrate on anything you're saying when a cat arrives, due to cuteness overload issues.
Great review Lobster 🦞 That 605 sounds sick... In my experience, the Mid level on up on the SR series are all excellent for professional use. I think it's a preference thing, Nords or Barts... The QC gets better as you climb the quality ladder like the Prestige Series, but then you are into USA Fender and Gibson money.
This bass sounds awesome! That’s such a shame for Ibanez QC. Hoshino Gakki should re-consider its roots in Japanese craftsmanship with design and manufacturing.
I found in my junk drawer a suction cup thing designed to go on a window to hang something on but I use it for removing control cavity plate, I'll never go back. There is a "suction pig" out there that would probably work. No more prying, poking, or drilling. Unless you like. Nice vid! Thanks!
3 rules : Shiny Girls, shiny guitars & shiny cars. No dry wood. The guitar wears down. Iam telling from experience. Thank you for the rewiew. Great job.
Honest review! Hey, a hack for the control cavity is something with a suction cup on it. 💯
Great review and a very nice sounding bass with excellent features. Hopefully they pay more attention to QC in the future.
Had mine for a while I love it plus very light It's killer bass good workhorse bass the tones are versatile and sound great but I also bought a brand new ibanez btb 20th anniversary 6 string for 1400 Beautiful sounding and playing bass but after a week's playing started getting a horrible buzzing noise Opened up control cavity and it was a horrible mess of wires and the preamp was loose I got some thin foam wrapped it around it carefully placed it back organized wire mess as much as possible put it all back together and never had anymore issues kept it for a year than traded it towards a used schector elite els 5 string with the Fishman fluence pickups and pre amps which is one of the best sounding and playing basses I've ever had in 42 years playing bass I use it and the 605 on gigs but the 605 is still lighter and more of a old school vibe But I was really pissed off with the quality control issue on my brand new ibanez btb 20th anniversary 6 string fortunately I was able to fix it but the wiring was a mess
But it seems quality control is inconsistent on a lot of Ibanez and squire basses Bought my granddaughter a nicer gsr 4 string and it was perfect just had to do a set up But my friend bought a talman 4 string the 300 one and not happy with it
The petting the cat move while playing…priceless!
I have one of this. Great sound, but I agree with the bad shielding. I had to send to my luthier, for a fret leveling and a shielding job. Now, it´s great.
I recommend to put some clear tape on the places that the tumb touches the bass, to avoid scratching.
You should do a review of the cat. Looks awesome btw.
Well done . . . thanks! I found out about this Ibanez model basically by accident, and I'm glad I did. I ordered a brown burst 4 string version online today for $680, which seems like a lot for an Indonesian-made instrument, until you take a closer look at those specs. I'll check it over carefully when it arrives, but I appreciate your heads up on some of the QC issues. If there are too many problems it will go back.
Currently looking for a new bass to play for live sets and honestly these soundgears are looking fab! I currently exclusively play my Dingwall Combustion 5 live, but finding strings has been a right nuisance and the bass is also very sentimental to me, so finding a bass that I can tour with no problem is my best bet. Found a 6 string version with an Ash top which I am gonna snag as soon as I can. They're lovely bass, tonal quality is insane on them!
Had a 370 maple. The idea was that it would balance on the knee. It was so thin and rounded, it would slide off and light enough so it would neck dive. The finish was hastily masked and looked cheap. Sound was interesting and you could definitely get booming bass and some thin nasally bridge flavor with limited mids. Dialing in a moderately punchy sound was time consuming. You really get subwoofer bass with no thump or high brittle nasal sounds. I sent that puppy back.
Wow Lobster, other than modding the Hardware, ever thought about refinishing your used basses as well? Would be fun to watch..
I bought an sr675 prior to these coming out. Doh! It looks and feels great though so the electronics are getting swapped for Nordstrand Big Rigs and Nordy preamp.
Looks a lot like the Jackson Pro Spectra Bass which also has Nordstrands in it. The bass that Bully has and gave a thumbs up for. I gave one a spin at a Guitar Center and it seems the same quality control issues may plague the Jackson as it does the Ibanez. It had a loose treble pot that was just spinning freely and as a result caused the wiring to get janked up because the preamp wasn't working right either. Plus, in pictures the stain looked great, but in person it just seemed thin and easily damaged; again like the Ibanez it appears.
I agree, Jackson pretty blatantly stole the design from Ibanez
Is this video in "Your opinion"? Just messing with you. Another great video.
XD Thank you
I had one of these left handed and the only reason I got rid of it was because of the finish. It’s so thin and I’ve seen so many examples with worn finishes exactly where you would rest your thumb on. Great basses but the thin finish is a big flaw imo.
mine went from mayte to high gloss.
I have to say, your review was, well, "Nitpicky" (not sure it that's a word), but you get the picture. I have the predecessor, the SR655 with the Antique brown stained finish. I have had it since 8/2020, and I play 3-5 nights per week, and I have not experienced any wearing of the "thin" finish. As far as the wiring goes, I don't really care about the excess wiring in the cavity, the bass is dead quiet and has a beautiful tone, so what's the point? I also have the SR5FMDX, with the Big split pup's and it is a beautiful bass. Your reviews are interesting, but it seems like you're looking for things to complain about, no matter how minor they are, and the nitpicking on this bass is very minor.
I'd really like to see you review the any of the Premium or Prestige Line, SR 1300, !600 or 2600, if possible. I'm very curious to see if those have or are free of those pesky QC problems. I'm on the fence on getting the SR1600 or a SR2600. Both look great but do they merit the $1,500 - 1,700 pricetag? Thanks, and love the channel!
Great review as always!! Your channel is a nice place to hang around. Has a nice vibe (even if it as low end vibe ;)). I look forward for your take on the MarkBass GV series.
My main bass is the SR500 and I’ve also got an SR300. I removed the stock electronics and pickups from the SR300 and fitted a Bart MK1 I got on Reverb in the middle position with just a master volume/tone. The pickup sounds really nice without having to go through the Ibanez preamp. I hate how the stock SR500 preamp has the volume pot in the preamp circuit rather than it being in front of it. I’m considering removing the EQ from my 500 and going with master volume and master tone with a 3 way switch
If you have a good amp or use a preamp pedal you might as well go passive and keep it simple. Some basses sound better without a preamp.
The SR500 is not the best bass in the world too. The preamp is perfect on my prestige in fact when i bough it (used) the preamp was an Aguilar OP3. Ive swap the Aguilar for the original preamp from my second Prestige bass. A high end bass makes all the difference. Transparent, 3 way switch for the Mids, passive mode etc. I can get every tone that i want and the preamp works perfectly. Believe me i own a lots of bass with differents wood, construction etc. The Ibanez preamp blow out of the water a lot of preamp.
Ibanez QC has always been solid on Premium and Prestige models IME. Lower models are more hit and miss though. I think important to remember that Ibanez produces more basses than almost any other company out there. So more chances for lemons.
what about the Workshop series?
sure enjoy every video you do, you get the player. And you like cats. My cat, girl cat, appreciates you as well
Thank you Goat!
I've read on forums that people say replacing the preamp to something else improves the sound significantly.
I love those pickups!
Between this and the G&L tribute l-2500 in frost with maple neck.
The 605 is certainly prettier, but i've always been kinda weary of split pickups, the nordstrands sound decent tho.
Aye! lovely
Nice bass. I like the EB 305 frettless with the power tap switch.
I have the same model in black and, yeah, there's a witness mark from my thumb. But hey, character. I don't sell them anyway.
I had to give the bridge ground a little help, but otherwise it's been dead quiet. Same issue with the electronics cover on mine. It's damn rewarding to play though.
Love mine have the black one too gig 6 times a month with it in 2 different bands it's versatile with different genres of music I've had no issues with mine
great video as always!
Hello Lobster! I have an Ibanez SR900 with Bartolini M1 Pick-ups, I don't really care for them. Perhaps I need to go back to the bass (I have been playing mainly a Fender American Jazz) and see if I can use the Knobs better! Lol
Yeah, I had an SR505 and moved onto a Dingwall Combustion 5 and the string spacing has been hard work to adjust to but for playing with a pick there is no contest. The wider spacing makes life much eaiser, though I miss the light weight of the Ibanez. Didn't really like the multiscale Ibanez I tried, much prefer the Dingwall.
Question lobster. Just got a Mexican mustang with the geezer butler emg PJ set. Love the tone but when the selector is in the “both” position the jazz pickup is definitely not engaged. The jazz pickup solo’d works fine but is a bit too bright honestly. Any idea on what could be causing this ? And should I be scared to mess with electronics if I haven’t don’t it before ?
I will admit it, I the "long wires" to put it nicely had me laughing.
Thanks Lob. U finally did the review. Yahhhh. Thanks Thanks Thanks
One of my great disappointments was the SR600E I ordered last year. I waited for it seemingly forever, and when I got ir, tuned it up, and...electronics failed. EQ didn't work. I didn't just want a passive bass. I ended up returning it as warranty repairs was going to take forever. Oh well
Oh yeah, getting the back cover off was impossible. Short of using a ascrewdriver to pry it off it wasn't moving. I never did manage to get it off as I didn't want to take a chace d mar the finish and give anyone an excuse to void the warranty as it wasn't working,
Sweet bass.
The control layouts on these newer Ibanez preamps are cool but they are still too noisy in my experience.
I have this bass, well it's the 605 no E and these basses have carbon fiber reinforcement in the neck. Mine has some hum on the bridge pick-up, I need to look into that soon... The plain 605 does not have the three way switch which i could care less and I'm surprised about the cavity cover on yours...Mine does not have a finish issue...
I have a 505 with the Bartolini's. Would love to see a review of that model on the channel
My first 5 string was an Ibanez. I think that's why I am so stuck on 16.5mm
Hello lobster! I love your reviews , they are os complete. One question. Would you say that the playability on this and on the premium series are similar?
Good review Next Cort GB Modern 5 Lobster .
I'd like to see a review of an Ibanez Prestige SR4605 Bass.
That might be a fun review.
You reviewed a Jackson Spectra Pro that you said was made to compete with this if I recall. Any further thoughts?
Hey Lob! Awesome as always! The best reviews on RUclips! I want to ask your opinion between this Ibanez 605e and the Fender Jazz bass Player plus V. I'm looking for good punch and definition. Also the spacing between strings is very important.
Thanks in advance.
All the best!
Interesting, about the backplate not coming off (easily). I had a Schecter Stiletto Extreme that was like that, HOWEVER, on the Schecter, the 9V battery was under that hatch! So, it was a must to access the cavity! BTW…I’m guessing that you noticed all the 60 Hz noise you were getting? It seemed to be coming from the bridge pickup. When you went fully to the neck pick, it diminished almost completely. Thanks for all you do!
thanks! for sharing bro
Nice video. Thin finishes are great, heck Fender charges 4 grand for custom shop relics.
It seems like every instrument I've seen lately has QC issues. Not sure if this is the new norm or temporary issues due to covid and other things.
I have an ibanez sr1205 vnf, the last of the premium left handed models. Was my go to bass until I picked up an MTD Kingston super 5 which, in my opinion, was just a nicer bass all round
Nice review ,I like the tone How does it compare to the ehb1005 tone wise?
So take it to a tech and have them clean up the wiring, shielding and cavity cover issues, then enjoy. I always expect inexpensive instruments to need some TLC and/or a setup.
Quality control is an issue. Cracking pots, cheap turner's, strings let this bass down. Once I sorted those issues out, it's a great bass.
For stuck covers I recommend one of those sucker things used for getting dents out of car body panels, they lift 'em right off first try.
That bass sounds lovely, currently considering a 5 string. It's nice but is it a btb beater? That's my 1st choice
Ibanez reminds me of Samsung. Tons of features, ideas and finish options but always some flaws or missteps (usually mediocre pickup and pre amp tone) until you get into the most expensive lines
Its more easily damaged due to the lighter wood. Its a trade off for lighter weight overall.
Hey Lobster,
Thank you very much for reviewing this bass, as I got the same model :D I think it sounds amazing and soundwise it's a huge step up from the bartolini bh2 and MK1. The thin finish is very unfortunate as I find it very appealing and different than all the other basses out there. The bridge is very nice but I think it has a bit of a problem: strings with a heavier gauge than .150 are hard to set in. I manage to fit a .160 but it was very hard and I fear that the bridge - paint job is suffering :(
Nevertheless the B (now A to F#) string sound nice and full.
But I think a different preamp would do this bass justice. I really don't like the Ibanez 3-band eq. Maybe you think of throwing something different in there? What do you think of the Darkglass tone capsules or the Aguilar OPB?
.160? I’m surprised the thin neck on that thing isn’t broken in two.
But jokes aside, other than the bridge, does it hold that low tuning well?
@@southofheck Hey, yea it actually does. The neck is really strong and shows no signs of weakening unlike my former Ray35 which had quite the butterneck. But I found a little tiny crack in the nut so...
@@johnbob2698 that sounds like a separate issue lol. If you didn’t file the nut or filed the nut wrong to fit the new string, the tension probably just cracked it.