Strings and Sounds: The Ultimate Guide Ibanez Bass Guitars
Often regarded as a behind-the-scene instrument, the bass guitar is unquestionably every band’s backbone. It gives depth and harmony to any song by driving the rhythm and creating the melody’s base. The bass ties everything together, whether played in funk, metal, or smooth jazz.
However, since not all instruments are equal, choosing the tight bass guitar is essential for every player’s journey, making all the difference between a beginner and an amazing performer. The right choice will depend on the player’s skill level, preference, and the music they want to create. While the bass guitar type, comfort and ergonomics, tonewood and build, pickups and electronics, and a few other factors are key features to look for, settling on a certain brand can make your buying journey far less challenging. Here’s why so many professional and student-grade players love Ibanez bass guitars.
Why Choose an Ibanez Bass Guitar?
Ask any guitar enthusiast this question, and they’ll immediately point out the brand’s designs, finishes, and most likely the “performance”. Although built for many genres, the bass guitars from the Ibanez brand specialise in more technical techniques. These basses, which come in a wide range of model options, also exhibit this diversity and individuality.
Many players like how they don’t interfere with their playing or mental process; smooth necks and efficient controls allow them to focus on their performance, which is hard to achieve when playing bass! Additionally, Ibanez puts more effort into their basses at every price range, which makes them compelling alternatives to other brands.
There’s a reason Ibanez bass guitars are among the top bass brands in the world. With how rich and varied the brand truly is, it provides something that appeals to you while maintaining a commitment to quality and uniqueness, regardless of your spending limit, goals, or aesthetic tastes. They also have a lot of styles and finishes, which doesn’t hurt! Here’s a breakdown of their most popular series.
BTB
BTB stands for “Boutique Bass,” and the Ibanez BTB models are essentially boutique basses for the general public. What are the key features of the Ibanez BTB series? Drawing influence from “small shop” bass builders, the BTB line combines an unusual design (either a single cutaway that follows the same silhouette or two extended horns) with a 35″ scale length, which is naturally an inch longer than the typical 34″ measurement. The BTB is an excellent option for modern players because of the additional inch that makes it more usable with lower notes. This is the style to use if you want to stand out on stage because it is purposefully “stand-out.”
SR
The SR has a very rounded-off, double cutaway body type that is comparatively small. It seems at home in any musical context and is a comfortable shape to work with. A four-stringed bass with a slender neck and a pair of two-bar pickups is the standard SR feel. This is Ibanez, of course, so you can also get the SR with fanned frets, partial frets (half of the fingerboard is fretless), five or six strings, or no frets at all. Additionally, depending on the model (and thus the timbers used), finishes can be flat, metallic, or highly exotic. Transparent oceanic stains are available on burl tops (like the stunning 6-string SR1426B in Caribbean Green).
EHB
The bass guitars from the Ibanez EHB series are ideal for today’s cutting-edge player. It has a huge upper horn and a unique offset body configuration without a head. Not only is the EHB design unique, but it’s also more portable and lightweight than many basses. Since most EHB basses come from the Bass Workshop line, they have many cool characteristics, such as Nordstrand pickups, fanned frets (like the 5 and 6 string versions), and, of course, a tonne of burl tops for that gorgeous modern appearance.
Talman
The Talman, another unique design from Ibanez, is a very indie-rock shape that stands in stark contrast to the other “high-performance” models seen thus far. Even the most economical TMB30 model includes a PJ pickup configuration (PJ is a combination of a Precision bass split-coil pickup and a Jazz bass single coil), giving you a good range of tones, even though the Talman has a much more punk vibe. For people switching from guitar to bass and requiring a more recognisable shape, short scale Talmans (the TMB35, which is also a five string) are also available. Check out the TMB400TA in Cosmic Blue Stardust with block inlays for a little flare.
Semi Acoustic Options
It makes sense that Ibanez’s bass output would be in line with their well-known semi-acoustic guitars. Since the 1970s, Ibanez has referred to these kinds of instruments as “Artcore” (or “Artstar”), and they still do so today, offering a wide range of visually appealing, more conventional-looking instruments. Fans of jazz, blues, classic rock, and indie music will undoubtedly be intrigued, and since this is Ibanez, there are also innovations underway. For instance, the AFB200 model combines a short 30.3″ neck with a hollow body.
