New Ibanez medium scale basses

fretmeister

https://www.dawsons.co.uk/ibanez-srmd200-mezzo-electric-bass-guitar?prod=208447&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInZuMvJ_U3wIVFp3VCh3IzAmaEAQYASABEgL1N_D_BwE

£249

Could be a bit of a bargain. The demos sound pretty good too

Bridgehouse

Vid no worky

fretmeister

Arse.

I can't make it work.

Here's the link to the Basschat thread on them

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/335260-ibanez-mezzo-bass-new-for-2019/?tab=comments#comment-3665026

Bridgehouse

2nd vid also no worky

Interesting that the body is Poplar tho...

fretmeister

I had a poplar flying V once.

It was a japanese Jackson IIRC and it seemed as good as any other choice.
Must be a reason that it is not very common though.

Bridgehouse

fretmeister said:

I had a poplar flying V once.

It was a japanese Jackson IIRC and it seemed as good as any other choice.
Must be a reason that it is not very common though.

It's not as poplar as other woods (ha ha)

I've had a poplar tele body - IIRC it was quite soft and marked easily

simonk

https://youtu.be/JdDXOVue_M0

simonk

https://youtu.be/4Wb4yFolIe0

Bridgehouse

I have to say, for the price, they do look like a bit of a bargain. I need to try one - they may well be "best choice for guitarist looking for a bass for laying down basslines at home" - does depend on how well they play and sound tho

simonk

They look pretty cool. Certainly affordable. I keep deliberating over a short scale jobbie but there’s nothing that really floats my boat without spending large sums.

MagicPigDetective

Bridgehouse said:

I have to say, for the price, they do look like a bit of a bargain. I need to try one - they may well be "best choice for guitarist looking for a bass for laying down basslines at home" - does depend on how well they play and sound tho

I'm looking for my first bass, purely for home recording use. The Sire V3 looks a good deal, but something more compact like this might be more suitable; and easier for a guitarist to play?

Bridgehouse

MagicPigDetective said:

Bridgehouse said:

I have to say, for the price, they do look like a bit of a bargain. I need to try one - they may well be "best choice for guitarist looking for a bass for laying down basslines at home" - does depend on how well they play and sound tho

I'm looking for my first bass, purely for home recording use. The Sire V3 looks a good deal, but something more compact like this might be more suitable; and easier for a guitarist to play?

It's always difficult to recommend a bass that's "easier for a guitarist to play" for fear of having baselines sound like they are being played by a guitarist

My personal view is its worthwhile learning a bit of bass as a bass player to get authenticity and the right sound in bass lines

Funkfingers

Bridgehouse said:

MagicPigDetective said:
easier for a guitarist to play? 

It's always difficult to recommend a bass that's "easier for a guitarist to play" for fear of having baselines sound like they are being played by a guitarist

Exactly. Bass guitar is not simply the bottom four strings of a guitar, tuned down one octave. The physical playing experience is different and so is the mindset to do a decent job of it. It's a way of life. You'll love it.

Bridgehouse

Funkfingers said:

It's a way of life. You'll love it.

Will I?

MagicPigDetective

Funkfingers said:

Bridgehouse said:

MagicPigDetective said:
easier for a guitarist to play? 

It's always difficult to recommend a bass that's "easier for a guitarist to play" for fear of having baselines sound like they are being played by a guitarist

Exactly. Bass guitar is not simply the bottom four strings of a guitar, tuned down one octave. The physical playing experience is different and so is the mindset to do a decent job of it. It's a way of life. You'll love it

Ok I will need to stop thinking about bass as a bigger guitar! I did actually play bass at a gig a few years ago, I didn’t really know what I was doing but loved the experience. Perhaps a squier jazz or sire v3 would be better to learn on. 

Back to the Ibanez, what kind of bass player or situation would such a short or medium scale suit? 

Bridgehouse

MagicPigDetective said:

Funkfingers said:

Bridgehouse said:

MagicPigDetective said:
easier for a guitarist to play? 

It's always difficult to recommend a bass that's "easier for a guitarist to play" for fear of having baselines sound like they are being played by a guitarist

Exactly. Bass guitar is not simply the bottom four strings of a guitar, tuned down one octave. The physical playing experience is different and so is the mindset to do a decent job of it. It's a way of life. You'll love it

Ok I will need to stop thinking about bass as a bigger guitar! I did actually play bass at a gig a few years ago, I didn’t really know what I was doing but loved the experience. Perhaps a squier jazz or sire v3 would be better to learn on. 

Back to the Ibanez, what kind of bass player or situation would such a short or medium scale suit? 

Quite a lot of situations actually - a bit like guitar, scale length difference tends to affect sustain, thump, tone etc in a subtle but noticeable way. Some like the sound more than 34” - others prefer the full scale sound. It’s horses for courses tbh

dindude

Another opinion here - never got comfortable with a real sized bass, and absolutely think it’s a different art form and beast, but my short scale Mustang bass is just so easy to adapt to and still sounds like a bass to me. For having a bit of fun and laying down a few bass lines for home recordings, best solution I’ve found as a guitarist, and my playing on it is much better as a result - and I mean I play it more like a bass because I adapt to it so comfortably.

All depends on how seriously you want to take it. I’m rather pleased with myself that I’ve never fallen down the rabbit hole with bass like I did with guitar - feels like being a beginner again without all the baggage.

Do what works for you.

Funkfingers

Bridgehouse said:

Funkfingers said:
It's a way of life. You'll love it.

Will I? 

Sure. It looks just like a TeleFunken U-47 … with leather.

crunchman

MagicPigDetective said:

Funkfingers said:

Bridgehouse said:

MagicPigDetective said:
easier for a guitarist to play? 

It's always difficult to recommend a bass that's "easier for a guitarist to play" for fear of having baselines sound like they are being played by a guitarist

Exactly. Bass guitar is not simply the bottom four strings of a guitar, tuned down one octave. The physical playing experience is different and so is the mindset to do a decent job of it. It's a way of life. You'll love it

Ok I will need to stop thinking about bass as a bigger guitar! I did actually play bass at a gig a few years ago, I didn’t really know what I was doing but loved the experience. Perhaps a squier jazz or sire v3 would be better to learn on. 

Back to the Ibanez, what kind of bass player or situation would such a short or medium scale suit? 

People with really short fingers like me.  I own a 34" scale bass, but it's a struggle playing at the far end of the neck at times.

I'm intrigued by these, but one of the Youtube videos did sound very "active".  I'd rather have a 32" P passive P bass.  Fender Japan made a few in the 80's but they are ver hard to come by.

Edit: having said all that, I'll probably try to get to a shop to try one out when they are in stock.

crunchman

These are in the shops, although no-one has got the Sea Foam Pearl in stock near me.

simonk

My initial enthusiasm has been dimmed slightly by the announcement of the short scale Stingray. I’m sure they’ll be in an entirely different pricing tier though.