Ibanez expands their SR500 Series with two new models, the 4-string SR500TFF and 5-string SR505TFF.
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Described by the company as instruments for advanced players, these two new basses offer premium specs and the usual Ibanez playability while retaining a budget friendly price point.
Applying their shred friendly design to their bass lineup, the Ibanez SR500 SoundGear Series is well known for being one of the most comfortable and easiest to play bass guitar in the market. I for one experienced playing one of these basses and I have to admit that the overall look and deep bottom end impressed me.
Now Ibanez is expanding the line with a 4- and 5-string version that comes wrapped in Tri-Fade Burst Flat finish, sporting a more vintage style appearance while retaining its modern tone and playability.
The most notable feature of this new release is the sturdy 5-piece jatoba/bubinga SR neck, which is carved into a very comfortable profile. It combines a 34″ scale length with a 1.5″ wide nut, a 12″ radius profile and an incredibly low action setup that results in easy playability as expected from Ibanez. The neck is topped by a rosewood fretboard, with a total of 24 medium frets while abalone oval inlays serve as fret markers.
The body of both basses are crafted from mahogany, carved into a distinct double cutaway shape that has become synonymous with the Ibanez SoundGear line. While they both look hefty, the body of this bass is surprisingly lighter than more traditional basses. Upper fret access is unobstructed thanks to the deep lower cutaway, and extended neck joint.
Giving these basses their voice are two Bartolini MK1 pickups, described by the company as having a “full, punchy tone with clear, articulate top end”. Although I would characterize their tone as being round and full, certainly not as articulate as more traditional P-bass style instruments. Fancy tone shaping controls are built-into the instrument, including a 3-band EQ and a 2-way mid-frequency selector switch that lets you focus the mids control to either 600hz or 250hz.
Ensuring that the strings stay in place and in tune, Ibanez equipped the SR500TFF and SR505TFF with a B300 series bridge, which also helps in providing improved string vibration.
The new Ibanez SR500TFF has a list price of $799.99, while the SR505TFF is a bit more expensive at $866.65. For more information, you can head over to Ibanez.
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