LeftyJ

I don't know how they did it, but I'm impressed! Here's some more of their customizing work: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.571166776243780.144427.382887438405049&type=1 And this is their own line of instruments: http://bassline-bass.de/instruments/

I have both a Stingray 5 (2003) and a Streamer LX5 (2003 too, incidentally). The Streamer took some getting used to, it's a completely different beast and can't be compared to anything else I've ever played. My Streamer has an ovangkol neck, and the early ovangkol versions were notorious for their chunky (understatement) profile compared to the sleeker wenge necks Warwick offered earlier. I'm not sure if 2002 was still a wenge year or if they'd already switched to ovangkol back then. The wenge necks were highly regarded for their playing comfort but the early ovangkol necks are truly a love-it-or-hate-it affair. I have big hands so I have no trouble getting around on my LX5, but it's just not as comfortable as my other 5-strings. The tone is also something I had to get used to. Compared to a Fender Jazz, both singlecoils on the LX5 are located closer to the bridge. Add up the full maple body and the ovangkol neck, and what you get is a very snappy beast with supertight lows, scooped mids and a very bright attack. I play mine in a metal band with two 7-string guitarists and it works like a charm there: lots of low end push and lots of highs to cut through the wall of distorted guitars. But played stand-alone, I don't really care for its tone. In terms of value, I think all has been said in the above. A new German-made Streamer LX5 will cost you around 3000-3200 euros at the moment. I got mine used for 500 euros from a guy who had been advertising it on and off for close to year at various price levels, in impeccable condition (aside from some natural wear to the goldplated hardware, that I replaced with black hardware last week). It is an incredible (and incredibly well-made and well-finished) instrument for the price I paid, but I wouldn't trade an SR5 HH one on one.

It's real, it was done by Bassline in Germany.

TS is a Markbass player, according to his signature. I'm pretty sure he knows how the VLE works

This, but left handed: And something the like of this:

Oh, Darren Riley offers them: http://www.darrenriley.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=2034

The ones that are used in the Squier Vintage Modified Precision TB and those new Telecaster Basses are available as a spare part. I bought two at BassPartsDirect.co.uk about 3 years ago, but that site appears to be shut down now. I don't know where else they might be available.

What was it?

[quote name='pendingrequests' timestamp='1352658480' post='1865755'] I've put my deposit down, so its not in my possession yet. Getting a Hiscox case ordered in first. [/quote] What? A new American Fender that doesn't come with a case?

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1352474021' post='1863560'] The alnico magnets were the ones that go in the original Stingray 4's. They started off putting in alnico pickups in the Stingray 5's when production started on them in 1988, but swapped to ceramic a few years later. The ceramics apparently give the bass a grittier, harsher tone but with the Ray preamp in there the difference to my ears is negligible. Ceramic magnets are cheaper to manufacture too apparently. [/quote] [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1352484300' post='1863770'] Yep what risingson said The Alnico has a darker moodier edge to my ears, if I am doing something upbeat and poppy I'd go for the ceramic, the ceramic is easier to settle into the mix too ime. I like both and could finish my gigging days with either [/quote] OK, then I think my SR5 suits me best the way it is now. I play in a modern female-fronted metal band and prefer an agressive and tight tone with a slight midscoop and sharp attack, and my SR5 works great for that

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1352418623' post='1862955'] I have an Alnico equipped 2010 and a last of the Ceramic pickup 2007, love em both in their own ways! They really can do everything or at least everything I have ever needed Enjoy [/quote] Cool! Can you elaborate a little about the sonic differences? I have a 2003/2004 model so I guess it must be ceramic too? How do the two compare?

[quote name='andypowe11' timestamp='1351897015' post='1856834'] @LeftyJ, One other thing... if you look at the image top right on the 1981 catalog page that I refered to above - see [url="http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/catalog/1981/12.jpg"]http://s93105080.onl...log/1981/12.jpg[/url] immediately above "24-fret models" - you'll note that the fretboard on that bass is also very dark. That said, the bodywork on that bass doesn't seem to fit other Roadster models on that page so this image might well be a red herring ?? [/quote] The picture in the catalog you're referring to is of an Ibanez Studio bass. The only thing it has in common with the Roadster is its bodyshape. I agree with FlatEric, it looks like a custom job. I noticed the truss rod cover too. Whoever did it did a nice job though.

I had to replace the jack on my first TRB once as well. At some point it just wouldn't properly make contact anymore and I would briefly lose my signal once in a while. I'm not a fan of those enclosed jack buses. If it keeps spinning, check if the original rubber ring on the outside and the toothed bushing on the inside of the cavity are still in place. Those should squeeze the jack in place when tightened.

Cool! I picked one up for a friend recently and had it stay at my place for two weeks before I was able to get it to him and played around a bit on it. I'm lefthanded and the bass was not, but still I got a pretty good feel of what it's like. I really liked it, it's light, has a great neck, and even with the passive electronics you can get a huge range of tones out of it thanks to those two push-push pots that split the humbuckers. Great instruments, very much underappreciated. I really have a thing for old MIJ Ibanez stuff. I have two Musicians, a Roadster and two early ATK's and all of them are fantastic basses in their own way.

It does look like one of those Squiers indeed, with the black fingerboard without position markers (ebonol on the Squier Active Deluxe Jazz Bass). Most of the modifications done to it aren't too hard or expensive, except maybe the 12th fret position marker and the dot at the 5th fret, so who knows. The Squier might actually be 'worth it' (i.e. you don't go about investing hundreds of Pounds in upgrading a bass that originally cost close to nothing and is basically a turd. Those Squiers are actually pretty nice). - front routing added to accommodate the control plate; - pickguard added; - black hardware instead of the regular chrome; - position marker added on 5th and 12th position; - Fender-logo added.

Could you post some pictures? I'm a bit of a vintage Ibanez nut and your post made me curious. As far as I know, no Roadsters were made with any other fingerboard wood than maple. This includes the fretless versions. So if the one you're selling has a darker fingerboard, it may have been modified by a luthier which in turn may have some effect on the (collectors) value of the bass.

Cool thread! I've owned two Japanese lefty TRB5II's, one in amberburst and one in transparent blue, and they were great instruments. Very comfortable, very tough, incredibly versatile and they sounded great. The only thing was the trimpots in the control cavity had me puzzled for a long time before I finally found out what they did: the humbuckers operate as singlecoils with a humcancelling phantom coil, and with the trimpots you could control the output level of the phantom coils. Turning them up fully, the pickups would operate as full humbuckers. Turning them all the way down, they would just operate as phantom coils. Cool feature! Its effect on the tone of the instrument was subtle, yet definitely audible. Really cool basses! I should have kept the amberburst one. It was my first serious bass, after playing on an old plywood Condor Jazzbass-copy for a short while to find out if bass was my cup of tea at all and I absolutely loved every bit of it.

That headstock and the very short body horns make me think of a Westone Spectrum. Don't know which one, can't get a clear view of the body. Edit: At 2:06 I see a pickguard and a regular splitcoil pickup. That rules out a stock Westone Spectrum. Might be customized though.

When I saw the control layout at 2:44, it struck me this must be a slaughtered Ibanez MC924!