Did Ibanez recently change the SR300 again?

[BassTractor]

Reading about SR300, I saw Ibanez replaced the style sweeper model with a new model last year or so, that had a different 3EQ and new pups (Cap EXF N2 instead of EXF 4F and EXF 4R).
Then I read of another possible change recently, but can't find it anymore.

So, did they recently change them again?

And in any case, me liking the style sweeper a lot when I tried it between 1.5 and 2 years ago, it becoming my main reason for my SR GAS, I'd order a style sweeper model unseen, but would be wary of getting the newer model (though possibly without good reason).


Can one visually discern them from each other?

Does anyone know what it would say on the box?
I'm thinking that shops' limited knowledge, and their webshops' limited updatedness could mean I order a style sweeper model from the description, only to receive a newer 3EQ.

[clauster]

I've borrowed one from last year and it has the three band eq.

[Marvin]

I'd imagine the older model with the style sweep have all been sold. It may be worth contacting a shop or web retailer before ordering.

I know what you mean about the inaccuracies of websites etc. I must be honest, I don't really trust many shops and retailers.

My SR300 is over 4 years old and has the style sweep, you might be lucky and maybe pick up a 2nd hand one?

[BassTractor]

Thanks, guys.
Marvin, does yours have a set of stacked knobs? I'd guess maybe the 3EQ could be recognised by its lacking that, but I don't know or remember anything about it.

btw, what's with the filthy avatar? You should be ashamed of yourself, you male shauvinist pig, ruining a perfect ass like that with an apple!! And have you seen the labia on that thing?

[skej21]

My local had a sweeper style in not long ago but it was old stock from another store and has now sold. The new models all have the 5 knob volume, balance & bass/mid/treble cut and boosts. The new colour finishes are much nicer though!

[Marvin]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1377246560' post='2185182']
Thanks, guys.
Marvin, does yours have a set of stacked knobs? I'd guess maybe the 3EQ could be recognised by its lacking that, but I don't know or remember anything about it.

btw, what's with the filthy avatar? You should be ashamed of yourself, you male shauvinist pig, ruining a perfect ass like that with an apple!! And have you seen the labia on that thing?

[/quote]

The avatar is ironic...or something :\

My SR300 has the stacked knobs. So yes, it would be straight forward to distinguish the old and new models...the new ones have one more knob (seems so wrong to be saying knob a lot with an avatar like mine).

There might be a few of the older models knocking around.

With regard the new models, I particularly like the SR370 in Sapphire Blue, looks great. The 370's are about £30 more than the 300's in the UK, I don't know what the price difference in Norway would be.

[BassTractor]

Thanks, Skej.
So would it be safe to say this is the style sweeper:

[url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/IbanezSR300-4knobsonestacked_zps55b3bc63.jpg.html"][/url]


and this is the newer one:

[url="http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/basstractor1/media/IbanezSR300-5knobs870_zps86bcc169.jpg.html"][/url]





Edit: answered by Marvin!

Thanks, guys!

Edited August 23, 2013 by BassTractor

[jezzaboy]

Thats it. The Pewter or black, is a 2012 model. As well as the extra knob (ooh er!) the newer model has a squared off pickup casing instead of the casing following the radius of the neck in the older version. Nice bit of kit the 2012 model.

Edited August 23, 2013 by jezzaboy

[Cat]

As it happens, I was in the market for an ibanez Soundgear (my girlie hands love the SR4 necks, and the lightweight body is a major bonus too) and I had a choice between the new models and one remaining 2010 Style Sweeper one.

So today, I plopped my money down for the latter. The new pickups don't sound any different from the old ones (at least not to my ears) and I've kinda fallen for the Style Sweeper myself. That and I love the finish - Silver Sparkle. While some of the new finishes are quite nice - Candy Apple Red and Starlight Blue caught my eye - I do admit to liking a sparkle finish and I have a weakness for silver guitars/basses.

It basically came down to three things: I do like the Style Sweeper, ditto on the finish and, to top it off, I got it for a load of money off because it's old stock - although it is a new bass. (I got it for £180.)

All in all, a decent day's shopping.

So, there are still people selling the old models. They're few and far between, but they can still be got. And unless GAK is using old pics and descriptions on their website, they're still selling the Style Sweepers too, although it'd pay to give them a call first in case they just haven't updated their site.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Cat

[BassTractor]

Thanks, Cat!
A very informative post that was.

Oh, and congrats with a steal! I gather new stock goes for near 300 quid, so this sounds like a very low price also in that respect.

Thanks for the heads up as to GAK as well. "Very interesting", said the man - checking the thickness of his wallet as he spake.
Wow! Thick!
Lemme...












COINS!!!!

Edited September 3, 2013 by BassTractor

[Cat]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1378199578' post='2196817']
Thanks, Cat!
A very informative post that was.

Oh, and congrats with a steal! I gather new stock goes for near 300 quid, so this sounds like a very low price also in that respect.
[/quote]

Cheers. I do admit to feeling quite smug at the moment. It's not often I get a bargain.

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

I bought my SR300 in late November 2012 and I went for the newer model for two reasons:

1) More knobs look more 'trick'. Not the case with all guitars admittedly but the SR300 is quite modern looking and lends itself to more knobs IMHO
2) When I tried the older version with the slightly rounded pups my thumb kept slipping off it when I was playing. The new(er) model has less contoured pups and offer a better 'ledge' to rest your thumb on.

[Cat]

@Jonnyboy

Since you mentioned the problem with achoring on the curved pups, I've just tried it. I don't have a problem anchoring on them at all, but that's probably because I have smaller thumbs than you. So yes, I appreciate that problem. I didn't hear any difference between them and the squared off ones, however so I'm not entirely sure why they were curved in the first place. Still, I'm not complaining because aesthetically, I like the curved ones.

However, as I don't anchor, they can be mutated elephant shaped for all I care. I'm one of those people who "float" rather than anchor which may be why I didn't find anchoring on the curves a problem as I don't rely on putting any pressure there.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Cat

[iiipopes]

Yes. Indeed. What is posted above. I just got back from a concert in Japan where we were provided backline, and the 305 they supplied me had the newer 5-knob configuration.

[Cat]

Bad news on the GAK front. The resident manthing is experiencing serious bass envy of my new SR300 and is impressed with the Style Sweeper EQ so I contacted them today.

Seems their advertisements are indeed out of date and they're very much afraid all their stock is the new kind with 5 knobs. Which I dare say are very good but no go on the Style Sweepers.

Still, there are a few used ones in good condition on Ebay...

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

[quote name='Cat' timestamp='1378408100' post='2199944']
Bad news on the GAK front. The resident manthing is experiencing serious bass envy of my new SR300 and is impressed with the Style Sweeper EQ so I contacted them today.

Seems their advertisements are indeed out of date and they're very much afraid all their stock is the new kind with 5 knobs. Which I dare say are very good but no go on the Style Sweepers.

Still, there are a few used ones in good condition on Ebay...
[/quote]

The newer five knob one also has a style sweeper. It is the middle one of the three smaller knobs. On the older model the bass and treble are concentric on a single pot.

[Cat]

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1378422375' post='2200260']
The newer five knob one also has a style sweeper. It is the middle one of the three smaller knobs. On the older model the bass and treble are concentric on a single pot.
[/quote]

Are you sure? The specs for the new SR300 which I've read say that the three lower knobs are bass, mid and treble cut/boost. The Style Sweeper wasn't a mid cut/boost but a mid scoop which gave a different effect.

When I was trying out the two different types earlier this week, the mid range on the new model sounded markedly different to the Style Sweeper on the older one. Even the salesman remarked on the difference.

[Cat]

Here's a diagram from Ibanez's manual showing the two different types of 3 band eq on the SR300's.

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

Ahh - Fair enough - I thought they had just renamed it as when I read the reviews and choosing between them, although people didn't mention how different the old/new version sounded, they described what the knob did and it sounded from the description like it was doing more or less the same thing.

I have also tried using it for slap bass and it does seem to make a much better sound for slapping and popping when turned one way than the other but hey - I am a noob who knows his place!

If anyone lives in the Hemel, Wycombe area and has a four knob style one and wants to compare to a five knob style one let me know! we can go for a pint and do a compare and contrast.

[Cat]

[quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1378455237' post='2200425']
Ahh - Fair enough - I thought they had just renamed it as when I read the reviews and choosing between them, although people didn't mention how different the old/new version sounded, they described what the knob did and it sounded from the description like it was doing more or less the same thing.

I have also tried using it for slap bass and it does seem to make a much better sound for slapping and popping when turned one way than the other but hey - I am a noob who knows his place!

If anyone lives in the Hemel, Wycombe area and has a four knob style one and wants to compare to a five knob style one let me know! we can go for a pint and do a compare and contrast.
[/quote]

No worries, mate. I just like doing extensive research into the instruments I own. And this is why I opted for the older model. (I bloody [i][b]love [/b][/i]this bass!)

The new SR300s makes it look like you're getting more with the extra knob, but actually they've taken away a feature. The 4-knobs on the older models do everything the 5 knob models do - mid, bass, treble boost/cut. The sweeper knob on the older 300s boosts if turned clockwise, cuts if centred - but if you go anti clockwise you get that wonderful mid scoop sound.

To try to illustrate what it does: think of a graphic eq with all the sliders, now think of all those sliders controlling JUST the bass OR treble OR mid section. When boosted, all the sliders rise uniformly, when cut they lower uniformly. Now think of all those sliders controlling just the mid range - again, with boost or cut, they all move together but with a scoop, only the bass and treble ends of the mid range rises, but the mids of the mid range doesn't. If you're picturing the eq sliders, that makes a scoop shape. Lots of guitarists and bass players love a mid scoop - some get it via effects pedals if their instrument doesn't already do it - and few instruments do.

Basically it means you can get that slap sound sharp and clear without muddying it with the mid section of the mid range.

Hopefully that made sense! But at least [i][b]I[/b][/i] know what I'm talking about...

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

[quote name='Cat' timestamp='1378462707' post='2200589']
No worries, mate. I just like doing extensive research into the instruments I own. And this is why I opted for the older model. (I bloody [i][b]love [/b][/i]this bass!)

The new SR300s makes it look like you're getting more with the extra knob, but actually they've taken away a feature. The 4-knobs on the older models do everything the 5 knob models do - mid, bass, treble boost/cut. The sweeper knob on the older 300s boosts if turned clockwise, cuts if centred - but if you go anti clockwise you get that wonderful mid scoop sound.

To try to illustrate what it does: think of a graphic eq with all the sliders, now think of all those sliders controlling JUST the bass OR treble OR mid section. When boosted, all the sliders rise uniformly, when cut they lower uniformly. Now think of all those sliders controlling just the mid range - again, with boost or cut, they all move together but with a scoop, only the bass and treble ends of the mid range rises, but the mids of the mid range doesn't. If you're picturing the eq sliders, that makes a scoop shape. Lots of guitarists and bass players love a mid scoop - some get it via effects pedals if their instrument doesn't already do it - and few instruments do.

Basically it means you can get that slap sound sharp and clear without muddying it with the mid section of the mid range.

Hopefully that made sense! But at least [i][b]I[/b][/i] know what I'm talking about...
[/quote]

Just done a quick scout of Ibanez SR300 web page and yep you are right...!

Looks like they have now brought out the SR300 with an amazing deep purple colour which wasn't there a few days ago when I last looked!

[Cat]

Yea, that's the colour which caught my eye when I first started looking. Pretty amazing. But that's when I thought I had no chance at a sparkle finish.

If I were going for a solid colour, it'd be between white, red and that purple.

[u][b]EDIT:[/b][/u]

Oh wait, starlight blue. Forgot that one. Lovely colour.

I was just looking at a few non-stock pics of that violet (from different sources) and it doesn't look quite as nice with "real" lighting. Not so metallic and even the colour looks a bit different.

That's the problem with lightboxes, you never really know what you're getting until you see it in proper light.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Cat

[Mr Fretbuzz]

Got an Ibanez SR370F-BBT on its way over from Germany. :-)

[Cat]

Oooooooooh! That looks gorgeous!

Are we allowed to drool here? Ahhh, too late.

[Mr Fretbuzz]

Yep good Bass for £274 delivered from Germany