Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 So i have spent the night with my newest acquisition, an Ibanez GVB36 Ibanez 6 string. My first bass 6 string, other than the bass / guitar hybrids. Got it from Bassdirect, was very surprised at the packaging when it turned up, I wouldn't have been happy if I had packed something like that for shipping, but it was unharmed so I guess it is ok. Played it acoustically first, fine apart from the neck being huge (which I guessed before hand) and the B string is dead as a dead thing, so will have to throw a used on that I had already taken off something else until I get a set. Plugged it in and thought it was broken, turns out that the mid and bass were turned down. I have several (ok, many) ibanez, and none of the pre-amps work that way (ignoring the fact that the controls are backwards to a normal ibanez, I assume that is what mr GV wanted), with the bass and mid turned down it sounds like it isn't plugged in, whereas treble cut does a bit, and treble boost does nothing. With the bass turned up you basically can't use it in any kind of amplifier, and the mid seems to be like a switch. I had read something on the net about the controls being a bit like this so I don't think it is something wrong with mine but what were ibanez thinking? Luckily I have a couple of spare preamps at the moment so I can replace it, it is unusable at the moment. The bass itself though is really nice, sounds good (preamp flat and B string aside), but I don't think I will be gigging it this week, I went through our songs and kept missing the string by being one up! Need to work that out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I guess, you already went there : http://www.ibanez.com/products/u_eb_detail18.php?year=2018&cat_id=2&series_id=65&data_id=68&color=CL01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 And put some fresh brand new strings on it, they are certainly, as the low B, completely dead. Isn't 14 mm string spacing a bit narrow ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 14mm is the reason I got it, it means that the string spacing is no worse than the 19mm 5 string spacing. Its actually very nice having it that narrow, although I expected it to taper closer to the nut. I suppose looking at their chart, it probably is a 20db boost and cut, but where you would want a gradual fade of the levels, it is more like getting the temperature right on a hotel shower! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Congrats on the new bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 If you have a spare Aguilar OBP-3 then it will be very close to the Signature model. And I like your hotel shower analogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 I just got a glockenlang 3 band preamp on here, and also a cheap chinese 3 band preamp, I think one of those might be used (in fact I think either would be an improvement!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 The Glockenklang is terrific, very transparent and progressive, hoping there is enough height for it in the control cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 Good point - I notice the boards make the pots quite deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FDC484950 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 I’m not a fan on the preamp on most of the Ibanez basses I’ve tried. I owned an SR5006E and the 3V eq just didn’t do anything. With that low a voltage the circuit has no headroom. It sounds like th GVB is at the other extreme with too much cut and boost. I tried an SR3006E many years ago and the parametric mid together with a decent amount of bass and treble tone shaping was a lot more useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 The preamps on the current premiums are great, the same preamp as on the srff series. Probably a few others too, they are good. Its a 9V system. The preamp on the 5005 is awful, yes, the 3v one, treble doesn't work and freq is mostly useless. I don't know why as the much older preamp on the premier SR1000 was fine. probably the same as you mean. That is why I got the glockenlang to replace it. But this, its not good at all, I think it might need it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 Also looking at the pickups, I think I can put a Nordstrand big blade pickup in there, Nordstrand have confirmed to me that the 5 pickup pieces on the set that fits are just there for aesthetic purposes as I assume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 The Delano SBC 5 string Driver pickups drop straight in too. I had a GVB for a while. Loved it! My preamp didn’t have the issues you speak of though, so I wonder if it is faulty? In the end, I dropped in three EMG DC pickups which turned the bass in to an absolute beast. Silly me, I sold it.. duh! I never learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 Interesting. Are those a blade type so that they are even across the strings? I got an email back from Nordstrand yesterday saying they did make a custom Big Single for it 4 years ago, so still have the plans for them if I wanted a pair of those. Still don't know if it is something that is going to stay forever yet. It is the first 'proper' 6 string bass I have had, and I find it quite wide but every time I do play it I like it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 I actually find it hilarious that it’s 14mm spacing, so absolutely tiny neck for a 6, and you find it huge. My upcoming 6 has 17mm spacing, so will of course be wider, and I know Felix Pastorius’ 6 has 19mm spacing lol. Onviously not a competition, but just funny that it’s the narrowest 6 on the market Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 It is far from a tiny neck, I think it should be narrower, it doesn't taper as much as at could, if I had a custom bass made it would be the same spacing but taper to a much smaller nut, it is excessively. I could probably cope with it being slightly wider at the bridge, but it really is the widest it could be at the nut. I have always wanted a 6 string, but never been able to play one because of their tendency to have aircraft carrier style necks. My hands simply aren't that big, or don't move over that space. However nice they have been, the width of the neck meant that they are just not viable as musical instruments for me. I have no doubt that is what other people want. So if I don't get on with this, I will assume that 6 strings are just something I can't do. I have just sold my Gibson eb5 as it was a 19mm 5 string, and it was basically too wide for me to play - it was about the same width as this. I gigged it a few times and the sound was fantastic but it was so much effort and I would miss easy things. Why they couldn't make it the same spacing as a thunderbird but just add another string I don't know. Past 17mm there is very little chance it is something I can use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 In fact now I look, I can see that the nut is too big. Take the other custom ibanez 6 string, the ANB306 http://www.ibanez.com/products/eb_detail18.php?year=2018&area_id=3&cat_id=2&series_id=64&data_id=66&color=CL01 it has a string spacing of 18mm and a nut of 55mm, whereas the GVB36 http://www.ibanez.com/products/u_eb_detail18.php?year=2018&cat_id=2&series_id=65&data_id=68&color=CL01 string spacing of 14mm, but it still a nut of 54mm. If it was the same proportions, it should be a 43mm nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 2 hours ago, Woodinblack said: Interesting. Are those a blade type so that they are even across the strings? I got an email back from Nordstrand yesterday saying they did make a custom Big Single for it 4 years ago, so still have the plans for them if I wanted a pair of those. Still don't know if it is something that is going to stay forever yet. It is the first 'proper' 6 string bass I have had, and I find it quite wide but every time I do play it I like it more. Yes, I think I did ask Delano as I am more of a Blade fan than pole pieces but also due to the unusual string spacing I went for those too. They are the Bartolini P? size so will drop straight in. The Nordstrands, I'm enjoying the sound of the Big Singles. Carey makes some great pickups but my go to has always been EMG. I'd really love EMG to branch out and do different shell sizes (like the P2 etc) as I think there are lots of bassists who don't wanna carve wood out of their basses but love EMGs. Great news on Nord' having pickup plans, that's cool. I kinda wish that I'd spent more time with mine, but, as it seems to be lately as well, bills seem to take care of my purchases quite quickly. Sole earner and 4 mouths to feed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 42 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: In fact now I look, I can see that the nut is too big. Take the other custom ibanez 6 string, the ANB306 http://www.ibanez.com/products/eb_detail18.php?year=2018&area_id=3&cat_id=2&series_id=64&data_id=66&color=CL01 it has a string spacing of 18mm and a nut of 55mm, whereas the GVB36 http://www.ibanez.com/products/u_eb_detail18.php?year=2018&cat_id=2&series_id=65&data_id=68&color=CL01 string spacing of 14mm, but it still a nut of 54mm. If it was the same proportions, it should be a 43mm nut. I guess the main problem here is that you get in to the limits of a comfortable amount of space between strings, even the big fat ones. A 43mm will give you (wait whilst I work it out) slightly less than 9mm between each string if there were zero room on the outer edges of the nut. Though it wouldn't cost too much at all to test the theory and have a nut made with a more squat spacing - At least that way you could decide if you want to stick with this one or, I suppose the next step would be going custom and specifying each dimension. (Cost implication of course!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 It'll make 8.6 mm to be precise. But you have to leave at least 1.5 mm on each side, so we'll end up with 8 mm strings spacing at nut which should be manageable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 (edited) 54 minutes ago, Hellzero said: It'll make 8.6 mm to be precise. But you have to leave at least 1.5 mm on each side, so we'll end up with 8 mm strings spacing at nut which should be manageable. Thank you for working it out for me and yes, thinking about it, my Shuker are 9mm at the nut, so 8mm would probably be ok unless the player was blessed with "builders hands"! Edited March 9, 2018 by dood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 9, 2018 Author Share Posted March 9, 2018 Certainly sounds like the sort of scale I was thinking of. If I get on with a 6 in general, maybe at some point I will look to get something made with a smaller spacing - so 9mm would be 45 + 3, that sounds like the sort of thing I would be happier with. Still trying to decide if I am ready to risk playing a 6 string at the gig tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 I would not risk it. I’ve had the “crap I hit the C” experience, not nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 Considered the Ibanez SRC6? http://www.ibanez.com/eu/news/f_products/2014/workshop/crossover.html Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 This - is a wide neck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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