NBD: Ibanez 80s goodness

[uk_lefty]

I started up an 80s band some time ago. We are still "forming" finding the right songs and so forth but it's feeling good. So I wanted an 80s bass and having sold off three basses at the end of last year I was feeling good and came across an Ibanez Musician from 1980, fully original. Struck a deal and it was delivered yesterday by the owner and used last night at band practice. 

 

First impressions: chunkier neck than I'm used to but not unmanageable. Weight is ok and a decent strap. Lots of knobs! These are a bit excessive I think: vol vol tone, three way pup selector, active/ passive switch, bass, mid, treble... So for ease of use it's both pups on full then using the active to find the sound. I played through an Ampeg head and Trace cab with the EQ relatively flat. This bass cuts through the mix! Gorgeous consistency all over the neck in terms of tone and volume, lovely for high fills, really nice sound for finger pops that I can't seem to get with other basses. So far I'm chuffed. Terrible photo, but I've been too busy playing it to just admire it. 

[Maude]

It's a knob fest! 

 

I do like the 80s contrasting neck through basses. 

Cool 😎

[crazycloud]

I had a Musician years ago. Very nice bass, but I can't recall why I sold it. The young fella who bought it was thrilled though.

[LeftyJ]

On 07/01/2026 at 10:08, uk_lefty said:

Lots of knobs! These are a bit excessive I think: vol vol tone, three way pup selector, active/ passive switch, bass, mid, treble... So for ease of use it's both pups on full then using the active to find the sound. 

 

That shouldn't be how it's wired. I've had three of these, and they were volume, tone, preamp gain and 3-band EQ, so you could boost or cut the EQ curve without having to change 3 knobs, and so you could match the output to the passive level. There is no pickup balance, only the 3-way switch. The gain knob only works in active mode, obviously. 

Edited 9 hours ago by LeftyJ