Choose a 5 string bass for £500 (ish)

[Gizmo]

24 minutes ago, crazycloud said:

That would look great with my BTB846v.

 

If it hasn't, you should get it. 

 

If it was this one

 

 

Yep Gone

 

And i agree with @Cornwall Steve the Drab brown/low gloss stain Popular Burl really lets this line down in the Image/Wow dept, Sure they might look great but im shallow  (that said i've owned basses that look Stella but played/sounded like Dogdoo)

[Cornwall Steve]

47 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

 

If it was this one

 

 

Yep Gone

 

And i agree with @Cornwall Steve the Drab brown/low gloss stain Popular Burl really lets this line down in the Image/Wow dept, Sure they might look great but im shallow  (that said i've owned basses that look Stella but played/sounded like Dogdoo)

I'm a sucker for any type of mottled/burl/burst type of finish (or however these finishes are best described !) but I'm weak, and shallow too. I confess I too have bought pretty, sparkly, even dare I say garish looking basses of which some were half decent most were not. But I've learnt my lesson and slightly less impressionable these days. Or at least I'd like to think so 😂

Edited January 28 by Cornwall Steve
Spelling and grammar errors

[Cornwall Steve]

14 hours ago, Terry M. said:

Yes it's a NAMM 2026 release.

 

Andertons have one as per below link:

 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/ibanez-btb805ms-fnl-5-string-multi-scale-bass-guitar-florid-natural-low-gloss/

 

Ibanez definitely could do with more exciting finishes like this in my opinion. 

Terry, I should have asked you yesterday when you (very kindly) flagged up the BTB805 in florid natural, have you ever played a BTB ideally one of the later models. If so, what did you think?

[Terry M.]

2 hours ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Terry, I should have asked you yesterday when you (very kindly) flagged up the BTB805 in florid natural, have you ever played a BTB ideally one of the later models. If so, what did you think?

Hi Steve so for current production/more recent stuff I've tried the same bass (805MS) in the original transparent gray flat colour,the 705LM and the 605LM. All fanned fret and all using the T1 pickups. Long story short I've been very impressed with ALL of them. Those T1 pickups to me sound REALLY good. I think like you the far eastern licenced Barts do very little for me if anything. The T1s I would describe as a game changer. All 3 basses were ultra playable and the fanned frets took me all of 10 seconds to get used to. The 805 had the longest B string at 37" if that's important.

[Cornwall Steve]

1 hour ago, Terry M. said:

Hi Steve so for current production/more recent stuff I've tried the same bass (805MS) in the original transparent gray flat colour,the 705LM and the 605LM. All fanned fret and all using the T1 pickups. Long story short I've been very impressed with ALL of them. Those T1 pickups to me sound REALLY good. I think like you the far eastern licenced Barts do very little for me if anything. The T1s I would describe as a game changer. All 3 basses were ultra playable and the fanned frets took me all of 10 seconds to get used to. The 805 had the longest B string at 37" if that's important.

Hi Terry

Many thanks for sharing that.

I'm actually giving a bit of serious thought to the 805 whereas originally it was all about the 705. I've heard nothing but good things about the T1's which is a refreshing relief (for me anyway) over Ibanez's obsession with dropping Barts into so many of their basses.

There are actually quite a few versions of the discontinued BTB's I like the look of especially the 845 however most are based on look alone together with specification 'on paper'.

It's odd really that Ibby have brought out so many versions of the BTB yet they're not that common a sight when looking to buy a 5 (aside from the 745 which seems to pop up everywhere !🙄) secondhand

Edited January 29 by Cornwall Steve
Spelling and grammar errors

[Terry M.]

1 hour ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Hi Terry

Many thanks for sharing that.

I'm actually giving a bit of serious thought to the 805 whereas originally it was all about the 705. I've heard nothing but good things about the T1's which is a refreshing relief (for me anyway) over Ibanez's obsession with dropping Barts into so many of their basses.

There are actually quite a few versions of the discontinued BTB's I like the look of especially the 845 however most are based on look alone together with specification 'on paper'.

It's odd really that Ibby have brought out so many versions of the BTB yet they're not that common a sight when looking to buy a 5 (aside from the 745 which seems to pop up everywhere !🙄) secondhand

Hi Steve. I tried an 845 once when it was still in production but it had the BH2 Barts which really wasn’t my thing but,what's interesting is the replacement 945 has Nordstrand Big Single pickups which IS my thing. I'm wondering if the sheer body size along with the longer scale length and possible marketing towards the metal genre has made them somewhat niche 🤔 Don't rule out the 705 however as in my experience it almost played itself and sounded good doing it.

I've noticed Ibanez have removed the 705 from their website now.

Edited January 29 by Terry M.

[Cornwall Steve]

8 hours ago, Terry M. said:

Hi Steve. I tried an 845 once when it was still in production but it had the BH2 Barts which really wasn’t my thing but,what's interesting is the replacement 945 has Nordstrand Big Single pickups which IS my thing. I'm wondering if the sheer body size along with the longer scale length and possible marketing towards the metal genre has made them somewhat niche 🤔 Don't rule out the 705 however as in my experience it almost played itself and sounded good doing it.

I've noticed Ibanez have removed the 705 from their website now.

Hi Terry

Thank you once again for your much appreciated views and thoughts. 

Oddly enough I'd just been watching an on line video of the 945 and I'm very impressed with its Nordstrands. IMO these top the other BTB models equipped with the T1's, which in themselves I think are impressive and personally I'd be quite happy with ☺️.

All very well me sharing my likes and personal choice of which model my heart desires but actually finding most of these BTB models is a different ball game. They so seem to come and go from the Ibanez range so quickly (some versions only available for a year) that tracking down the model I want is a bit of a challenge to say the least. However Andertons and Thoman do at least appear to offer a half decent hope of getting hold of a 945.

Thinking of which, I don't suppose any members out there have a BTB fitted with T1's/Nordstrands/Aguilers that they're bored with ?😂

Edited January 29 by Cornwall Steve
Spelling and grammar errors

[Terry M.]

Hi Steve,

 

Speaking of sub £500 5 string basses that I would go for I've just taken delivery of a used first generation SBMM Ray35 in the natural ash finish. I've had "real" US 5 string Rays before so am able to make a reasonable comparison:these Ray35s are Stingrays through and through! I know these might not be your thing especially with the 17.5mm string spacing but I love the Stingray tone but not the £2k+ price tag on some of the EBMM Rays that preceded the 2018 Stingray Special range. As far as I'm concerned I have a Ray for less than 1/4 of the price of some used USA examples ☺️

[Cornwall Steve]

On 26/01/2026 at 17:15, Terry M. said:

Sometimes these creep into your £500 price criteria Steve,the Indonesian-built Yamaha TRB1005/J series. The original Japanese TRB/TRB mk2 from the 90s early 2000s really do it for me also. You have any experience with any of these?

Hi Terry

Hope you don't mind me asking.

Just picking up on this suggestion you posted a few days ago, I've stumbled across a black TRB1005J being advertised fairly local (just a 300 mile round trip which for Cornwall is considered as local 😂). The vendor has confessed he's selling because he can't get on with the flat fret board. I've come across this watching and reading on line reviews, sometimes this has attracted a fair bit of criticism. Did you find it a bit hard to get on with, or is it nothing really too much to worry about?

I've never even seen a TRB let alone played one but I somehow feel your suggestion to consider getting one could be a good shout. I bought a TRBX605 brand new from Yamaha a couple of years ago but TBH I was a bit disappointed (and I'm a very big Yammie fan) and sold it on. Don't recall it having a flat fret board though.

Thanks in anticipation

Steve

[Terry M.]

4 hours ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Hi Terry

Hope you don't mind me asking.

Just picking up on this suggestion you posted a few days ago, I've stumbled across a black TRB1005J being advertised fairly local (just a 300 mile round trip which for Cornwall is considered as local 😂). The vendor has confessed he's selling because he can't get on with the flat fret board. I've come across this watching and reading on line reviews, sometimes this has attracted a fair bit of criticism. Did you find it a bit hard to get on with, or is it nothing really too much to worry about?

I've never even seen a TRB let alone played one but I somehow feel your suggestion to consider getting one could be a good shout. I bought a TRBX605 brand new from Yamaha a couple of years ago but TBH I was a bit disappointed (and I'm a very big Yammie fan) and sold it on. Don't recall it having a flat fret board though.

Thanks in anticipation

Steve

Hi Steve.

 

No problem at all.

 

To answer your question I don't think it's anything to worry about too much. What's interesting here is the TRBX you tried and the TRB have identical fretboard radius' (23 5/8"). The fact that you don't recall the fretboard feel on the RBX probably means you didn't have an issue with that aspect of the bass. If you can go and check out the TRB bear in mind it has a 35" scale neck. I've noticed on Yamaha.com that that it is now discontinued. 

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Terry M.

[Cornwall Steve]

9 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

Hi Steve.

 

No problem at all.

 

To answer your question I don't think it's anything to worry about too much. What's interesting here is the TRBX you tried and the TRB have identical fretboard radius' (23 5/8"). The fact that you don't recall the fretboard feel on the RBX probably means you didn't have an issue what that aspect of the bass. If you can go and check out the TRB bear in mind it has a 35" scale neck. I've noticed on Yamaha.com that that it is now discontinued. 

 

 

 

Hi Terry

Thank you very much for replying.

I think you hit the nail on the head regarding the fretboard radius. I didn't know if this was common to both the TRB and the TRBX fretboards though something inside told me it might be the case. And, 'Yes' you're right, I experienced no issues with the fretboard/neck on the TRBX605 I had, and even the EQ and the hardware were okay, it was just the overall feel of the thing. So far as the legendary Yamaha build quality was concerned (prevalent in the old BB's and RBX's I have) the TRBX just didn't feel up to scratch. However the overall general consensus suggests to me that the TRB's are in a different league.

So, I think I'll stick with the TRB 5 string and put it to the test. 

P.S. I've also decided to go for a BTB 5 string with T1's or Nordstrands, plus either a Sire M5 or a V8 5 string (but selling off my old Yamaha RBX375 plus my two Sire V7 4 strings).

Thanks very much yet again Terry for all your much valued help and advice 🙏

Steve

[Terry M.]

1 hour ago, Cornwall Steve said:

Hi Terry

Thank you very much for replying.

I think you hit the nail on the head regarding the fretboard radius. I didn't know if this was common to both the TRB and the TRBX fretboards though something inside told me it might be the case. And, 'Yes' you're right, I experienced no issues with the fretboard/neck on the TRBX605 I had, and even the EQ and the hardware were okay, it was just the overall feel of the thing. So far as the legendary Yamaha build quality was concerned (prevalent in the old BB's and RBX's I have) the TRBX just didn't feel up to scratch. However the overall general consensus suggests to me that the TRB's are in a different league.

So, I think I'll stick with the TRB 5 string and put it to the test. 

P.S. I've also decided to go for a BTB 5 string with T1's or Nordstrands, plus either a Sire M5 or a V8 5 string (but selling off my old Yamaha RBX375 plus my two Sire V7 4 strings).

Thanks very much yet again Terry for all your much valued help and advice 🙏

Steve

No worries Steve. Good luck with the quest 😀