Ibanez models to consider for a beginner?

Which Ibanez is better?

  • SR300EB

    Votes: 8 36.4%

  • SR370E

    Votes: 5 22.7%

  • SR400EQM

    Votes: 9 40.9%
  • Total voters
    22
T

TheBlueFalcon

Inactive
Sep 17, 2009
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#1
When looking at the SR300EB WK, the black weathered look so durable, like the SR500E. It seems like the finish on the SR370E and SR400EQM will last longer.

The SR370E uses maple instead of Nyatoh for the body. Is it worth an extra £50 over the SR300EB?

The SR400EQM has a layer of maple on top of the Nyatoh, plus the B300 bridge instead of the B120. Is this worth around £100 more than the SR370E?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
#2
Ibanez has so many model designations, i cant keep track of the differences, but in general, the quality of parts electronics, and finishes gets better as the model numbers ascend. The SR300 series are an excellent beginner to intermediate level bass, 400 series a little better, 500 and up are Pro level instruments. My only criticism of Ibanez is their finishes, particularly the "brown mahogany" finishes, which flake off if you look at them hard. The ultimate test is how they feel in your hands. Play whatever you are able on as many basses as possible, i wouldnt recommend sight unseen mail order for your first serious bass.
 
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#4
Gilmourisgod said:
Ibanez has so many model designations, i cant keep track of the differences, but in general, the quality of parts electronics, and finishes gets better as the model numbers ascend. The SR300 series are an excellent beginner to intermediate level bass, 400 series a little better, 500 and up are Pro level instrumnents. My only criticism of Ibanez is their finishes, particularly the "brown mahogany" finishes, which flake off if you look at them hard. The ultimate test is how they feel in your hands. Play whatever you are able on as many basses as possible, i wouldnt recommend sight unseen mail order for your first serious bass.
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Yeah, I haven't looked at basses for 10 years (only feels like 5 tops!!) so it took some catching up.

The 3 models I mentioned all have the same PowerSpan pickups and electronics, so I'm not expecting much difference between them. I was thinking about paying the extra for the SR370E as the Aged Whisky Burst looks okay, but I think I like the look of the SR400EQM even more.

I know many people recommend the performance of the SR500E over these, but that flaky finish has put me off.
 
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#9
I started with an Ibanez sr400NT. It was a great bass to start with. Slim neck, great sound with the P and J pickups. I played that thing for 10 years till I upgraded. I sold it, but if I see that bass around again, my first bass not any sr400, I would buy it back in a heart beat for my kids.

The only downside is if the beginner decides not to play bass and you want to sell it, the Ibanez's resale value is pretty bad. Here kn Canada at least. If you buy new, you're lucky if you get ¼ the value sold used, even if still new.
 
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#10
bassrique said:
Tmb100 Talman looks cooler than the SR IMO.

I also think the idea of a "begginner bass" is almost passe these days. Some of the cheap basses these days beat the 70s Fender Jazz I played when I was a kid.
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I look at the TMB100 and think why no just buy a Fender instead.

My old bass is a Fender copy, which was well used and beaten before I bought it, to the point where I feel like I avoided learning because it was such a knacker!!

I quite like the design of the SR. It's a shame that Ibanez seem to have some strange colour choices though.
 
#11
lupien said:
I started with an Ibanez sr400NT. It was a great bass to start with. Slim neck, great sound with the P and J pickups. I played that thing for 10 years till I upgraded. I sold it, but if I see that bass around again, my first bass not any sr400, I would buy it back in a heart beat for my kids.

The only downside is if the beginner decides not to play bass and you want to sell it, the Ibanez's resale value is pretty bad. Here kn Canada at least. If you buy new, you're lucky if you get ¼ the value sold used, even if still new.
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I bought an SR300 10 years ago. But then decided to sell it on to get something higher up the range. I then had a few very bad experiences with being lied to by Dealers, trying to sell ex-display models as new. It got to the point where I'd had enough and gave up. I regret it now though, could possibly have been a half decent player by now.

The re-sell value here in the UK seems pretty good, but still wondering if an SR400EQM is really worth £150 more than the SR300E-IPT, being the same spec as the SR300EB but in the gloss black finish.
 
#12
TheBlueFalcon said:
I look at the TMB100 and think why no just buy a Fender instead.

My old bass is a Fender copy, which was well used and beaten before I bought it, to the point where I feel like I avoided learning because it was such a knacker!!

I quite like the design of the SR. It's a shame that Ibanez seem to have some strange colour choices though.
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Fenders are not a good value. Squiers don't say Fender on the headstock which is a no-go for me. Even the Squiers don't compare value-wise to Ibanez.
 
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#13
TheBlueFalcon said:
I bought an SR300 10 years ago. But then decided to sell it on to get something higher up the range. I then had a few very bad experiences with being lied to by Dealers, trying to sell ex-display models as new. It got to the point where I'd had enough and gave up. I regret it now though, could possibly have been a half decent player by now.

The re-sell value here in the UK seems pretty good, but still wondering if an SR400EQM is really worth £150 more than the SR300E-IPT, being the same spec as the SR300EB but in the gloss black finish.
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If you want to save the sr400eqm may not be worth it. Your paying extra just for the Quilted Maple. Looks nice, but not necessary.

I'd go with one of the sr3xx if I was you. I do like the look of that black one, but that wood in the body I've never heard of or seen... The sr370 however with maple body I know I like. The sr400nt I had was maple and sounded great to me. Better than many other ibanez basses I've played in the past. Again, my opinion here, not everyone will agree. But my personal preference for body woods is #1 Ash , #2 Maple, #3 Alder.
 
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#16
They're all good choices.
I had an SR300 and liked it a lot, but ultimately the problem was that it has frets. So I sold it to a colleague, who loves it.
I now have an SR370EF, and love it - it's just so much more alive, somehow. Of course, I don't know how much of that is the different wood, how much is because it lacks those pesky speed-bumps on the fingerboard, and how much is just natural variation. so take that with a pinch of salt.

Whichever you get, it'll carry you a long way before it starts being a limiting factor. So my advice is to try them each in person if you can, and pick the one you respond best to.
 
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#17
equill said:
Whichever you get, it'll carry you a long way before it starts being a limiting factor. So my advice is to try them each in person if you can, and pick the one you respond best to.
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Unfortunately I won't get to compare them in person. But having briefly owned an older spec SR300 10 years ago, I know what to expect.

I keep trying to convince myself that buying an SR300E-IPT is the way to go for the moment and then I could look at upgrading next year (or the following year) if Ibanez produce something a bit higher up that I really like the look of.

But then, like you say, any of those are likely to last a while before I'd HAVE to upgrade, so I keep on wondering if I should just spend a bit more now to get something a little more pleasing on the eye.

I thought I'd made my mind up a few days ago, but I keep going round in circles!!
 
#18
If you have the time or inclination, that flaky SR500 finish makes it an easy refin job, and there are a lot of used ones for cheap with chipped finish, usually right where you’d rest your thumb. A couple hours of sanding and refin with Tru Oil or Watco Danish gets you a more durable finish and a superb bass for short money.
 
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#19
TheBlueFalcon said:
I thought I'd made my mind up a few days ago, but I keep going round in circles!!
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Stop doing that to yourself! The basses you’re considering will all serve you well. No matter what you buy, even among very high end basses, there will always be something else that seems more desirable for any number of reasons, rational or emotional.

If you’re serious about upgrading next year then your choice among the basses you named should be driven by which one will be easiest to sell at that time.
 
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#20
Gilmourisgod said:
If you have the time or inclination, that flaky SR500 finish makes it an easy refin job, and there are a lot of used ones for cheap with chipped finish, usually right where you’d rest your thumb. A couple hours of sanding and refin with Tru Oil or Watco Danish gets you a more durable finish and s superb bass for short money.
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If I thought I could make a good job of it, I'd be tempted. But I'm guessing it could very easily go wrong.

The one thing I don't like about any of the basses I've mentioned is the light maple on the back of the neck. The only thing I feel makes them look cheap. But even more to go wrong with trying to address that.
 
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