Never thought this day would come......

[jeremyr]

So yesterday I ........... SOLD THE SCHECTER!!!!!!!

It was kind of heart breaking, but I upgraded in a major way (well at least to me I did).

I picked up a brand new Ibanez BTB456.  This this is INSANE.  THe bart nk1's and the 18v preamp are just NUTS.  I NEVER need to adjust my amp anymore!!! I leave all my setting flat and just adjust at the bass.  The tones that it produces are just WILD.  The schecter was awesome no doubt, but it in no way could produce the type and variety of tones that the BTB does.  As soon as I got it home I put some D'Addario 170-5 XL proSteels on it and this thing SINGS!!!!! I  can't express how insane this bass is.  It can go from a GREAT slap tone to a smooth and mellow ballad tone in the matter of a flip of the wrist!!!  Not to metion the neck is ULTRA fast and I can get to all the frest without stretching my hand at the upper frets. The string spacer is wider then the schecter too coming in around 18-19mm from the center of the string. Which gives me more room for double thumping and popping.   I'm happy

So here's a picture of it:



and here's a link to ibanez's site with the specs: http://ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=BTB456QM

[DWBass]

Congrats! I owned an Ibanez SR505 (bought in 1996) and for many years it was my main bass! Ibanez gets a bad rap but most of those folks don't know what they're talking about. The BTB's are really nice instruments!

[jeremyr]

Congrats! I owned an Ibanez SR505 (bought in 1996) and for many years it was my main bass! Ibanez gets a bad rap but most of those folks don't know what they're talking about. The BTB's are really nice instruments!

the BTB's are AMAZING!!!!  I think i'm going to pick up a btb 4 string around chirstmas.

[browntree]

Are those Bartilonis (your pickups)?  If so, do you like them better than the EMG's?  Also, were your electronics noisier on your Schecter?  My electronics on my Schecter seem to be a bit noiser than I would like.  I figure it may have been poor shop-work. 

[jeremyr]

Are those Bartilonis (your pickups)?  If so, do you like them better than the EMG's?  Also, were your electronics noisier on your Schecter?  My electronics on my Schecter seem to be a bit noiser than I would like.  I figure it may have been poor shop-work. 

Yeah I have Bartiloni pickups now.  My schecter had the EMG-HZ's.  They were noisey if i turned my trebbile up.  The bass was fine, but as soon as I turned up the trebble a little past half it would start to give a pretty steady hiss.  I can't say that I have noticed that with the Barts.

[Torch7]

Congrats... gonna need a new sig pick now, huh?

[ddwilkins]

NO JEREMY.  sike, I've played one of the BTB's and they do sound great but I'm keeping my Schecter.  I'm planning on getting another bass with a wider string spacing for slapping and thumping, and changing my emg's in my schecter to barts for more mellow stuff.

[jeremyr]

NO JEREMY.  sike, I've played one of the BTB's and they do sound great but I'm keeping my Schecter.  I'm planning on getting another bass with a wider string spacing for slapping and thumping, and changing my emg's in my schecter to barts for more mellow stuff.

if i had the funds to keep both I definately would have.  Unfortunately my fiancee was with me at the time of purchase, not to mention I have wedding stuff that still needs to be payed for.

Honestly the btb is just flat out a step up from the diamond elite 5 and we all know I loved mine..lol.

Changing the EMG's to bartilonis isn't even a question anymore.  Before this bad boy I never really ahd experience with teh barts or got to play around with them long enough to check out the different tones, but now that I have I'll probably never want to go back to anything else.  The emg's just don't compare to the clarity as well as the differnt tones you get from the barts that you NEED in gospel.
If i get a 4 string it's gonna be a BTB of a J-Bass and my 6er I'm making .  I have all of the wood with the exeception of the next wood.

[Mrbassics]

I know exactly how you feel. I had been looking for a new bass for about a month, I even highly considered the Schecter Stiletto 5-  but then I came across the Ibanez BTB 1205, needless to say it has been a match made in heaven ever since!

I think its one of the best kept secrets!

[play4zero]

When i returned to playing my first bass was an Ibanez SG800 and the dumbest thing I did was to waste money upgrading to EMGs.  I think I still have the stock Ibanex units around somewhere.  The original had a very thin neck and the only real downside was that every change in the weather required a neck adjustment.  Very nice instrument for the money, and they just seem to get better.  The barts are great.  I love the ones in my Lakland.

[Groovesmith]

Yo man thats a beautiful bass my cousin is looking at getting that bass right now even down to the same colour.  I first started to look at those when Adam Blackstone started to show up in pics with them I am so torn between one of those and a warwick.  But thats is maybe years away just had a new baby.  Like you said the wife (in your case future wife) lets you know bout priorities, if it aint broke you dont neeeeeeddddddd a new one.

[Groovesmith]

Oh my bad Adam Blackstone plays the SR models that started me looking at the btb the just catch you eye

[DWBass]

Oh my bad Adam Blackstone plays the SR models that started me looking at the btb the just catch you eye

I like the high end SR models. The BTB's are really nice but for me the string spacing is a tad wide for my taste. I like the SR neck and body profiles! I owned one of the original SR505's for many years and just sold it this summer! Alas, I'm still on my never ending search for the perfect bass for me!

[ladybass]

Congrat Jeremy!!!


Monday I was at the music store jammin with Mysteryman.  First I had my own bass, then eventually picked up a Ibanez.  I really like the sound and the feel of that Ibanez!!!!  I really do!

*thoughts of upgrading float thru my head*

[jeremyr]

I like the high end SR models. The BTB's are really nice but for me the string spacing is a tad wide for my taste. I like the SR neck and body profiles! I owned one of the original SR505's for many years and just sold it this summer! Alas, I'm still on my never ending search for the perfect bass for me!

the 19mm string spacing definately is taking a little bit to get use to, but it's relaly not that big of a deal (at least for me). 

It's just a 5 string with 4 string spacing..lol.  And the B string is CRISP!!!!! I slap on the B string ALL day (i also could do that on the schecter), but I have to admit that the b string notes on the btb have a bit crisper feeling to them then the schecter did.

[browntree]

Yeah what you said about the treble is the case for me too.  The EMG-HZ's are passive pickups and although ok, I'm thinking about either some active EMGs or some Bartilonis to go with the active eq.  I also think some of that hiss is coming from bad electronic workmanship.  I may go in and redo some of the solder joints, grounds, and shielding. 

Hey Jeremyr, the Bartilonis you are using now are active or passive?

[jeremyr]

Yeah what you said about the treble is the case for me too.  The EMG-HZ's are passive pickups and although ok, I'm thinking about either some active EMGs or some Bartilonis to go with the active eq.  I also think some of that hiss is coming from bad electronic workmanship.  I may go in and redo some of the solder joints, grounds, and shielding. 

Hey Jeremyr, the Bartilonis you are using now are active or passive?

they're active.  they're alot quiter then the EMG-HZ's as well.  Do yourself a favor and get a 3 band eq.  have the mid frequency and boost is just a must have.  it's how much tighter you can get your tone with it.!!!!

[DWBass]

the 19mm string spacing definately is taking a little bit to get use to, but it's relaly not that big of a deal (at least for me). 

It's just a 5 string with 4 string spacing..lol.  And the B string is CRISP!!!!! I slap on the B string ALL day (i also could do that on the schecter), but I have to admit that the b string notes on the btb have a bit crisper feeling to them then the schecter did.

I hear ya! My Yamaha has 18mm (still wide but not as wide as the BTB) and I admit it is comfortable. The B is killer as well. I may just keep mine and try to work on it's action a bit to get it to my liking.

[ddwilkins]

Yeah what you said about the treble is the case for me too.  The EMG-HZ's are passive pickups and although ok, I'm thinking about either some active EMGs or some Bartilonis to go with the active eq.  I also think some of that hiss is coming from bad electronic workmanship.  I may go in and redo some of the solder joints, grounds, and shielding. 

Hey Jeremyr, the Bartilonis you are using now are active or passive?

actually I keep my treble turned midway between off and half.  I can't stand a hiss sound coming through my cab but when I pop that high Gb (for me) I want that baby to scream.

[Andrzej]

Nice choice jeremyr!  The BTB is a heck of a lot of bass for your buck.  I think you will really get into usng this bass.  It's a good all round performer.  The wide string spacing will take a little getting used to, but you will find that you will adjust to it pretty quickly.  My old MTD 535 had the same string spacing and it felt weird at first, but after a few weeks I was flying all over the fretboard.

Time to crank it up a level baby!