Ibanez EDB600 Ergodyne Bass Guitar

Feature:
The active pickups sound awesome

Quality:
Ibanez basses hold up forever. However, the nubs for holding the strap and the wiring for the battery are the 2 weakest parts.

Value:
Again, this is the best slap bass you can get for less than $1200...and it's $350. If you're still playing a worthless Fender bass or clone, upgrade to 24 frets with the EDB600. Ergodynes feel almost as good as Warwicks.

Desirability:
The Ibanez Ergodyne is straight up awesome.

Sound:
I've abused my EDB600 for over 8 years now. Best slap bass under $1200. Between the 3 eq knobs and the pickup knob, you can get almost any bass sound you could want.

Ease of Use:
You do have to replace the internal preamp's 9v battery occassionally.

Support:
Never used support.

Overall:
The EDB600 is perfectly dimensioned to be played to the extreme. AMAZING slap responsiveness.

Feature:
Everything you need, and a better eq than 99% of the axes out there. Wicked pickups, clean, quiet pots, and rock solid bridge. The only thing to look for is the finish on the bridge will wear off (takes a lot of playing first!) , the control knobs have no markings, and don't wear a belt- once scratched, I have no idea how to repair the finish.

Quality:
It's a well- made bass. Stays in tune, frets wear well, not a lot of adjustments needed in 2 years with it- it went to my setup guy once- my yamaha backup has been there 6 times for adjustment in the same time, perhaps because I hardly pick it up.

Value:
I am eminently impressed with the Ergo, and would buy again.

Desirability:
I only give it a 9 because I wish it came in black. But people do seem to find it attractive- and the unique finish on the guitar never really needs polishing, and doesn't show fingerprints, so that is very cool.

Sound:
The Ergo has really made life better for me. It's got great output, amazing tone, & the 3 band eq works phenomenally. I play everything from country to thrash on this thing, and it's NEVER out of place. The fretboard is not too wide, fast as heck, and the neck is stable, and the bass hangs very well. This bass stays in tune between gigs really well- and it's often frozen solid between shows! I get a lot of compliments on the way it looks, as well. It may be a touch heavier than some basses, but I love the lucite, and will never change away from Ibanez now. In the studio, it sees a compressor, and that would be all. The guys in the band call my pearl grey EDB600 "Rock Solid"- nuff said. (OH- and I am a touring live FOH sound engineer- if the sound sucked, I wouldn't have it)

Support:
I had a problem with the sweep pot for the mid-eq point- I was told that a real good repair guy could probably fix it, but I should just buy the new circuit board. I had it fixed for a quarter of the price of the new board. BUT Ibanez was very friendly and did really try to help

Overall:
I will only buy another Ergodyne, and I will only buy a different bass because now I want the 5 string.