The sound is awesome for a bass that is as thin and light as the SR500. You can get tons of sounds out of it with the EQ settings, from slap to funk, heavy bottom, warm tones, it's all there. I can get a TON of sound out for playing with any drummer and full band or I can tone it down and play with just my guitar player on an acoustic with both of us singing and it sounds great.

Seems that everything is there for a reason and works well. Tonal control is killer. It has a great feel to it also. I like the feel of the woods used on this bass and the finish. Bartolini MK1 Pickups enough said there. The EQ has it all, Volume and Pickup Balance control knobs to tune it your desired pickup sound. Treble, Mid and Bass knobs will give you the ultimate control in fine-tuning your bass to the tones that you want. Lots of sounds available at your finger tips. Also coming with Elixir strings was nice also. I usually change my strings right away as most times you have no idea what they are. The SR500 came with a nice set of strings on it. Thanks! A Big Plus....

How playable is it? Wow! it is so easy to play it is mind boggling. Ibanez has always had that super thin fast neck this one is like a Ferrari. If you like thin fast necks this one has it. I didn't like the way it was set up out of the box like most guitars. I did a complete set up on it, lowered the action a bit and now it is honestly the only bass I want to play. Amazing how well it plays. I have pretty small hands and they are pretty messed up with arthritis so ease of playing is huge for me. I love the Fender P bass I also have a Thunderbird and that one booms. But those big heavy basses just kill me and my hands. The SR500 is a winner in my book and my hands and back love me for it. To each their own but this one really works well for me.

The construction fit and finish all look great. It is not a fancy bass with a lot of flash, Just kind of a warm mahogany color, flat finish with no heavy lacquer clear coat over it. I like it myself, but yes you can scratch it easy, a little extra care is needed for it and around the jack input you should be a little careful. Overall I love the finish and I imagine over time it will get worn and scratched but hey that gives it some character. It is not the heavy shiny lacquered up body typically found on a lot of guitars. I like it and plan on owning it and playing it for a long time to come. I will pick up a hard case for it in the near future just for some added protection hauling it around to gigs.

Yes, I feel like I have a ton of bass for the price. There doesn't seem to be many basses in this price range that offer the quality and sound of the SR500. It is not a bank breaker and you get a lot of bass for the money. The Bartolini pickups are a great touch and one of the reasons I wanted this bass. They sound great.

I own several Ibanez products and have never had to contact the company with any problems.

I love the look and feel of this bass. It just looks warm, a nice color and the feel of real wood not covered up with paint and tons of clear coat. I knew I would like this bass the first time i held one.

Off and on for a long time but now I play just about every day. Currently playing in a band and a duo, just locally, small gigs.

Just about everything, Im very eclectic in my music tastes. I just really love to play music.

The sound of this bass is incredible. I used to play a gsr 400 and this sounds just like that but on a a$$ load of steroids!!! The poppy, solid, deep tone of this bass is absolutely unbeatable. The Bertolini pickups cannot be beat. The tone control knobs offer more control than you can imagine. You don't realize this untill you actually get to play it LOUD!!

THE PICKUPS!!! Bertolini MK1's honestly cannot be beat. I'll be honest, I'd never heard of Bertolini before I bought this bass. I was EMG all the way. But honestly, these pickups are just unbelievable. They perfectly balance the deep low end, the crisp mids and the ear piercing highs. The 3 way EQ lets you control these with almost rediculous minutity. lol if you know what I mean.

It feels just like a gsr but somehow, feels completely different at the same time. The weight is average, as with the gsr but the quality of build is uncomparable. It's solid body and thin reliable neck are built to perfection and can't be beat by any brand. Again, the pickups make easy work of sounding good. The EQ knobs are CRAZY!!

I've owned this guitar for 4 years and I play a lot of shows. (Punk and HARD HARD rock) There is absolutely NOTHING that has let me down. I do regularly tighten all the tuning pegs, bridges and pickups. This guitar is as tight as the day I bought it. It breaks in really well. I find that it is perfectly molded to my playing style without taking away from it's solid as a rock construction.

I've played $4000 basses and HONESTLY I like this bass the best out of everyone that I have played. If I won $10 million dollars tomorrow I wouldn't go buy one of those $4000 basses I would go buy an SR in every color. I know it's hard to believe, but TRUST ME. BUY THIS BASS!!! lol

As I said, I've had no problems with this bass at all.

Just look at it.

Active Musician, Rockin Outer

Punk, Rediculously hard rock

THIS BASS "LIVE" SOUNDS AS IF IT CAME DIRECT FROM YOUR FAVORITE CD. DEEP AND CONTROLABLE "EQ" RIGHT FROM YOUR POCKET PODS. IF YOU NEED A SOLO, JUST CRANK IT!! FABULOUS NECK - LOW AND DESIRABLE. I WON'T BE SEARCHING FOR ANOTHER BASS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. t o m

40 YRS IN THE BUSINESS

CLASSIC ROCK

I bought this and an Acoustic B450 and a B410 to go with it. This is also my first active bass as I've been playing a 1980s P-bass for years. First - the P for all it was is still nice, but the SR500 just destroys the Fender in every level, in every way. Where the P is my first choice in a bar fight, the Ibanez is the bass I usually grab first and more constantly. The neck is sleek, fast and almost plays itself like a REAL Venture's model Mosrite of years past. The factory set up was spot-on, although an identical model may not be so. There is some differentiation in them from different times they were built; ie - if they were strung before or after lunch at the factory. The whole guitar is sexy and sleek and very fast even for my old fingers. I don't even have sore fingers (ala: Fender P-Bass!) after playing a 5-hour gig and no set breaks either. The factory strings are very nice and quite frankly unless I just wanted to spend more $$ on some Rolos, I don't feel they are necessary. This is the first guitar that didn't need any serious tweaking to make it play well. If you do buy one, it should not be much trouble to get it set the way you like it - just like I said there are some slight differences in set up from the factory, but they are at least consistent in design, just a little "personality" tweak might be necessary. At first I thought the D string was a little less powerful than the E & A, but I had the active equalizer badly set - but now I can instantly go from some serious growl to a click pop in a moment and get back to growl by just a twist of a knob. The knobs are instantly intuitive and I removed the clear plastic cheat-sheet right away. Several gigs later, the finish is still smooth and unscratched - but I may just have more respect for a fine instrument than a speed metal shredder might - so I'm just a little more careful maybe. But it's beautiful and has a deepness to it that really catches the eyes of people who have grown expect the normal circus colors of a Fender. Buy it ::: you'll love it.

I clicked on the "9" and not the "10" because nothing is perfect. But I cannot fault the pups in any way - yet. They give me a smooth "chocolate" sound for soft jazz and yet a full-metal pop for times that I need it too. One interesting aspect of the pups is that they make a great thumb rest for those times when I need one but don't actually want one in the way for other times. I use a felt (ukulele pick) for some European sounds and I can emulate a contra bass that way and the pups are far enough away and don't get hit like my P does. I hear that the metallic finish wears off on the knobs and other hardware - time will tell, but so for it's all good. The pups and active circuit seem well matched; they should be since they are the same manufacturer. The battery seems to last several weeks - gigging and practice and I get a few weeks from each one. That's cool.

My first active system and possibly if I had more experience, I'd find something wrong. But as it is I can't. It's quiet and even seems to minimize string whistle somehow. The pots (knobs) are all silent although like every pot, they will eventually make noises - maybe. The shafts have no discernible wiggle or slop in them and they are in just the right spot too: close to the hand that needs to move them when necessary and yet out of the way. Like I said, the knobs are all in a position that makes them not needing to be labeled. They are where they should be intelligently.

I cannot find any faults in the finish or fit. This might be since the guitar is made in Japan and not made in China. There- I said it! Most Chinese quality is poor and sloppy. Japan has a track record in the past 30-years or so as being a much better place to get electronics and instruments made. Thank-you, Ibanez!!! I'm not too sure how water would/could affect the wooden finish. No-one should play in the rain, but wet happens and I just wonder. Road wise, I bet this holds up very well - but it is a fine - or "finer" instrument than many/some others and I feel some appropriate care is normally ascribed to it at least by me. Get a really good hard case. I don't foresee any real troubles from the instrument or the electronics unless I screw something up or try to install the battery backwards. Ahem!!!

I wish I had had some dickering room on this guitar - everyone likes to at least think they beat up a salesman. But the price was firm - no, make that "cast in stone" and didn't vary a penny from the price tag. I still bought it and don't have any regrets except that I didn't get to make the salesman cry.

The only number I can ascribe at the mo' is a 10 - but I haven't had any troubles with the guitar yet. That could change if they get all snotty and belligerent later on. Hopefully they don't respond like a typical Korean company (with which I am having a legal hassle over some kitchen appliances). Japanese companies, by the large, have all been pretty good in the service after sales, but I find the complete opposite in Korean ones. We'll see. Thankfully, this Ibanez is made in Japan.

Eye candy isn't what makes a great bassist. HOWEVER - having said that - it makes a very good first imnpression! No gaudy circus wagon colors certainly DO catch the eye of the audience. Understatement there! There is a return to reality though: with all that understated grace and elan, the audience expects great bass playing. Try to not disappoint them! I try to do my Timothy B Smits impression and just wow people with no cartoon-ish candy apple red metal-flake colors and just get by with my superior bass playing. Next week I'm going to solve world hunger and give everybody a new BMW too. Uh huh. But I try to be better - the guitar demands it!

Returning, active bass player

Roadhouse, Surf and Oldies

This instrument produces a very distinguishable sound. Other musicians who use a variety of different basses have noticed this after playing my bass. I thought maybe it was just the Elixer strings that came on the bass out of the box, but I just put a set of Ernie Ball's on it and still it has a similar excellent sound. Very versitile to get whatever tone you desire once you get used to adjusting the active EQ. Sounds great playing live and I've had great results recording with this instrument due to the outstanding tonal versitility.

Top quality hardware and electronics, especially for a bass in this middle price range.

Very playable, fast neck. I'm a rythym guitar player, lead singer, but I play bass on just a few numbers with a duo project, so this bass is perfect for me. I don't have really long fingers but can get around fine with the SR500.

You can tell when you handle a well made instrument. Even though it's an overseas produced bass, it seems to be put together extremely well. I think Ibanez has really improved the over quality of it's guitars. (electric, acoustics as well). To compete in this market you can't continually make garbage and expect buyers to be satisfied. Well done Ibanez.

Definately worth the price. 5 piece neck, active electronics are often found on much more expensive instruments.

The first one I ordered had a serious neck issue. Even my experienced and super talented set-up guy (who's also a luthier)was not able to get the string level consistant and intonation correct. It would have required removing frets and heat blocking the neck. I was beyond the 30 day store warranty, so I had to contact Ibanez. It did take some persuasion and going up the ladder of the customer service dept. At first they expected me to pay for shipping, then I was worried they would just crank the truss rod and return the bass to me. After explaining the situation to the director of Ibanez's customer service dept. I received a new bass suprisingly fast at no further cost to me. Just got a lemon the first time. Happens sometime, I guess. The second one is excellent no issues.

Very nice looking instrument. I like the natural finished mahogany body with the black chrome hardware. The "I want it factor" influenced me alot before I bought this beauty. This bass receives compliments for it's appearance whenever I play out with it.

Active musician, Home recording original music

Rock with an alternative, Jazz style of fusion.

the sound is great, the pickups are design to give you a wide range of sound. rock to jazz, it don't matter.

the body design is great. And I also like that is light-weight. the only thing I wish if it came in a diffent color.

Ibanez it's becoming to be the Honda of instruments. little at a time Ibanez it's proving itself to set and go above the standard.

I gave it an 8 because if you're like me,when it comes to buying instruments you can never pay ticket price. bargain dude bargain!!!!! I paid 500 bucks plus a free gig bag

the young player always wants flashy and shinny. this bass it's for the guy who apreciates quality rather than the looks.

4 years playing bass

soft roc k

This bass has wonderfull sustain, but the tone is compermised slightly. deep rich tone or can be modified for a more grungy, muddy sound.

bartollini mk-1 pickups make this bass fun to play with. The bass has volume, pick-up selector, bass, mid, and high. This makes tweeking with Eq easy and fun.

My personal bass has been knocked around and played often, yet the usability of this insterment has never gone down. The finish is fantastic it allows for true tone and still protects the bass well.

The quality of the bass for the price is fantastic. I payed 700 for the bass, case, amp, strap, cord, and all. (i have a beringer 30w amp)

Although my bass is awesome the support by ibanez was poor. I ordered a case and it took more than a month to recieve it.

This bass is lite, sleek, and fast. The croud always looks at this bass in awe. when i switch to my schector 5 string my shoulder hurts. that bass is 3-4 pounds heavier than my sr-500. the finish causes people to say to me, "that is a beautiful bass"

Active Musician

jazz, christian rock, funk

jam at home

I play rock blues .

The sound is great!For the money that you pay, the sound of this bass is incredible. Can get a punchy, strong sound or a mellow soft sound. Sounds incredible either live or in recordings.

The best quality of this bass are it's eq knobs. You have control of the mids, highs, or lows, plus you can blend both pickups.

The bass is built great. The only thing that I would change is the plug hole. The body is beautiful, but you must take care or of it increidably well.

For the price, the best bass out there; the best quality and the best sound.

I didn't buy my bass from the company;bought my bass in a local music store. I've had this bass for about 6 months and I haven't done any repairs. I really can't say anything bad about the company.

the lightness and the smoothness is great. No other bass, for this price, looks as great.

Active musician, sound engineer

just about every genre

On and off for 50 Years self taught some.

Some Jazz, blues.

Hobby

Rock, jazz, funk

It sounds great for the price, with a variety of tones to choose from, due to the Bartolini pickups. The bass itself is light as a feather, and the action/feel of the neck is very good.

No case or gig bag - one or the other would have been nice. It was set-up with Elixir strings, so a plus there.

Pretty easy, just play around with the knobs and you'll figure it out.

Nice brown mahogany finish - it's a nice looking bass overall.

I paid $430 for a blemished SR500 - I can't see anything wrong with it, so I'm happy with the price I paid.

My first Ibanez purchase - so far so good - the SR500 is made in Korea.

Depends what style you like - more of a modern look to this one.

Active Musician/Recording/Producing

Rock/Folk/Etc.

This is one of the most versatile sounding basses I have ever played!! After playing expensive Spector basses for many years I find that this peice is a perfect replacement at a very reasonable price!!

You name it! the active bertolinis and 3 band eq are a super plus!!

Very easy to just plug and play!!

I biught the blemished madel and can't find a mark on it!!

I cannot believe how far Ibanez has come with their quality and Sound!! Ill play these basses forever!!

I got online and found parts for this immediately!! Not that I needeed parts but I needed parts for my Hamer which Hamer could not supply me with, i.e. battery box,,,, the Ibanez uses the exact same one. With-in 5 mins I was ordering one from Ibanez!!

Active Musician

Rock and Roll!!!

Former bassist for Angwish, breaks/drum and bass dj.

Rock, edm, Breaks. DNB, Jazz, Alternative, Soul, Funk, Blue Grass, Country, Metal, Classical, Blues, Folk, Punk,

Former bassist for Angwish, breaks/drum and bass dj.

Rock, edm, Breaks. DNB, Jazz, Alternative, Soul, Funk, Blue Grass, Country, Metal, Classical, Blues, Folk, Punk,

This has a very punchy powerful sound. The Bartolini pickups give it a very articulate sound. You can turn down the treble and still get a huge punch from the bass. You can also get a very bright funk sound if you wish. I have played for about 3 hours now in the Music Shop and am deciding between the Musicman Sub or this. As much as I really want the Musicman, this seems to really be the better choice. It has the most tonal option of any bass I have looked at so far. I usually would not look at an Ibanez, but I happened upon this. I usually play Fender Guitars. I will say one thing, It has more punch than anything I have seen. I have actually tried Aural Exciters and compressors and such. This needs neither.

The pickups are the main seller. They sound great. A neck and bridge with an adjustment for the between. It has the three band EQ which is either a cut or boost. The electronics are all bartolloni. I think that is the name.... Either way, they are incredible. It is the same company that makes pickups for the modulus basses. The wood is Mahagony and holds a tone very well. It is really hard to beat. The finish may not hold up as well as laquer, but it is a different animal.

This is a high quality instrument. Do not let the name fool you.

This is better than most in its range. However, it will not hold resale very well.

I don't know. I tried to call them to ask questions, but have had no luck finding a number on their website.

If I had money for both I would have this and the Musicman. But I may just get this over the Musicman. It is by far superior in punch.

Active Musician, Recording Engineer

Funk, Rock, Blues, Bluegrass, Jazz, Hip Hop

The active pickups and the EQ controls give you unbelievable versatilty of tone.. The sustain is prodigious for such a light bass.

Would give it a 10 but the finish (which I love aesthetically)probably won't stand up to the road. Normally this wouldn't bother me but it is so sexy when new. It needs a input jack as already the timber around the jack is starting to scuff.

Great value.

NA

It's so sexy it sizzles. What a sensuous looking and sounding bass.