NBD - a five-string, at long last!

[BucketheadRules]

Finally got myself a five-string, been after one for ages and couldn't decide what to go for, but then a friend told me about a secondhand Ibanez SR1205 he knew of, in perfect condition with the Premium hardcase and everything, so I phoned up the shop and yesterday morning, I did the deal. Then earlier today it arrived - super quick, and free delivery too.

And the bass? It's everything I hoped it would be and more, I've played a bunch of Soundgears and always been really impressed, this is no different. Plays like an absolute dream (I'm a sucker for a wenge neck) and it roars like the god of thunder stubbing his toe. I mean, I can get some nice restrained tones out of it, which is ideal for a lot of the funky fingerstyle stuff I like playing, but my favourite sounds so far come from boosting the mids on the 3-band EQ and digging in with a pick. When I put it through my EHX Bass Soul Food and EBS compressor, and boosted the bass and mids slightly and the treble a fair bit, I got an almost-exact replica of my favourite bass tone, Jon Stockman on "Goliath" by Karnivool.

So. I'm sure you know what a Soundgear looks like but onto the porn.





This has been a happy NBD indeed!

 

[asher]

That Goliath tone is godly.

Bass looks really awesome too. HNBD!

 

[BucketheadRules]

That Goliath tone is godly.

Bass looks really awesome too. HNBD!

I know, I pretty much squealed with delight when I got the overdrive going and played the song for the first time, it's the first time it's ever sounded right!

 

[Nmaster]

Man I got to play one of these in guitar center not long ago. I want one soo badly! happy NBD man, than neck plays like butter hahaha. I didn't get a chance to plug it in and hear the pickups, how do you like the nordy's? Considering upgrading the bart's in my BTB to them.

 

[Der JD]

Congrats! I have its cousin, the SR1605 (pretty much the same bass, just a different top).

They are great basses and almost as good as custom basses costing at least twice as much. I've seen some people compare them to a Jazz bass sound due to the Nordstrand single coils. Mine definitely doesn't sound like a Jazz. It has more of a woody sounding midrange. Mine kind of sounds like a cross between a Warwick and a MTD or early Tobias. Great for funky fingerstyle but can get really aggressive too, especially when you run it through an OD for just a little grit.

I've strung mine E-C with no issues. All that was needed was an intonation adjustment. I can get really low action on mine. Very lightweight too. String spacing is tight, but that's how I like it.

 

[BucketheadRules]

^ Yeah I wanted the tighter-spaced 45mm nut - I have big hands but Fender's 5-strings have 47.6mm nuts which just feel preposterously wide.

Man I got to play one of these in guitar center not long ago. I want one soo badly! happy NBD man, than neck plays like butter hahaha. I didn't get a chance to plug it in and hear the pickups, how do you like the nordy's? Considering upgrading the bart's in my BTB to them.

I don't know a huge amount about bass pickups but these do sound killer. Love them.

 

[Harry]

Congrats!
Pics never do these justice, they really do look so pretty in the flesh.

 

[Captain Axx]

Very nice! Almost bought one but went for something else... (NBD incoming..)

Don't suppose you got that off Bass Direct? Saw one very similar going on there.

 

[A-Branger]

congrats, love SRs