Ibanez Bass Workshop SRMS805 Multi-Scale Review

My new baby!

After spending the past few years playing an Ibanez SRM805 I didn't think there would be a huge change but boy, was I shocked. While the feel and playability was very familiar, there is an obvious upgrade in the electronics which makes for quite an array of tones. I was also thinking that I would have to go through an adjustment period adapting to the fanned frets but to my surprise,… read more I didn't notice any at all. I played it just like any other bass. The increased tension on the B, as well as the E string, is absolutely wonderful. The uni-rail bridges ability to isolate frequencies were impressive as well. Well worth it. If you were thinking up upgrading or just getting a new bass, now is the time. If you like the feel and playability of the SR series basses by Ibanez, this is the bass you need to try for sure!

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A Bass to Play Leads on!

Stream lined and built for speed with a punch! This ibanez is smooth, fast and has very tweakable sound!

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Gorgeous Instrument in Every Way!

I've had mine for about 9 months now, and I absolutely love it! I was concerned at first that the fanned frets would feel weird, but you barely notice it when you're playing. The playability is great, but after a little basic setup it is now perfect. It has a very bright sound with the round wound strings that came on it, so I tried flat wounds and they sound perfect! (I like a… read more fat, warm sound better than bright anyway). I actually settled on the D'Addario half rounds, but they don't make the 5-string super long set any more, so I bought the last 2 sets I could find :D. Bottom line (no pun intended): I love this instrument and would highly recommend it.

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My best bass buddy!

I am a new bass player and admittedly have no clue what I'm doing but I love this bass so much that its hard to put it down once I get started. It sounds and feels amazing.I have no trouble going from this to my 4 string regular fret Yamaha but if I don't play this Ibanez for more than a few days it is super clumsy to get started again... maybe my own problem but it helps me to… read more make practice a priority, so is it really a problem? I thought multiscale basses looked stupid tbh but I read it may help alleviate pain in my fretting wrist (work injury) and it really does. I really love having the low B string available and I look for ways to get those notes in. This is a beautiful bass and my new best buddy!

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H-e-double-hockey-stick yes.

I mostly play fretless basses, but this sweet piece of wood may have changed my mind. Out of the box it needed about three and a half seconds of tuning, and then I started playing and WHOA. Look, I am getting old and the last time I went to the eye doc he made me get lenses that warp my vision, especially when I'm looking to the left. And maybe it's just that, but even though… read more the head, frets, pickups, and bridge all look like half-drunk Ibanez engineers installed them crooked on a dare, this bass is easier to play than any of the others in my expanding collection. I'm still exploring the sounds I can get out of this sexy beast, but even without turning a single knob on the body (like I said, I tuned it!) after taking it out of the box when it arrived, it had that chef's-kiss attack and growl. Looks-wise, if you don't like burled wood this is probably not the bass for you, so why are you still reading this? But if you are a burled-wood fan: this thing is STRAIGHT-UP BURLED PERFECTION. I spent like an hour flipping through the various serial numbers on the Sweetwater site to try to figure out which of 'em was the MOST perfect, and my conclusion was that they were ALL perfect. But if you're looking at this, I have no doubt there's one here for you. One more thing: Maybe you're on the fence about this vs. an SRMS800 (the four-string version) If, like me, you're an amateur-to-middling bassist who doesn't truck with weird tunings, a fifth string is a no-brainer. You play the BASS guitar. You want to be able to play a note that will vibrate your listener's sternum, and that low B is just the ticket. A fifth string on a bass is like a second kitten: way more fun and no more trouble. Once you start getting into six-plus-string territory, you're dabbling in gotta-get-used-to-how-wide-this-is bridges and hope-I-can-justify-having-an-extra-string-when-I'm-playing-this-thing-on-stage anxiety. But--and I speak from experience here--nobody's gonna complain if your bass can bring the thunder. (This one, by the way, can.)

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A pleasure to play.

I enjoy this bass more than my Music Man Stingray., much lighter and the neck is more comfortable. Since I've started playing this bass I haven't even touched my P Basses or Jazz Basses. Pictures do not even do justice to the classy look of this instrument. The versatility of tonal sounds and shapes that you can create are almost endless. I've gotten tons of complements not only… read more on the look but the sound of this guitar. A definite keeper

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I just love this bass

From the moment I picked up this bass I was in love. The neck is super comfortable to play, I was a bit worried about going to a 5 string but the neck design makes it easier; I never feel I am reaching for notes. The fretboard is well designed, and the multi scaled frets are a non issue. Going into the bass I was worried about having to adjust to multi frets, but that took about… read more 30 seconds. The fingering on the frets feels very natural. I have had it several weeks now and can't wait everyday to pick it up and play.

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Simply A GO TO BASS

I have played on quite a few basses over the years, and to find a Bass that gives you a wide range of dialing in tone, is light... This bass is right for you. I play a variety of tunings, had this as Drop G and currently have it setup as Drop B tuning. Setup was easy and I do not find myself limited on what type of strings I can put on this bass. I use this bass at shows and practice… read more as its tone and playability work great.

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The perfect low tuning bass

I am a guitarist primarily. After joining a project as a bassist that was primarily tuned to drop Gsharp, I picked up a cheaper Ibanez model to get me started, an Ibanez gio205b, and while this is still a wonderful beginner bass, it’s 34 inch scale length just couldn’t really handle the lowered tuning. This SRMS805 handles the tuning with ease. The string tension is magnificent,… read more the fanned frets make the playability of riffs easier as well. The quality of the bass is something of a marvel. I have a feeling these will become a highly demanded product. I hope to see more multiscale guitars and basses hit the product line in the future.

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Un-fu@king-believable value!

TL;DR just buy it!! If you want the Dingwall NG2/3 sound, it's going to take some work, but doable. Worried about the multi-scale? Don't be - it's awesome and takes VIRTUALLY NO TIME to get used to. If you have huge hands or play "loosely" the string spacing will be a bit tight at first. For the money, there are very few basses that come close to the SRMS. It sounds and plays… read more better than basses that sell for 3x what this Ibanez does. I've had mine for about 1.5yrs and I have had some minor quality control issues: the volume pot loosened within a few weeks of owning it, the input jack come loose after a couple months, and the nut decided to pop off during a string change. However, these were all easily fixed right at home and were nothing more than minor annoyances. Factoring in the playability and tone I still give this bass an EASY 5 stars for the money. The EQ curve can be a little different to get used to, it's a very mid-heavy bass, tonally. Fortunately the midrange has more variability due to the 3-position mid-center switch and once you learn the sound characteristics it's easy for me to dial in anything from the brutal, clanky Darkglass style sound (combined with the X7 pedal, great combo!!) that I use in Living In False Eyes (djenty metalcore) to a nice burpy midrange, that is almost Warwick-like, by rolling to the rear pickup and playing close to the bridge. I can get a nice, fat slap tone with the pickups centered, slight bass and treble boost, and slight low-mid cut (switch in up position). Mine is currently set up to play F-C-F-A#-D# with heavier strings and it handles everything beautifully. If you're worried about the multi-scale neck, all I can say is don't even hesitate to try it. When looking down at the neck from a normal playing position all you're seeing is the edge of the fret and the fret markers, and it looks like any other bass. It will feel pretty normal right away, and after some time you'll find it ever so slightly odd to play non-fanned fret basses! Maybe it's because the tension is balanced, but it just feels more "natural" after time. Plus, this isn't as extreme in scale length variance as something like a Dingwall, I think it's a great compromise and a beautiful first fan fret bass. Some reviewers have complained about the slanted nut being sharp on the G-string side, but that has not been an issue for me. The string spacing is tight: if you're someone with gigantic hands or if you play sloppy, you may find it a bit cramped. Personally, I prefer the narrow spacing, especially for fast finger style or pick playing that requires a lot of fretwork, or tapping, etc. since the Ibanez necks have always been some of my favorite for very fast movement. The only issue I have with the tight spacing is slap, for which I generally use my Jazz bass anyway, since that thing has the string spacing of a four-lane highway. It's been on many, many gigs, on tour, and it's held up great (exceptions mentioned above, no deal-breakers). I cannot recommend this bass enough; 10/10 for value. Phenomenal!

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