Ibanez Bass Workshop SRMS805 Multi-Scale - Deep Twilight Review

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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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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