Ibanez Standard SR300E Review

Outstanding Value Ibanez

I was looking for an affordable bass to get back into playing after a few years. I have to say this Ibanez SR300E was the clear winner. I have owned the higher priced Ibanez basses and this plays and sounds just as good. The guitar shipped as was very playable out of the box but I did a few small adjustments to my playing style. I got the action nice and low with no string buzz… read more at all. The neck is slim and fast and feels good in the hand. The bass is well balanced and a pleasure to play. You get a volume, pickup selector, bass, mid, treble knobs and a 9V active preamp. This bass will cover most tones and does it well. The fit and finish was spot on and looks like an instrument costing much more. The Golden Veil Matte finish looks great and better in person. The SR bass is fantastic value. Thanks to Josh Dillon my sales engineer for another great experience.

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Two days in and it seems perfect!

I just got this bass a couple of days ago. Aside from some super minor finish bubbles (which may just be part of the sky veil matte finish), it was delivered perfectly. It is light, the tone controls actually do what they are designed to do and seem to be sturdy. The frets have no rough edges and could be made slick as glass if you want. The neck is thin, smooth and super comfortable… read more to play on, and the pick-ups used almost sound like the best boutique pick-ups. Very defined, very bell-like and can be warmed up with just a few tone control adjustments. The three way switch actually gives enough tonal variation to mimic some other type of basses. You can get a reasonable P or J bass sound by using the switch in conjunction with the three band EQ. The Power-Tap setting places it in full humbucker mode and can sound like thunder. The lows, depending on how you set it can go from super deep to bell like to grind with the flick of a couple of knobs. Overall, this is probably the best bass for the money on the market. Sweetwater sent this bass out in tune, decent set-up and ready to go. Even the strings that are on it, D'Addario 45-105 are perfect for this bass. I have several other basses, a PJ and a J and now I play this bass more than the others. If you are looking for the best value in a 4 string bass, this is the bass to buy.

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Great Bass Love The Color

Let me start out by saying I've owned a 2006 SR300 since it was new and absolutely love it, it is a great starter, backup or main instrument for players of all levels. I purchased it when I was still in bands and a band I was in needed a bassist. It was years since I played bass and I really think the SR300 made the transition easier. Now that said the 2021 SR300e blows the 2006… read more out of the water. It's sound modeling capabilities are on par with many more expensive bass', the neck is thin yet sturdy and it plays fast. The tonal options with the three band equalizer are infinite, with the right settings it'll sound somewhat like a P bass. But... No it's not a P bass or a Jazz bass, if that's what you want I suggest buying one of those. If you was a good inexpensive (not cheap) that isn't cheaply made then the SR300 or SR305 (five string version) are a great choice. I own both!

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Amazing Bass

I rock the house with this bass. bad thing about active pickups is the 9v battery usage but than that I recommend it

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Don't

...as in don't buy one. I've been a bassist for over 35 years, and this thing has been one of the most frustrating basses I've played. The tones themselves are fine, but it just will not stay in tune longer than a few minutes (yes, I use a good tuner pedal and harmonics), the fret buzz is crazy (yes, I have an outstanding bass tech and I'm very good at it myself). And don't even… read more get me started on this ridiculous toy bridge. Buy the time I was done making this thing playable, I could've bought another far superior bass. Don't waste your money.

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Bad pre-amp distortion.... Ibanez doesn't care....

So, I have to admit that I bought this one because of the color. It reminded me of Atsuko Yamano and I'm a big fan. Also, I figured it would be a nice backup/beater bass. However, the pre-amp has issues and distorts BADLY. So much that it makes the speakers in my cabinet flutter. I've swapped out the battery more than once with no luck. I contacted Ibanez asking if there was a trim… read more pot to adjust. They communicated with me ok. But, it was form letter questions. Eventually I made a GoPro video to demonstrate the issue. I included a couple of other active basses to show it wasn't the amp. They replied that the bass was functioning properly. And that if I didn't like the sound, I should just return the bass. REALLY? So, I found a YouTube video that shows how to bypass the pre-amp. Now the bass is a functional tool. I will be avoiding Ibanez in the future though.

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Iron Pewter 4 string Ibanez bass

I absolutely love this bass. It works perfectly and has a very comfortable neck and the price is very reasonable. Put a set of my rotosound 77 flatwound jazz strings on it and tightened the truss rod until the action was super low like I like it. I have several bass guitars including Fender Precision basses and I play through a Gallien Kruger amp. I used baby oil to darken the fret… read more board which now looks black. I also have a set of active Dave Ellefson EMG pickups I plan on having my luthier install for me and that will make this bass absolutely perfect! I always come back to Sweetwater because of the amazing customer service and my guitars always come well packaged cared for nicely.

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This bass is so awesome!

I've been playing a Squier Jaguar & Epiphone Thunderbird for the last two years, so I was shocked at how thin and lightweight this bass was. It came setup extremely well. The action is perfect and the neck plays so fast. I think I've found my new favorite bass!

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Disappointed

Really disappointed with this bass. Looks great and Sweetwater does their job well but this thing was a mess right out of the box. Pickups were all jacked up including one with a screw sticking up 1/4 inch yet the pickup was set too low anyway. Tried turning up the bass knob only to find incredible feedback and hum before I got anywhere near full volume. Just poorly made, QA by… read more mfg is terrible. I have never have had these kinds of problems with my Fenders. Would not recommend it to anyone. My first Ibanez so now I have a bad taste for their products.

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Great Beginner and Advanced Guitar!

My rep, Patrick recommended this guitar for me. I was inquiring about the budget Hofner Bass (McCartney Style) and he recommended this instead. He knew me and my playing preferences so he knew that this bass guitar would give me more tonal range at the same price range. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. My friend who favors custom built Carver guitars even liked it and… read more couldn't believe the price.This guitar arrived, set-up perfectly. I only had to tweak the tuning after it was acclimated to my environment. It is fun to play, sounds great and Pat was right about the tonal options. I own two other Ibanez guitars and love them both. I also usually do not skimp on the price because I view it as a long term investment and want to be able to be happy with an instrument for a long time. Normally, I would shy away from a lower end model, but Ibanez did not let me down. I could play this bass for a long time.This guitar was in the same price range as a Fender Squire, but I challenge anyone to find a Squire or any other guitar in this price range that sounds as good as this one! I love playing it.

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Can't be beat in this price range

Well made and beautiful. Plays easy and has an awesome tone. Extremely impressed.And as always, Sweetwater service is AWESOME.

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