Ibanez BTB806MS 6-string Bass Guitar - Transparent Gray Flat Reviews
A bass shouldn’t just be a clunky old axe that you sling over your shoulder before hitting the stage or the studio. Instead, your bass of choice should be an inspiring instrument, like the Ibanez BTB806MS. It comes with an poplar burl/ash top that immediately grabs the eyes of onlookers. This 6-string, neck-through bass offers up exceptionally smooth playability, courtesy of its multi-scale frets and ergonomic design. The BTB806MS has two T1 humbucking pickups that serve up velvety tone with well-behaved lows and mids that punch like Mike Tyson. You can sculpt your tone to perfection with the 3-band EQ and a 3-way mid frequency switch. There’s also an EQ bypass switch with a passive tone control — a feature that bassists at Sweetwater find especially useful. The bottom line? The Ibanez BTB806MS offers boutique features and design elements at a fraction of the price!
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Highest Rated Reviews
Perfection
It's hands down the best bass I've ever played! Ordered with a setup and some fresh strings (I highly recommend doing this) and this bass doesn't disappoint. Every note hits like I want it to and the finish is beautiful. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a six string, and so far, the multiscale adjustment has been without any issues for me.
Simply Amazing
This review is from a guitar player's perspective.
I have been playing guitar for 3 years. I own 2 Ibanez and 1 fender and I wanted to try bass guitar a well. This bass in addition to looking extraordinary it is comfortable and it sounds amazing. I fell in love with it as soon as I opened the case. The 3-band EQ and 3-way mid frequency switch makes it versatile when looking for that deep rich or light crisp sound. I am very happy with this choice.
BTB806MS Amazing Instrument
I have been playing the bass guitar for a little over thirty years and am currently in a professional band, Reverend Dirt (look us up). I have played some really nice basses out there from the Yamaha JP 6-string to a Conklin 7-string along with some really nice and amazing 5-strings. This is my first multi-scale and my first neck-through that I have owned. I have to say that this bass guitar is one of the best basses that I have ever played! I will focus first on the looks of the bass.
While it says that it is transparent black, I was pleased to see the rich browns that show through with the burled poplar/ash top and Okoume sides. The panga-panga fretboard is dark and beautiful, and the five-piece maple and walnut neck is solid and sturdy. The woodgrain on this bass is amazingly beautiful. It is just so chocolatey! And, according to my bandmates, "a really bad*** looking bass!"
The playability right out of the box was phenomenal (thank you, Sweetwater). I did not have to do much adjusting to the action or the intonation; just tweaked it a little for my taste and style. The strings are bright yet punchy, and I was amazed at the resonance of that B-string! I had never heard of the T-1 pickups before, but I LOVE them! They produce an amazing sound in passive mode. But when you switch that active switch to the on position, this bass comes ALIVE! The mid switch hits those perfect sweet spots and the bass and treble pots are sensitive. Other basses that I have played needed to have the bass and treble turned way up to get the sound I like, but not this one. I have plenty of headroom on those bass and treble pots, as well as on the mid sweep, to adjust my sound all I want! Ibanez did a great job on the preamp on this bass!
Overall, I give this bass five stars only because I cannot give it more. I have heard several people comment on how Ibanez is just a beginner's bass, but they could not be more wrong. I would put this bass up against any of the boutique basses out there and this would give them a run for their money, and without breaking the bank! This bass can handle just about any style you want to throw at it. There are basses out there I have played that are thousands of dollars more than this bass and do not sound even half as good. This will likely become my main bass guitar. If you are in the market for a multiscale bass, I highly recommend the Ibanez BTB806MS. You will not be disappointed. Great job on this one, Ibanez, and thank you, Sweetwater! As always, your customer service and communication are impeccable!
Ibanez is leaving money on the table with this one!
This is the Beast of all bass beasts. The sound resonates through my body, each note is clearly defined, even high on the register. Clarity, punch, sustain, tonal options are all endless. The thru neck design is such a plus. Most definitely the liveliest bass I've played in my 40+ years. The finish is absolutely beautiful, very well constructed, basically flawless. The 37" scale and the body make it a beefy bass. It will never "fit" like my Ibanez SR 6 string basses but it's still easily managable to play and it balances very well. Even at 10 lbs it doesn't feel like it on the shoulder. Honestly I don't want to put the thing down. It's fast becoming my go to battle axe.
Best of all, what Ibanez is asking for this is almost laughable. I dare anyone to find a bass for the same price that matches what this BTB is and can do. It's right up there with the Ibanez Premium line and could be priced easily much higer, especially the way it's built and the electronics. Not to mention the many ordinary basses at or above $2k out there. Heck I played a Dingwall recently, nice bass but for almost $4k? .... eh, IMO the BTB is clearly the better bass and value. ]
GET ONE!
Amazing BTB for Low tunings.
I've had other fan fret bass guitars and this one kicke them in the low end and power. I have mine tuned to a low F strung up with Kalium bass strings which are also awesome. I'm happy with the six string model everything is just perfect for my needs.
Dream Bass
Five stars in every column. Punchy. Bright. Insane amount of sustain. Well-balanced and comfortable to play. Great tonal consistency across the fretboard. The natural resonance of the instrument itself is exactly what I wanted, and the pickups capture it perfectly.
First song I played was The Pot, and it sounds like it belongs right there in the mix. Amp EQ set flat and just a bit of mid scoop/low boost hits just right.
Well done, Ibanez. This is the bass I've always wanted.
