So much potential with the flexibility appreciated

This bass has been a game changer for me, though it's taking a bit of adjustment. I play primarily upright bass and I play with a bow. With this instrument I've been able to put in a lot more practice, it's easier to record, and it takes up a ton less space. The shorter scale length is more noticeable than expected (it's 34" like an electric bass), but it converts easily once you work on your hand spacing a little. Heavier strings are a must, and the attached recording is early on, right after changing to Fender flatwound .055-.105s. The gauge makes all the difference when bowing. The recording is playing through a Fender Rumble 40 with a touch of reverb from a Walrus Fathom.

There was an issue with the first instrument I was sent and, upon mentioning it to my sales rep (thanks Ed!) he got me over to support and they sent me out a new one next day, no questions. Support has been astounding and that's why I shop at Sweetwater.

Don't sit on the fence for years like I did, if you're thinking this will help with your practice or recording just get it!

I love this bass!!! I'm primarily a keyboardist and the tone of this bass is perfect for my home studio recordings.

This bass is the most fun I have added to my collection in a long time. It is an easy transition from standard electric bass due to the same scale length (Note: the NXT models are not). I don't know how well it emulates a true upright, but the sound is distinctive and different. Some have mentioned the tone knob is not very differentiating, mine seams OK, and more importantly it sounds great throughout the tone range. Turning the tone all the way up gives me the best feedback for playing by ear, it can be a little muddy otherwise.

If you are a true double bass Phanatic, this is probably not the model for you. If you want a quick transition from a standard bass, don't want to spend too much time learning a whole new instrument, and have a little fun, I'd recommend the UB804 all day long. If you don't have a band to play with, put on your favorite bluegrass and plunk along, its a great way to get to know the instrument. Also, it's helpful to watch a few youtube videos on technique (hint: you don't pluck the same way as an electric bass).

Get one, and have fun!

Pros: Looks great, plays great, sounds great.
Cons: Gig bag is OK, but I'm looking for a decent hard case.

This is an excellent instrument. Well made. It's doesn't sound exactly like an acoustic upright, but it's very easy to play, and has its own tonal character, that sounds really nice. I think you can use foam, or nylon coated strings to make it sound more like an upright. A perfect addition to any bass arsenal.

I've had my UB804 for about 2 years now. Not long after I received it, I used it on a video shoot and it started having output issues. It sounded like a bad cable. After futzing for 15 minutes with cables, it turned out that the volume pot was really scratchy. It almost sounded like the bass was connected only by one conductor of the cable. I worked the pot back and forth, and found that pressing it in toward the body of the instrument was part of the issue. I contacted Sweetwater tech support, and they had me spray some Deoxit F5 (for faders, with lube) into the pot). Seems to have corrected the issue. Seems odd that a brand new bass would have oxidized faders, but who knows how long the pots sit on a shelf before assembly?

The other thing is that, during the troubleshooting process, I found that the assembly of the electronics is a bit squirrelly. Does not look professional or ultimately reliable. Molex connectors and press to fit pins all over the place. I am now concerned for the ultimate longevity of the electronics, though the woodworking is absolutely first rate.

People are always intriqued with this instrument - so I am delighted that they don't think my bass is a "guitar"...

This upright bass is just great. You can use fingers or a bow. I love the wood and custom bridge on this bass. I love that it's electric and I can use endless effects with my Boss GT-100

I am a P-Bass guy and thought I'd like to try upright bass. I bought this bass and It seemed to fit naturally. The length of the fretboard is similar to a standard bass although wider and thicker. After practicing with for about an hour, I opted to take It to a gig relatively untested. I ended up playing It for the whole four hour show. Everyone loved the sound and the upright look added a bit of character to the band. The tone is thick, full and distinctive. If you are thinking about doing It, this bass is a keeper.

Just received this awesome new bass and was immediately struck by its quality craftsmanship and construction. I like almost everything about it except that the tone knob doesn't seem to change much of anything. I had to turn the bass and low mid dials down on the amp to reveal any discernible change in tone. Luckily, the tone that the bass produces is quite lovely, especially if your fingering, intonation, and plucking is on point. Also notable about this instrument is its heft. It is not a lightweight piece of equipment but it's mostly because of the weight of the stand. It's easier to transport than my 3/4 size upright but it weighs about the same, maybe more. One last observation is that the stand allows the bass to move around quite a lot. It would be a cool upgrade to be able to fit a proper end pin instead of the three legged stand. I'm happy with it and after three or four hours of playing, I'd buy it again.

I walked into a music store and saw this really nice looking Ibanez electric upright. On a whim I thought it give it a try. I couldn't believe how easy it was to play. Great setup and for some reason my intonation was super strong, I believe due to the familiar 34 inch scale. The bass has it own distinctive tone. I've gigged with it and played over 2 sets. Really well suited for the music we play in our acoustic trio. This is a really well thought out gig machine.

Ibanez is definitely making great steps in electric upright sound. The SRH500F might be a better choice sound wise but this bass is definitely better in terms of feel and intonation.

The UB804 is really comfortable, I have arthritis and have a hard time with a regular/acoustic upright these days but this bass' neck is much closer in feel to a guitar neck while still having a good radius to the fretboard; makes it much easier to keep notes intonated correctly. The SRH500F downside is that the fretboard is a little to flat and it is really hard to get notes to sound right, even if you're an experienced fretless/upright player- but the hollow body with the pickup system sounds great; it's the same pickup setup as the UB804 but the UB804 sounds really flat, even with reverb it's just got a really thin sound.

It's ba great bass for the money and comfortable by any account but if you're looking for a studio instrument that sounds like an upright I would definitely consider getting the SRH500F instead.

Absolutely love this bass

I just got this bass and I love it! It sounds amazing and plays like a dream, I"m very happy with it! (And it looks cool too) I"m running out to buy a bow for it right now