It is really difficult for the manufacturers to introduce a bass guitar that can challenge the leading premium guitars in the industry. With their precision bass, fender has ruled the world of bass guitars for sixty years and is still considered as the best bass guitar ever manufactured. Competing against fender is not an easy decision. However, the competitors are still motivated by considering the reviews of some bassists that says that the fender is not fit for purpose. Ibanez is another company that decided to take them on and then came some great bass guitars. They produced 6 string guitars but then decided to get into the bass market and, they actually made an impact.
Ibanez is well known for producing guitars that blast through the speakers on albums of rock and metal. Their bass guitars are the backbone of a number of world’s rock songs. They are beautifully designed guitars that play smoothly and sound full and loud. Playing an Ibanez bass means that you are joining the legions of amateur and pro guitarists that can bring quality to the music with their craftsmanship. The Ibanez GSR200 might not be a high-end Ibanez product but it can be considered as a premium guitar. This bass is designed for people who want the quality of Ibanez without paying a large sum of money making it an excellent choice for them. The Ibanez GSR200 has a solid body with a smooth neck and a Phat II bass boost feature that provides you an extra punch. Read on to find out more about it!
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Ibanez GSR200 Review
Build and Construction
This bass guitar has a smaller body than usual but it is however a full-size guitar. A maple top, the body with a finishing of walnut urethane coating, and a maple neck make it a very attractive bass guitar. The edges of the body are rounded which provides comfort when you hold and play with a bevel. What might concern most of the people is the weight of the guitar. This bass weighs 4kg that makes it an amazingly lightweight guitar. It has a short scale neck which makes it easy to play. Perhaps some might say that short scale basses are for the beginners or if you have small hands, you should play a short-scale bass. This logic should not really bother you because it is just about what are you comfortable with. Thus, you can use a short scale or a lightweight bass regardless of your size and maturity in guitars.
It has a Jatoba fretboard of rosewood with 22 medium-sized frets that are thinner than usual and allow you to play the notes easily. Moreover, it has pearl dotted inlays that will further ease your playing. There are two pickups in this bass namely the single-coil pickup and a split bridge pickup with each one having its own independent volume, sharing an overall tone knob. The bridge, machine heads, and tailpiece are all finished in black. The string spacing is 19mm with the bridge being fully adjustable. All of them are completely functional and do their jobs with a minimum of fuss. It has controls such as the volume controls for both the pickups, the tone controls, and EQ. They are not really elaborated but provide a little tonal range.
Sound Quality
The feature of this guitar that stands out is the Phat II EQ knob that lets you punch the crowd in the heart with an extra bass boost. However, small size basses might fail to achieve the thundering tones but the main difference in the sound is because of the less tension in short scale basses. This results in a fatter sound with the sound options being wider. You might not experience the deep notes but the sound of a short-scale bass guitar such as the Ibanez GSR200 is wider with harmonics clearer and more pronounced.
If you have been playing guitars for a while and just looking for a new bass in the studio for some practice or a variance of sound, the Ibanez GSR200 can be a fantastic addition to the family. It is not a very twangy bass but it is likely to suit for deep punchy lows. For bassists who are more into solid tones with chunky bass, this bass has you covered for your demands.
Ibanez GSR200 Overview:
Pros & Cons Of Ibanez GSR200:
Pros
- Thin neck.
- Features the Phat II EQ.
- Sports a great design.
- Extra bass boost.
Cons
- Not a good choice for professionals.
Final Words
The Ibanez GSR200 is a wonderful choice for a beginner who is about to buy their first bass guitar. It is an easy bass to play that also looks great. It lets you rock the people’s faces off just the way you want it. Although the looks might be welcomed by the newbies, what should really concern them is the playability of the guitar. This bass sounds loud and strong and you can also give it a little more kick with its extra bass boost feature. Short neck lets you reach the fretboard easily as there are no huge stretches, making it an ideal choice for a new player. Its lightweight allows you to keep it nicely on your lap and does not require any bodybuilding before you get this.
One thing that is still unmentioned about this bass is the price and you are expected to be surprised about it. Claiming it a premium instrument might make you think that it is an expensive bass. However, this fine bass guitar is offered at such a cheap price. You might have to set it up a bit but this bass is a super product that is an absolute steal in such a price tag. Finding anything like this instrument that offers better in this value of money is nearly impossible. So, stand up and get yourself an Ibanez GSR200 now!