For people who are unaware of the Talman styling and design, it is a vintage guitar from Ibanez that the company has reintroduced in its portfolio. Put your hands on the Ibanez TMB100 Talman Bass, a retro-style bass guitar that is worth the money charged. The jatoba fingerboard with 20 medium frets provides you a solid playing platform while the poplar body and maple neck give you a powerful punchy tone. Considering the importance of tonal versatility to bass players, the TMB100 Talman Bass would not disappoint you with its pair of DXJ and DXP pickups. Whether you are looking for an uncomplicated first guitar, or just a great deal with good features and a budget price tag, the Ibanez TMB100 Talman bass guitar is the right choice to consider.
The economical price tag of this bass guitar might indulge you in a feeling that it might not offer the same quality as a premium guitar. However, sometimes the value being added is much more than the amount of price charged. Thus, read on if the in-budget bass with a retro look interests you!
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Build and Construction
Although the Talman TMB100 does not have the triple coil pickup and large chrome bridge plate, its first impression still makes it quite similar to Ibanez’s ATK models with regard to playability and feel. All of the nine bass guitars in the Talman series feature either a humbucker in the bridge position, a neck split-coil pickup, or a single standard coil pickup. This bass guitar, sporting the mint-green color, is rounded by a stylish body with a rear contour and front chamfer to assist playability and comfort.
The rounded top horn facilitates access to upper frets with the help of a deeper cutaway. The tortoiseshell scratch plate contrasts quite well with the green mint color, and so does the fingerboard that is dark rosewood. The headstock is a paddle-styled with a little headstock bias on as well as off the strap. Nevertheless, the Talman TMB100 is a quite pleasing bass guitar to wear, especially for those who tend to play with some supporting substance and require a substantial feel.
The player-friendly neck profile is pretty much standard with a setup that has well-finished fret ends for an overall pleasant playing experience. It has 40mm nut width and 19mm spacing for the strings that eliminates anything that you can choose to dislike this bass. The guitar strings on this model though were not up to the standard set by Ibanez and the controls had some slack because of the looseness of placement screws. However, this problem can be easily rectified so there is nothing you should worry about. On the other hand, the jack socket comes with a modern touch, and all the other hardware performs as per expectation. The TMB100 may have a simple construction without too many of the frills, but all its value lies in its simple, yet elegant hardware that gets the job done.
The Ibanez Talman TMB100 Bass sports chrome tuners and bridge, and classic dot inlays that give extra style to the guitar. In regard to style, there is no beating of that tortoiseshell pickguard look when it comes to vintage mojo.
Sound Quality
You can get used to the Ibanez Talman TMB100 bass guitar in no time. The 20-fret neck makes this bass guitar very comfortable, giving it a vintage feel. Whether you prefer fingerstyle playing, pick playing, or slap playing; this bass guitar is quite comfortable to play and use.
This bass has a quite traditional sound and not too lively. All four strings respond efficiently across the neck that has a balanced tonal response. Plugging in makes the Talman’s tone warm when the controls are set flat. We get the expected P/J tones using this setup when panned between the pickups. The tonal maximums are not really noticeable and the much-needed color to the sound can be added by bringing the treble EQ and bass into use. With little effort, the tone can be quickly altered using the stacked controls (bass and treble on one end, and volume and pan at the other end) that are relatively easy and obvious.
The addition of some bass equalizer fattens up the tone and adds strength and power to the overall tone. The treble equalizer, which features a clear ringing sound, opens up the sound to make it pleasant and comforting. For players who like to add a bit of slap in their playing, the equalizer option can be used accordingly which adds a heavy thump to the output. On the other hand, when you are pick playing, the first note typically stands out and the harmonics ring quite clearly, making the TMB100 suitable for pick playing as well.
The Dynamix J and Dynamix P pickups on the TMB100 bring you the vibe of the most known electric bass guitar in history. From the mid-rich R&B tones and immense rock tones to soft, you have got to discover a wide variety of Talman’s capabilities.
Pros & Cons Of Ibanez Talman TMB100
Pros
- Light body bass guitar that is easy to balance when on a strap.
- Easy controls and competent sounding pickups.
- Economical price.
Cons
- The fretboard is flat with no radius.
- The design is dull.
Final Words
The Talman TMB100 is a powerful guitar that is simple to use and sports a powerful, yet elegant construction. It is a fine bass guitar the offers great sound quality at a more than reasonable price tag. You can use this bass guitar to any gigs and concerts which makes it the perfect choice for beginners and mid-level bassists.
The bass guitar is a solidly constructed guitar that is comfortable to carry and wear which provides optimum level performance. In comparison to the Ibanez’s sound gear, the Talman is a surprising bass guitar with regards to the features that it offers. User-friendly options make it an easy bass to play making it suitable for the newbies in the music that can be used for big events as well. Whether you are a beginner or a pro in guitars, the Ibanez Talman TMB100 is a great deal to opt for. Check it out then!