NBD (to me) - Ibby pawnshop special

[ginormous]

I'm back in the 5-string game, after having to part with a custom fretless '74 Precision a few years ago.

Meet Gio, an Ibanez GSR 205SM.
(screen grab; my phone's jpeg file was too big)

This guy punches way above his weight class, especially considering the price. On the Sweetwater website right now, it sells for $300.
My bassist friend got it from the local pawnbroker for 2 Benjamins.
I shamed him into selling it to me, seeing as he already has 3 fivers and a "beatle bass" clone to choose from.

34" scale length, 12" radius with 16.5mm string spacing. Poplar body, spalted maple top, maple neck, jatoba (AKA "Brazilian cherry") fretboard.
Made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in Indonesia for Ibanez, according to the info I got online.

It feels like I'm driving a Mazda Miata. Not heavy at all, but solid; just a little close between the strings.

It's good for slap or fingerstyle, and I can roll off the treble and get a really thick tone.
There's an active bass boost, which I have yet to really activate. Can't really turn up any major blast in an apartment.
I'll cut a demo track in the next week or so, and see what I can make of him.

[Mincer]

I love 5 strings, and that one looks great! Interesting woods, too- I like that!

[ICTGoober]

Ibanez basses are excellent instruments as a rule, even the Gio stuff.

[Blille]

Congrats!


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[ginormous]

I'm back with the demo track in question. Sort of a Philly soul ballad. Me on guitar, bass, and MIDI programmed everything else.

[JamesPaul]

Not sure how I missed the original post, but sounding as good as he looks!

[dave74]

That looks seriously amazing! I'd love a 4-string version of that if I would ever get a bass again.
I once had a decent enough Yamaha but I loaned it out one time and the guy begged me into selling it.

[solspirit]

Awesome, this is the 5 string version of what I just bought, GSR200SMNGT

[Benjy_26]

Cort makes killer basses. A buddy of mine had a plastic Cort bass with a phenolic fingerboard way back in the day. It had Bartolini electronics, IIRC. It smelled weird and sounded wonderful.

[Aceman]

There is much pawn shop win in Ibanez bass territory