Ibanez wood fraud

[ItsaBass]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

That's because Gibson now sources what is referred to as African Mahogany, but is actually Khaya. Epiphone uses a lot of Sapele, sometimes referred to as Striped Mahogany.

And, though a lot of people don't know it - there are some domestic mahogany trees in the Southern United States. Honduras is the most treasured. I have some that's almost 30 years old waiting for the right person to pony up. It's big enough to make a one piece LP.

Yes, my point exactly. Gibson stopped using classic Honduran.

I purchased six big Honduran mahogany blanks that I special ordered from the local exotic hardwoods store back around 2000, when I was home on leave one time. Les Paul thickness, big enough to make a P Bass or anything smaller. Been naturally aging on stickers in Southern California since. I had one turned into a vintage-accurate single-piece Tele by my friend who worked in the Fender Custom Shop at the time. Still have five left. I paid $300 for the six of them 20 years ago. I have seen similar blanks sell for $400 each on E-Bay. I think that person who paid $400 was smoking crack, but it kept me from doing much with them over the years. If I have $1,500–$2,000 worth of wood sitting here, I would sure as hell rather have the money than the wood. I don't believe in any particular magical tonal qualities of certain wood for electric guitars. I choose woods based on looks, weight, and tradition.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Yes, the wood industry (probably like the fish industry) is full of general names that get applied to all kinds of things. Add some unscrupulous dealers, and someone with a good marketing degree, then anything sounds good. Gibson used balsa as the center block of many 90s-era semihollows.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Gibson used balsa as the center block of many 90s-era semihollows.

Which, as it turns out - isn't so bad. Billy Gibbons has a guitar made of balsa, it looks like a big jazz box. I think Dean built it?

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

PS: Please let's all stay on topic: Ibanez lying about their specs.

Please cease the tonewood debate here.

PSA For the record, slamming other vendors on the Duncan site is against Duncan forum rulez. Now back to the slamming...

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Would the OP slam Ibanez if the wood were stated in the catalogue as 'agathis' and as it turned out, it were actually a 'good sounding tonewood (mahogany, koa, ebony, whatever)'?

I don't think so...

 

[WDeeGee]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

OP here:

I was a bit bummed out because I was doubting between an SR300E (agathis) and an SR500 (mahogany), then I researched the serial number of the 300E which could be seen on one of the vendor's photos. I found out that for one or two years, the SR300E's were made with mahogany. So why pay more for the SR500 then if they're both made from the same wood (and have the same necks)? So I thought I was really clever to have saved some money but now it turns out the 300E isn't mahogany after all.

It's not a big deal, but I would have gotten the 520 if I had known there's so much fiddling goin on with wood types etc.

The only disappointing thing is the low sustain, but I use this thing to do home recording and get as much sustain as I want when I compress the hell out of it, so there's that.

The body is VERY heavy, though, for being so small. It weighs like a rock.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Everyone's saying specs subject to change without notice so that they can keep doing the production run even if things like a certain wood become hard to get
And model years can be a crap shoot, if they had agathis left over when yours was made, they probably just used what they had

Looks like agathis to me
But it's probably still a good bass
If you need a touch more sustain I hear those fat finger things work ok, a high mass bridge and good strings would probably help

I've taught myself not to think too much about the wood my instrument's made of. Either it makes the notes and sounds at least ok or get to selling it for something that does sound how I want. Hope you enjoy your bass
Full body pics might be nice, I like that color!

 

[Demanic]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

I wonder how balsa wrapped in carbon fiber would sound. Like maybe a Steinberger style, neck through with stainless frets and a Gibraltar style bridge? And yes, if I had the money, I would have one built just to hear for myself. But, I don't. So I just wonder.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

I wonder how balsa wrapped in carbon fiber would sound. Like maybe a Steinberger style, neck through with stainless frets and a Gibraltar style bridge? And yes, if I had the money, I would have one built just to hear for myself. But, I don't. So I just wonder.

I know Parker used poplar in carbon fiber. I am sure balsa would work, too, as long as you figure out a way screws and bushings won't strip easily.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Have the bushings and bolt holes going into steel inserts attached to the carbon fiber, something similar to t-nuts.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[B2D]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

PS: Please let's all stay on topic: Ibanez lying about their specs.

Please cease the tonewood debate here.

Ibanez is a pretty well-known company with a lot of skin in the game, so to speak. I think intentionally lying about specs or wood of a model would be pretty bad from a PR level because someone will find out, somehow. Be cautious with assigning malicious intent where there likely is none.

 

[Mikelangelo]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Interesting subject anyway.

 

[WDeeGee]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

OP here: Plot twist.

Call me dumb but I noticed the pups were set rather low. I put them a bit higher and.... tadaaa... a full, fat bass sound!!!

Exit the midrangy, weak, sustainless "bass" and meet what is now a fat, great sounding bass guitar. And as far as the wood issue is concerned: somebody over at a woodworking forum told me it could be "white mahogany", a blonde wood, which techically isn't mahogany, but I really no longer care what kind of wood they used because the bass sounds excellent for its price range. If its ounds great, who cares what it's made of?

Keep the good basses coming, Ibanez (but don't tell people A is B).

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

White mahogany - meranti or yellowheart.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Great it turned out fine!

Anyway I agree with OP earlier opinion. Marketing something as specific wood and selling whatever is kind of a middle finger for customer, and literally lying. So it's not slamming, but legit complaint and bad rep from that is certainly deserved.

It doesn't matter how it great sounds. It's about principle.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Great it turned out fine!

Anyway I agree with OP earlier opinion. Marketing something as specific wood and selling whatever is kind of a middle finger for customer, and literally lying. So it's not slamming, but legit complaint and bad rep from that is certainly deserved.

It doesn't matter how it great sounds. It's about principle.

Again..."mahogany" is not a specific wood. Nowhere close. It's stated as just "mahogany" specifically in order to be vague.

"Genuine mahogany," "true mahogany," and "Honduran mahogany" have more specific meaning. "Mahogany" can mean any one of a hundred or more species of tree, running the gamut of wood characteristics.

It's deliberate imprecision – not fraud.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Again..."mahogany" is not a specific wood. Nowhere close. It's stated as just "mahogany" specifically in order to be vague.

"Genuine mahogany," "true mahogany," and "Honduran mahogany" have more specific meaning. "Mahogany" can mean any one of a hundred or more species of tree, running the gamut of wood characteristics.

It's deliberate imprecision – not fraud.

Yea, I know. Working in forestry and all...

If it actually is a wood sold and accepted as mahogany, my apologies. (Honestly it's pretty crap practice to begin with to call bunch of wildly different species by same name as ICT said but anyway...)

But I understood, (and thought from the picture.) it was Agathis?

 

[WDeeGee]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

I don't know, all I know it's a blonde wood, tinted green, and weights a ton. It's really heavy for such a small body.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

hmmm

OP

oddly enough
I briefly had a SR520 as well
thats the one with the solid paint job, right?
mine was in black sparkle with gold hardware

the original owner bought it back after about a year

 

[WDeeGee]

Re: Ibanez wood fraud

Yes, the SR520 has a lackered body and neck.