Model Year: 2005
Price: $750.00

It does have a great sound to

It is a perfect bass for playi

Price: $569.00 (new)
Where Obtained: LOCAL STORE IN AUGUSTA

I'M FROM THE OLD SCHOOL, AND REALLY DIDN'T THINK I NEEDED OR WANTED TO PLAY A FIVE STRING BASS. I HAD TRIED OTHER FIVE STRING BASSES, AND DIDN'T LIKE THEM, BUT AFTER TRYING THE BTB405, I WAS SOLD

THE ACTION ON THE BASS OUT OF THE BOX WAS FINE, I DID HAVE TO MODIFIY IT A LITTLE TO MY LIKING, BUT THAT WAS EASY. THE NECK LOOKS WIDE, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY. THE STRING SPACING IS WIDE LIKE ON A FENDER, AND I REALLY LIKE THAT. THIS BASS OUT THE BOX WAS EASY TO PLAY, AND IT DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO GET USE TO THE LOW B STRING.

I DON'T USE ANY EFFECT, I USE A ACUSTIC 370AMP, AND CABNET I GET GROUND SHAKING SOUND, BUT IT IS VERY CLEAR, NOT MUDDY. I PLAY A LOT OF R&B, SMOOTH JAZZ, AND ANYTHING FUNKY. IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A FENDER, BUT IT WILL ROCK THE HOUSE LIKE ONE. SO IF YOU ARE A STAY IN THE POCKET TYPE OF BASS PLAYER THIS IS THE BASS TO HOLD THE FORT WITH

Model Year: 2002
Price: $599.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Guitar Center

Korean made, Basswood body w/ Quilted Maple top, 5pc. Maple/ Walnut Neck, 24/Medium frets - 5 string, 18V active eq (Bass, treble, mid w/ shaping dial) 2 Ibanez IBZ DFR humbucking pickups (passive), clear black finish, Mono- Rail II bridge (bridge is individual saddles for each string.)Ibanez non-locking tuners.

I found that this bass takes a while to get accustomed to, due to the fact that it is rather heavy compared to most, the neck is wider than some 5 strings, and the string spacing is huge. But once you get to know it, you will find that it plays great and sounds even better.

I use an Ampeg BA210SP, which is what I used to audition it with (sounded awesome!). My main musical focus at the moment is metal, but I do have an undeniable penchant for funk (don't we all? :) I would say that the 405QM is suited for most styles of music - the active eq is very versatile, and the pickups are nice, clean and very noiseless! good tone for any approach - slapping, tapping, finger picking, and pick playing. The only thing you will want to do once you get it home, is replace the cheap batteries out of it and change out the strings (.105 gague DR high beams play and sound like a dream on it!) As far as stage vs. studio, I'd say that it is a good stage instrument (gives you the upper edge on that soundguy who doesn't know what eq is!) and I'm sure that a recording engineeer would admire the silent nature of those pickups.

Built like a tank! the setup right from the store was perfect - intonation was right on, the action was good, and once strings are streched, it will not go out of tune (unless a tuning peg gets bumped in transport of course.) The hardware has been so far so good, and the electronics have been faithful. The only thing I dislike is the locking input jack (makes a horrible pop if you even think about disconnecting your cable without turning off the amp.

Model Year: 2003
Price: $600.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Sam Ash

Korean made, flame maple top, Vari Mid active eq, 5 piece neck

Plays like a dream. B string is SOLID! Great string spacing for slappin'. I tried MANY in this price range and it played the best. The asymetrical neck that is very comfortable.

Excellent. It can give you any sound you want.

Model Year: 2002
Price: $850.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Local Music Store

This bass is made In Japan. The Body is made of Walnut With a very nice quilted mapple top. It has 24 frets on the G and D strings, 23 on ther lower ones. Five controls: Master Volume, PU's pan, Treble boost/cut, Bass boost/cut and A double knob consisting on a paramtric EQ(allows to change your sound in a second, very usefull feature) It has Two humbucking PU's made by Ibanez. Nice growl, no noise. It has a very innovative Mono-rail bridge, with one piece for each string. This kind of bridge is supposed to isolate vibrations from one string to other but actually doesn't do it that much. Anyway It really looks good.

You can get a very very low action on this bass. It's extra long scale (35 inch) so the strings have a great tension. Tha neck can handle a .45 set with almost no bow. I use a .40 set and the fretboard si really flat. Tha neck is a bit wide, but you get used and then it's so smooth to play over it. Maybe It's a little difficult to play fast decending scales in the upper frets when you reach the A nd E strings but if you don't want to play Billi sheenan It's Ok

After comparing severall basses i had to decide between a bolt-on warwick corvette standard 4 strings and this baby. I had the opportunity to play later with the warwick and I don't regret choosing the Ibanez. I know most people think that Warwicks are very good basses and so do I but this corvette doesn't sound better than my axe, althought it's also a good one. I run it through a 125 watt peavey, for reharshals, through a 30 watt practice amp at home and i use a valve preamp (not speciffic for bass) when recording. I mainly play jazz fussion and fingerstyle funk with my band. You cang get warm growling sounds from the Humbucking PU's and you obtain many many differnt sounds without going to mess with the amp. But if you're looking for a slapping machine this axe is not the right one, 'cause it feels really confortable to slap and pop over it but you don't get the best sound. I prefer other basses to slap. Aniway, if slapping is seccondary 4 you, this bass is ok. It's not noisy at all. This bass sounds really good for the price. I give the highest vote, being conscient than there are basses whaich sound better but they are twice expensive.

Bomb proof. I've hitted walls, guitars, preamps, Cimbals (I get a little mad when I funk) and not a scratch. Seems indestructible. It's very heavy, But you get used to. It this baby were stolen I probably would buy the high end version, Which basically is the same bass with a mahogany body and Bartollini PU's and active electronics.

Model Year: 2001
Price: $0.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Caldwell Music

18v active electronics give good control over bass, mids, and treble. I really like the independent bridge. Humbucking pickups are good, could be better.

Neck is kind of wide but with my hands it fits very well. Smooth playing, set up from the store was almost perfect, I prefer playing with the action a bit higher so after I tweaked it around a bit it felt great.

Playing through a 15watt ibanez practice amp, BFX115 and a Peavey TVX412, I could get good sounds from all but the practice amp although that's more because of the small amp than anything. I don't particularly like the locking cable plug system but it's tolerable.

I baby this thing and I've had it for over a year now with no problems whatsoever.