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Ibanez GAXB
List: $440
The mark of a good manufacturer is their willingness to address a specific need. 2004 saw Ibanez introduce a short-scaled bass for players who find a full scale version too overwhelming. This happens to both beginners & seasoned players alike; the latter’s forte is his/ her guitar but they do pick up the bass occasionally to trigger compositional ideas or simply to spur creativity. The shorter scale length (not the lesser number of frets, mind you) & reduced tension make this adaptation more pleasant.
Construction/ fit/ finish
Potential investors have to bear in mind that the GAXB is a member of Ibanez’s Gio family (hence the ‘G’ in GAXB), a range which is aimed at the beginner or the budget conscious. This isn’t a disclaimer to forgive blatant disregard for quality but a gentle reminder to view the offering with regards to product philosophy. Upon handling this bass in question, one will immediately feel its less organic finish but acceptable factors are all in tact to make it appealing- well-buffered neck rear/ functional tuners & electronics/ well-cut nut/ among others. What prevented this bass from being an utmost value-for-money instrument is the headstock finish. It seems that the paint job was insufficient to cover the whole headstock, leaving traces of exposed wood at the nut area. I will not rule out a QC procedure whereby the nut itself was replaced prior to the bass’ departure from the assembly plant hence leaving exposed wood surfaces, evidence of adhesive removal.
There’s also some buzzing at the G-string bridge saddle, which was actually a loose placement. You only need to slacken the string & push the saddle towards its neighbour, retune & there you have it, a simple remedy for a simple problem.
Over at the body’s rear, the electronics cavity cover does not sit flushed against the body. A quick cover removal reveals uneven internal surfaces which should have been addressed at the factory.
Playability/ tone
With any shorter-scaled instrument, the immediate difference here is the string tension (depends on string gauge), the looser feel of this bass makes it less taxing on both the fretting & picking fingers. The medium frets here are deserving complements to the very straight neck but despite the generous upper fret dual cutaway, reaching the final fret (20th) is quite a chore since the fretboard extends quite markedly into the body. The body’s front & rear are adequately chamfered to promote player comfort, a very SG-like vibe here.
The hit/ miss factor with the GAXB is its simple electronics layout. With just a pickup & volume knob, things are bound to be tonally limited but that’s where the 3-way tone switch is vital. It offers a trio of tonal variation: super bright/ deep + treble truncated/ balanced. In use, it gives the illusion that one has actually switched pickups, which I believe is a superb & thoughtful inclusion here. Tone purists will reject this flicking system immediately due to its inability to promote subtle tone tapering but there are many other Ibanez basses to serve this need. If you are slap & pop inclined, you’ll appreciate the free space between the fretboard & pickup. All in all, the GAXB exudes a slightly brighter overall tone (than an average, full scaled bass) due to its arguably compressed physique.
Last say
The GAXB is a simple & functional instrument. If you need a no-frills bass to supplement your collection, the sub-$450 price tag is a blatant lure. This bass will inevitably get a biased impression because of its Chinese origin & light basswood body (which influences tone) in addition to the apprentice oriented electronics on board. However, to the practical evaluator, the GAXB is more useful than repulsive.
Positive notes:
• Simple layout, maximum playability
• Acceptable feel, nothing repulsive
• Useful default tones
• Attractive list price
Demerits
• Compromised headstock finish
• Routing surfaces lacks attention to details
• Lacks a convincing bass punch
Worthy competitors:
• LTD Viper 104
• Samick Cobra
