IBANEZ GSR200 SOUNDGEAR BASS GUITAR

IBANEZ GSR200 SOUNDGEAR BASS GUITAR

Ibanez is a company that has been around for a long time. Although Ibanez has been manufacturing some higher end, good quality musical equipment, I have also frequently been impressed with their lower cost musical equipment, as I have always felt that Ibanez musical gear delivers a very good bang for the buck. The Ibanez GSR200 Soundgear Electric Bass Guitar is certainly no exception here. Read on and see why the Ibanez GSR200 is one of the most popular entry level bass guitars on the market today.

There Ibanez GSR200 Bass Guitar lists for $285.70, but one can easily find it selling at a discount for about $199.95 from most large musical instrument chain stores, or from a reputable Internet dealer. I mentioned in the paragraph above that the Ibanez GSR200 is an entry level bass guitar. Yes, and it is also true that there are less expensive entry level basses to choose from out there. However, when one starts to get much below the $200 level, the quality of the bass becomes extremely suspect, and it is not likely to be a bass that one would want to use for gigging or for recording purposes. Amazingly, the Ibanez GSR200 is actually a bass that one can consider to be an entry level bass, as well as a bass that can take one to the next or lower intermediate level.

The Ibanez GSR200 Bass Guitar has a body that is made of Agathis, and the neck is made of Maple, and it also has a Rosewood fingerboard. It is available in four colors, specifically Pearl White, Jewel Blue, Transparent Red, and Black. The one I was playing was Transparent Red. The fret board has pearl dot inlays, and 22 frets. The generous cutaways permit access to even the highest notes on the neck. The hardware is all chrome, including the tuning pegs. The bridge is very sturdy and is fully adjustable.

However, for me the thing that I like most about the Ibanez GSR200 Bass Guitar are the electronics. Back in the 1980’s Fender introduced a bass guitar called the Fender Jazz Bass Special. The Fender Jazz Bass Special combined the body of a Fender Precision Bass with the fast sleek neck of a Fender Jazz Bass. This made for a bass with a great feel, excellent balance, and strikingly good looks. But the thing I liked most about the Fender Jazz Bass Special was that it had a set of Precision Bass Pickups and Jazz Bass Pickups. The sound and feel of this Fender Jazz Bass Special was great. Does this combination sound a bit familiar? The Ibanez GSR200 is clearly designed on the Fender Jazz Bass Special, right down to the Jazz Bass feel to the neck, and the Precision Bass style split-coil neck pickup and the Jazz Bass style single-coil bridge pickup.

There are separate volume controls for the Powersound split-coil neck pickup (Precision Bass style pickup) and for the Powersound single-coil bridge pickup (Jazz Bass style pickup). The Ibanez GSR200 is set up electronically so that it can be played as either a bass with conventional passive electronics or one with active electronics. The Powersound split-coil and single coil pickups are both capable of delivering a tight bottom. However, when the Phat II Active Bass Boost is engaged, the GSR200 really delivers floor shakingly rich and fat bass sounds.

Who is the Ibanez GSR200 best suited for? Well, it is priced like an entry level starter bass, and that obviously makes it a good choice for serious beginners. However, I must also say that it would also be a bass that a lower level intermediate player should also consider taking a look at. It is certainly not something that an advanced player would consider, but it is still a nice bass, and for the price, it would be hard to find a bass that could equal or surpass the Ibanez GSR200.

Well I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my review. But now if you will please excuse me, I must get back to my practicing.