Ibanez EHB5MSBSP 5 string Multi-scale Bass Guitar Midnight Arctic Ocean Matte
The Bass Workshop equates to something of a sandbox for Ibanez, a company continuing its rich tradition of pioneering low-frequency machines, driving ingenuity and innovation via untethered experimentation and imagination. The Bass Workshop EHB5MSBSP is a 5-string multi-scale bass that’s booming with craftsmanship, creativity, and character that has more than earned its namesake categorization. Luthiers at Ibanez spared no effort in taking the exploratory spirit of the Bass Workshop to its outer reaches with this brawling bass machine, and the low-end theorists are in deft agreement: its presence-filled basswood body is joined to a nine-piece neck, comprising panga and walnut, with a matching, bound panga fretboard. Moreover, its multi-scale moxie is brought to life by an electrifying array of active Fishman Fluence pickups and multimode coil switching to supercharge your onboard sonic sculpting. Headless, hard-hitting, and hardly an all-arounder, the Ibanez EHB5MSBSP wields its Bass Workshop title with unabashed panache, succeeding precisely because it embodies the Ibanez Bass Workshop ethos — these basses are not for everyone, which is exactly what makes it perfect for you.
In true Bass Workshop fashion, Ibanez pulled no punches in forging a formidable foundation with this EHB5MSBSP’s triad of tonewoods. A basswood body serves as the 5-string’s aural anchor, keeping sounds robust, and brimming with sustain that remains bold and balanced across the spectrum. Its nine-piece — yes, really — neck weaves walnut and panga panga into a menagerie of musicality, as the panga panga’s physical makeup pairs well with ash, amplifying resonance and sustain. Meanwhile, the walnut imparts shades of shimmering harmonic-rich voicing. Up top, a complementary, bound panga panga fretboard brings out its rosewood-like qualities, completing the EHB5MSBSP’s tonal triptych with a crystalline veneer that lets mids, trebles, and basses shine and sing with power, presence, and precision.
Considering the aural assemblage at its base, the EHB5MSBSP required the proper electronics to activate its latent sonic potential, and the Ibanez Bass Workshop knew precisely where to turn: Fishman. A dyad of active Fishman Fluence soapbar pickups deliver a deluge of seriously versatile sonic-sculpting, boasting a 3-band EQ, balancer control, push/pull single-coil mode, and 3-way Voice Select switch. Dual Ceramic VIII bar magnets power this pliable pair of pickups, with multitudes of malleability augmenting the aural aperture of the bass’s voltaic voicing — for historic, hefty, and well-rounded tones, Voice 1 gives you plenty of passive possibilities, while the active-mode performance of Voice 2 serves up full-frequency firepower that drives detail and clarity across an immense dynamic range. When funky and focused 5-string fervor are on the agenda, just sweep the mids and Voice 2 transforms your tone into a cutting-edge configuration of precision, presence, and panache that handles Louis Johnson-worthy slap playing with ease. What’s more, the push/pull single-coil mode can be used in combination with either voice selected via the 3-way toggle, further opening the tone-shaping gates to support jazz and djent with equal aptitude.
Producing a bass that looks and sounds amazing is one thing, but that doesn’t mean much if it’s a burden to bear, right? Fortunately, the Bass Workshop’s wizardry took care of that, deploying their exacting craftsmanship to create a rich, balanced bass that you won’t be able to put down. Opting for a 9-piece neck was key to ensuring the EHB5MSBSP would be an ideal road warrior, as this not only increases the instrument’s harmonic depth, but also maximizes its structural stability while making it possible for the Bass Workshop to include graphite reinforcement rods, reducing weight and increasing resilience to environmental wear and tear. Its multi-scale 35–35-inch spread is adorned by 24 stainless steel frets, while a 19.685-inch fretboard radius caps Ibanez’s EHB5 neck profile. Taken alongside its comfort-focused beveling and immense treble-side cutaway, accessibility for players of the most-ambitious persuasions is available with speed in spades. With rock-solid Ibanez hardware bookending this headless haymaker, the Ibanez Bass Workshop EHB5MSBSP is teeming with tone-crafting tenacity, supporting a kaleidoscope of dropped-tuning, technical-minded, and virtuosic playstyles that advance the Ibanez Bass Workshop’s mission: summitting the uncharted peaks of bass-guitar design and unearthing exciting new ways to play.
Ibanez EHB5MSBSP 5 string Multi-scale Bass Guitar Midnight Arctic Ocean Matte Features:
Ibanez EHB5MSBSP 5 string Multi-scale Bass Guitar Midnight Arctic Ocean Matte Specs: