MarkE goes 6 string!!!

[MarkE]

okay, okay....Santa comes early this year. I just ordered an Ibanez SR706 6 string bass. I swore I would never go beyond the 4 banger but I did anyway.

I have some classical stuff and a number of other things I want to work on and I need the upper range. i considered a 5 string but I think this will be more versatile.

5 piece laminated neck, neck through design (which I fell in love with on my Carvin), figured maple top in transparent black. Active pickups.

I should have this on Tuesday so I will hold off shooting the COTB video until I get it.

Anyway, here is the manufacturer's description and a couple of pics.

A thinner, faster neck with easier upper fret access!

The 2008 model of the Ibanez SR706 6-string electric bass is 1mm thinner in the neck and has a deep cutaway on the low end to make it easier to move around the frets for players of all hand sizes. The neck itself is a 5-piece, made of jatoba and bubinga woods making it more durable and stable. Lightweight and nicely balanced, its contoured mahogany body is extremely comfortable. 2 MK1-6 pickups have high output, while the Bartolini MK1 3-band active EQ ive you of freedom to experiment with your sound.
Ibanez SR706 6-String Bass Guitar Features:


6-string
5-piece SR6 jatoba/bubinga neck
Mahogany body
Figured maple top
Medium frets
B106 bridge
Bartolini MK1-6 neck pickup
Bartolini MK1-6 bridge pickup
Bartolini MK1 3-band EQ


http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/MarkE570/544384.jpg (http://www.thehawkstudio.com/forum/%3Ca%20href=)">





http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/MarkE570/SR706large.jpg

[Tracy]

That's one sexy looking guitar!

[MarkE]

okay...now I really went six string. I have always wanted to replace my shitty epiphone electric guitar with a solid body. Since I sold all my 6 string guitars before I left NY, I thought it would be time to replace one of them with a low cost guitar. After considerable research, I ordered the guitar below.


PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
An omen is a sign, and Schecter was right in naming this guitar the Omen. With its sleek carved top basswood body, 24-fret bolt-on Maple neck with a Rosewood fretboard, and two Diamond humbuckers, it's sure to be a signal that great sound quality and beautiful design go hand-in-hand.
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Construction: Bolt-on

Body: Basswood
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Scale: 25-1/2"
Inlays: Dot
Hardware: Chrome
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Tuners: Chrome
Frets: 24 Jumbo
Electronics: Diamond

http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/MarkE570/311334.jpg



http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/MarkE570/p11444h-d62dcb96caf989c1620f78ce8db.jpg


yes, I know Im out of control but Mrs. Clause has been very kind to me for having worked hard all year LOL

Both guitar and bass are black, and that wasnt planned :)

[SilverHamer]

GOD LOVE MRS. CLAUSE....I know that I certainly do...

WOW, a DOUBLE SIX-STRING aquisition! I really like how you just go for the throat, Mark...let's just forgo the 5 string and go right to the six! HAHAHA. She's a beauty!

I have never played a Schecter, but I have an aquaintence on myspace who plays one professionally and he loves his. His name is Leni DiMancari

http://www.myspace.com/lenidimancari

Leni and his wife, Sandy, are in a Heart Tribute band called The Bad Animals-A Tribute To Heart. Leni is a left-hander with some really great chops...and, like me, he has an affinity for cherry sunburst...

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh267/HamerTime_2008/LeniDe_Sandy.jpg

Congrats, Mark! I look forward to seeing your video! :D

[MarkE]

Thanks for the input Larry. I'll check them out, again, as they are already on my friends list :)

well, the Ibanez arrived today. Im stunned!!! Several people have tried to direct me toward Ibanez basses, and now I see why.
This is, without a doubt, the best sounding bass I've ever heard. I even tried a test recording and its beautiful.

I need to tweak it out after the neck settles...intonation, bridge, neck....the works. I never did this on a 6 string bass before but Im pretty good at doing setups so I dont think it'll be a problem. its pretty close right out of the box. I was impressed.

I must admit that it it confusing to play. I get lost in the sea of strings and often forget where Im supposed to play :) Im getting used to it though.

I know these are really shitty pics but here goes


http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/MarkE570/sr706-2.jpg


http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s341/MarkE570/sr706-1.jpg


I wont have the Schecter until next week as it shipped from Nevada :( Im sure that the Ibanez will keep me busy until then.

I wish I had this when we recorded Pirates. The low end on this guitar just BOOOMMSSS. It's totally badass.

[SilverHamer]

WOW!! She's a beaut! I hadn't noticed in the first pics you posted that the pickups are sort of counter-sunk like that. That looks really cool! You can see the flames on her a little better in your pics as well. Very nice indeed!

[MarkE]

Thanks..yes, its really cool. I had a hard time deciding colors. I didnt want to have a full figured top as I already have the carvin. I didnt want a solid color because I already had two of those. I did want a figured top but something subdued. I wanted transparent blue but settle for black as I liked the bass and wasnt avail in blue. The trans black is perfect, just what I was looking for.

I am having a difficult time playing it....the neck is really wide, and the extra 2 strings are throwing my brain for a loop. I'll get there though. Its a specialty guitar and that is what I got it for. I want to work on my tapping for one thing. Not lightening fast shred stuff but more sweet classical stuff. I also wanted more flexibility playing chords and arpeggios. This thing is perfect. The low end is really something. The low B causes my speakers to break up really bad LOL And having a high C string is a whole different ballgame. My instinct is to tune it down to a B but I want to learn it properly. Im so used to having a B string above the G. This string is tune a fifth above so...C! Lets see...first fret C#, 2nd fret D, jeez..... So much for the standard blues box lol

[SilverHamer]

Hey Mark, I visited a music shop here in Lake Charles last night and they had an Ibanez 6 string bass exactly like yours. I took it down from the hook and messed around with it for a few seconds. It didn't take long for me to realize that this thing is a beast. Talk about a huge neck radius...it's so big that it's almost flat on both sides! I guess it would have to be or you would have even more trouble getting your left hand around it...hahaha. I had never messed around with a six string before, and now I fully understand why most of the guys I've seen playing them are tappers.

[MarkE]

hahaha yes! Beastly indeed! The neck is like a plank.

Ibanez basses are known for their thin necks. its one of the reasons I chose Ibanez for a six string. I need all the help I can get with these short porky fingers of mine.

Im starting to get used to it. The extra strings thing doesn't baffle me too much anymore. The only trouble Im having now is that I cant get my right hand to pluck the correct string on the thinner ones. They are further apart and I keep under reaching.

I tuned the high C down to a B and it feels more natural. Its nice having all those notes for arpeggios etc.

I think the ideal 6 string bass would be to ditch the low B, start with low E and go EADGBE so its like a guitar but lower octave.

I'm getting keyed up for the arrival of the Schecter. Im starting to get more interested in guitar. I've dug up a few songs in my head that I can still play and have been practicing a bit. I'm planning on making a video to scare the shit out of everyone I might play drums on it too. :)

By the way, Im shooting COTB video today so you should have it soon.