# NDB Ibanez BTB-33



## A-Branger (Nov 26, 2016)

yaaaaay new bass for meeee after like 15yrs of playing the same bass 







would post more pics latter I promise



So I always had Ibanez basses, I love them, they sound great and great bang for the buck and they are light and pretty. So I always wanted another Ibanez as my next purchase, hopefully a SR premium. Sadly Ibanez like always does, release a great platform in such an ugly wood/color, and in the bass world it barely updates the line ever. So I always waited to the NAMM release only to be disappointed about them. Only couple of times I though "hey I kinda like it" only to find out it wasnt available in Australia.

So time comes when they released the BTB33 and I though "hey that kinda looks greeat". Plus a BTB shape with SR string spacing!!... and although not 34", but well. I felt in love when I first tried at my local store ages ago, as the one they had there also had the back and sides of the bass really dark, almost black (as opposed to a mid-dark brown shown at the website), I loved the flatter fretboard, the on board EQ was great and the pickupps sounded great too, just what I wanted..... until I tried a SR premium with the nordstrand pickups, they were jsut a tad better, and with the new SR color last year it was enough to stop the GAS and make me re-think my choices.

So forward until a couple of months ago I came across a second hand BTB in a online store here at 860$AUD (new they are 1500$, and the SR premium like 2000$) so I though that was the excuse that I needed, pus the one advertised had a great looking grain plus the backs being almost black too. Put some money together, and I was already sending emails to the store asking for stuff until an add pops out in my facebook group of used gear. A BTB33 with ahrdcase at 500$!!! close to my house..... I couldnt resist so I end up buying it 

the grain is not that good as the other one, and the back wood has a bit of a maroon-ish tint, but well I keep reminding me that I save 360$ for it lol


Either way, Im coming from my bass being a one humbucker with piezzo, to this double humbucker-ish-single coil-ish thing. It gives the nice honk and piano growl I was soo much looking for before.

The finger ramp is great. But as everything is even, I dont have a "fix" position for my hand. Also as my last bass only had one humbucker in the middle, my hand tends to moves towards the bridge in this one, so Im like "why it is sounding soo dead?".. until I see my hand way off the center.

Neck is great, a tinny bit more tick than previous bass, but I barely notice.

The scale feels great too. I play a lot of Dream Theater stuff, so it is a bit eassier to do the complicated riffs in the lower section of the bass. But stuff in the middle of the neck starts to feel a bit cramped. From both the smaller frets, and from the smaller scale who makes the fret position to be closer to my right hand (if that makes sense) 


This bass comes with E_A_D_G_C, but I bought a set of strings to add a low B instead. The high C was fun, but it has no room in my playing at all. Same reason why I dont have and not planing to buy a 6 string bass. So I bough a standard set 45-65-85-105, but with a low 135 instead of 130. I did some calculations before on a string tension thing and the 135 give me more tension at 33" than a 130 on a 34" bass I was already playing.

I visually matched the saddles when I moved the strings to the previous ones, so intonation is not that far off, just needs bit of tweaking. And for the nut I used the same strings to expand the groove.

Adn you know what?

IT sounds great!, the low B roars just fine


also this thing has some amazing sustain woow


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## Harry (Nov 26, 2016)

Good writeup/review.
I must say, I REALLY want one of these and like you I'm just not a 6 string guy for a multitude of reasons.
I love the idea of tuning down to D or C# on one of these, as you make up the range you would lose doing the same on a 4 string bass and I don't need nor have much of a use for the high string being tuned to C.
Seems a few dudes on the talkbass forums are tuning these like a regular 5 string with good results (they say anyway). 
So I wonder, does it sound noticeably darker compared to a longer scale on the low B to you or perhaps just a minor difference?


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## A-Branger (Nov 27, 2016)

so far I cant really tell the difference between my two basses. Also mind you I jsut got fresh strings, and also the EQ on this bass does A LOT, you can reaaaally push things. But that was because my previous bass didnt have much room in the EQ

MY previous bass was this for reference Ibanez EDA905 





so the pickup is pretty bassy, as the piezzo pickups provides with all the high end. And the EQ controls was a bass knob for the pickup and high knob for the piezzo. I always had the bass all the way up and the piezzo prob in mid position

With the BTB, I need to have the bass knob in like 20% up, more than that and is way way too much, same with the mids and highs. I actually have mid controls and a better mid section due to the double humbucker positions. I was lacking that from before.

so as I have it settup now is pretty much the same sound wise between the two, jsut better mids on the BTB as the pickup config. So I would say that for now the low B sounds just fine. If you are going into D-C territory you might use a .130 or .125 string so you should be better.

also I knew how great and light was my previous bass, but the bottom horn on it makes it for such a great sitting position. The BTB is great too with a nice balance, but it doesnt come close. But far far far far far better than any Fender stuff. cant believe how un-comfortable those basses are and how neck heavy, even with a huge body


also forgot to mention before, these BTB basses comes with a weird locking input jack thing. The concept could have been great so you dont accidentaly un-plug your bass. But practically they are the biggest pain in the but. You have to press a tinny button to release which is tinny and plastic sharp, and hard and it doest really moves so you have to press hard with the tip of your finger and still its kinds hard to release it. Its annoying and kinda hurts. Plus any musician knows from their first gig how to put your cable around the strap, so these kinda things makes no-sense

Also this bass plays and gets balanced great in standing position. Mind you I have it pretty high up, almost like a sitting. My previous bass had a dimarzio strap, and I had to special order the shorter version as the normal one was too long for my liking


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## dax21 (Nov 27, 2016)

Love ash in natural finish. As far as neutrik locking jack goes, I can see how it can be annoying but I personally like it. Good thing, or bad in your case, is that it's a pretty high quality little thing. I've had my btb for 5 years now and it didn't get loose at all. After a while you get used to it and it's as effortless as the regular jacks are.


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## laxu (Nov 27, 2016)

I have a BTB33 as well and absolute love it. As mainly a guitarist the shorter scale just feels perfect to me. My dilemma is that I like the high C but would also like a low B. If they made a 6 string version of this I would gladly pick one up. The slightly shorter scale and the narrow string spacing is what makes me love this. I hate the 19mm spacing on the rest of the BTB series despite really liking the body shape aesthetically.

I think next time I am due for a restring I will try a low B and just replace the nut so I can go back if needed.

How do you like the tone and feel with the thick low B? My previous 5-string was a 34" Cort and I hated how the low B felt on that one (floppy), don't know how thick the string was though. Any tonal balance issues using it like that?


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## A-Branger (Nov 27, 2016)

dax21 said:


> Love ash in natural finish. As far as neutrik locking jack goes, I can see how it can be annoying but I personally like it. Good thing, or bad in your case, is that it's a pretty high quality little thing. I've had my btb for 5 years now and it didn't get loose at all. After a while you get used to it and it's as effortless as the regular jacks are.



yeah I guess so. But I never had any issues with my previous bass in the 16yrs of it. I just need to tight up the external nut a little bit every so often. But yeah I know they are good quality



laxu said:


> I have a BTB33 as well and absolute love it. As mainly a guitarist the shorter scale just feels perfect to me. My dilemma is that I like the high C but would also like a low B. If they made a 6 string version of this I would gladly pick one up. The slightly shorter scale and the narrow string spacing is what makes me love this. I hate the 19mm spacing on the rest of the BTB series despite really liking the body shape aesthetically.
> 
> I think next time I am due for a restring I will try a low B and just replace the nut so I can go back if needed.
> 
> How do you like the tone and feel with the thick low B? My previous 5-string was a 34" Cort and I hated how the low B felt on that one (floppy), don't know how thick the string was though. Any tonal balance issues using it like that?




yeah I always liked the BTB shappe but couldnt cope with the 19mm and 35", plus the big nut width too. Your option might be to get a SR 6 string.

As for the string tension, it feels fine. I have always played with a .130 for the B on my 34" bass, it was always bit floppier than the E string of course, but thats the nature of it, less tension but never too much to hate it. So I did some calculations for this bass before buy

34" - 130 - B0 - 2168.14 lbs
34" - 130 - Bb0 - 1931.59 lbs
33" - 130 - B0 - 2042.47 lbs
33" - 135 - B0 - 2191.85 lbs

from this one http://www.stringbusters.com/stringfaqs.asp

34" - 0.130 - B0 - 31.49 lbs
34" - 0.130 - Bb0 - 28.06 lbs
33" - 0.130 - B0 - 29.670 lbs
33" - 0.135 - B0 - 32.28 lbs

35" - 0.130 - B0 - 33.370 lbs

from this one http://stringtensionpro.com/SetBuilder?id=34


not sure who is more accurate, or the amount of lbs that is correct.. But, the results show the same. The difference in 33"-34" in tension is less than the difference in dropping a semi-tone on a 34", and if you add a .135 string (the other only commercially available gauge on a store), then your tension would be better

so I stick with the standard gauge set of strings they come with (and you can buy on a store) with the 135 instead of the 130. In that way I dont have to be buying customs

Feels great, and the difference in thickness is barely noticeable only a .005 

and like I say, it sounds great too, I would make a video soon once I finish learning a song to upload. Also mind you Im still yet to fully intonate the bass (lazy me), so not 100% sure if it will, but I know it can, theres heaps of room on the saddle


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## Bloody_Inferno (Nov 27, 2016)

Nice score and good review there mate.

You're actually making me want BTBs more. I've always been an SR guy because I'm a little intimidated by BTBs size and dimensions, but they look great.


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## Faldoe (Nov 28, 2016)

looks crazy.


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## bloc (Dec 2, 2016)

I love it


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## A-Branger (Jan 10, 2017)

heres a short DT cover to test the Low B



something I notice is that myright hand tends to move towards the bridge as what it was my natural position with my previous bass (different scale/shape/resting place on my lap). I have to keep reminding me to put my hand between the pickups. As you can see I have my thumb over the bridge pickup instead of being anchored at the neck pickup. That small difference makes a huge difference in sound, as it adds better low end. Thats the only downside of the finger ramp, I cant feel where I am anymore. Other than that I love the ramp.


I also did a gig with a salsa band Im now playing with over the NYE on a small stage of a big festival over here. Bass played perfect with lots of room for shape the sound better for that kind of music. Plus Im talking about 35' C degree heat all day. Bass was on a storage room for the full day, pick it up before the night gig. Bass still on tune. Awesome.

but not sure why now at home the bass doesnt sound like before?... not sure if I got used to something different or the strings died on me???, first time trying these addarios, I usually play Elixirs. It feels like the sustain is mostly gone and pretty dull sound compared to the nice growl I had before. Never experienced that kind of drop before with my other bass


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## dax21 (Jan 11, 2017)

Daddarios wear out after a week, especially if you gig and sweat on them in high temperatures. I have a 5 or 6 years old set of Elixirs that I put on my backup bass after taking them off my factory set-up BTB, and they are still on that cheap bass. They zing more even now than any non-elixir set of strings after a month of use.

Really wish elixirs were not so goddamn expensive. They sound ridiculously good, on anything:


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## A-Branger (Jan 11, 2017)

yeah I know, thats waht Ive been using for my other bass now for quite a few years. I love them as they dont rust at all, and now I see they actually last longer. See In my youtube chanel I did another cover with my previous bass who still have the Elixirs from even before I bought the BTB

Reason why I didnt get them this time was because I needed the set with a .135 on the B, so I needed to custom order it at the store. I was just right about ot when I saw the d'addarios set there behind the counter with the .135 so I though hey they are cheapper and right there, give me give me give me..... not again. Would be back to Elixirs after this fiasco


also jsut to mention my Guitars have Elixirs too, they never rust even after months


EDIT:



I was planing to do a A/B comparo between the two by playing the same song, but now I feel I need to change strings  ...stupid D'addarios with their colored ball ends


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## laxu (Jan 11, 2017)

Nice playing there! The low B does look a bit floppy and might be just the strings but sounds undefined compared to the other strings. Might keep mine with the high C and try to get a multiscale 5 or 6 to complement.


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## A-Branger (Jan 14, 2017)

thanks man, but actually it has equal/better tension than on my 34" the other strings the do "feel" floppier??? not really, but when you change basses A/B only, like playing both at the same time and being picky. Random day, pick the bass it doent feel different.


also like I mentioned, my hand was on the wrong place, with my thumb almost on the bridge pickup (as my muscle memory from 15 years of playing a different shaped bass, and thanks to the finger ramp). If I anchor my thumb on the neck pickup I got way more definition and bass freq. Which prob affected my low B.

I think I got a better sounding B in this bass than my previous (or maybe Im still in the honeymoon fase)

but you have the same bass, try playing with your hand over the bridge pickup vs the neck, and you know the difference Im talking about


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## getowned7474 (Jan 15, 2017)

I like how it has the SR string spacing on a BTB. Ibanez SR's looks fine but the BTB looks great.


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## A-Branger (Jan 15, 2017)

getowned7474 said:


> I like how it has the SR string spacing on a BTB. Ibanez SR's looks fine but the BTB looks great.



one of the main reasons I bought it  and one of the reasons I couldnt cope much with a standard BTB. too much spacing. Even when my previous bass it has the same string spacing?, or pretty close, but at least I have a 45mm nut width (like on a SR) so the string spacing feel less.


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## laxu (Jan 16, 2017)

getowned7474 said:


> I like how it has the SR string spacing on a BTB. Ibanez SR's looks fine but the BTB looks great.



I much prefer the BTB body shape and really wish they made more models with this scale length and string spacing. Even changing the regular string spacing 19 -> 18mm would help.


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## Cheap Poison (Jan 18, 2017)

laxu said:


> I much prefer the BTB body shape and really wish they made more models with this scale length and string spacing. Even changing the regular string spacing 19 -> 18mm would help.



And go back to the old BTB shape where the upper horn isn't so deep. That might just be me though!


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## A-Branger (Jan 18, 2017)

Cheap Poison said:


> And go back to the old BTB shape where the upper horn isn't so deep. That might just be me though!



thats prob you. I love the deep upper horn lines that continues to the lower horn. One of the reasons I love this bass.

But you got your dreams come true. The 2017 BTBs now come wit the old horn design, except for the 33" one


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## dax21 (Jan 18, 2017)

Cheap Poison said:


> And go back to the old BTB shape where the upper horn isn't so deep. That might just be me though!



Check the Ibanez website, 2017 BTB models have indeed went back to the old style, less drastic cutaway.


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## laxu (May 26, 2017)

I ended up modding my BTB33 to have a low B-string. Thanks A-Branger for taking the time to figure out a good string size. I bough a .135 Elixir string and moved the Fodera strings I had one step right. I had to widen the nut slots a bit, mostly on the low B and E slots.

I really like it, the low B feels good to play and sounds fine. Being so used to playing with the high C, I probably prefer how it is now as the regular 4-string range is a bit easier to play with the low B since they are closer to my palm. Now I like this bass even more!


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## iamaom (May 26, 2017)

laxu said:


> I ended up modding my BTB33 to have a low B-string



Blasphemy!


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## A-Branger (May 26, 2017)

laxu said:


> I ended up modding my BTB33 to have a low B-string. Thanks A-Branger for taking the time to figure out a good string size. I bough a .135 Elixir string and moved the Fodera strings I had one step right. I had to widen the nut slots a bit, mostly on the low B and E slots.
> 
> I really like it, the low B feels good to play and sounds fine. Being so used to playing with the high C, I probably prefer how it is now as the regular 4-string range is a bit easier to play with the low B since they are closer to my palm. Now I like this bass even more!



yeah awesome dude, wellcome to the club!  Elixirs also sell a 5 string ready set with the standard 45-105 + 135 so no need to buy the string separate for the next time 

I also lowered the saddles a bit, so the action is low and awesome. And I tweak the finger ramp as it was too close on the high strings

what EQ settings are you using?, not sure if its the setting of my amp, but at home I found myself using bit of boost in everything (mostly in the bass), but wiht the toggle MID in the lowest frequency. I used to have it in the middle one, but now I find it too honky


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## laxu (May 26, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> what EQ settings are you using?, not sure if its the setting of my amp, but at home I found myself using bit of boost in everything (mostly in the bass), but wiht the toggle MID in the lowest frequency. I used to have it in the middle one, but now I find it too honky



I haven't explored the EQ settings much yet with the low B. I generally tend to have all at center and use the pickup blend to alter the sound the most.


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## A-Branger (May 26, 2017)

interesting. I actually dont like messing with the pickup blend lol. I know some sounds are great but I always tend to like the middle position best. Even if Im playing a cover that was recorded with a P bass, I wouldnt play it with the neck pup, I still like my sound in the middle.

As for the EQ, taking it from +10/-10 each knob. I usually are Bass: +5~7 / Mid: +2~4 / High -2~+2 with 80% of the time the Mid switch in the low position, if not in the middle one. All depend on the level Im playing at and the style of music. Another setting I played with for a bit instead was putting the Mid toggle in the highest position and cut the Mid knob freq


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## laxu (May 27, 2017)

I find that I am far less picky about my bass tones than my guitar tones. I think even my Axe-Fx 2 has the amp model EQ set pretty neutral.


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## Grand Moff Tim (May 31, 2017)

So you guys are liking thee .135 for a 33" low B, huh? That's good to know. I've got a 33" custom 5 from ACG coming pretty soon, and I definitely intend to tune it BEADG. I almost never use the high C on my 6, so I didn't bother when I specced out the custom.

I need to remember to email the guy when it's just about done and ask him to put a 135 set of some sort on it. I do have a custom set from Stringjoy that I can put on it, but I'd prefer to be able to play it straight out of the box, haha.


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## Grand Moff Tim (May 31, 2017)

laxu said:


> I find that I am far less picky about my bass tones than my guitar tones. I think even my Axe-Fx 2 has the amp model EQ set pretty neutral.



I keep my bass amps fairly "neutral" (everything around 12 o'clock, generally), but I don't think that's because I'm _less_ picky about bass tone. I think it's just because those settings happen to be what sound best to me. If someone were to fiddle with those settings, I'd become picky in a hurry.


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## A-Branger (May 31, 2017)

yeah Im pretty simple for my bass too. Once I find my setings is set and forget. I only play with the onboard EQ a little bit to compensate for the different room/band/music style Im playing with. Playing louder or softer might need bit extra bass or not. Playing lating music I need more low mid/bass since its me and a piano, but on a metal context I need more highs/less bass to be able to cut trough everything.

My amp settings stay the same tho. And never use any pedals either.


and yeah Im pretty happy with the .135 low B


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