Ibanez SR500E 4-String Bass Review

The Ibanez SR500 series has always seemed like the cornerstone of the Ibanez basses for me.

Always great sounding and very eye catching. Just when I thought the SR500 couldn’t get better, it does. Don’t get me wrong, as I said before, this seems to be the cornerstone, and the previous SR500 was and still is a fantastic bass.

While the changes may be small, you will be pleasantly surprised.

The bridge was upgraded to allow for adjustable string spacing with adjustments on the saddles from + or – 1.5 mm. The Ibanez custom 3 band EQ now has a bypass switch so you can play in active or passive mode. The EQ bypass switch is the top switch and the treble control acts as a passive tone control when the EQ is bypassed. Another change are the pickups, which were upgraded from the Bartolini MK1’s to the Bartolini BH2’s. While these changes may seem minor, they are welcome upgrades the Ibanez SR500E.

The Ibanez SR500E 4-String Bass still performs just as great as its predecessor, and the minor changes are a great improvement not only for playability but for tone as well.  

As with any bass in the SR Series, it is great for all genres and all styles of playing whether you use your fingers, a pick, or are an avid slapper. The active/passive bypass for the EQ gives you an even wider array of tones that can be achieved now with the this model.

The Ibanez SR500E body is made from Okoume wood, which is native to west-central Africa. The neck is a 5-piece Jatoba and Walnut combination completed with a 24 fret Jatoba fingerboard that has Abalone oval inlays.

The electronics consist of the passive Bartolini BH2 for both the bridge and neck positions, powered by an Ibanez Custom Electronics 3 band EQ and a 3-way mid frequency switch. The frequency switch allows you to choose between 250Hz, 450Hz, and 750Hz. The controls are Volume, Balance, Bass, Mid, and Treble, with the Treble control doubling as a passive tone control when the EQ is bypassed.

The bridge is the adjustable AccuCast B500 and all of the hardware is matte black. The SR500E is available in Brown Mahogany or Surreal Black Dual Fade finishes.

Be sure to check out the new Ibanez SR500E 4-String Bass online or at a music retailer near you!