Ibanez SW100 Sound Wave 115 Combo

This amp has everything you will ever need. I could sit here an list the specs, but it would be longer than most of the review. I will bring up the good old DOut on the front that has a pre/post eq setting making it double as a DI box for both recording and live. To me, this has become a must on any bass amp I pick up in the future, though I may never need to.

I practice using some rolland amps with 212 or 115 depending what is handy. When the time came to practice where an amp was not available I brought this work of art and our guitarist actually mentioned how much better we sound as soon as this amp goes into the mix.

The best advice I received when I first started playing was use make the PA do the work. This amp can do this to no end. With the great sounding Direct Out on the front setting it up for live takes no time at all. With the 115 set up this amp is also easy to mic. It puts out enough power to do small shows where this isn't an option, though I am considering using the extension 115 cab or a 212 to get a bit more out of it for larger gigs where the PA isn't much help.

If you are looking for distortion you will need a pedal or a different amp. I use active pickups most of the time and they are clear and pack just the right level of punch. When I let someone use it last night they wanted a distorted sound using passive pickups. With the gain on full and a fair bit of volume and some EQ setting to give it a bit more mud it made what he needed. This amp can sound muddy if you want it, but clear as day when you ask it to.

My only complaint is that the tweeter puts off a strange buzz when the amp is miced. Live this buzz makes no difference and goes completely unnoticed, but when recording with it the tweeter needs to be turned off. I can't drop the score for this as you can simply turn it off; also this may just be from some of the abuse this thing has been through over the years as it didn't when it was new. We ran vocals through it when I was in high school through the CD in jack. This actually works really good if you have a mixer but no PA.

Shy of the tweeter issue listed above, I have never had a problem with this amp. It's been through gig after gig without any troubles. I'm actually the second owner; it was my friend's in high school and I bought it off of him when he left the band we had at the time.

I will mention that this amp has one major flaw that does not effect reliability but should be mentioned. The material used to cover the amp should be looked into by ibanez. It looks and feels great to the touch; almost like cloth. The problem is it rips so easy. I would almost prefer the hard almost metallic coating my guitar amp has. Just a note I though worth mentioning.

Warranty was directly through the store (Axe music), so even if something had happened there would be no need for huge wait times.

I have never had an issue that would require me to contact Ibanez but I have little doubt they would be great to work with.

I have used many other bass and guitar amps in the past, but after buying this one (about five years ago), I have nearly given up the search. The only reason for an "upgrade" would be for a full tube amp.

For the price point this amp fits in I have yet to find anything better. If it was stolen I would start the search for a new one. Be sure, if you are buying an Ibanez SW, to pick this one up. With the price range there is little point in buying a smaller one. It kind of sucks to lug around, but for what it puts out it's small compared to its competitors.

For an affordable combo, the SW100 is well decked out with features.

The front panel features, from left to right;

* Direct Out w/ Ground Lift & Pre/Post EQ Switches. When in Post EQ mode, the Direct Out will be affected by all amp settings except for Master Volume.
* Standard 1/4" input with a Sensitivity switch for "High" and "Low" inputs. The "Low" setting attenuates the input signal -5dB.
* Gain control and LED to indicate pre-amp clipping.
* BASS control; -/+ 15dB at 100Hz.
* MIDDLE control; -/+ 15dB at either 250Hz, 500Hz or 800Hz depending on what you select with the Select control.
* TREBLE control; -/+ 15dB at 4kHz.
* PRESENCE control; -/+ 15dB at 7.5kHz.
* FX Mix; wet/dry control for the return signal from the Effects Loop, when in use.
* VOLUME; the master volume for the amp and also the volume from the CD Input.
* LINE-OUT; standard 1/4" jack.
* HEADPHONES; 1/4" stereo jack for headphones. Note that with headphones in use, the speakers do not produce sound.
* TWEETER; on/off switch for the tweeter.
* POWER; on/off switch for the power.

The back panel features, from left to right;

* 2x 8Ohm 1/4" jacks for outputs to speaker. This amp can run at a minimum of 4Ohms (ie; the 8 Ohm built in speaker and the 8 Ohm SW115 extension cab).
* Effects loop send/return.
* Tuner Out

As far as I'm concerned it isn't left wanting in the features department. I've owned this amp for about 3 years now and have gigged with it plenty of times and have no complaints about the features. Obviously it lacks the size or power output to handle a truly large gig, but for small/medium venues and rehearsals it has served me just fine. I've played through it with an Ibanez GSR200, Ibanez SRX500 and Ibanez SR500 and they all sound good through it. The tone controls are versatile and the amp performs equally well in pop/blues/jazz/rock/funk/metal as well as being a good practise amp for the home. I have never utilised the effects loop so I can't comment on it one way or another.

Taken out of the combo, the SW100 head would be a respectable 1RU head in my opinion. Special mention goes also to the tilt-back design, it's one of my favourite features of this amp because it is such a helpful option to have on stage and in rehearsal.

I play only 4 string basses and the amp responds well throughout their frequency range. There is very little noise inherent in the amp and it is not easy to make it distort, so if you want a distorted signal you'll have to use effects.

The amp puts out 100W of power into one 15" inch Ibanez Power Jam speaker, which is enough volume for small/medium gigs, especially when mic'd up and/or DI'd. Sometimes, however, the amp can sound like it just doesn't quite have the thump behind it that you may want, and when going from fingerstyle to slapping you may want an EQ pedal or something to make sure your sound doesn't lose out for the worse.

The tweeter can sometimes cause unwanted buzz, but in that case you can simply switch it off with the Tweeter switch on the front panel.

I'll give this amp full marks for reliabity and I have never felt the need to bring a back-up. It can take a knock or two as well, and has survived short trips exposed to rain without any damage. I bought this amp years ago and to look at it today there is no indication that it isn't fresh out of the box.

There was one problem I had with the amp not turning on one day, but I'd say the fault was with my AC power cable because all I had to do was switch it for the power cable from my television and all was well. Oddly enough, the power cable that I replaced went on the power the television without incident. I've always thought that was a bit funny. But yeah, no problems with the reliability of this one.

I've never needed to deal with Ibanez customer service.

I've been playing for 6 years and have owned this amp for around 3 years at a guess. I bought it on recommendation from a bass teacher of mine, who spoke highly of its features and affordability. If I lost it I would definitely kick myself in the pants, and if someone stole it I would definitely kick them in the pants. When I look at combo amps, I always hold them up to the bar set by the SW100, as far as affordable combo amps go, this is up there with the best. Excellent value, great features, and easy on the wallet to boot.

This amp comes with all the contemporary features, good EQ adjustments, XLR and phono jack line out, headphone jack, CD stereo line in etc . . .
Bulit-in limiter with blue light signal.

The sound is very good. I use it with 5 and 6 string bass guitars, excellent low B and high C response. I also use it with a BSX electric upright bass and an acoustic upright bass with piezo pick up. Between the mid range adjustment switch and the bass and treble knobs I can get a good useable acoustic sound. Maybe with a better pick-up this would improve.

I've owned this amp for a year and a half now. Used it on dozens of gigs, weddings, banquets, parties, coffee house and small clubs. It's perfect. Reliable and easy to carry around with the built-in side handles. The tilt back feature is great for directing the sound back up to you. By the way the sound really projects well across the room, not boomy but clean.

No warranty problems to deal with.

I've been playing for 40 years and own and have owned lots of gear in that time. This amp is my current work horse for small gigs. It will not replace my Ampeg rig, SVT 3 Pro with 410 HLF cabinet for club use. But for small venues I don't miss luggting around "big bertha" ! ! ! !
I found this to be money well spent.

I bought this amp because of the extensive list of features:DI w/ ground lift & pre-post EQ switch, 4 band EQ w/ selectable mids. For the money, you won't find an amp with more features.

The tone is good. My main problem with this amp is the volume. I play in a giging rock cover band. Guirarists use a Johnson JM-150 combo and an Ibanez Tone Blaster combo (both 2X12). At practice, the volume is set between 7-8. At gigs, I crank it up all the way. I never have been able to hear the bass properly. No one complains about the tone, just that it lacks the thump of my old rig(GK 800RB w/ Ampeg 2x10 & 1x15 cabs). The Ibanez NEVER distorts, even with the volume up all the way. When I bought it, I was mostly looking to carry 1 amp instead of 3 pieces. I knew I would lose some volume, but never expected needing to "10" the volume in order to hear it. This amp would be great for blues or jazz combos, but can't really cut for loud rock. An extension cab is available (which would boost the wattage from 100 to 145), but like I said, I only want to carry one amp with me.

Its an Ibanez. Their equipment NEVER breaks down. I can't count the number of Ibanez guitars or basses I've owned over the years. I've never had a single problem with any of them. This is the first amp I've bought from them, but so far so good.

Never dealt with them.

Based on the volume issue, I'm looking to dump this amp and pick up a combo with more wattage. If you're looking for a good blues/jazz combo amp this would be the one. If you want to play rock, then I'd suggest something with more power.

An interesting observation about the SW100 amp is that it has a lot more features than the SW65 or the SW35. It has a ground lift button, high and low sensitivity button, and a pre/post equalization button too. You can select between 250Hz to 800Hz for your mid-range, giving it a more bassy or treblish sound. Comes with an FX mix knob, and the tweeter can be turned on/off optionally. Comes with a direct out for sound board stuff and has a line out, and headphone jack too. A cabinet can attach to the combo in the back of the head for added sound.

The SW100 has more wattage than you even need if you're playing in your house. It usually doesn't distort, unless you were trying at max volume. There isn't overdrive on this amp, so just use a pedal or processor to get a nice crunchy sound with the bass.

I've never had a problem with Ibanez's sound wave series. I've accidently left the amp switched on for a few hours and it doesn't fry or get damaged (like a Rogue). I play in a band and I never had a problem making the ground shake with the 100 watt.

Never had a problem with Ibanez.

I've been playing bass for about a year now, but I've played with a lot of amps too. I haven't used the SW100 for a long period of time (only had it a few weeks) because it's completely new this year (2004), but I spent a lot of time playing it and so far it looks promising. If someone stole this amp from me, I'd hunt him down and beat his ass. It's a decent amp, except for its physical attributes. If you can't find a Hartke or Crate, you're still safe with this one.