Ibanez BTB1206E NTF Prestige

Made in Korea, 2005 I think, 23 1/2 frets, 6 string, flamed maple top and back with mahogany body, bartolini custom pickups and active electronics, 3 band eq with variable mid, 5 piece maple/walnut neck-thru, natural oil finish, BTB body shape, gotoh sealed tuners, mono-rail 4 bridge, 35" scale neck with rosewood? fretboard, neutrik locking jack, elixir strings includes case, allen keys, and cheap cable.

The features on this bass are top notch for sure, it has everything I could want in a bass.

This bass sounds fantastic. I also own a BTB 515 which i absolutely love so when I saw Ibanez had a neck thru 6 string model I had to buy one. The electronics are essentially the same on both basses.

I play in a progressive/metal/death/core/sort of band and this bass is perfect for me. The eq is really responsive, if you need more bass or treble in your sound then give the knob a twist and your set (perfect for playing shows where you can't use your own rig). In the past when I used passive basses I would just crank all the knobs to 10 and go but with this bass I get excellent tone at 5 and tons of headroom.

I have not had a chance to record or play live with this bass but my 515 has played many and recorded as well and sounded great. This bass doesn't have the same hum as my 515 so I give it a 10.

This is where I have a problem and felt it nescessary to write this review.

The bass was set up just the way I like it, intonation was right on, I just tuned it up and it was ready to go right out of the box.

Now, my beefs:
1. This bass was made in Korea, not Japan and the difference in quality is totally noticeable,
2. The shaping on the body was done very poorly, there are rough edges, sharp corners that should have been rounded, i can see some sanding marks that weren't sanded off, there are tool burns on the body in the corners where th body meets the side of the fretboard,
3. It looks like the bottom body wing was not attatched properly because i can see a rather large gap filled with black wood filler in the join between the neck and the wing,
4. The wrenches were rusty,
5. There was a ding on the headstock,
6. The BTB logo on the headstock is missing a tiny bit of one of the B's,
7. The heel at the back of the headstock is too big.
8. It came with elixirs. I hate elixirs, they cause pain in my fingers and they fray after a couple of weeks, I know a 6 string set of elixirs would cost $100 but I would rather have $50 DR Hibeams

Maybe I'm just too picky, but compared to the 515 this bass is a 3 to me where the 515 is a 10 in this category. If this was a bass made in Japan and had the quality I want it would probably cost double so I guess I can't really complain too much.

This is still a great bass.

This bass has high quality hardware and electronics, I'm sure it will last many years. My 515 has only had one setup done and it was 3 years after I bought it so I'm sure this one will hold up.

This is my first instrument with an oil finish so I'll have to wait and see how the finish holds up. I imagine I should have no problem as long as I keep up with regular care and maintnence

I replaced the strap buttons with Schallers but I do that to all of instruments, whether they are needed or not.

I would use this bass without a backup, but i would have a spare set of strings precut.

I ordered this bass in April of 05 and I got it March of 06 (11 Months!!), it also looks like the company is impossible to get a hold of directly. Mike at my local Long & Mcquade however would get a 10 in this category.

I don't know about the warranty on this bass but L&M gives me a 1 year warranty.

I have been playing guitar and bass for 10 years or so, I have had a greater interest in the construction and working of the instruments than the actual playing so that's why I'm so picky. My other gear has included: Ibanez BTB 515, Fender Jazz Geddy Lee, Epiphone Thunderbird, a couple of rented Ibanez SR's, Ampeg B2R, SVT6Pro, 210, 115, and 810 classic cabs, Boss bass overdrive, bass synth, GT6B. All I use now is the BTB's, SVT and 810, with a Korg rack tuner and Monster Bass cables. I also have tons of guitar gear: Marshall, Crate, Hamer, Gibson, ESP, Takamine, and lots of pedals and junk.

I wish I would have known it was made in Korea, nothing against Korean instruments, but in my experience high end basses are not so high end when they're made in the mass production factories.

If it were stolen or lost I would buy a something else, maybe a Spector. That's probably only because I go through gear faster than anyone I know.

While I was waiting for this bass, I contemplated cancelling the order and buying a Spector Euro bass instead because I hear Spector is excellent to deal with and they're basses are so nice. This is my last Ibanez, I don't care for the lack of attention to detail, and poor customer service.

I guess this bass is still a great value, high-end features at a mass production price, and it is my first 6 string so I plan on keeping it and using it lots in the future.

Build in 2005, Korea, 35" scale, six string, body top & rear flamed maple and center in mahgany.
Neck in 5 parts of maple/walnut, construction neck-through.
Active electronics by Bartolini mod. HR 5.4 B/M/T with switch for the selection of three bands of mid range boost/cut.
Pick-ups Bartolini custom made for Ibanez (not MK1!!!).
Tuners by Gotoh, satin nikel finish.
Oil finish.

It play all kind of sounds I desire...the "C" is not like a little guitar...it sings clear and full of the right frequencies!!!

A Gorgeous bass with a beautiful maple flamed Top.
It's like a Luthier instrument!!!
The factory set-up is perfect from every point of vue.
Good Action, perfect setting of the pickups.

I've bought this instrument after an experience of three years with a TRB6 JP Signature that was my first 6 string bass.
I think that the BTB 1206 is more and more a better bass than my TRB for playability, sound and versatility.
The sound is perfect on fingering, slapping, tapping and chords, and the possibility to change the sounds are very various.
The finishing is the better I've seen and the joint of different kinds of woods are similar to Fodera's woods joint!!!
This bass is a Real Deal for this price!!!