Ibanez Blazer Bass

The best feature on this bass is the sound. 1981 with all original except the pick ups which I changed when I didn't know any better!

Wow. Deep, pure and buttery. This bass is just a badass. It has a creamy sound that is all bass. Ibanez got it right with this one. I have a Fender P (Mex), Warwick and a Fender Jazz (American Reissue) and it is the most consistent one of the bunch. I keep seeing vintage Fender P's for thousands of dollars and I can't figure how this bass has flown under the radar for so long. I got this bass for $300 back in 1990. I shelved it for close to six years because I thought I was getting a better sound from my new basses. I was - until I actually plugged my Blazer in and compared them all. The best part of the story is that I just found another Blazer online for $175 (with the gig bag!) Today is a good day. Take your over priced vintage basses - I now have two Blazers to rely on.

Set up has not changed in 25 years. "Brick House" must have been written about this bass. Solid and consistent after all these years.

Live playing is great. Cuts through and delivers the bottom. The hardware has lasted for almost 30 years. I don't think it will give up now. Finish looks like a 30 year-old bass should. Very dependable. No backup needed here.

No need to call 'em.

I have been playing for 17 years in prog-pop bands. $300 for my first one and now $175 for my second. What a bargain. If you see one go and get it. Don't be dissuade by the price. It plays and sounds like a dream. I would get another one if this one was lost or stolen. Actually, I would hurt whoever stole it and then get it back.

I have 2 Blazers both made in 1982 .They have the most simple P bass style layout: One pickup,1 volume knob,1 tone knob.Solid ash body and one piece Maple neck.Both weigh around 9 lbs. so they're not too heavy.The bodies are not as beautifully contured as my P basses,but thats not really a problem.

Its amazing how different these two Blazers made months apart sound.One has a very bright middley sound like a Music Man,while the other has a classic Pbass thud. Both sound teriffic!The one that sounds like a pbass is the best sounding bass I've heard and thats no joke! The pickups are loud without sounding "hot" and the notes all over the fretboard are even,so no avoiding the "deadspots"antwhere.

I bought both second hand and they are a little beaten up,but they were both Harmonically perfectly in tune,so I haven't changed a thing,not even the strings are years of playing.

You couldn't design a more simple or reliable bass

Both second hand so no customer support,but check these other reviews if you're looking for customer satisfaction!

I've been playing professionally for 30 years,I owm a 58 pbass,a 63 pbass ,a 66 jazz bass a 76 Music Man and I've owned lots and lots of other Basses over the years.I'm writing this review to spread the good news about these basses.Even though I paid 250 bucks for it in a pawn shop in Launceston,Tasmania:my orange 1982 Ibanez Blazer is THE BEST SOUNDING BASS I"VE EVER PLAYED...there I've said it.

The features of this bass get as close as possible to a classical Fender precision (as close as the lawsuits from Fender would permit).

It has a couple of distinct features: the bridge is brass, which I think contributes to the wonderful sound of the instrument.

It has two pots (volume and tone), and 21 frets.

The instrument is very simple, passive, only one pickup, but that's the beauty of it.

The sound of this creature is just amazing. It's impossible to describe, but I'll try: think of the ideal bass sound, well, this is as close as you get in the real world. Round, full bottomed, warm sound.

I don't know what are the pickups of this thing, it has some dimarzio-like polepieces at the pickup (with allen screws).

The sound is very bloomy, it opens up a little bit after you hit the strings (if you intend to), and it should work great for latin music (when you play on the upbeats and tie over to the downbeats).

I have to say that I was very reluctant about buying old instruments (I never quite understood that people would pay thousands for a "vintage" instrument). Well, this old bass just slapped in the face all my other newer basses.

Well, the neck has held in good shape for nearly three decades.

The only problem by mine is that the frets are sort of unglued, I don't know why, some of them are sticking out. This forces the action to be a little bit high, and yet some of them buzz (those right next to the ones that are unglued).

I think it would pay to do a refret some time, but for now it's still playable.

Other than that, the bass looks really nice (I don't know why that guy in the other review says it looks like an ugly beast, mine is really nice). The bass has no paint, I think there is only lacquer, which has turned a very rich honey color, it looks really nice. You can see through the finish the wood (which shows that they've picked really A grade tone wood). The black pickguard does a nice contrast to the natural wood color.

The nearly 30 years this bass survived speaks for itself. The hardware is very nice (some Fender style tuning machines, with open mechanic, but heart-shaped).

The bridge is very solid and well laid, cast brass, so the sound really gets into the wood. I guess that the soft wood (of the neck plus the body) contributes to that nice round sound (harder woods have more sustain, but also a much higher resonant frequency, which makes them to harsh for my taste).

Unfortunately, the relatively soft wood shows the multiple offenses the instrument had to suffer in its long history, but nothing really serious: some dents here and there, the finish has last, though.

I have no idea, never dealed with Ibanez.

I cannot complain about this bass. I got it dirty cheap, but it's worth about any price you can ask for it. Really lovely sound, plus it looks nice, plus it is built to last, with none of those complicated active circuitry. If you ever stumble over one of these, buy it!

my Blazer was given to me back in 1980 as a gift when i turned 18. i'm still using it now and is still my favoured gigging bass. mines the natural finish with black scratch board, maple neck and 21 frets. to this day i still don't know what type of pickups they are but they were the factory fitting. the bridge and knobs are brass, something i still haven't seen on any other bass.

the sound is brilliant. it's very versatile for the music i play. it originally came with black, flat wound strings. i changed them to round wounds for a while but i switched back to flats later as it seemed to produce a better sound.

other than changing the strings and lowering the action a little it's still pretty much set up the same as the day i got it..... 27 years ago!

again! 27 years, never gone wrong! it's been bounced, dented, dropped, fallen over and been through raising 3 kids. i still gig with it. i do always have a backup though, but thats only if a string goes, i'm confident enough that the Blazer won't let me down.

i've been playing for just under 30 years now and this bass has followed me pretty much throughout. i used to use a custom sound trucker bass amp and a peavey after that died. now i'm using the blazer through an Ashdown MAG300 for gigging and practice through a Fender Rumble 25.
i picked it out in the music shop originally because i just liked it. don't know why, just did. in the years i've played in various differnt types of bands and always used the Blazer. it just works. it's solid, can't ever see me using anything else.

1982 Japan
Solid ash yellowed natural finish (Nicotine!)
Passive original pickups

What a sound. Vintage P bass all the way!

Built like a tank. Has survived much abuse and hard knocks and still goes on unfazed.

My bass was loved by an unknown possibly deceased previous owner who spent countless hours playing it and wearing trails up and down the fretboard. This is a testament to its magic! Wow!

Havent tried to contact Ibanez, wish they would reissue th Blazer.

I have an active Fender Jazz bass ,
but this one is the first bass guitar that I have ever owned, and I can't believe my good fortune that I began my journey as a dedicated bassist with this precious axe. I will always cherish it, and I hope to give it to my son one day if I ever have children. If it were lost or stolen I'd be heartbroken, and I'd search for another one.
If you own one of these its pointless for me to tell you not to ever sell it because I'm sure you won't. And if you dont own one of these and you ever have a chance to buy an Ibanez Blazer , BUY IT!!!!

Okay , now the kicker, I bought mine at a Salvation Army thrift store for forty five dollars. Now thats salvation...

1982 Ibanzez Blazer bass. All natural wood finish. P-bass copy basically. One volume knob, one tone knob. You can read the other reviews for the rest. The bass is a solid workhorse bass with tones that kick the ass of most basses in this price range.

I loved the sound when I plugged it in. It's definitively stronger with it's stock pups than my other bass with the boutique hot pups. It's got defined highs, good midrange, and lows like a mofof.

I'm using it with a Mesa Boogie Bass 400 (sometimes a Yorkville) and it sounds beastly. You could play blues, rock, metal... it's pretty maleable. And you can get great punch if your looking for that percussive slap or pluck sound.

The action is suprisingly good. Not ultra-law (my preference) but it's not like playing a upright either. No string wierdness. The finish is worn out of control but it still looks fine. Any defects it had were from age and I had them fixed when I had the bass set up.

Like I said, it's a workhorse. Solid, heavy, no loose or problematic parts. I'd feel safe playing it without a backup...

N/A

I was looking for basses around 700-1500 to be a backup for my Ric and saw this solid looking bass for some ridiculously low price on e-bay and looked up other reviews. After weighing it out, I decided to take a detour through impulse shoppingland. Now, I might get nice backups for my other gear before I get a third bass.

Ibanez Blazer Bassis a Precision Bass Copy, better said a P-Bass at its best. It hasn't "tons of features", it is still a very puristic P-Bass, but every feature contained in this 20 year old product is perfectly made. Hardware and wood is magnificent, everything works great. It was a joy to set it up, even after 20 hard years this bass has gone through.

P-Bass, classical. The Pickups are no exception in the high level of the other hardware. Great mids, decent highs, Boomboombass! No Quarterpounderultrarocksound, a well balanced, original, vintage sound which is suitable for everything!

Everything works like on its very first day, never had a neck that was so easy to set. The finish is in a very bad condition, telling from no easy life, so far. It s the only thing that has grown old.

What could I say more than this bass seems to be immortal?

This Bass has brought me back to music, it is a bass with quality and charakter but also a bass you have to search for. Without a doubt I belive the inscription on the headstock "custom Made".

Got me one of them Ibanez Blazer Bass Guitars.
1982 P copy with no frills.
The guy who sold it to me said that it's only claim to fame was that Bill Wyman from the stones puked on it at Altamont.

I paid extra for that - oh yes.

Sounds like a dream though and works in all environments.

Feels good. Plays Good. Smells like puke.

I park my truck on it.

Been playing for 48 years and this bass has it all.

Early 80's (I think) blazer - finished in blue with white pickguard. 21 fret. Standard P-Bass configuration. Passive split pickup P-style with one tone, 1 volume control. Maple neck, solid wood ash body.

All you need in a bass in the same way that a Precision is all that you need.

Sounds like a precision on steriods - the most thunderously powerful sounding passive bass I have ever played or owned. Absolutely incredible. The bass player in Supergrass plays one - not hard to see why.

I have the original pickups in - they have individually adjustable magnets - looks exactly like a DiMarzio precision pickup to me.

It rocks.

The build quality is very good - nothing to worry about at all. Machines work fine after 25 years, neck is stable - bridge is solid. Wearing very well...

No problems - this bass is as solid as the day it was made.

This is a great bass - nothing to dislike about it really.

Bought it in 1981 new, so I assume it was made in '80 or '81. Standard solid body with the frets set in the neck, natural finish. P-Bass style pick-ups volume and tone controls. Came with a hard shell case, which has long since bit the dust. I won't give it a rating for features, because I don't demand a lot of features. Who's got time for all that adjusting?

Was using a Crate BT350 with a "copied" trace elliot 1-15 cab. Have played it through many rigs, including a new trace 2-10 combo on top of a 1-15. It always sounds great, and always has. Everyone who hears this bass loves it. I have actually tuned it down a whole step in the studio, and it sounded even better! For the money, you couldn't buy a better bass when I bought it, and you still can't today. If anyone has one to sell, I could use a backup.

This bass came with a Tony Benneman set-up (he's the best in the world, lives in Gainesville, Florida) and has incredibly low action. In the 24 years I've owned it, I've never adjusted it once. Even guitar players are shocked at how low the action is. I don't do a lot of popping, so this is perfect for me. The original nut was plastic, but a friend of mine copied it (using equipment at the aerospace engineering department of a major university) in a piece of brass, which did improve the tone. The bass itself is kind of beat up, since I bought it when I was 17 and it's been played for probably 4,000 hours or better, but it was beautiful when I bought it. Pretty close to perfect when I got it, and still the only bass I own.

24 years, and I just replaced the pots this week. It's been rained on, dropped, just about any kind of abuse you can imagine, and it still is a great live or studio bass (you can hear it on Matt Jones' "Friend or Shadow" and "Journal from the Home of a Human" CD's. You can really hear it on "Speakeasy" from Journal. Go to Grassroots for a download clip). The tech who replaced the pots said the pickups were still very hot. I have used it for years without a backup, but I probably need another one since it is so old.

Never needed it.

As stated above, I've been playing for over 24 years, and this has been my instrument of choice. I've toyed with buying another bass, but nothing under $2,000 compares. The only bass I've been around that is appreciably better is a Tobias, and unless I get a sponsorship deal, that ain't happening. If it were stolen or lost, I would definitely be looking for another one. I know a couple of reviewers noted that they got their's for $100, but I've seen them for as high as $400 in the last few years. For the money, there just simply isn't a better bass.

Made in 1981, some where in Japan. You can read the specs below, mine's a P-bass copy. Natural ash body, in really good shape. When I got it from the pawn shop, it came with a gig bag. It gets an 8 simply because it's a pretty meat-and-potatoes bass. No frills, just tons and tons of TONE!

Man, I love this bass. It has the warmest, squishiest tone in the world. Which isn't to say it's muddy. Just slap on a new pair of strings and depending on the gauge it can sound as bright as you want. Just squishy 'cause that's how I feel when I play it. In a good way. I play primarily funk, and this bass has funk to spare!

I imagine the set-up was crap from the factory, but that was 20 years ago so how would I know? Initial set up was about a 5, but a couple of turns of a screwdriver & allen wrench, and I had the action dialed in perfect. Great intonation, no buzz, wicked action. All the parts fit great, and the natural ash is beautiful. I get complements all the time on what a great looking bass it is, and how nice it sounds. It's a dream to play - like butter!

This was my main gig bass when I started actively playing again. It's no frills, but it has worked for almost any style. Never a problem. It doesn't look brand-new, but for a bass that's over 20 years old that I rescued from a pawn shop, it's the shadizzle!

Pretty sure it's no longer under warranty. :)

I've been playing for over 24 years. There is no other bass on the planet that will give you this much bang for the buck. I play with a BNX3 modeler, through a Crate 200XL head and a Trace Elliot 2x10 Cabinet. Yeah, my equipment isn't the greatest, but I still shred and can play ANY style. This bass is a big reason why. I also own a BTB405. I only play it when I absolutely need that low B. Otherwise, I always pick up my Blazer. If you can find one, buy it, cherish it, and never let it go. If anyone were to ever steal this, I wouldn't buy another. I WOULD HUNT THEM DOWN TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, GET IT BACK, AND MAKE THEM PAY DEARLY FOR THE TROUBLE. That pretty much says it all.

i love this damn bass. the one i play is an 1980s natural finish with a black pickguard and a maple neck with the frets slotted directly into the neck (no fingerboard). however, its not packed with many features (single passive p-bass style pickup, volume, and tone controls), although it does have a 21 fret neck which i think is a really good idea. i don't know why fender basses stop at 20, cuz adding just one more fret makes the bass have a full three octaves.

THIS BASS HAS THE BEST TONE I HAVE EVER HEARD FROM AN ELECTRIC BASS! This Blazer is not actually mine, its my homosexual friend, Marc's. however, Marc is so busy being gay that he has no time to play bass and therefore i play it nonstop. when he first showed it too me i thought it looked like a piece of shit, but when i plugged it in, i heard the sound of heaven. the action is set fairly low too so when you dig in the strings give a nice punch as they rattle against the frets.

this is a pretty ghetto looking bass. the bridge is made of brass and it has long since rusted over. the wood finish has held up but it just looks damn dirty. but the tone! god, the tone!

since its looks have already gone to hell, there's no worry about further damage being done to it by dropping it/having it crapped on/etc. its a big solid piece of wood (ash i think) and it'll hold up forever.

n/a never had to deal with ibanez

this bass is heaven sent. it possesses the tone i've dreamt about and although its a little rough on the eyes, its brute ugliness gives it individualistic character. p.s. marc is a homo.

This here Blazer is probably the best buy out there, providing you can find one. Nothing has come closer to Fender quality than this bass. Mine is from 1980. Made in Japan. Of course, because of the Ibanez lawsuits, this is an off p bass shape. Natural color, pickguard removed (I cut out a small piece of a clear lucite pickguard for the vol and tone section of the bass, you can see right through to the electronics!. This is the one with the growling Humbucker. I dont know what the body is made of, but the neck is all maple with maple fretboard, really stunning to look at, when you consider the natural finish of the body as well. Brass bridge is turning green. Got it with a hard shell case. I bought it off a guy that ran a classified ad, for, get this, $100 WITH a hard shell case! You may as well say I got it for free....

Oh my, although it looks like a fender, it sounds like a Gibson EBO with this growling Humbucker pickup. I use a GK 200 head with a sonic 15 cab, I basiclly do cover band gigs at bars and private partys. pots have a little noise if you turn them but I always keep both on 10 so does not apply. Its great for all styles of music, very low maintenence instrument. I also play A Gibson Victory standard also from 1980, with a dark and murky tone, so this bass provides an interesting contrast. There is nothing to dislike about this bass, it's equal to any Fender bass out there, certainly better than anything Ibanez has put out in the past 14 years.

I bought it used and the action was high, but I lowered it in minutes, very easy to handle for any little tweeks you'll have to make. PIckup is set in body, not on the pickguard. I take it the P bass version of this bass has the pickup on the pickguard? Hmmm I dont know...

I alternate between the Ibazez and the Gibson from gig to gig, because I luv em both so much.

The only comment I would make to Ibanez would be: Why do you put out such inferior products now?

Y'now its amazing. You can go into a Chain Music Store (ie Sam Ash, Guitar Center) and none of the brand new models can compare to this bass. This is perhaps the best fender copy bass EVER (for me the playability, I understand the P bass pickup version is a clone for vintage Fenders). The best way to sum it up is to paraphrase an old saying. When you pick this bass up and begin to play it, you cant help but think, "They Dont Make Em Like This Anymore"......

Bought my fretless Blazer in 1983 new for $240.00 USD. Saw it hanging in a music store dusty from sitting there. I saw Philip Lynott play one in 1981 and thought if it was good enough for him....any way. I found another fretted version of the same bass ten years later. No frills, no fancy finish, no active electronics and for the $400.00 I have invested in these two instruments you can't even buy a Mexican Fender. They are definately P-Bass knock-offs but they were made right. Mine are both natural colored. Both came with identical cases and hardware. The fretless neck is lined. I use them mainly in the studio and drag my Boat Anchor Fender out on to the stage to impress all the fans. If there were another available I would buy it too because these things do what they are supposed to do--hold down the low end.

They sound more like a vintage P-Bass than any Fender I've owned.
I have owned plenty of the West Coasts Planks and some of them you practically have to stand on one foot and jump up and down to get em to sound right! Just plug the Blazer in and play. Tonality is limited by the single volume and tone knobs--and of course your fingers--but I defy anyone to argue that they don't nail the old P-Bass tone right on the head. I believe this was the sole purpose of their creation! Round wound--flatwound both sound great.

I am old school--I learned to play on a cheese slicer-so the action is fine--to me a "sixteenth note" happens around the middle of a song! The brass hardware tarnishes easily, but the tuners are great and my basses might sit for months and are always ready to play right out of the case.

While I was playing professionally I never was without a backup--most of the time it was these instruments. They are available fairly cheap nowadays and I would recommend them to professionals and amateurs alike.

The company made Fender very nervous in the 70's--enough said!

I would like to buy a red one, they made them with a Massive Humbucker and I have yet to see one locally--anybody got one to sell?

My blazer was made in 1981 in Japan.
4 strings, 22 frets with two volume controls, p-style, passive pickups.I bought it used in small shop in Kalisz,Poland

Sounds perfect in almost all kind of music. I use handmade bass combo with Peavey's Scorpion speaker, with no effects. This guitar can play very loud and it has very rich, warm bright sound like no modern guitar.I love this "meat" :)

Action litte high, but I never had any problems with tunning etc...

This bass will withstand everything :) Very reliable guitar, I can depend on it everytime.

I stardted my bass journey with Jolana Disco - nice but soundless bass.After 6 months I bought used Blazer and I think I won't change it :)
I love the sound, guitar fits perfectly I LOVE IT ALL !!!

Japeneese - brought in 1980 brand new
22 frets - 4 strings
lovely blond wood with black pickguard
Pickup is a humbucker type
Headstock is different to all the other Blazer basses I have seen.

Played in (proper) Punk/Mod bands, very toppy sound, with Rotosound strings
Played through either my 1960's WEM tube amp or my Crate 160 amp no effects (doesnt need them!)
Best sound I have ever had out of a bass in 25 years
Ver bright sound
Never really tried any other sound than the one I have its good enough for me and the band
Better live, probably not clean enough for the studio, use a MM 4 string

Mucked about abit with set up over the last 20+ years

Been dropped, bashed against amps etc. rock solid!
A well made bass for the price around #100 in 1980.
Volume pot has just about given up the ghost and will need replacing

Never needed to

A perfect looking bass, not complicated, solid, does the job , very well in deed. And I think its quite rare due to the pickups and and headstock, unless you know otherwise?

tried many different types over the years but wouldn't swap my Blazer apart for a Rickky 4005!

My blazer was made in october of 1982
it is a 4 string 22fret instrument
solid top maple with a trasparent finish an a black pick guard.
it is stock in every way with passive Pstyle pickups
I got in trade for doing some vocals and comming up with vocal melody lines during a recording session in the late 80s

This sucker thumps. great low end, great sustain, I've used it for more than 10 years and done hundreds of gigs with it. It has never let me down. You could drag the bass through gravel behind a pickup truck for an hour, then plug this sucker in and be good to go.
warm woody tone in the upper register, and deep pure sustaining lows in the bottom register. I use a 150W Hartke 15" aluminum cone combo to drive it and have yet to find a sound that beats it.
Dislikes: funk, crackel and pop are definitly not its strong suit.
this bass is for rock, blues, folk, church, etc...

the bass was wonderfully beat up when i got it and i havent changed a thing. who is responsible for the dings scratches and cigarette burns?
the factory or the red kneck who owned it before me? I'll never know.

Hundreds of gigs, never had to do anything but change the strings.
I get comments on the tone all the time. people dig the soundz.
the only reason i bring a back up bass to gigs is my playing style is very agressive and i break a lot of bass strings. otherwise i would definitly only bring my blazer to gigs.

I've been playing for 25 years
and played through many different rigs and axes
the Blazer Hartke combination works great for my rock blues soul pop gigs. but i am in the process of getting a jazz fusion rig together.

this log was made in 1980, in japan. it's a 22 fret 4 string with a very cool transparent ox-blood finish. the pickups are p-style. it's all stock. whats even cooler, is i'm the second owner. i even have the origional case.

it suits my style just fine. it can be noisy with the tone all up, but for christmas, i'm sticking in some active emg's. that and flat-wound strings. i'm trying to get a dark warm sound. i find having the tone at about 3/4,and a mild distortion on a pedal, with the level pretty high works well.

it has a nice stock set up. people tell me to never lose the bombproof brass bridge, but i'm not to fond of brass, so, mabye a bad ass will be slapped on soon. all the contols are nice. i wish the tone wasn't so on or off-ish.

this is a log. it will last.if i decide to not have it buried with me, my daughter will rock with it. so will her daughter. the finish is a bit soft. the strap buttons are solid. i get it over-hauled once a year. because of the mint shape, i would use it with-out a back-up.

it needs no repairs. but i wish ibanez could provide more info about it. not much out there.

it's the only guitar i have. i've been playing for a few years, but i've been bass-head for much longer. if it were stolen, i'd be out for blood. i love the old-school look and reeeally like the transparent dark red finish. i wish it was a little lighter, but im used to it. i would compare it to a fender p, with a warmer sound. i was very lucky to get this bass for a hundred bones.

I purchased my Blazer bass used in 1989, made in Japan, 4 string 22 frets.maple neck and fretboaed. the prev. owner upgraded the split style pickups with active EMGs that really sound great. The Scale is good, nice and long for better tone. unfortionly worn down frets are now causing problems. The body is a solid top P style and has a nice transparent natural finish but the soft wood is prone to dings. I can press my finger nail into the surface and creat a nice size ding. It has two knobs, tone, and volume, which are probably not original, but upgraded with the pickups.

I used it to record backing tracks for my guitar playing. I record direct, but sometimes I use a line6 POD. Very clean, smooth tone, highs are brite, lows are Warm. Great sound for slapping, but high action makes popping hard. No real variety, but if it souds good, who cares.

Action alittle high, but over all an solid built bass. Never any problems with tuning, etc.

So far very reialible. Soft wood used for the body is easy to ding, but all hardware, and electronics are solid. I have depended on this bass and have not been disapointed.

NA

I have been playing guitar for 14 years, and bass on and off for the same amount of time. I bought this bass because of it's sound and scale. The only thing this bass is missing is a 5th string, and a hard wood top. I can't comment on the OEM pickups but the active EMGs are nice.

I picked mine up new sometime around 1982-83 as a beginner. Talk about lucking out. I knew nothing, and mostly chose it because it was at the high end of my budget and was a great looking guitar in my opinion. After about 3 years I did become frustrated at the somewhat high action and bland tone controls, so I did some upgrades. New brass nut, Velvet Hammer pickups, new tuning keys and a new bridge. The pickups gave me a lot more flexibility in the sound, and the rest just improved overall playability. For the money I have to spend, I have yet to find anything that I like all that much better.

I thought it was a pretty decent sounding bass in it's stock form. Don't think twice about upgrading the pickups though. You can improve the sound significantly.

The stock action was a little high. The construction quality and finish are fantastic. 20 years of use with no problems, and she's still a beautiful instrument.

It takes a licking and keeps coming back for more. My thumbnail did wear through the finish above the pick guard rather quickly, but I don't care. I love the natural wood finish.

Never dealt with Ibanez. At this point, I don't expect to.

I got lucky as a beginner and picked a bass that I'll never outgrow.

I bought my Blazer from a second hand dealer in 1987 so I have no idea how old it is. It's a 4 string with a solid top. Only volume and tone selectors. No idea which type of pick ups. The body and neck are maple and it has a natural preciscion style finnish with brass scratchplate.

Although limited in variation the sounds it does produce are excellent and have been commented on by many over the years. I have been using this bass for 15 years on stage and in the studio, others have come and gone but this is my favorite. I like the whole feel of the thing. It's not exactly contoured to the body and isn't the easiest bass to play but the effort is worth it.

Although I bought it second hand I think some of the flaws were there when It was made adding to the character of the Blazer.

Well I've just used it on stage last week and it's still going strong. This bass will last forever.

I play guitar, keyboard and drums. I've bought a lot of kit over the years but my Blazer was the best value piece of kit ever. Ilove it.

love it. I'm not sure when it was made, mabey the 80's. It says its amde in Japan.... so it must be made in Japan. My Blazer Bass is a 4 string Fretless with 22 fretmarks. its a solid top. it has a volume and tone knob. I have no idea what kind of pickups it has. Pretty sure the electronic s are passive, though im not sure waht that means. The neck is made of maple, as well as the finger board. I dont know anything about body styles... but it looks cool. The tuners can move, they dont lock... all i know about em.

The only draw back to this bass... which dosnt really matter to me is the fact that it dosnt have mroe than 2 knobs... so the sound cant be alterd THAT much. It is still alterable. I think it sounds great with a preamp. Its not my favorite bass for slap and poping. I do it alot... but my fretbard is damaged... It still works good as new though. But mine is fretless... so mabey i shouldnt be doing that anyways.

The sound i cannot complain about at all... I have tried music mans that are fretless.... and none compare.

If u turn the tone all the way up... turn the bass all the way up on your amp. turn the knob on the preamp to about half... and it sounds INCRESIBLY AWESOME.

Nothing about this bass was ever bad... came perfect.

I would use this bass gigging without backup... unless u wanted one or something. i got it as a hand me down from my dad. the strap buttons dont seem wobbly. i can depend on this thing for a looooonnnnnnng ttttiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeee. it wont break anytime soon. its indurred many falls.

as the guy on the simpsons would say: Best Fretless bass Ever

Ibanez Blazer Bass Guitar

Oh, I LOVE this bass! The serial number indicates that it's from the early 1980s, says "Made in Japan." The body is a beautiful piece of wood (ash) with a natural finish. The shape of the body reminds me more or less of a cross between the j-bass and the p-bass; it's definitely got a more "old fashioned" bass look and feel than newer Ibanez basses. (It has a black pickguard in a nice wrap-around shape that reminds me of the one on the Marcus Miller Jazz Bass.) The neck and fretboard are maple. The neck shape is tapered, basically like a jazz bass. The neck has a "skunk stripe" on the back. On the headstock, it says "Custom Made." The 2 passive pickups are vaguely P-bass like... Two knobs: one for volume, one for tone. The action is maybe a tiny bit high, the only slight drawback.

This is the sweetest sounding bass I've played, maybe ever. What a bargain! I've been wanting something with a deep, pure tone for blues, straight-ahead rock, and occasional folk-rock type stuff... this is perfect! You can slap/pop it a little, but the pickups are passive, so it's not really the best for that. As I said, the pickups remind me of the p-bass, but perhaps the tone is a tad brighter. This means that you can actually HEAR it! Isn't that nice? I'd say the sound, depending on how you set the tone, can be rich, warm, and/or bright. NOT a dark sound. Lots of variety of sounds, really, for such a simple set-up. I tried Fenders and Ernie Balls and all sorts of MUCH more expensive basses, and nothing sounded any better than this.

The action is a tad high, but can be lowered. Pickups seem to be adjusted very well. No flaws that I can find.

This thing has already lasted 20 years, my gosh! It seems brand new, though it's been played plenty. It's a big hunk of wood. I think it's here to stay! The finish is still beautiful, and the hardware looks great. I would totally depend on this. I would definitely use this on a gig without a backup. It's HEAVY, I must say... But it'll live longer than I will!

N/A... I don't know. I've never had a problem.

This is the most value, the best bang-for-the-buck, of any bass or guitar I've ever bought, and I've bought quite a few!!! If it were stolen or lost, I'd be very sad and TRY to find another. Just an amazing tone, and a good lookin' bass too!