Ibanez Roadstar - How work the Pickups?

Off-Topic
1

From whats in your (my) mind:

Any Ibanez Players here? Got a old Ibanez Fretless Roadstar II Bass, with “Duo Sound System” don’t know how the pickups works, it drives me crazy

The Empty Self

i have an ibanez gio but its pretty straightforward pick up configuration …post a picture in a dedicated thread this is cool topic

known:

Controlls at the picture: 1 up 2 middle 3 down

1 Balance - Center = both pickups are equally balanced (humbucking)

Clockwise more neck

Counter-Clockwise more bridge

2 Volume - Push = Single neck pickup

3 Tone. - Push = Single bridge pickup

dont know:

How work or is the relationship with 1 Balance or 3 Tone at Single Coil Modus

23703c1cea.jpg

2

it seems that the balance knob its mixing the input of the 2 pick ups …never seen a control like this before !!

how it sounds ??

the pick ups seem to be a 2 hambucker configuration so you have as you described 3 main positions the pick up in the bridge and the one in the neck and somewhere in between by adjusting the balance knob to a 50/50 position !!

i wonder how it sounds :slight_smile:

3

couldn’t you find any info or wiring sheet online? maybe open the backside and look how it is wired if you can’t find one, to make a custom diagram?

to make the guesswork even more complicated, I know that humbuckers can sometimes also function in single coil mode (only half of pickup used), or using both parts in parallel/serial single coil mode while messing/switching the polarities…as well as either 2 halves of 2 humbuckers can function like a single humbucker, many possibilities. Now with the balance knob any element in the permutation might be blended in/out.

It is interesting stuff 4 sure with the balance knob. never seen such before. in the single pickup modes, how does the balance sound in action? I mean it could maybe just fade in/out one part of each humbucker, thus fading between humbucker and singlecoil like mode.

4

Thanx Empty Self andZer0 Fly

These Circuits were perhaps popular in the 80s

My Peavy T-40 works (only on the paper) very similarly

is in comparison to the Ibanez Roadster now well researched, “vintage” and expensive

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/peavey-t-40-pup-question.703620/

Overall, a good-natured part (similar to Moog or a 808) you can do what you want it sounds always good

Play mostly in single coil mode

For the Ibanez Roadstar II “RB850” Deluxe find almost no Infos, the Fretless Version is not even pictured in the old Brochures

https://guitar-compare.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1984_Ibanez_Leaflet_Roadstar_II_Deluxe.pdf

An review is difficult for me. extremely loud output, versatile, light and sensitive (similar to a Sherman Filterbank or a weird FM-Synth)

Frankly, this Beast overwhelms me me at all Levels.

5

this is cool cause 3 days ago i got my 1st electric bass its a cheap fender precission copy i found on amazon just 89 bucks for a bass (bag included) …there’s just some minor buzz in the frets but i think it can be an easy fix …so cool :slight_smile:

6

Nice

The Preci copies are often better than the original ones

Have you more Infos?

The nice thing about Bass is that you can play along at any wedding (Pop, Drone, Electric, Polka, Ambient, Metal) without much effort, that’s unique

7

Nice

The Preci copies are often better than the original ones

Have you more Infos?

The nice thing about Bass is that you can play along at any wedding (Pop, Drone, Electric, Polka, Ambient, Metal) without much effort, that’s unique

the thing i always liked about it its that pretty much a drum and a bass and you can jam for hours

the lows fill a lot of the spectrum i always felt that the guitar as an instrument felt a bit empty (6 strings) right now im more convinced that a perfect instrument its the 8 string guitar …super low register for days :slight_smile:

8

My Ibanez Blazer has two humbuckers and one single coil. Both humbuckers can be used as single coil, controlled by a pull switch on the tone knob.

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