Video summary

Let's Rate It! Sound Check #86 - Ibanez SR500N Bass Guitar

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product reviewed

Ibanez SR500N bass guitar (“dark matte ocean blue on black” finish) — reviewed in a “Sound Check”/bench testing format.

Key features mentioned

Body & build

  • Thin, lightweight design (reviewer notes strong back comfort at ~40)
  • “Toon body” tone/shape description
  • Bolt-on neck
  • Five-piece neck (rose maple and walnut mentioned)
  • Rosewood fingerboard
  • Abalone dot inlays
  • 34-inch scale, 24 frets

Electronics

  • Main selling point: Nordstrand Big Break pickups
    • Humbucker-style split-coil design (described as “split coil” and “all in one soapbar pickup”)
  • Active preamp powered by one 9V battery in the back
  • 3-band EQ
  • Fully grounded and insulated capsule (mentioned during pickup install)
  • Input jack molded into the body (reviewer likes the fit/placement)

Hardware / usability

  • MR5 bridge saddles
  • Split-post tuners
    • Strings can be tucked to avoid accidentally cutting yourself

Strings (what the reviewer used)

  • Upgraded to Elixir coated strings (Nanoweb), 45–100
  • Reviewer liked the tone longevity and feel

Pros (explicitly praised)

  • Sound: Extremely high score driven by Nordstrand Big Break pickups plus the active preamp + EQ
    • Reviewer: “beautiful sounding,” “phenomenal”
  • Playability: “Exactly what they want”
    • Slim neck, 1.49-inch nut
    • Setup adjustment achieved “perfect” action
  • Build/quality details: Several aesthetic and engineering choices praised
    • Matte finish (less glare)
    • Abalone inlays (called understated)
    • Good engineering details like molded jack and split-post tuners
  • Value: Called a good deal at $699 list price for a factory-fresh instrument with “upgrades”

Cons / issues mentioned

  • Action/setup finesse needed initially
    • Neck is very thin; getting it straight required “a little finesse,” though they ultimately dialed it in.
  • Less “flashy” look
    • “Rizz factor” considered only moderate: more “essentials” than flamboyant.

Comparisons / context

  • Purchased partly because the bass matches a finish/style the reviewer already loves (dad’s dark night Stratocaster).
  • No direct head-to-head comparisons against other bass models; only general context that Ibanez SRs are what they typically do.

Ratings / scores (as stated)

The reviewer uses five categories, each scored 1–10:

  1. Look: 8/10
    • Matte finish praised; reviewer admits slight bias from matching their preference.
  2. Sound: 9/10
    • Reviewer first says 9, then discusses “10 nine,” and later clarifies the pickups overall as the basis; the net result in the scoring section reads Sound = 9.
  3. Playability: 10/10
  4. Rizz factor (style/flash): 7/10
  5. Chemistry (overall connection): 10/10

They then combine the category scores:

  • Total: 88/100 → B+
  • Adjusted for value, bumped to solid 9 / A- minus
    • Reason: $699 list price plus upgrades
  • Concluding line: “Solid 90, A- minus” and they recommend it.

Overall user experience takeaway

  • The bass is presented as a high-performing, comfortable, thin/light instrument with standout pickups and strong setup results.
  • Main downsides are minor setup finesse and less visual flash.

Concise verdict / recommendation

Highly recommended — the reviewer highlights phenomenal sound (driven by Nordstrand Big Break pickups), excellent playability, and good value at ~ $699, despite moderate “flash” and some initial setup/neck-straightening finesse.

Unique points mentioned (deduplicated)

  • Matches a beloved matte blue-on-black look the reviewer already likes
  • Nordstrand Big Break pickups are the core highlight
  • Active preamp, 9V battery, 3-band EQ
  • 34-inch scale, 24 frets
  • 5-piece bolt-on neck (rose maple/walnut)
  • Rosewood fingerboard with abalone dot inlays
  • Aesthetic praised but not overly flashy
  • Slim neck / 1.49” nut improves playability
  • Lightweight/thin body supports comfort
  • Elixir Nanoweb 45–100 coated strings used and liked
  • Split-post tuners for safer convenience (string tuck)
  • Molded input jack placement liked
  • Initial setup/action required some finesse due to the thin neck, but ended perfect
  • Rizz/style score lower because it’s “essentials,” not flashy
  • $699 list price value pushes final grade upward

Speaker views

  • Single reviewer/speaker throughout; no additional interviewers or distinct voices were presented beyond the reviewer’s own step-by-step rating and setup experience.

Original video