Ibanez EDA905

FunkMetalBass · 05-08-2005, 02:50 AM

Reason for buying: I played it, and liked it. Cost me $449. Retail is between $699 and $799 (or was at the time).

Pros:
--Active EQ. The active EQ makes such knobs as the bass/mid boost a little more control.
--Fishman II bridge w/ Piezo Pickup. This actually does keep the other strings from vibrating so much. Also, the piezo pickup adds for even more tonal varieties.
--Case Availability. Despite its odd look, this bass' body was carved from a P-Bass body, so it fits perfectly into any P-Bass case.
--Body. The body is light, but heavy enough to keep the bass well-balanced.

Cons:
--Luthite Body. The luthite body doesn't allow the sustain that wood gives. It also affects the next item on the list.
--Lacking tone. The growly tone many look for does not exist because the body is not wood. The tone is a little dry and sometimes what you play is too clear (darn piezo).
--Passive P/ups. They don't give the extra "oomph!" to the active EQ, so it is almost pointless. They just feel like they are missing something.

Overall I like the bass and I would recommend it. When it comes down to it, my rating is based on tone, which is entirely subjective to the player.

Rating: 4/5

Machines · 05-08-2005, 03:32 AM

I chose an RBX775 over the EDA905 - mainly due to price that is.

I played an EDA905, but I wasn't that impressed to be honest. As you said the sound is very clear - almost sterile in tone. To me it sounds just like your playing through a microphone and not a big slab of wood.

It's got wicked styling though which i'm very fond of

Any chance of recordings ?

FunkMetalBass · 05-08-2005, 07:58 PM

I don't have a working soundcard, so there wont be any recordings for a while.

morpcat · 05-09-2005, 05:58 AM

Do you not find that you can only get very trebley sounds from it? I tested one for quite a long time through a good GK stack when I was in Sydney, and I just couldn't get rid of the weak piezo-sound. No matter how much I tried to blend in the magnetic pickup, it still sounded really weak, trebley and brittle. I could put some low-end onto it with the amp, but the bass itself never really gave any low-end out.

Although it's a quality instrument, I wouldn't even consider buying it, because it just can't do the tone I want, which is a warm, thumpy vintage sound. It's still pretty cool though, and luthite bodies aren't nearly as bad as some people think.

FunkMetalBass · 05-09-2005, 08:49 AM

It's like I said, tone is ultimately the deciding factor for this bass. I personally like the tone. It isn't used by alot of people.

tristanstewart · 05-11-2005, 12:06 PM

do you happen to know what kind of strings are on the bass by default. my b broke and im thinking of getting the same kind of strings again because i kinda like them

Led_Zeppelin678 · 05-11-2005, 04:10 PM

Elixir. I owned one too, and I really did not like it. The luthite really sucks, and the pups/electronics are crap.

FunkMetalBass · 05-11-2005, 06:49 PM

Luthite is actually pretty good. If I'm not mistaken, Cort Curbows are made from it. It's the combination of pups and electronics that makes the EDA905 sound...undesirable to most.

Twizzler · 11-04-2005, 01:00 AM

I've played on the 4 string version of this and I personally liked the tone it gave me. Going through my GK half-stack I was able to get a tone similar to what Sublime's bassist used, a good example is the song "What I Got".

But as has been said, tone is still subjective to each individual.

Ich Habe Sheisse · 11-04-2005, 08:19 AM

I played a fretless EDA once upon a time... absolute secks. By far, the easiest-playing fretless I've ever laid a finger on.

05-08-2005, 02:50 AM	#1
FunkMetalBass GrandMaster FunkMetal Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Posts: 12,727	Ibanez EDA905 Reason for buying: I played it, and liked it. Cost me $449. Retail is between $699 and $799 (or was at the time). Pros: --Active EQ. The active EQ makes such knobs as the bass/mid boost a little more control. --Fishman II bridge w/ Piezo Pickup. This actually does keep the other strings from vibrating so much. Also, the piezo pickup adds for even more tonal varieties. --Case Availability. Despite its odd look, this bass' body was carved from a P-Bass body, so it fits perfectly into any P-Bass case. --Body. The body is light, but heavy enough to keep the bass well-balanced. Cons: --Luthite Body. The luthite body doesn't allow the sustain that wood gives. It also affects the next item on the list. --Lacking tone. The growly tone many look for does not exist because the body is not wood. The tone is a little dry and sometimes what you play is too clear (darn piezo). --Passive P/ups. They don't give the extra "oomph!" to the active EQ, so it is almost pointless. They just feel like they are missing something. Overall I like the bass and I would recommend it. When it comes down to it, my rating is based on tone, which is entirely subjective to the player. Rating: 4/5 Last edited by FunkMetalBass; 05-08-2005 at 02:57 AM.

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05-08-2005, 03:32 AM	#2
Machines MX Ashdown Club Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Solihull, UK Posts: 3,086	I chose an RBX775 over the EDA905 - mainly due to price that is. I played an EDA905, but I wasn't that impressed to be honest. As you said the sound is very clear - almost sterile in tone. To me it sounds just like your playing through a microphone and not a big slab of wood. It's got wicked styling though which i'm very fond of Any chance of recordings ?

05-08-2005, 07:58 PM	#3
FunkMetalBass GrandMaster FunkMetal Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Posts: 12,727	I don't have a working soundcard, so there wont be any recordings for a while.

05-09-2005, 05:58 AM	#4
morpcat MX Techie - Share & Enjoy Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Singapore Posts: 5,872	Do you not find that you can only get very trebley sounds from it? I tested one for quite a long time through a good GK stack when I was in Sydney, and I just couldn't get rid of the weak piezo-sound. No matter how much I tried to blend in the magnetic pickup, it still sounded really weak, trebley and brittle. I could put some low-end onto it with the amp, but the bass itself never really gave any low-end out. Although it's a quality instrument, I wouldn't even consider buying it, because it just can't do the tone I want, which is a warm, thumpy vintage sound. It's still pretty cool though, and luthite bodies aren't nearly as bad as some people think.

05-09-2005, 08:49 AM	#5
FunkMetalBass GrandMaster FunkMetal Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Posts: 12,727	It's like I said, tone is ultimately the deciding factor for this bass. I personally like the tone. It isn't used by alot of people.

05-11-2005, 12:06 PM	#6
tristanstewart Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 3	do you happen to know what kind of strings are on the bass by default. my b broke and im thinking of getting the same kind of strings again because i kinda like them

05-11-2005, 04:10 PM	#7
Led_Zeppelin678 myspace/golgotha Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 5,919	Elixir. I owned one too, and I really did not like it. The luthite really sucks, and the pups/electronics are crap.

05-11-2005, 06:49 PM	#8
FunkMetalBass GrandMaster FunkMetal Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Posts: 12,727	Luthite is actually pretty good. If I'm not mistaken, Cort Curbows are made from it. It's the combination of pups and electronics that makes the EDA905 sound...undesirable to most.

11-04-2005, 01:00 AM	#9
Twizzler Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 168	I've played on the 4 string version of this and I personally liked the tone it gave me. Going through my GK half-stack I was able to get a tone similar to what Sublime's bassist used, a good example is the song "What I Got". But as has been said, tone is still subjective to each individual.

11-04-2005, 08:19 AM	#10
Ich Habe Sheisse Feel Crust Hum Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 1,060	I played a fretless EDA once upon a time... absolute secks. By far, the easiest-playing fretless I've ever laid a finger on.