We're fortunate to get our hands on some of the finest instruments available today, and we can confidently say that the Ibanez Premium SR1355B 5-string electric bass guitar punches above its price range in every way. Sporting sleekly contoured African mahogany body, gorgeous walnut/panga panga/maple top, rock-solid 5-piece panga panga/purpleheart neck, and bound panga panga fingerboard, the SR1355B is a boutique-quality instrument with flawless playability. That quality is borne out by its pair of aggressive Nordstrand Big Single pickups, which deliver massive, roaring tone infused with monumental sustain. The 5-piece neck is strong and sturdy, with premium tuners on one end and a Mono-rail bridge at the other. Custom Ibanez electronics with 3-band EQ complete the setup.

Massive, aggressive tone from Nordstrand pickups

With a “super-packed” coil, the Big Single is considered by Nordstrand to be the "tonal giant" of their pickup offerings. Ibanez spec’d a pair of these aggressive-sounding single-coil monsters for the Premium SR1355B. In addition, you have the powerful sound-shaping capabilities of Ibanez’s Custom 3-band EQ, which gives you control over boost/cut for bass, mid, and high frequencies, a mid-frequency switch to fine-tune your midrange, and an EQ bypass. No matter what tonal texture your music calls for, this instrument’s superb electronics will get you there fast. Fingers, thumb, or pick — the SR1355B’s electronics have you covered.

Mono-rail bridge enhances definition and sustain

Ibanez specified their excellent Mono-rail 5 bridge for the Premium SR1355B. Unlike single-body bridges, each Mono-rail saddle is completely separate from the others. This does two things for you. First, since they aren’t connected, the saddles create minimal sympathetic vibration. This prevents unused strings from ringing. Second, each saddle is double-anchored, allowing energy to transfer efficiently between the string and the body. 

Ibanez: a brief history

Ibanez began its life in 1908 as the Hoshino Gakki company in Nagoya, Japan. However, the company didn’t get into the guitar business until 1929, when they started importing Salvador Ibanez guitars from Spain. In 1935, Hoshino Gakki began building Spanish acoustic guitars under the “Ibanez Salvador” name, which was later shortened to Ibanez. Although Ibanez began manufacturing electric guitars in 1957, the company was relatively unknown in the West until the 1960s, when they started producing guitars based on American designs. By the late 1970s, Ibanez had stopped producing derivative instruments and had begun manufacturing the innovative original guitar and bass designs that the company is now known for. Ibanez is also famous for their effect pedals, most notably the Tube Screamer. 

Ibanez Premium SR1355B 5-string Electric Bass Guitar Features:

• African mahogany body, walnut/panga panga/maple top
• Atlas 5-piece panga panga/purpleheart neck with KTS titanium rods
• Bound panga panga fretboard with abalone oval inlays
• Medium frets with Premium fret edge treatment
• Graph Tech Black TUSQ XL nut
• Nordstrand Big Single neck and bridge pickups
• Ibanez Custom Electronics 3-band EQ
• EQ bypass switch (passive tone control on treble pot)
• 3-way Mid frequency switch
• MR5S bridge; black hardware