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Ibanez Iceman Bass

 

Review of the Ibanez Iceman Bass by The Man in the Jar

I did a stint playing bass in a band once. This bass makes me wish I was still doing it.

Features of the Ibanez Iceman Bass 

Tuners - Black unbranded tuners with large wingnut knobs. The tuners are actually angled back towards the body to help little blokes like me reach them.

Headstock - The famous Ibanez Scalpel, this one is is faced in shiny black lacquer.

Nut - The black plastic nut abuts the fretboard and is cleanly finished.

Neck - Will I ever get fed up with raving about the general wonderfulness of Ibanez necks? No, probably not. This long scale, bolt-on maple neck is an absolute dream to play. It's as slim and slinky as some six-string necks I've come across. You will not believe this neck. I can't believe this neck.

Fretboard - The rosewood fretboard has block inlays markers of Black Pearl (Aye, aye Cap'n Sparrow!) and the board is bound in black with a single white pinstripe. This binding extends up and around the headstock.

Frets - 22 medium-large rounded profile frets provide a positive fretting action.

Action - Blisteringly low straight from the case. Combined with the extraordinarily slim neck, this action set-up makes this the easiest bass I've ever played. By far.

Body - The infamous Iceman shape has been known to leave some people cold (Ho, ho!), but I firmly believe it deserves a place amongst the all-time great alternative classics like the Flying Vee, the Explorer and the Firebird. That wonderful lower horn looks like it was modelled on the Devil's willy. Wild stuff!  Whether you like it or lump it the Iceman's body is a serious wedge of tone-enhancing mahogany. There's a touch of comfort contouring on the back, but the rest is solid slab mahogany. The black lacquer finish is intensely shiny and the top of the body is picked out by a double pinstripe binding which adds a touch of hot-rod class to the whole thing. 

Bridge - The bridge is a very simple oblong plate affair with an integral slot-type stoptail. Each string has its own very chunky saddle which is individually adjustable for intonation and string height.  

Pickups - Two black bespoke humbuckers sit in the bridge and mid positions.

Controls - There's a Master Volume together with a Bass and Treble cut and boost. The fourth knob closest the bridge is a Balance control. In its centre indent both pickups are in operation. Turn it clockwise to blend out the bridge pickup, anti-clockwise to blend out the mid pickup. 

Strap-buttons - Two medium strap buttons, one on the base of the body and one on the back at the heel.

Output Jack - On the lower edge in a square plastic plate.

Finish - Really good - it's Korean made.

Accessories - A rather handsome fitted hardcase.

 

Sound of the Ibanez Iceman Bass 

Acoustically, without amplification, the low E on this beast rumbles. Plugged in it more than fulfils the promise with bags of power and depth of tone. But it is by no means a one trick pony. The onboard EQ worked together with the balance control allows you to extract a wealth of different voices from a scooped out slap tone to full on Woolley Mammoth. And because the neck is so sublime and the action so delicate there's less incidence of Fart and Buzz when you're jumping for notes on the lower strings.

 

Overall Impressions of the Ibanez Iceman Bass

What can I say?  This bass is sublime. It scores top points in every category. It's not cheap, but you will be getting what you pay for, it really knocks spots off anything I can't think of in this price range. Buy it for it will surely make you happy.

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