Cons
- Fretwork is not as polished as more expensive models
- Limited tone options with its single humbucker configuration
Pros
- Fast and smooth slim profile neck as expected from Ibanez
- Comfortable and nice looking contoured body
- Good build quality and playability at a very affordable price point
- Simple single-humbucker configuration with beefy low-end
- Suitable for various styles of music, especially pop and rock
When it comes to non-traditional bass guitars, it’s hard to overlook the popularity of the Ibanez Soundgear series. I have personally seen many of them used on stages and events and have been played alongside some bassists who swear by them.
The GSR100EX is part of this series, sporting the same contoured body and fast-playing feel, but with streamlined hardware, and more importantly, at a more accessible price.
To meet Ibanez’s standards for fast playing feel, the GSR100EX comes with a slim profile maple neck with a flat radius fingerboard. This is complemented by its distinct body shape, with a cutaway that allows for easy access to upper frets.
While many Soundgear basses come with extensive controls, this one comes with a basic single-humbucker configuration, with knobs for adjusting volume and tone. This simplicity reduces tweaking distractions, especially for novices who need to focus more on playing and building up their chops.
Also, the humbucker pickup is voiced to provide a beefy low-end, that’ll fit many contemporary styles of music.
The Ibanez Gio GSR100EX is a good no-frills starter bass and is one of the best budget bass guitars for fans of contemporary and modern music.
Specifications
- Body: Poplar
- Neck: Maple (Bolt-on)
- Neck Profile: SR (Slim)
- Fingerboard: Jatoba
- Scale Length: 34″
- Nut Width: 1.614″
- Fingerboard Radius: 12″
- Frets: 22 Medium
- Bridge Pickup: Standard PPD4 Humbucker
- Controls: Volume, Tone
- Bridge: B10
- Weight: 8 lbs.
Rating Source Highlight
| Website | Source | *Rating Value |
| Talk Bass Forum | pcake | 90/100 |
*Displayed values are prior to the Gearank Algorithm’s adjustments it makes when evaluating the source.