Part 2 – 1982 MODIFIED Ibanez Roadstar (Great Bass, Great Sound!)

A while ago, I bought a 1982 Ibanez Roadstar bass on something of an impulse. It played so well and felt so good (and was cheap - around £330) I had to have it. I'm glad I did, as it's now probably my favourite bass out of all the ones I own, including vintage Fenders worth three times the price.

Here's what it looked and sounded like pre modification.

And here it is in all it's glory!

A couple of important points:

  • Strings make a huge difference. I use Elites and out some nickel plated Players on this one 945-105 gauge).
  • Plek is amazing. Thanks to this miracle machine, my bass plays fast and even across the whole neck. 
  • Pickups make a big difference to tone. There are so many amazing pickup manufacturers now. I just went with the first decent PJ set I could find which was this: DiMarzio DP126.

You may be interested in this video I made about building a P bass from scratch (and what parts are commonly modified on bass guitars). My Ibanez proves that a bass that plays like a dream does not have to break the bank.

Common Bass Guitar Modifications – Upgrade Your Axe

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