The Ibanez BTB845 5-string bass is one of those rare beauties that can call to you from across the room and demand to be played. Its poplar burl top looks like something you'd see in a collector's magazine, but the price tag doesn't. Nonetheless, once you get your hands on the BTB845's comfortably contoured multilayer body, feel the power of the neck-through construction, and hear the electronics in action, you'll know how much you lucked out by picking up this special bass. A quick overview reveals a layered ash-over-okoume wing design beneath the poplar burl top, with a solid 5-piece maple and walnut neck running the full length of the instrument. Add a 5-piece Mono-rail V bridge to the mix, and you have sustain for days with ideal string-to-string isolation. This lends extra clarity to the BTB845's Bartolini BH2 dual-coil pickups, and when you add in the 3-band active EQ, you'll have no trouble crafting the bass tones you love. Top it off with top-shelf touches like a stainless steel zero-fret and a locking output jack, and you have a bass with looks only eclipsed by playability.

Bartolini BH2 pickups deliver full and balanced tone

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 Limited Edition 20th Anniversary BTB20TH5. 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 BTB20TH5's electronics have you covered.

Neck-through design ensures exceptional sustain

You can trace the history of the neck-through design all the way back to Les Paul's famous 1941 "The Log" solidbody guitar prototype or to Rickenbacker, who gave us the modern version in 1956. Either way, generations of innovators and top-tier manufacturers have relied on neck-through designs for superior sustain. Pick up an Ibanez BTB845, and you'll experience everything neck-through construction has to offer. You can feel the BTB845 vibrate clear through its ultra-stable 5-piece maple and walnut neck, right down to the strap peg. The extended sustain doesn't just add body to your tone, it provides greater tonal balance that you'll hear in every note you play.

Mono-rail V bridge enhances definition and sustain

Premium tonewoods are always a treat, and even those of us surrounded by Music Experience's warehouse full of beauties get excited about fine appointments. But nothing is as important as the way an instrument performs. Many players overlook the importance of the bridge, but not Ibanez. That's why Ibanez selected a top-quality Mono-rail V bridge for the BTB845. Unlike single-body bridges, each Mono-rail V 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. As a result, you can expect astonishing clarity and sustain from your BTB845.

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 1958, the company was relatively unknown in the West until the 1960s, when they started producing guitars based on American designs. By the late 1980s, Ibanez had stopped producing derivative guitars and had begun manufacturing the original designs that the company is now known for. Ibanez is also famous for their effect pedals (most notably the Tube Screamer) and guitar amplifiers.

What Ibanez Says...

Without a doubt, your instrument should equal the quality of your effort. At some point the word "boutique" comes to mind: Select-grade materials, neck-thru construction, and top quality components, all in a meticulously crafted instrument. But what about the price? That's where Ibanez comes in. Our ability to build small-shop quality into inspiring yet affordable instruments is showcased by BTB series basses.

5pc Maple/Walnut neck with Graphite reinforcement rods

he 5pc Maple/Walnut neck provides tonal clarity and superior attack.The Graphite reinforcement rods provides massive sustain and excellent stability.

Ibanez Custom Electronics 3-band EQ w/Mid frequency switch

Ibanez Custom Electronics 3-band EQ is our latest refinement on the concept of simple, straightforward, no-nonsense EQ control. The Boost and Cut for the Mid Control are each centered on slightly different frequencies, an innovation that delivers a preset range of the most favorable bass tones.

Bartolini® BH2 pickups

he Bartolini® BH2 pickups provide a tight bottom-end, punchy mid-range, and smooth response. The dual-coil style configuration maximizes articulation and a long blade pole piece widens the magnetic field, providing balanced string-to-string pickup response.

MR5 Bridge

The Mono-Rail V is the ultimate bridge for bass string isolation. Each bridge is independently and securely locked down to the body for maximum vibration transfer without interference.