Show Full Spec Comparison
| Ibanez EHB1005SMS | EHB1505 | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Ibanez | Ibanez |
| Year: | 2021 | 2020 |
| Configuration: | HH | Split S |
| Strings: | 5 | 5 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | Indonesia |
| Series: | EHB | EHB |
| Colors: | Green, Gray | Sunburst |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | American Basswood | Selected light weight African Mahogany |
| Bridge: | MR5HS | MR5HS |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Bolt-On |
| Tuners: | Ibanez | Ibanez |
| Fretboard: | Roasted Birdseye Maple | Bound Panga Panga |
| Neck Material: | Roasted Maple/Walnut | 9pc Pangapanga/Walnut |
| Decoration: | Off-set abalone dot inlay | Off-set abalone dot inlay |
| Scale Size: | 32" to 30" | 34" |
| Shape: | Bass EHB5 | Bass EHB5 |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.768'' (19.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.846'' (21.5mm) | 1st Fret: 0.768'' (19.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.846'' (21.5mm) |
| Frets: | 24 Medium Stainless Steel | 24 Medium Stainless Steel |
| Fretboard Radius: | 19.685" | 19.685" |
| Nut: | Plastic | Plastic |
| Nut Width: | 45mm (1.772'') | 45mm (1.772'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Bartolini BH2 (Humbucker / Passive) | Nordstrand Custom Big Split (Single Coil / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | ||
| Neck Pickup: | Bartolini BH2 (Humbucker / Passive) | Nordstrand Custom Big Split (Single Coil / Passive) |
| Switch: | 0 Way | 0 Way |
| Knobs: | Dome | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | None | None |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | 1 |
| Tone Controls: | 1 | 0 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | Yes | Yes |
| Hardware Color: | Black | Black |
Reasons to Get
Ibanez EHB1005SMS over EHB1505
Reasons to Get
Ibanez EHB1505 over EHB1005SMS
Other Key Differences
Ibanez EHB1005SMS vs EHB1505
Shared Features
Ibanez EHB1005SMS vs EHB1505
Common Strengths
- High-Quality Frets
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
- Active/Passive Preamp
Common Weaknesses
- Neck-Through Build
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Retainer Bar
- High-Quality Nut
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Price History Comparison
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Hand Size Comfortability
After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .
Ibanez EHB1005SMS:
Ibanez EHB1505:
Beginner Friendliness
Both meet 2 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first bass to learn how to play, you might want to look for other more beginning-friendly options.
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez EHB1005SMS- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Ibanez EHB1505- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
Sound Quality Comparison
The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.
Woods Used in the Ibanez EHB1005SMS
Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.
This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.
Basswood is a lightweight type of wood that isn't as expensive as other popular choices for guitar building. It gives more power to the mid-range frequencies. Its color can vary from pale white to light brown. Find out more about Basswood.
Woods Used in the Ibanez EHB1505
Panga Panga is an African wood very similar to Wenge. It comes in a very dark color with tight grain. Its tonality favors the low-to-mid frequencies.
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
The Ibanez EHB1005SMS has an HH configuration while the Ibanez EHB1505 has Split S pickups.
Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.
On the other hand, A Split S, or split single-coil pickup, has a classic, warm, and punchy tone, characterized by a strong midrange presence and noise reduction. Its design cancels out interference, making it suitable for various musical styles and ideal for live performances and studio recording.
Pickups Quality
Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.
However, the Ibanez EHB1505 has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Preamp Circuit
A preamp in an electric bass functions as an electronic circuit that acts as an interface between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its main purpose is to amplify and customize the bass's initial signal before it reaches the amplifier, offering enhanced control over factors like tone, volume, and sound attributes. Preamps typically come equipped with tone adjustments, equalization options, and sometimes built-in effects, empowering bass players to fine-tune their sound to suit their personal preferences and the musical environment.
Both basses have a Active/Passive preamp.
Active/Passive: This type of circuit combines both passive and active electronics in one instrument. This versatile setup allows the player to switch between passive and active modes, providing a wide range of tonal options. In passive mode, the bass relies on traditional passive pickups and tone controls for a warm and organic sound. In active mode, the onboard preamp circuit is engaged, offering enhanced EQ shaping capabilities and sometimes a signal boost. This flexibility caters to a broader spectrum of musical styles and playing preferences, as it allows the bassist to switch between the classic, vintage tone of passive operation and the more versatile and finely tuned active mode, all within the same instrument.
Winner: Ibanez EHB1505.
Versatility Comparison
Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.
Switch Options
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Ibanez EHB1005SMS.
Final Sound Quality Scores
Build Quality Comparison
When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Ibanez EHB1005SMS compares to the Ibanez EHB1505.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.
Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.
Winner: Tie
Nut Material
If you want your bass to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.
In this case, both have Plastic nuts. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Both in this comparison come with stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the bass. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.
Winner: Tie.
Tuners
In this case, both lack regular machine heads because they're headless guitars. Instead, the strings are tuned at the bridge. This gives the guitars better balance and will prevent neck dives. It also makes them more travel friendly.
Winner: Tie.
Neck Joint
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a bass is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.
Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.
Winner: Tie.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Ibanez EHB1005SMS
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Active/Passive Preamp
- Strap Lock
- Made in Indonesia
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Ibanez EHB1505
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Active/Passive Preamp
- Strap Lock
- Made in Indonesia
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
Final Build Quality Scores
Playability Comparison
Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a bass might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.
Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a bass feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 45mm (1.772'').
This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 5-string bass. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.
Scale Length
The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.
In this case, the Ibanez EHB1005SMS features a multi-scale of 32" to 30" while the Ibanez EHB1505 has a regular scale of 34".
A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.
It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.
On the other hand, the Ibanez EHB1505's 34" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.
This is a scale used for baritones and guitars with more than 6 strings. Since the scale is so long, the tension of the strings will be higher. This means that bending will require a lot more strength than with a shorter scale. However, it also allows you to use really low tunings without causing fret buzz and without needing to increase your string gauge too much.
Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.
Neck Profile
No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.
Both the Ibanez EHB1005SMS and the Ibanez EHB1505 have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.
Fretboard Radius
Most bass fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.
Both the Ibanez EHB1005SMS and the Ibanez EHB1505 have the same fretboard radius of 19.685".
Fret Size
Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.
