Ibanez Introduces BTB33 Volo Bass
Ibanez has introduced the BTB Volo to their conceptual Bass Workshop Series. The Volo is a fresh take on the company’s BTB model that is aimed at players looking to explore the higher registers. The five-string bass features a shorter 33-inch scale and comes factory tuned from E to C, which Ibanez points out is better for playing chords and soloing in the baritone territory.
The Volo is a neck-through design that features a five-piece maple and bubinga neck, mahogany body wings, and an ash top. Another unique feature on the bass is an adjustable rosewood finger ramp that sits between the bass’s Bartolini BH1-5 pickups. It’s also fitted with a 3-band EQ with a mid-frequency switch for tone tweaking.
The Ibanez BTB33 Volo is shipping now with a street price of $999.
Ibanez Bass Workshop BTB33 Volo Bass Details:
Construction: | Neck Through |
Scale: | 33″ |
Neck: | 5-piece Maple/Bubinga |
Body Wings: | Mahogany |
Top: | Ash |
Fretboard: | Rosewood |
Fret Markers: | Abalone Dot Inlay |
Finger Ramp: | Rosewood, Adustable |
Tuning: | E, A, D, G, C |
Pickups: | Bartolini BH1-5 |
Electronics: | 3-Band EQ w/Mid Frequency Switch |
Bridge: | Mono-Rail V |
Finish: | Natural Flat |
Love the stripped down look – very classy.
Great tone, very interested in trying one
I do enjoy the alt-basses Ibanez releases now and then but it always cracks me up when the artist making the pitch talks about using the top 5 strings of a 6 string bass set as this crazy concept that requires explaining, as though this configuration is somehow not possible on a standard 5 string (my E to C SR505 agrees).
While this is true, and was what I thought when I first heard of the Volos, I recently visited a GC in Rochester NY that had one for sale. Tried it…and the 33” scale is the game-changer. If you’re looking to do solo bass work, the 1 inch difference (since I play 34” basses – 35’s make my hands cramp halfway through a gig) is amazing. Luckily, we have a master shirt-scale bass luthier just down the road who does all the work on my basses…and my next project is a 33” with only one pickup and 6 strings. I think it will be revolutionary!
Any idea on the bridge string spacing on one of these?