Ibanez

Showcase Models

Ashula

SR2010ASC

“It would be exciting if we could get both a fretted sound and a fretless sound on one bass during a performance.”

The discussion was started by such a comment from a staff member who was watching an artist playing live. The topic was immediately brought into discussion during a meeting.

“Why don’t we just make a double neck bass with both a fretless and a fretted neck?”
“It is not special. We need something interesting for the player.”
“While it’s made as a fretted bass, the bass should be able to take advantage of the fretless sound and tone within a song.” The discussion heated up and samples were made based on this concept.

Both Fretted and Fretless need to co-exist in one neck. Although it was an option to convert higher frets into fretless, we separated the neck into two areas string wise and gave a different role to each section instead. One with two strings for fretless and the other with four strings for fretted. Finally the new Ashula bass could accomplish the mission, allowing both fretted and fretless, within the same song.

But it wasn’t the end. There was another issue that needed an answer.
“Which is better for fretless strings, the higher string side or the lower string side?”
To answer this question, we made some prototypes in different specs and asked various players to try them. But there wasn’t only one consensus.
However, we chose the higher string side for fretless by listening to the players.
“If fretless exists in the lower string side, it’s difficult to switch between fretted and fretless smoothly and it interrupts the actual playing.”
“The players can play fretless sound easier when it’s on the high side.”

Then we started building it into a finished product. But again, the issue was ‘the neck.”
In order to make the frets disappear naturally on the fingerboard, we did all kinds of things: created a special tool, applied low and narrow frets, and took extra care in finishing the fret-ends. Moreover, we added fret lines in maple wood so the player could find the fret line visually in performance.
This Ashula bass was made based on the Soundgear, the icon of Ibanez basses. However, we redesigned the body and the neck for balanced playing for two distinctive styles and for easier access to the control knobs. More importantly, the Ashula, while looking like a six-string bass, is designed to function perfectly as a four-string bass combining the additional features with the fretless option.
That is why the Ashula has 18mm string spacing, which makes slapping easier, but not too wide for most players.

Two separate controls are assigned to each sound. You can control volume and tone independently. New original Ibanez pickups complement the sound. The pickups for fretted strings can make the typical funky slapping sound.
The pickup for the fretless section which is set closer to the bridge, is also specially designed so that you can get from a solid sound to a soft sound by adjusting the tone knob.
The control knobs and machine head knobs are colored differently so the player can find the two different sections visually. These specs make it easier for players to recognize them instantly.

Why don’t you pickup the Ashula and check it out? You may find something totally new and an inspiration for new musical adventures.

Ashula Electronics

String Gauge & Tuning

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