👕 Get New Ernie Ball Merch Now!
  • Ernie Ball
  • Music Man
  • Sterling by Music Man
  • Security notice: Ernie Ball staff will never send you a direct message about a prize or giveaway, and will never ask you to click a link to "claim" anything.
    If you receive a message like that - even from an account whose name looks official - do not click the link. Please report it using the Report link on the message so the moderators can act. A scam campaign impersonating admin accounts was blocked on 29 July 2026; those accounts are banned and their messages have been deleted.
Axis 30th Anniversary

My idea of the perfect SR5

freedok

freedok

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Messages
79
Location
Detroit, Michigan
Okay, I figure you guys probably hashed this one amongst yews in the past but I wanted to express my feelings about the SR5. Heres what would float my boat,

a. Strings through body
b. Body shape and pickguard exactly like the SR4
c. Light weight ash or alder body (9 lbs)
d. Pure nickel nut (UNS2200)
e. Old style truss rod with adjustment at the headstock

UNS 2200 pure wrought nickel is an amazing material. It will not rust or tarnish (ever) and looks exactly like white gold. It works similar to hard copper. A little tougher than brass. Takes an amazing polish. The attached pic details a scroll nut I made a while ago. I have a source for this material for those who would care to know. Just email me.

Regards
 
Last edited:
Decently interesting idea, but not for me.

a. Dont notice a difference in sustain on well made basses such as a EBMM
b. I like the normal sr5 shape
c. of course
d. doesnt make a difference to me, i wouldnt mind.
e. strongly disagree with this idea, i love the wheel.
 
Yeah, long live The Wheel. And on a FL, I suppose I'd want the nut made of FB wood, with a [silicone??] finger permanently pressing on it, so the tone matched the rest of the notes closed between FB wood and my [real] finger.

Even with a fretted ax, I can't obsess over matching the voice of open strings to closed notes. You play notes on 5 different guages of strings, you get five different voices jumping out at the audience anyway. So with the open strings there's some more voicing variety in that mix as well. The voicing of the lowest few frets on a string differs from that same string up around the octave, and we accept it as normal.

But, that is a very pretty nut if you want to stare at details. About small details: The ax pictured is lacking some small items you could make from that cool looking alloy. It needs guides on the headstock so the 'A' and 'D' strings run straight across the nut. Usually, I use 'Gibson style' or AllParts 'Oversized' strap buttons, in appropriate finish of course, to achieve that worthy goal.

As to the SR5 PG? *Any* change is for the better, and the SR4 oval is a good choice. If the SR5 was sold in numbers approaching the various types of Fender Jazz, there would be a solid aftermaket demand for oval PGs and chrome or black control plates to abut the oval PG and carry the knobs, cover the control cavity, etc. It amazes me that people even discuss what finish they want on their SR5. The thing is all PG.
 
Last edited:
Figjam said:
e. strongly disagree with this idea, i love the wheel.
Click to expand...

+1!!

I would never for the world change the wheel-adjustment of the trussrod. I love it :)


Wouldn't change any of the other things mentioned either, except maybe the option of strings thru body.

ME LOVES MY STINGRAY FIVER :) :) :) :)
 
a. Strings through body
b. Body shape and pickguard exactly like the SR4
c. Light weight ash or alder body (9 lbs)
d. Pure nickel nut (UNS2200)
e. Old style truss rod with adjustment at the headstock

a no thanks
b yes please
c of course
d looks like a nice material, and I'd like to try it myself. can't see a silvery nut on a EBMM though.
e Pure madness, the wheel is great and bullets suck big time
 
a. Strings through body

I've had a ton of basses of both ilk and really have no preference.

b. Body shape and pickguard exactly like the SR4

It's available. It's called a SUB 5.

c. Light weight ash or alder body (9 lbs)

My SR5, Heinz, weighs just over nine pounds.

d. Pure nickel nut (UNS2200)

I fret most of my notes so I probably wouldn't notice much difference.

e. Old style truss rod with adjustment at the headstock

Why? To make it more difficult for someone to sneak in and adjust your truss rod?

Jack
 
My idea of the perfect SR5............................

sr5wpearloid003.jpg







Even at 11 pounds.:D
 
Golem said:
As to the SR5 PG? *Any* change is for the better, and the SR4 oval is a good choice. If the SR5 was sold in numbers approaching the various types of Fender Jazz, there would be a solid aftermaket demand for oval PGs and chrome or black control plates to abut the oval PG and carry the knobs, cover the control cavity, etc. It amazes me that people even discuss what finish they want on their SR5. The thing is all PG.
Click to expand...
I disagree. I think the pickguard isnt as bad as some people make it seem. Look at it this way, with a SR4,you have the oval pickguard and then the chrome control plate. Now, if u sketch on a SR5 with your air-pencil those, whats left that normally would be visible paint/finish? About .. 4 square inches? Is that so bad?
 
a. Strings through body
b. Body shape and pickguard exactly like the SR4
c. Light weight ash or alder body (9 lbs)
d. Pure nickel nut (UNS2200)
e. Old style truss rod with adjustment at the headstock

a. Make it an option to string through body or string through bridge
b. TOTALLY agree with no metal cover for the controls like a sterling
c. Yep (I fancy ash)
d. What? Whatever!
e. Dude that wheel is perfect.
 
Believe it or not, I used to not think too much of the SR5. I thought the pickguard was a bit large at first. But it grew on me, and now that I own an SR5, I love the way they look! I love the contours on the horns...looks really cool.
 
OK,
Here's what I've learned so far,

a. Strings through body (good)
b. Body shape and pickguard exactly like the SR4 (Subbish but still good)
c. Light weight ash or alder body (thumbs up)
d. Pure nickel nut (give or take it, guess I'm giving away my age here)
e. Old style truss rod with adjustment at the headstock (what was I thinking?)

I suppose I should explain the reason for steering away from the truss rod wheel (no pun intended). I like the uninterrupted look of the old style SR pickguard without some hokey looking wheel in the way. It's purely an aesthetic approach I suppose, not that the wheel doesn't do what it's supposed to do.
 
Randy, I don't know why but your black/black/maple SR5 seems a good bit classier than the other ones i've seen. It's GAWJUS!!!

Although, I think I like mine a little more. :p

NewPickguard3001.jpg


NewPickguard3003.jpg
 
Looking at that one, I just ask can we say classic? I mean what could make it better than just getting the color of your choice.

Keep the SR5 the same as always I say. Just paint some of them trans green again. Heinz is lonely and surrounded by Bongos.


tk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Classic Rock N Roll Slinky
Back
Top