I can't pay attention to the basses when I'm mesmerized but the flawless technique this person has.

From worst to best 5. Overload 4. NS Designs 3. Kiesel 2. Strandberg 1. Ibanez

I've been seriously considering that EHB1506, and this video has totally reinforced that

You uploaded this 8 weeks AFTER I bought my EHB1505MS. If I wasn't at Sweetwater, and had several of these models available to play, this video would have definitely served to justify my choice! Thanks for for being such a great ambassador of the bass guitar!

The tones coming from the Overload were my favorite. They all sounded great, but the Overload is my choice.

Loving the diligence of this video. It's perfect for comparison because you've got everything so tightly down on technique that it's all comparison of gear through an incredible range

Your video edits are great. Even though the Ibanez was one of the lesser expensive models of the bunch, It got the best all around ribbon from me. Nice job!

Really interesting comparison. The NS Design CR5 was the clear favourite for me, with the Kiesel coming in fifth. The other three it's hard to choose between, they all had strengths. But I see others have taken a very different order. All about personal taste.

Man that Strandberg sounds and looks great... unfortunatelly way greater than the pricetag!

Even though I preferred the Overload to the others, I'd still pick the Kiesel for how insanely good the value for money is.

The Ibanez sounded amazing. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought that was a custom shop.

Thanks for watching, guys! TABS, Backing Tracks, & Guitar Pro at: www.patreon.com/NateNavarro Nate's Bass Books: www.natenavarro.net/books Find these basses at... SWEETWATER: imp.i114863.net/NA49V THOMANN: redir.love/thocf/8f8b9n860f REVERB: reverb.grsm.io/NathanNavarro6942

Overload sounds like a bedroom bass. Strandberg wasn’t bad. The Kiesel, NS, and Ibanez are my picks.

I think the more important that these tones…which can all be manipulated with EQ and amp settings to serve one’s needs…is which neck did you like the best? The neck is where ergonomics come in and is the factor for long term playing comfort.

Great Video Nate! I have been looking at all of these. I literally just watched this video 3 times and I still can't decide but that Overload is sounding pretty sweet! 🎸🎸🎸🤘🤘🤘

i love this "covers" on basslines that was on 5-string bass shootout video. Especially "neck" part. Amazing!)

Reading through all the comments, it stands out just how completely subjective everyone's idea of a good bass sound is. The good thing is that there is so much choice out there and something for everyone. For my money, I liked the NS best, but I wouldn't say no to any of them. :)

Thanks for this in-depth playthrough 🤙🏽😎

I would think it would be really interesting to see and hear a comparison between: Cort Artisan Space 5 bass guitar Strandberg Boden Prog 5 Ibanez EHB1505MS and then also get to hear you describe what you think of them and how it feels to play on the different basses.

I was like a kid in a candystore while watching this video. "Ohh I like this one. Nevermind, THIS one is great. Oh no, this one is the best..." Clean they all sounded great with their own unique voice. I overall preferred the Overload in that regard. Using Drive however, it was a whole new situation. I liked the midrange-y Strandberg the best with drive BUT using drive and a pick, the Ibanez absolutely blew me away. That was some awesome growl.

This is a very well done and useful comparison. You did all the right things to give us a real and fair basis for evaluating. Sustaining notes on the B string, fast picking, drive tone, slapping. Excellent work! For me Ibanez sounded best. Great round sound on the low notes, with my favorite mid character of the group. But my least favorite body shape of the lot. The Kiesel sounded the least yummy. Those pickups sound thin. And I'm a Carvin guy, I own a few of their basses. The Overload has the most distinctive tone. I can hear Eugene from Jinjer! I think it's the gritty upper-mid and high end. Man Kiesel really emulated that Overload body shape! I'm in the market for just such an instrument, so this is timely and well placed. I'd love to see a Dingwall NG up against the Ibanez and the Overload. I'd REALLY love to see a Chapman NS Stick up against all of these!! They're not easy to procure, but I'm dying to hear one up against the rest of the herd!

Strandberg sounds quite Nice actually.

Awesome video! It would be cool to see a video of you talking about modern boutique basses. I'd be especially interested about your opinion on Blasius basses.

Tough choice between the Overload and the Ibanez, but I think I like the Ibanez a bit better.

i remember really hating the tone of those NS headless basses, but this one sounds very good. Maybe its the amp or maybe its the player

Hey Nate! Could you please do a more in-depth review of the Overload bass? There is a rather little info online about this instrument. Thanks, keep up the great work!

I've loved the look of those Ibanez since they came out and hearing the comparison between these it sounds right up my alley.

Honestly I would be happy with any of them, so many good basses. I liked the Kiesel and Ibanez overall the most.They each have their strengths and weakness and I feel it varies drastically from part to part. I would kill to have an arsenal like this to choose from. I expected more from the Strandberg. The Overload and Ibanez win in the looks department. All you were missing was a Dingwall.

The Overload, Ibanez and CR5 all have a tone I fell in love with; Honestly I’m just obsessed with that groove during the Bridge pickup test. The tension on that final note is nasty.

Nice video! You should do a boutique bass battle. I would love to see how Mayones stacks up against Fodera, etc. Thanks man!!

Noting my preferences here for later reference: Slap: Kiesel, then Strandberg; Bridge: Ibanez; Neck: most consistent between the low B and the higher notes: Kiesel; best low B: Ibanez, then Strandbeng and NS; Drive: NS and Strandberg, although I like all of them in their own way; Drive + Pick: Ibanez (a clangy tone) and Kiesel (a "regular" tone).

🔥 playing 🔥 shootout, thank you!!

I was considering the Ibanez for a while now and after watching this video, given the price tag and the outcome from all the different styles of play you've demonstrated, I'm 100% buying one! Absolutely well ahead all the others for me!

I appreciate you sponsoring yourself in an effort to reduce the bias

NS Design for me. I loved the tighter response and clarity compared to the others. Strandberg would be my second.

You are able to get the most out of each instrument's tonal variations🔥👍✊❗

I own an NS CR5, it's one of the most amazing instruments I've ever come across. Unfortunately its individual strings can't be individually intonated so I often end up having to retune the bass in the DAW with autotune or something similar. It'll be close but often it's not close enough for a final mix so I tweak the tuning and move on. However the tone of this instrument is unmatched in my experience. The playing in this video is completely insane and amazing btw! Those sweeps are bananas. I get tones from it that are like in the video but this particular bass does sooo much more too. The low end it gives off is this great mix of hugeness, depth and tightness that I haven't experienced in another bass, ever. Mine is actually strung with DR Black Beauties at the moment (I got it that way and went with it, sometimes alternated with roundwound Rotosounds). Set up this way, mixing the piezo with the EMG's gives me this insane futuristic upright bass of deathly destruction vibe. Clean or distorted. Really cool. I just wish it had a bridge that intonated in a more typical way. Fortunately the needed tuning work is taken care of easily in any modern DAW. I also own a similar Ibanez, it's an SRMS805, it has a headstock and the shitty Bartolinis they're always using. Sounds very similar to the one in this video lol. I usually use that one to record because the tuning is better and I prefer multiscale on bass. It's a cool bass and good for workhorse kind of stuff but it always needs a lot of work in the mix when finishing off a track. It has that typical Ibanez 800/1100 hz boinging tone that gets annoying af after a while. I kinda want to trade in both basses for a multiscale Spector or Dingwall. Ok thx for reading this way too long comment, if you have

I bought a used Boden 5 string and absolutely love it.

My takeaway: the EHB really wants to be a dingwall when it grows up, the Strandberg sounds great but makes no sense at that pricepoint, the NS sounds fantastic but isn't exactly a bargain, the Overload sounds great for the price, and I don't like the Kiesel sound at all. Have you considered getting a Maruszczyk on the channel? I'd be interested to see how they stack up for the price

Wow, I'm blown away by the sound of the Ibanez. That was at the bottom of my list, until I heard it in comparison with the others. Now it's top 😮

Great video. One bass better than another. A Blaze was missing, by the S.Martyn, a Brazilian luthier.

Nate, I’d like to hear your thoughts at the end of the video. The Kiesel Bass has a more unique sound and also really like the Overload and Strandberg Boden.

You make them all sound badass!

That was epic. I couldn’t choose one. They all had their own personality and honestly each one fit perfectly with the music. I would get all of em if I could but If I only had one choice it would be the NS design but for the style your playing the Ibanez sounded like pure evil.

love your vids

That is a tough choice, they all have a unique sound. But overall, the Ibanez and the Kiesel were my favorites. I also can recommend Nates book. It helped me to break out of grown habits and get a new perspective on how to approach songs.

Hi Nate. I like the Ibanez. It sounds "both". In terms of Slap- sound, I really like the NS Desingn

They all sound really good, except that Ibanez, which sounded like it had a really weird frequency notch somewhere in the upper mids. Like someone left a wah pedal engaged.

Even though I’ve always loved Ibanez, I have to admit I was shocked at how good that EHB sounds compared to these other brands. That is my pick hands down - awesome comparison - thanks!

Wasn’t expecting the Ibanez to sound like that 😮 it’s poppy!

Just bought both of your books of Amazon. I hope they rock! Cheers :)

Surprised at the fact that the Strandberg sounds like an everyday, you and me kind of bass 🤯

Battle of the 34-37s! Dingwall vs Kiesel A2 vs Spector NS Dimension vs ESP B-1005MS vs Mayones Patriot VF37

They are all winners here. Can't go wrong with any of them.

I arrived to see a review of the basses, I left envious of the bassist's technique.

This shootout may not help me choose what my next electric bass will be, as if any of these were in my budget range in May 2024. What it has served to do is remind me that I could always stand to practice more on the models I already own. Despite my resistance to Ibanez since I was a teenager in the 90s, I will still say that it might be between the one you played here and the Ned Steinberger model if I could use one from this pack.

The CR5 blew me away 🤘

The Overload has two of the best sounds. So if I was in a band that I wanted that sound and just that sound I would pick that. But in the real giging world it would definitely be the NS hands down. Has the best all round sounds that would suit playing more varied styles. Would have been nice to hear the piezo demonstrated as well.

God all of these sound so goood

I loved the Kiesel, that would be a great bass for a tech Death metal band

NS definitely was the best overall. Such a clear, defined, and punchy sound no matter the settings. - They all sounded great, except the Ibanez. The more and more I hear the Ibanez EQ, the more I realize how it detracts from audio clarity with this weird mid-range fuzz and scooped sound that is present in every recording. When a Dingwall or Spector costs around $1900-2300, it is criminal to charge $1900 for a bass that can never replicate the clarity of instruments in the same price bracket. Ibanez made a cool LOOKING bass, but it sound leaves much to be desired.

For me this is the order 1. Overload 2. Ibanez 3. NS 4. Strandberg 5. Kiesel I actually liked em all beside the Kiesel. The B on that one sounded SO flabby

Kiesel zues for all sounds and styles here top stuff

IMO… the overlord stood out but… I’m going with the Ibanez, but I’m doing the 1265. I’m a fan of Barts. Great vid BTW!

Great video i love the overload

The Strandberg and NS both sound great. I'd imagine they have the best build quality as well. The Strandberg has clarity up and down the neck while also possessing the ability get gritty and industrial. The NS sounds incredibly pristine, with a thick meaty low end. The pickup system on that one probably helps create a really full, unique tone. For the price, I understand why people buy the Ibanez. It is clearly borrowing from the Strandberg design with the ergonomic lightweight body, Nostrand pickups and fanned frets. They sound really similar, especially in the mix, but the Ibanez has a bit of that muddy Ibanez midrange that make it hard for me to like. I've also heard that the build quality and QC is a bit lacking in examples of those models.

Both the Strandberg and Ibanez sound absolutely amazing. The NS sounds good too.

Woww... Like all of them. Each got advantage tone...

All those basses are great.

They all sound good in their own ways. At the end of the day though, I'm taking my Kiesels every time.

Based on Nate Stank-Face scale - Ibanez EHB1506MS wins. It sounded damn good too, as they all did under his fingers/pick. Just made a decision much harder for me.

I've never heard the Overload before, and I quite liked it. I guess I'm glad I really liked the tone of the NS, too, since I have one... 🙄

I love the Overload for it’s raw tone, but the Ibanez takes effects really well

I’d have to say personally the Overload for me, the BS sounded great too tho! And surprisingly the Ibanez did as well I’m not an Ibanez kinda Kat but that one sounded good

Kiesel zeus, my favorite in everything

The strandberg completely takes the cake for me

I can't believe there are comments saying that they like the sound of the Achilles, don't get me wrong, but for me it's a resounding no, it looks incredible but nope, I prefer the strndberg or the ibanez, You are hearing with the eyes, you have to pay attention to how the B string sounds, if it sounds loose You will hardly get a good sound or you will have difficulties to achieve it and I think it is because of the Aguilar pickups, because if it has nordstrand it would change my point of view, excellent video Nate, I really want that EHB from Ibanez.

I play Overload achilles , 37/34 norstrand pic up, aguilar préamp. for me the best choice. But all sond great.

I agree with most of the comments, the Overload Achilles sounded the best. I own a strandberg and I noticed that it lacks much needed high end clarity compared to the others in your arsenal. I'm getting parallel wiring done like Dingwalls to see if I can get more clarity.

I think the Kiesel has the best overall tone. After that hard to say. Looks wise I am going with the Boden for sure.

Strandberg all the way. Sounds like it would be a great all around bass. The others would sound great for prog metal. Great video Nate!!!

@nate Navarro- do you give individual lessons?

The Berg and EHB are a good comparison for anyone deciding between nordstrand big rigs (boden) and big split (ehb)

I feel like 90% of the tone is the pickups and preamps. You can get Fishman fluence on both the standberg and kiesel. The overload sounded best to me but they also have the most variety of pickup choices. This one’s using all Aguilar but they offer a bunch and I’ve seen vids with Nordstrand big blades. I’ve been debating a kiesel vader vs overload Achilles. Personally I LOVE Fishman fluence. The voicings are just the best being able to go modern metal to jazz warm.

Do you have old strings on that Kiesel?

love ibanez sub bass tone.... and stranberg best balance clean stability tone on clean tone , for drive tone love stranberg and overload archilles ... and for slap and bridge love overload archiles mid scoope tone very clear and NS design

the Ibanez's low B (or A I guess in this case) felt most defined to me and its tone the most well-rounded, but I like the tone from the Overload a lot as well

The overload and strandberg sounded excellent

Will there be a 6 string book one day?

The low b string of that ibanez made me happy

you need a classic Steinberger headless bass

overload and strandberg appear to sound the most convincing across various settings but what matters in the end is how you feel the instrument... your hands know the winner I guess.

I'm kinda surprised by the overloads darker sound. I expected the Dingwall tones.

Ah man. It’s between the Ibanez and overload for me - Ibanez will likely win on affordability, and I’d probably go with the 5 string for the sexy blue finish. But damn this was probably the best video for comparisons I’ve seen and the technique blew my mind !

The Overload sounds KILLER

Is this with all knobs at 10's full open?

I loved the strandberg but for it to have similar specs to the Ibanez the price seems difficult to justify.

If strandberg would make a 6 string bass...

Money no object I would take the Overlord. For gigging night after night I’d take the Ibanez because they are more plentiful and the MSRP typically runs a little bit lower than everything else on here. Mainly because of custom options you can do on the others.

The Kiesel FTW. To me, it sounds best in the mix.