Ibanez BTB1836-NDL Natural Shadow Premium

The BTB Series: A Platform Designed for Modern Bassists

The BTB range is designed for bassists who want an instrument with a bold look, refined ergonomics, and specs tailored for stage and studio use. This 6-string model clearly fits this ethos: long scale, neck-through construction, dense woods, and full active electronics to meet the demands of technical playing and extended tunings.

Who Is It For, and In Which Styles?

This BTB 6-string is mainly aimed at intermediate to expert bassists seeking a wide range (with the high C string) and significant dynamic headroom. It excels in modern metal, fusion, gospel, progressive, funk, and studio settings, where precision, low-end definition, and versatile EQ make all the difference.

Tone

The combination of bubinga (top and back) and ash wings provides a balance between depth, attack, and clarity: bubinga tends to enhance low-mid density and sustain, while ash helps maintain clarity and snap. The neck-through body construction promotes a consistent response from note to note, with a "solid" feel under the fingers. The Aguilar DCB pickups deliver a modern, wide, and articulate sound, and the 3-band active EQ allows quick adjustment of the bass's place in the mix; the 3-position mid-frequency switch is especially useful for shifting from scooped mids to more biting mids. The EQ bypass switch adds a more direct option, with passive tone control on the treble potentiometer.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To maintain the original feel and tension, you can choose the D'Addario NYXL32130SL string set (gauges .032/.045/.065/.080/.100/.130). For transport, a gig bag is included, and the recommended case MRB500C is the reference option suggested for this model.

Technical specifications

Electronics: microphone configuration	HH	Body	Ash
Left handed	No	Bridge / tailpiece	Fixed
Strings	Steel	Electronics	Active
Nbr of strings	6	Color	Natural
Fingerboard	Panga Panga	Finishing	Satin
Nbrs of frets	24	Hardware	Gold

Top material	bubinga	Fret type	medium stainless steel
Body material	ash wings	Fret edge treatment	Premium fret edge treatment
Back material	bubinga	Inlays	offset abalone dots
Finish	satin polyurethane	Bridge	MR5S
Total length	45.2" / 1149 mm	String spacing	0.67" / 17 mm
Body thickness	1.65" / 42 mm	Nut	plastic
Body length	20.1" / 511 mm	Tuners	Gotoh
Body width	13.5" / 344 mm	Hardware color	gold
Number of strings	6	Active or passive	active
Neck type	BTB6	Neck pickup	Aguilar DCB
Neck joint	neck-through	Bridge pickup	Aguilar DCB
Neck joint position	-	EQ	Ibanez Custom Electronics 3-band EQ
Neck material	9-piece maple/bubinga/panga panga	Controls	1 volume, 1 balancer, bass, middle, treble
Reinforcement rods	graphite rods	Other switches	EQ bypass switch (passive tone control on treble pot), 3-way mid-frequency switch
Neck finish	satin polyurethane	String gauges (top to bottom)	.032/.045/.065/.080/.100/.130
Neck thickness (1st fret)	0.79" / 20 mm	Original strings	D'Addario NYXL32130SL
Neck thickness (12th fret)	0.87" / 22 mm	Tuning (top to bottom)	1C, 2G, 3D, 4A, 5E, 6B
Scale length	35" / 889 mm	Case or bag included	gig bag included
Nut width	2.13" / 54 mm	Recommended case	MRB500C
Width at fingerboard end	3.35" / 85 mm	Other included items	multi-tool
Number of frets	24 (+ zero fret)	Net weight	10.1 lb / 4.6 kg
Radius	37.4" / 950 mm