RB850

RB850 Fire Red (more images)

The RB850 is a solid body electric bass model introduced by Ibanez for 1984. It was produced in Japan by FujiGen as a Deluxe edition of the Roadstar II Bass series. Its body shape was a progenitor of the shape of the long-running Soundgear series which debutted in 1987; it can almost be thought of as the first Soundgear bass.

The RB850 features a features a double-cutaway basswood body with arched top bolted to a maple neck with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot position markers, pearl side dots , and a matching headstock. Components include a pair of Super J6 passive pickups, an Accu-cast BII bridge with 19mm string spacing, a barrel-style stereo output jack, a graphite nut, VelveTune B II tuning machines, and Ibanez "dead end" v-shaped strap buttons.

For 1986 the pickups were changed to Lo-B active and the hardware was changed to black.

The RB750 is a related model with chrome hardware. The RB950 is a related model with bird's eye maple top and gold hardware.

The RB850 was discontinued after 1987.

Specifications[]

Related content: Roadstar II Bass series |

Specifications for RB850

Model name: RB850

Year(s) offered: 1984–1987

Sold in: Europe 1984 / USA 1984–1987

Made in: Japan

Price: MSRP: ¥75,000 (1986)^[1] / $579 (1986)^[2] / $629 (1987)^[3]

Finish(es): Black (BK) 1984–1986 / Black Pearl (BP) 1986–1987 / Dark Wine (DW) 1987 / Fire Red (FR) 1984–1985 / Pearl (PL) 1986 / Red Pearl (PR) 1986–1987 / Royal Violet (RV) 1984–1985 / White (WH) 1984–1985

Body

Body type:
Solid body

Body material:
Basswood

Neck joint:
AANJ

Bridge:
Accu-cast BII (19mm string spacing)

Strap buttons:
Ibanez Dead end

Knob style:
Tek Grip knob

Hardware color:
1984–1985: Black chrome
1986–1987: Black

Neck

Neck type:
D shape

Neck material:
3-piece maple

Scale length:
864mm / 34"

Fingerboard material:
Rosewood

Fingerboard inlays:
Pearl dot and pearl side dots

Frets:
24 / medium

Nut:
Graphite (39mm)

Machine heads:
VelveTune B II

Electronics/ Strings

Pickup configuration:
HH

Bridge pickup:
1984–1985: Super J6 passive (H)
1986–1987: Ibanez Lo-B active (H)

Neck pickup:
1984–1985: Super J6 passive (H)
1986–1987: Ibanez Lo-B active (H)

Controls:
1984–1985: Master volume / pickup balancer / tone / push-push Duo Sound switch on tone
1986–1987: Master volume / pickup balancer / tone

Battery:
1984–1985: none
1986–1987: 9V cell

Output jack:
¼" stereo barrel (side mounted)

String gauge (factory):
.045/.065/.085/.105/.130

Factory tuning:
1G,2D,3A,4E (E standard)

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