Ibanez TMB30 vs TMB100: Which is Better? (Comparison)

Trying to decide between Ibanez TMB30 vs TMB100 to start your musical journey?

It is very important to be cautious and selective when choosing the perfect bass guitar, and for a beginner, selecting the best of the best is no easy task. Both these models are very popular entry-level basses and offer lots of useful features that you’ll need as a beginner bass player.

In this post, I’m going to help you decide between TMB30 and TMB100. This isn’t about picking a single “winner”. Instead, I’m going to highlight the key differences and make some recommendations so that you can pick the bass that best fits your needs and budget.

Let’s directly get into the matter:

Ibanez TMB30 vs Talman TMB100: Comparison Overview

Here I am aiming to be the tie-breaker that will help you to decide which bass guitar is better suits your need.

Body Construction and Materials

All the basses from the Talman TMB series comes in the similar classic shape i.e. Ibanez Standard Carved Shape Body.

Both of these basses feature a lightweight Poplar tonewood body with nice glossy finishing on the top. With both models, I like how Ibanez worked nicely with their carved shape that feels very comfortable while playing.

Poplar wood is very common with entry-level bass guitars as not only it cost less but also make instrument light-weight. Even though it absorb more string energy and has lower sustain, but delivers well-balanced and stable bass tone.

TMB100 is a full-size bass of 34 inches whereas the TMB30 model is a short-scale bass guitar having 30 inches of scale length. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, But in terms of quality, It’s a Draw here!

Electronics and Sound Quality

This is the place where I find the major difference between these bass models. Whether I talk about the quality or the versatility of the electronics, the TMB100 model beats TMB30 in almost every aspect.

We’re having Dynamic Passive pickups in the P and J configuration on both basses but the pointer changed at 2-band EQ that comes with the TMB100 model only.

Also, In the control layout, the TMB100 model offers you a Volume/balance knob along with a 1 EQ knob that lets you control the treble and bass boost. Whereas The TMB30 bass has 2 volume knobs and 1 master tone knob only (No EQ).

Although the pickups and those simple controls of the TMB30 model are enough for a player who is just starting out, but TMB100 model can provide a lot more versatility in your tone.

Flexibility in the Neck Profile

Neck profile is another important factor that we need to consider before choosing the perfect bass, but that’s not the case here.

Just like the body design, Ibanez went for an almost similar neck profile for both these basses. We are getting a medium C-shaped, wide and chunky Maple neck profile here with a nice and clean satin finishing all over it.

It is topped with a brown color Jatoba wood fingerboard that provides a nice action to your fret hand.

It is joint with a set-neck system, that although has some downsides while instrument setup and repairing, but It provides a  warmer and fuller sound than a bolt-on joint.

Even though, TMB100 model has a nice neck balance than TMB30, but that’s not a huge deciding factor. Thus It’s a DRAW again!

Quality of Hardware Used

Hardware, Not the most important, but quite a necessary factor for a perfect bass guitar. TMB100 bass guitar comes with chrome-plated standard hardware designed by Ibanez itself. It is equipped with an adjustable high-mass B10 bridge configuration.

Chrome-Plated Open tuning machine heads are given here with plastic bridge pins. Everything works nicely together and provides great stability to the strings while taking care of the intonation.

On the other hand:

TMB30 also scores a standard fixed bridge configuration combined with chrome-plated open tuning machines and plastic nut n saddle. The only downside I find with TMB30 hardware is, It won’t stay in tune for a long time, makes TMB100 a winner again!

Comfort and Ease in Playability

When things come to the beginners bass guitars, comfort and ease in playability also plays an crucial role, as it came make or break the complete motivation of a beginner player to learn a bass.

As I already told, from neck profile to the finishing on the fretboard, both models are getting the same deal. But the difference came at their scale lengths.

TMB30 is a short-scale bass of only 30 inches of scale length, whereas TMB100 comes with a standard 34 inches of scale length.

With shorter-scale Bass, strings might feel little loose to you but that makes them easier to play, especially for an absolute beginner bassist.

If you have already played a standard size bass, a shorter bass will feel weird and different, but it surely makes it easy for you to fret the notes and even bending.

To be fair, I think, people have their own opinions about short-scale bass vs standard bass, But Personally, I feel, If there is something that you can leverage to boost your learning curve, then you should!

Which is Best Suitable for You?

TMB30 and TMB100: Pros and Cons

Here I’m putting the pros and cons side by side just to make your job even more easier:

Check Demo Sound: Ibanez TMB30 vs TMB100

My Final Verdicts:

TMB30 and TMB100 are both popular beginner-friendly bass for a reason. That is, they each have their strengths and weaknesses and there’s no one “better” bass for every single person.

However, with all the specs keeping in mind, I prefer to go with the Talman TMB100 model, due to its amazing electronics and a wide range of tonal options, it’s a great bass to play. But if you want to keep things simple and prefer a short-scale bass, Ibanez TMB30 would be the better choice for you.

Now, I want to hear from you:

What do you think, which bass is more suitable for a beginner bass player? Which bass do you like the most and why? Also, share this article in your social circle so your friends also can get benefitted from this review.

Happy Music!

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