• Gio basses are affordable, so are good for beginners.Andersen Ross/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  The Gio range from Ibanez focuses on keeping prices affordable. As of October 2010, Ibanez guitars are played by artists such as Fieldy from Korn and Paul Gray from Slipknot. The Ibanez GARTB20 was released in 2010 as part of the Gio series, and the GSR206 is a six-string bass that is also part of the Gio series. The specifications of these guitars should give you an idea of the specifications across the Gio range.
  
  

Neck

• The Ibanez GARTB20 and GSR206 both have maple necks. The wood used for the neck can affect the tone of the bass. Maple necks give a brighter sound to your bass. Both basses have 22 frets, and they both have rosewood fingerboards. Rosewood is used by top-end guitar companies for the frets. The GSR206 is a six-stringer, so the neck is wider than the GARTB20. At the last fret, the GARTB20 has a 60 mm-wide neck, and the GSR206 has an 84 mm-wide neck. The difference here is a result of the additional strings; the Gio series is generally quite unified. Both basses have pearl dot inlays.
  
  

Body

• The GARTB20 has a basswood body. Basswood is not very durable, but it does produce nice warm mid-tones. The GSR206 has an agathis body, which is similar to alder, which gives a balanced tone, a mixture of brightness and warmth. Both of these woods are relatively cheap, and if you are interested in getting a great bass tone, you should be prepared to spend a little more to get better quality. The Gio series is affordable, but suited to beginners or players who don't mind not having an immaculate sound.
  
  

Pickups

• The GARTB20 and GSR206 both have ceramic humbucker pickups. They are dual-coil pickups, which reduce unwanted noise and give a good midrange sound and a powerful output. Humbuckers are the standard pickups on the Gio series. Again, these would be suited for most users, but enthusiasts may wish to buy something with more powerful pickups.
  
  

Additional Features

• The GSR206, according to Bestcovery, is the second best six-string bass on the market for under $500 as of February 2010. It also features "Phat II" active bass boost, to give you extra power on the low end. The GSR206 has a B16 bridge, with six string saddles.
  
  The GARTB20 has a smooth beveled outer edge design and comes in black or red. The design looks very appealing, but there are no additional features on the GARTB20 as with the GSR206. The GARTB20 has a B10 bridge, which is the same style as the GSR206's bridge, but with fewer string saddles.