Phil Maneri’s
BASS
LAB
This articles was published in #Issue 18 in winter 2006.
I want to serve up this bass to all the $2,000 and up makers who struggle with the fundamentals in instrument building. I often see expensive, great-sounding instruments that miss some of the simple, but essential, bedrock procedures – like a fully functioning truss rod, straight and true fret work (polished without file chatter and sanding marks), clean electronic wiring and full shielding. This bass has all that, without drawing attention to itself, and sells for $500.
I don’t have much to complain about. Okay, yes, the hardware is just okay and the paint looks dull, but it’s a great-sounding, great-playing bass. The mahogany body, maple-and-mahogany sandwich neck and rosewood fingerboard yield a warm, fat, punchy sound. The hardware is pedestrian, but functional. The star of the show here is in the electronics. Great-sounding pickups and a versatile active circuit manage to sound way better than the price point usually does. The finish is well-applied and functional. The body is well-balanced and looks pleasing to the eye. The truss rod is double-acting and real easy to get at to adjust. It’s perfect. The bass can adjust wherever you want it, and most likely will continue to do so over time.
This bass is getting some new competition from a relatively recent brand that we are also reviewing right now, but if it wasn’t for this newcomer, the TRBX would be out all on it’s own in its price point. Put this in the short list under $1,000.
Yamaha TRBX504
CONFIGURATION
| Strings: | 4 |
| Style: | Double cutaway |
| Overall Length: | 43" |
| Body Dimension: | 19" long x 12,5" wide at lower bout |
| Body Contouring: | Heavy |
| Weight: | 8.75 lbs |
NECK
| Scale length: | 34” |
| Neck width at nut: | 1.507” |
| Neck width at 12th fret: | 2.186” |
| Neck width at joint: | 2.422” |
| Neck thickness at nut: | .842” |
| Neck thickness at 1st fret: | .762” |
| Neck thickness at 12th fret: | .852” |
| Neck thickness at joint: | .990” |
| String spacing at nut: | .368” |
| String spacing at saddle: | .720” |
| Fingerboard radius: | 9.5” |
| Descriptor for neck shape: | D |
| Peghead break angle: | 12 deg |
| Bridge break angle: | 16 deg |
| Afterlength at nut: | 2” to 4 3/8” |
| Afterlength at saddle: | 1 3/8” to 1 5/8” |
| Attachment: | Bolt-on |
| Pocket gap: | .006” |
| Truss rod type/access: | Dual-action / body end |
| Fret count: | 24 |
| Fretwire: | 90x50 |
ELECTRONICS
| Pickups: | Yamaha HHB5n, HHB5b (Alnico V) |
| Pickup location(s): | 11 5/16", 14 3/4" from the 12th fret |
| Electronics: | Proprietary |
| Controls: | Volume, blend, bass, middle, treble, active/passive switch |
| Shielding: | Paint |
| Preamp circuit voltage: | 9v |
CONSTRUCTION
| Body Woods: | Mahogany |
| Neck Woods | 5-piece maple/mahogany |
| Fingerboard: | Rosewood |
| Body Finish: | Urethane |
| Neck Finish: | Urethane |
HARDWARE
| Strings: | D’Addario XL170 Nickel Roundwounds |
| Gauge: | .045, .065, .080, .100 |
| Attachment: | At bridge |
| Bridge/color: | Yamaha high mass / black chrome |
| Nut: | Teflon |
| Tuners/color: | Gotoh / black chrome |
| Knobs/color: | Metal knurled dome / black chrome |
| Pickguard: | n/a |
| Control cavity cover: | Black plastic |
GENERAL
| Company: | Yamaha Corporation of America 6600 Orangethorpe Ave Buena Park, CA 90620 www.yamaha.com |
| County of origin: | Indonesia |
| Warranty: | Limited lifetime warranty |
| Price: | $795 list, $499 street |
| Options: | None |
| Accessories: | None |
| Available colors: | Translucent Brown, Translucent Black, Translucent White |
| Acquired from: | Yamaha Corporation of America |
| Dates: | Spring/Fall 2015 |
| Locals: | Ohio |
| Test gear: | GK 700RB-II, GK Neo115/Neo210, Ampeg Micro-VR, Ampeg SVT-210AV, Michael Arnopol Soundworks MAS-66/110, Peavey MiniMega, Genzler BA12-3, Squire by Fender ‘62 Jazz Bass Reissue, Sadowsky WL-4, Pedulla Nuance 4 |
TEST RESULTS
1-5 (unacceptable to impeccable)
In-hand
| Features: | 4.5 |
| Tonal Flexibility: | 3.5 |
| Ease of Use: | 4.5 |
| Aesthetics: | 4 |
| Ergonomics: | 5 |
| Tone: | 4 |
| Value: | 5 |
In-hand Score 4.36average
On-bench Score 4.53average
On-bench
| Overall construction | 4 |
| Wood choice | 4 |
| Materials choice | 4 |
| Joinery | 4 |
| Fretwork | 4 |
| Fit and Finish of adornments | 4 |
| Quality of finish work | 5 |
| Ease of repair | 5 |
| Potential range of setup | 5 |
| Balance on knee | 4 |
| Balance on strap | 4 |
| Overall electronic quality | 5 |
| Solder joints, wire runs | 5 |
| Clarity | 5 |
| Noise | 5 |
| Shielding | 5 |
| Quality for Price Range | 5 |
SONIC PROFILE:
Low: Full and warm, but not muddy; supportive
Mids: Full and meaty; more low mids than high mids
Highs: Smooth and polite; can dial in some bite
TONE-O-METER:
Great passive “Yamaha” tone right out of the gate, with a supportive, vintage vibe. Active preamp allows for more options and more attack.
