Yamaha TRBX174 Violin Sunburst Bass Guitar

Ordered the last piece of Yamaha TRB174. Would prefer the red one but was sold out. Sunburst looks ok too. Guitar was left outside the house when I opened my main door early in the morning 7ish am. Probably delivered late night after 10pm without sending any notification to me. Overall, tested and worked well with my mustang micro too.

Crazy good super cheap bass!!!

Okay, this bass was found at the dump by a friend of mine who gave it to me. After cleaning it up, putting on new strings and setting up the action it was ready to play, and play it does!!!Forget about being a budget instrument, this has an amazingly fast and responsive neck which is quite touch sensitive for a wide tonal range. The PJ pickup combo is also quite impressive for cheap stock pickups. With the P pickup running predominantly this has an amazing growl in the low end. I've thought about replacing the pickups but just can't imagine that replacements would do much better! About the only obvious weakness here is the tuners (what else is new of cheap instruments). They don't hold up well over time and one in particular has become very stiff. These will be ... MoreOkay, this bass was found at the dump by a friend of mine who gave it to me. After cleaning it up, putting on new strings and setting up the action it was ready to play, and play it does!!!Forget about being a budget instrument, this has an amazingly fast and responsive neck which is quite touch sensitive for a wide tonal range. The PJ pickup combo is also quite impressive for cheap stock pickups. With the P pickup running predominantly this has an amazing growl in the low end. I've thought about replacing the pickups but just can't imagine that replacements would do much better! About the only obvious weakness here is the tuners (what else is new of cheap instruments). They don't hold up well over time and one in particular has become very stiff. These will be replaced and besides that there's not much else I feel needs to be done to enhance this bass any further.To be honest, I feel rather ambivalent about this instrument only because it's so impressive that it leaves me questioning much more expensive instruments that I currently own. I have a German Warwick Corvette as well as USA made Guilds and Fenders. I love them all, but still find myself reaching for this stupid lightweight cheap bass that somehow still remains a total joy to play and sounds amazing too!

Definitely a YES

This bass guitar is every bit worth the $$!I bought this specific TRBX model (without having played it first) because in 1992 I learned playing on an RBX170 (ultimately the exact same that this current model has replaced).I play that original bass to this day & have gotten more compliments on it's tone than you would believe. I have altered literally nothing in almost 30 years outside of minor adjustments/repairs & have literally beaten the life out of the thing....guess what???...it still (w/ rusted p/u poles & all) sounds amazing!! I have much nicer/more expensive instruments that I would part with FIRST without a thought!THIS TRBX model created 30 years later plays & sounds IDENTICAL!!(with the obvious exception of the additional J p/u offering more tonal ... MoreThis bass guitar is every bit worth the $$!I bought this specific TRBX model (without having played it first) because in 1992 I learned playing on an RBX170 (ultimately the exact same that this current model has replaced).I play that original bass to this day & have gotten more compliments on it's tone than you would believe. I have altered literally nothing in almost 30 years outside of minor adjustments/repairs & have literally beaten the life out of the thing....guess what???...it still (w/ rusted p/u poles & all) sounds amazing!! I have much nicer/more expensive instruments that I would part with FIRST without a thought!THIS TRBX model created 30 years later plays & sounds IDENTICAL!!(with the obvious exception of the additional J p/u offering more tonal options, so it possibly sounds BETTER!!??)Regardless of what your playing level, style OR intended purpose may be....THIS bass will do whatever you want & need!! And for the price....you can buy em & give em away...then buy more hahaha!! A true testament to the continued quality of even the lowest end of Yamaha products!!! Well done!

Great Bass but Heavy

I really do like this Bass. The color, playability and versatility are great. However, I'm having buyer's remorse, because this Bass is HEAVY! I'm a beginner to Intermediate bass player. I'm a disabled veteran that uses music therapy as part of my health routine. Having a heavy bass causes my previous injuries to be agitated, which in turn, I practice less with my new bass and pick up my old one. I feel bad about this because it is a great bass in other retrospect. But I'm stuck with it.

Great bass

Just bought this bass today, super rumbly, but has a wide tone range. It's a great bass for beginners and I would even say a great bass for someone who's been playing for a while. Even better, it's a little lower on the price range. I bought it in Natural color and it's beautiful, despite it being on the heavier side, it's a great bass if you're looking for a bass that won't send you into bankruptcy. You really can't go wrong with Yamaha stuff.

Great intermediate bass guitar

Great intermediate bass guitar, Looks and sounds amazing. The strings are a lot more sensitive than what i’m used to but it was very easy to adapt to. It’s light, comfortable and easy to use, and it has a versatile tone that is easy to adjust.Great instrument for practice and performance.

My second Yamaha bass, just as good!

Full disclosure: I love Yamaha instruments. They're almost always well made, well designed, and good value for the money. I've got lots of gear, though. I bought this bass to play with a classic rock band, so that I could bang about a bit without having to worry about it. Boy, did I get the bonus plan!Workmanship is darned good. The neck finish is way better than most basses as far as feel. It's silky smooth. Nothing flashy about it whatsoever (in fact, you'll hear that a lot in this review). The paint is pretty flawless: maybe a little ripple on the back, almost unnoticeable, and the added bonus of the headstock being painted as well. The hardware is of good quality and installed well; again, nothing flashy, but does the job. Frets are decent medium-jumbo and are ... MoreFull disclosure: I love Yamaha instruments. They're almost always well made, well designed, and good value for the money. I've got lots of gear, though. I bought this bass to play with a classic rock band, so that I could bang about a bit without having to worry about it. Boy, did I get the bonus plan!Workmanship is darned good. The neck finish is way better than most basses as far as feel. It's silky smooth. Nothing flashy about it whatsoever (in fact, you'll hear that a lot in this review). The paint is pretty flawless: maybe a little ripple on the back, almost unnoticeable, and the added bonus of the headstock being painted as well. The hardware is of good quality and installed well; again, nothing flashy, but does the job. Frets are decent medium-jumbo and are finished pretty well for the price, with minimal roughness or sprout. Mine arrived needing about a quarter turn of truss adjustment, then I played it in for a week or so and swapped out the stock strings for my favorite flats and this thing is a dream. It's truly a chameleon. You can make it sound like anything, especially through a good DI preamp (I'm using the Acoustic BPDI right now: nice little box!). I also really like the pickups. Nice and warm, and loud enough.Bottom line: Is this bass good for a beginner? Absolutely, and for an intermediate player, and for a gigging musician who needs the versatility of a P/J in a simple, affordable package.

The only 4 string I will need to own

Everything about this bass is amazing from the craftsmanship to the electronics. I have owned this bass for over a year now and everything works the same as it did out of the box. This is my go to bass for playing cliff burton solos, or basically anything else that doesn't need a 5th string. The build quality of this instrument is immaculate for the price. The body shape kind of reminds me of a music man majesty. The fretboard is so easy to move around on, and doesn't really need cleaning after heavy play sessions. Mine is still in mint condition even after hitting the headstock on a wall a few times. The only con is the high end fret buzz that occurred out of the box which was an easy fix by adjusting the action. I suggest getting the violin sunburst color because ... MoreEverything about this bass is amazing from the craftsmanship to the electronics. I have owned this bass for over a year now and everything works the same as it did out of the box. This is my go to bass for playing cliff burton solos, or basically anything else that doesn't need a 5th string. The build quality of this instrument is immaculate for the price. The body shape kind of reminds me of a music man majesty. The fretboard is so easy to move around on, and doesn't really need cleaning after heavy play sessions. Mine is still in mint condition even after hitting the headstock on a wall a few times. The only con is the high end fret buzz that occurred out of the box which was an easy fix by adjusting the action. I suggest getting the violin sunburst color because the picture really doesn't show how nice it looks.

Tone monster! Incredible bass

This is a killer bass. I wasn't really looking for another bass, until I was in a music shop walking through some demo amps, a guy playing a TRBX174 was getting up, noticed me checking out this great looking bass. I asked how he like it, "it's so nice, "here try it" I took him up on the offer and fell in love. Incredible tone, the neck just felt right, fret edges had no rough edges... the finish is flawless, excellent hardware. I wanted to find something that I'd didn't like..but no...everything was spot on. WAIT!! the action,,surely the shop set up this wonderful bass before hanging it on the wall. I asked one of the guys working there if the bass was set up by the shop. "Nope actually we just took it out of the box this morning and haven't had time to do anything ... MoreThis is a killer bass. I wasn't really looking for another bass, until I was in a music shop walking through some demo amps, a guy playing a TRBX174 was getting up, noticed me checking out this great looking bass. I asked how he like it, "it's so nice, "here try it" I took him up on the offer and fell in love. Incredible tone, the neck just felt right, fret edges had no rough edges... the finish is flawless, excellent hardware. I wanted to find something that I'd didn't like..but no...everything was spot on. WAIT!! the action,,surely the shop set up this wonderful bass before hanging it on the wall. I asked one of the guys working there if the bass was set up by the shop. "Nope actually we just took it out of the box this morning and haven't had time to do anything to it"That was it, no way I could not buy one. I bought the TRBX174EW in the Tobaco sunburst (I have seen it labeled as vintage violin sunburst also?) Nothing has changed, I can't put it down. I have other bass guitars that cost much, much, much more and I have to say, I enjoy playing this TRBS174 just as much as any if my others. Highly recomended to ANY bass player, new student or seasoned pro of many years. Buy this Bass and thank me latter.

What a Pleasant Surprise!

Should you be in the market for a decent, inexpensive bass, you really should consider this model. Having just arrived home from jamming with six friends, three of whom (including myself) are gigging pros, I felt obligated to congratulate Yamaha Corp for creating such a marvelous bass for the price. I brought my favorite jamming bass--a Squier VM 70's jazz bass--to the jam yet ended up playing this TRBX for four hours. (The guy who owns the studio remarked that he just bought it (used), and he wanted me to try it out.) I'll admit that the controls for the pots are cheap plastic, but everything else about the bass was top notch. It's a passive bass, but the EQ is very responsive with a wide range of voicings from its P/J style pups. Beautifully finished neck, a ... MoreShould you be in the market for a decent, inexpensive bass, you really should consider this model. Having just arrived home from jamming with six friends, three of whom (including myself) are gigging pros, I felt obligated to congratulate Yamaha Corp for creating such a marvelous bass for the price. I brought my favorite jamming bass--a Squier VM 70's jazz bass--to the jam yet ended up playing this TRBX for four hours. (The guy who owns the studio remarked that he just bought it (used), and he wanted me to try it out.) I'll admit that the controls for the pots are cheap plastic, but everything else about the bass was top notch. It's a passive bass, but the EQ is very responsive with a wide range of voicings from its P/J style pups. Beautifully finished neck, a fretboard with a generous slab of rosewood--it sure looked and felt like rosewood, despite what it's being called in the GC write-up--a really smooth fret-edge finish, solid body wood, but not too heavy. Tuners worked great, and the sunburst stain under the urethane finish was masterfully done. The studio owner bought the bass with flatwound strings, but the pups made them sound clear, with a nice degree of sustain. This TRBX will serve a bassist well as a back-up, but I wouldn't be surprised if some would use it as a main axe (maybe after ditching the plastic knobs for better-quality ones). btw, I had it input to a Tech-21 bass Sansamp (which I use all the time), and into a GK MB210-ii. Even with the Sansamp bypassed, it performed quite well. In summary: Nice surprise!