SHOULD I UPGRADE MY BASS?

[merolbassist]

hi

im new around here
I have an epiphone thunderbird iv 4 string, and then i saw on amazon an Yamaha RBX170EW, I like bass guitars with a darkwood design... but I was wondering if I should upgrade my bass guitar, which one is better? should i buy it? or keep my thunderbird?

Epihpone Thunderbird IV [VS] Yamaha RBX170EW

thanks

 

[Crystalman85]

Welcome to talkbass, merolbassist. If you're looking to buy a new bass, it would be best to go to your local music store and try out some basses. see which bass is right for you. also if you like your epiphone thunderbird, you should keep it. however, owning a 2nd bass as a back-up would be a good investment if you're a gigging musician.

 

[Wallace320]

1st of all, congrats for the place you live in

I may have gone the "tourist" way, but when I been there, I was astonished by the beauty of the area

Back to your needs

You have a far better bass than the one you're lookin' for.

Your Thunderbird is made out of mahogany and, even if in the Standard (bolt on) configuration, the pickup offering is way better than the P/J on Rbx170

I consider myself to be a somewhat "Yamaha" guy, so no Yammy bashin' here

It's just that, exotic top apart (EW goes for "exotic wood") Rbx170 is made out of agathis and its headstock machineheads are lame, to say the least.

To consider a change, look for an Rbx270j, 'cause it's an alder body bass and its P/J configuration - and machineheads - are way more "on the solid side"

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Wallace

 

[merolbassist]

im not good with terms like standar bolt on, P/J, so the difference that are you telling to me is the material which those are made?, how about the sound quality? which one is better?

 

[Wallace320]

im not good with terms like standar bolt on, P/J, so the difference that are you telling to me is the material which those are made?, how about the sound quality? which one is better?

"Standard", on Epiphone Thunderbirds, means bolt on, so that the neck is applied to the body with long screws. Classic and pro Thunderbirds are neckthru body, so the neck is a 9 stripes piece of wood goin' thru the whole body length with mahogany wings aside.

P/J means a combination of Precision-like (center) and Jazz-like (bridge) pickups
but the two (and quality of machineheads) on Rbx170 are less value than the ones on Rbx270j

The sound is a bit brighter and tighter on Rbx170, but lacks in depth and headroom, which are conversely richer, together with overall sustain, on Rbx270j

Problem is (and I both had Rbx270j and Standard Thunderbird) that the sound per se, and its capability to cut thru a band mix, is better on your Thunderbird than on both Rbx Yammies.

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Wallace

 

[wild4oldcars]

to be completely honest, i would put the thunderbird miles ahead of the rbx170ew in playability, tone, and definitely aesthetics. the 170ew i saw (i believe there was some kinda mango model or something) was hands down the ugliest bass ive ever laid eyes on. but thats me.