I am looking into getting a new bass soon, and after going through a lot of choices I narrowed it down to the Yamaha RBX170 and the Essex SPB-57 Precision bass. I've read excellent reviews on both these basses, but I need help deciding which one to get. If I buy the Essex, I will swap the stock pickups out with Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounders. I generally play older rock and metal, and very rarely some jazz. Thanks for your input.
I am pretty impressed with the Yamahas. I think you should try them and decide which is right for you. BTW, you could also switch the pick ups in the Yamaha for a big sound improvement. Dan
If you need all 24 frets, go for the Yamaha (or the 24 fretted Essex). But for classic rock you need a classic bass.
That's a bit of a brash statement. Surely you can play classic rock just as well on the yammy, as well as practically any other model of bass, not just fender deriratives.
Have YOU ever played a Yamaha? I had a chance to try out one of the Essex (or SX) basses. It was the 70's style J, and the owner wasn't able to set it up without the action being extremely high. Turns out the neck was already starting to twist. By comparison, I've purchased a number of inexpensive Yamaha basses (RBX250, RBX260, etc.) on behalf several younger people who wanted to start out on the bass and have found them to be consistently decent. They aren't much to look at, but there's virtually nothing about a lower end Yamaha that keeps it from being a completely usable bass for gigging or recording.
Actually i have tried quite a few low end Yamahas. One was set up crappy, so not the basses fault, the other ones played very nicely. They could use new pickups, obviously, so i see your point in them being a decent bass. I just think Essex is better though, if you replace the pickups.
Thanks for all your replies. I was actually going to go with the Yamaha, but then I saw the ESP F104 on closeout for just a little bit more than the Yammy. So does anyone have experience with this bass? It has active electronics, and is only about 20 dollars more than the Yamaha.
