YAMAHA TRB CLUB

[bassix67]

Link Removed
Here's mine Just picked it up brand new last week!
Droppin an Audere classic preamp in next week. The
stock pre is not giving me enough color.

 

[Splinky]

Seen a bunch of these at some bass shop, plays like a charm. Wish me luck in scrounging up 1000 dollars.

 

[bassix67]

You can get one online for $850 to $899.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've got to get another TRB6.

 

[jcburn]

Just got this - late 90's TRB5. Guy bought it and never played it. Sat in a case for years. It has the oil finish, 34 inch scale and has atrim pot in the back cavity for output gain, one for mid cut/boost and two rollers to select different mid centres. Made in Japan. Have tinkered with setup yet as I always do but plays pretty good. I dont understand the comlaints about low output with these basses - this equals the utput of a Fender I have with a J-Retro pre at full gain. Plays great, balances great, sounds great. My only gripe may be a bit of hiss when I boost the highs.
Just out of interest has anyone ever changed out the preamp in their TRB? At the moment I'm liking the sound but I usually like dicking around with different pre's.
At any rate I paid about $800 Aussie dollars. I am happy!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Just got this - late 90's TRB5. Guy bought it and never played it. Sat in a case for years. It has the oil finish, 34 inch scale and has atrim pot in the back cavity for output gain, one for mid cut/boost and two rollers to select different mid centres. Made in Japan. Have tinkered with setup yet as I always do but plays pretty good. I dont understand the comlaints about low output with these basses - this equals the utput of a Fender I have with a J-Retro pre at full gain. Plays great, balances great, sounds great. My only gripe may be a bit of hiss when I boost the highs.
Just out of interest has anyone ever changed out the preamp in their TRB? At the moment I'm liking the sound but I usually like dicking around with different pre's.
At any rate I paid about $800 Aussie dollars. I am happy!

Sweet bass, I have the one the same color but it is not pristine like yours. I think complaints about output come from people who have not learned that the preamp have trimpots with multiple adjustments that control output.

 

[Barrigas]

Hi Dr. Cheese,
I have one TRB5-II and can you help me about what those 2 trimpots exactly do, and how do they work?
Thanks in advanced!

 

[jcburn]

I'll chip in as best I can.
As I see it there are 2 trim pots with a phillips head cross in the top of each and two roller pots with a centre line on each.
The top trim pot as you look with the bass upright controls the overall output of the bass, and with the pot all the way up has tons of output (and I am comparing this to some of my other basses with J Retro pres, Bartolini pres). The bottom trim pot controls the amount of boost or cut for the mids. The two rollers control the centre frequency for mids, depending on what position the external mid knob is selected(see my second pic - you should be able to see what the external knob says - MID BOOST, MID CUT AND OFF(flat).
Hope that helps. Even with this knowledge you still really have to set and test different settings to find your tone. FUN.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I'll chip in as best I can.
As I see it there are 2 trim pots with a phillips head cross in the top of each and two roller pots with a centre line on each.
The top trim pot as you look with the bass upright controls the overall output of the bass, and with the pot all the way up has tons of output (and I am comparing this to some of my other basses with J Retro pres, Bartolini pres). The bottom trim pot controls the amount of boost or cut for the mids. The two rollers control the centre frequency for mids, depending on what position the external mid knob is selected(see my second pic - you should be able to see what the external knob says - MID BOOST, MID CUT AND OFF(flat).
Hope that helps. Even with this knowledge you still really have to set and test different settings to find your tone. FUN.

That's it. Take it slow, a little turn can really change the tone.

 

[jcburn]

That's it. Take it slow, a little turn can really change the tone.

Very true Cheese - a little goes a long way and changes tone quite a lot. I am very impressed. Thought I was gonna be swapping out the pre.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Very true Cheese - a little goes a long way and changes tone quite a lot. I am very impressed. Thought I was gonna be swapping out the pre.

I am really impressed with my TRB5s. Tonally, they compare very favorably with really expensive soapbar loaded basses like MTDs and Jerzey Drozds. They don't have the same level of fit and finish, but soundwise, the humble Japanese TRB series can totally hang with the big boys!

 

[jcburn]

Have you recorded with yours? I'm about to. Looking forward to it.

 

[jcburn]

I guess one more question I have that I may start a thread on is can you get a luthier to add a gloss finish over the blue rubbed finish? Anyone ever done it?

 

[Barrigas]

Thanks guys!
You really helped me!
Gonna give it a try!
Thanks!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Have you recorded with yours? I'm about to. Looking forward to it.

I did some really informal stuff with a digital recorder. I thought it really sounded good. I will try to post something in the future.

 

[jcburn]

Not everyone's cup of tea but I am soon to record with my band - an 80's style metal/thrash band but with a heavy melodic edge. I record through my Hartke head, direct to Mbox then into amplitude. I will post some clips when done.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I think the key to the TRB5's good sound is the three position mid switch. Limiting options when it comes to mids makes it very easy to quickly come up with useful tones. IME, sweepable mids or multiplie mid bands are versatile, but they can really take up a lot of time in try to adjust, and once adjusted, it can be very hard to remember what the setting you liked was.

From what I hear, this approach is similar to what Sadowsky has done with the Will Lee Signature model. The TRB5 does not sound like a Jazz, but I think it does a great job of imitating both MTD style sounds which emphasize lows and highs with a definite "scoop," and it can approximate the mid heavy tones of a ken Smith or Cirrus. To be clear, it does not sound like any of those basses, but it is great at producing quality modern soapbar style tones.

 

[jcburn]

OK - I will NOT be changing the preamp out of this bass. My current gigs are worlds apart (1 is acoustic duo covers, the other is original melodic thrash(combine 80's Metallica with Maiden and you're somewhere there). I play through a Hartke LH500 which is basically a 500 watt Fender tone stack, with Bass at 2.5, mids at
10 and treble at about 3(for those in the know this is a fairly flat setting with a slight bass and treble boost, mids flat). I have the bass set with the bass and treble flat, the mids in the boost position, with the internal mid boost all the way up and the roller set at about 3/10 (low mids). Both pickups at full and internal gain pot at 100%.
Have ya got all that? No with that setting and my amp at live volume setting it gets a great nasty tone sorta like Steve Harris on Killers (my fav bass sound), however when I roll the volume back on the bass it tames it down for a nice round sound for the acoustic stuff.
Here's the other things that people dont usually comment upon. For the acoustic stuff we tune down 1/2 a step, but the original stuff we go down a whole step (ADGCF). I have the action set very low, play with a pick and get NO BUZZING for either tuning, nor do I need to set the bass up between tunings.
I am stoked!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I played my blue TRB5 for two services yesterday since it was a Pastor's anniversary celebration. Between my TRB5s and my MarkBass combo, I am truly gettting the sort of modern tone I love. My only issue with these basses is that their preamps are a touch sizzly live. I will see if more shielding will quiet them when I get a chance. These basses sound so good, that I will probably pass on a Cirrus 5 trade deal. I find it hard to believe that I might pass up the deal because I have wanted a Cirrus 5 for so long, but these TRB5s are really delivering the goods, so why not just keep them and be content?

I remembered really loving my TRB6, but it was so long ago that I didn't have a tone for that bass in my head any more. I'm pretty sure that these humbucking TRB5s don't get the same tone, but they really work well for what I am doing. I strongly encourage anyone who is looking for an active bass with a modern tone for funk, fusion, r&b, Urban Gospel, to check these basses out if you can. These basses would also work well in rock or country, but since I don't play much rock, and no country, others would be better sources on how TRBs work with those styles.

 

[jcburn]

My sound above would work for rock or metal I think, plus as mentioned pulling back the volume gives a nice mellow/round sound for acoustic style duo stuff.