Well that's the thing, the FET amps are common-source, so they act as voltage/impedance buffers, not gain boosters.
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Well that's the thing, the FET amps are common-source, so they act as voltage/impedance buffers, not gain boosters.
I'm trying to figure out what my next set of strings is going to be for my TRB-6P. Right now, I have stainless steel Fodera strings on both basses. I was contemplating ordering a set of Fodera nickels for the TRB-6P, but as I was doing so, I came across these posts. Gscroggin, Versatek6 - what has made you like the sound of your respective string choices on this instrument?
Gscroggin, you mentioned having tried many other strings - what else have you tried? And what sort of tone are you after? Versatek6, I think you mentioned that these were a recommendation from the basstringsonline (now FretNation?) owner. Do you remember what in particular he recommended them for (was it just "the string for this bass," or was it to go after a particular sound)?
Do either of you have any recordings of you playing with your choice of string? If so, I'd love to hear them!
Same set of questions (what strings do you use; what do you like about them; are there others that you tried that you didn't like; do you have any recordings?) goes for anyone else with a TRB-6P
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@Quintessence I tend to be a fan of DR strings, and most often use FatBeams and Pure Blues on other basses. That said I've got Hi-Beams and Sunbeams on two other basses. As far as stuff I've tried on the TRB besides DRs, it's been the D'Addario EXLs and NYXLs, a La Bella flatwound set and a Rotosound set (I can't remember the specific names/gauges), and I'm sure a few others. I've always come back to the EXLs.
As far as the sound that I'm after, or more accurately the sound that I've come to accept with this bass, I'd call it a focused, modern sound I guess. I've had my TRB since 1992 and played a ton of different genres on it. More times than not I was able to get the sound I was after for the gig or band I was on/in. That said it's got a particular, focused, clean single coil sound, so it's not the best fit for everything. It's never going to sound like a P, and I don't think I've ever brought it to any popular music cover band gigs. In some heavy settings it's sounded good, and in others I've preferred different basses with different pickup configurations. In an acoustic rock / singer-songwriter type band, it wasn't a fit (and I ultimately went DB and fretless). In latin and big bands in college it was killer. Same thing with some original (progressive-ish?) rock bands. When I think about modern jazz, it's THE sound, especially when soloing and definitely with the EXLs for whatever reason. Going back in time one of the primary reasons I bought the TRB was because one of my bass heroes played it (Patitucci), so it's entirely possible that I just associate the sound of the TRB and EXLs being a familiar sound that grabs me. All of this is of course totally subjective, but hopefully it helps you in some way
As far as the sound that I'm after, or more accurately the sound that I've come to accept with this bass, I'd call it a focused, modern sound I guess. I've had my TRB since 1992 and played a ton of different genres on it. More times than not I was able to get the sound I was after for the gig or band I was on/in. That said it's got a particular, focused, clean single coil sound, so it's not the best fit for everything. It's never going to sound like a P, and I don't think I've ever brought it to any popular music cover band gigs. In some heavy settings it's sounded good, and in others I've preferred different basses with different pickup configurations. In an acoustic rock / singer-songwriter type band, it wasn't a fit (and I ultimately went DB and fretless). In latin and big bands in college it was killer. Same thing with some original (progressive-ish?) rock bands. When I think about modern jazz, it's THE sound, especially when soloing and definitely with the EXLs for whatever reason. Going back in time one of the primary reasons I bought the TRB was because one of my bass heroes played it (Patitucci), so it's entirely possible that I just associate the sound of the TRB and EXLs being a familiar sound that grabs me. All of this is of course totally subjective, but hopefully it helps you in some way
I'm trying to figure out what my next set of strings is going to be for my TRB-6P. Right now, I have stainless steel Fodera strings on both basses. I was contemplating ordering a set of Fodera nickels for the TRB-6P, but as I was doing so, I came across these posts. Gscroggin, Versatek6 - what has made you like the sound of your respective string choices on this instrument?
...
Do either of you have any recordings of you playing with your choice of string? If so, I'd love to hear them!
Same set of questions (what strings do you use; what do you like about them; are there others that you tried that you didn't like; do you have any recordings?) goes for anyone else with a TRB-6P
I did get the GHS Pressurewounds on recommendation from Jason. It's been a while, but I believe one of the reasons they were recommended was the reduced finger noise played very nicely with the piezo bridge. I have found them to be very articulate and full-sounding, and quite confortable under the fingers. This is not my main bass, so my technique is a bit sloppy - less string noise makes me sound better! I've been very happy with them. No recordings, sorry.
I don't have the same kind of string on any of my basses. My TRB5 has EB Cobalt Rounds, which are a great match. Others have Cobalt Flats, D'Adario Tapewound, Elrick, Pedula, DR Fat Beams / Legend Flats / Black Beauties or Neon Whites. I don't get paid to play, so a consistent, repeatable sound isn't a necessity, and I try different things. I haven't had the desire to change things up recently, so maybe I've settled down. I think the only string I haven't been able to make work for me is the DR Hellborg; tried it on different instruments, and was just not happy. Were I to try something else on the TRB6p, it might be the Cobalt Flats.
I'll add that although I'm not a fan of flats in general, I really do like EB Cobalt Flats on a few of my basses. They're just so versatile for some styles of playing and music.
The TRB preamp basically acts like a stereo-to-mono preamp. Unlike other brands out there, the pickups don't go directly to the pan-pot. There's a preamp for each pickup before the blend that compensates for the dip that occurs when you run both pickups at the same time. Pretty neat design, but it has a reputation for eating batteries much faster than other brands because of all the preamp stages.
If you just wire up the pickup "sounding" coils, they function as low-impedance singles - BUT, not ever TRB out there has singles with a dummy coil in those pickups. Yamaha also has a few split-singles (like the JP models) which are hum-bucking and don't require the cancellation circuit. You can't really tell just by looking at the bass up front. The recent Nathan East bass actually has stacked humbuckers.
I bet the ones that have had the best experiences with JE pres are likely putting them in JP basses, or Nathan East basses, or one of the other models that had either stacked or dual-coil pickups. In fact, open a JP bass and you'll see the preamp is identical but the cancellation circuit is left off the board - the markings are still there, but the traces to them don't exist.
You can. Yamaha Dummy Coil system was just a way to get some kind of single coil sound without the 60/50hz hum.
When I replaced the stock preamp, I got also the typical single coil hum when panpotting pickups.
Years later I also replaced both pickups with custom made ones.
Alright - I finally bit the bullet and ordered a new set of strings for my TRB-6P. I went with a set of Ken Smith Compressors, which Jason from FretNation says are very similar to the GHS Pressurewounds.
In the Compressors, I was hoping for a string that would tame some of the excessive brightness of the bass without losing the focus. I was also hoping for something that would give the bass some more low/low-mid thickness. A couple weeks in, I have not been disappointed!
When I first got the Compressors, I was not in love with the sound, but a few days in I found myself much happier than I was with the Fodera SS strings. @Versatek6 - presuming that these are as similar to the GHS Pressurewounds as many (including Jason) say, you were right about these being a great match. The bass still has a very focused sound, but the Compressors add a thickness and tame the excess brilliance/brightness of the bass.
@gscroggin - I 100% agree about "focused" as a description of the sound of this bass. For whatever it's worth, my bass originally had an old set of D'Addarios on when I bought it; when I switched to the Fodera SS strings, I found them even more focused than the old set of D'Addarios.
In the Compressors, I was hoping for a string that would tame some of the excessive brightness of the bass without losing the focus. I was also hoping for something that would give the bass some more low/low-mid thickness. A couple weeks in, I have not been disappointed!
When I first got the Compressors, I was not in love with the sound, but a few days in I found myself much happier than I was with the Fodera SS strings. @Versatek6 - presuming that these are as similar to the GHS Pressurewounds as many (including Jason) say, you were right about these being a great match. The bass still has a very focused sound, but the Compressors add a thickness and tame the excess brilliance/brightness of the bass.
@gscroggin - I 100% agree about "focused" as a description of the sound of this bass. For whatever it's worth, my bass originally had an old set of D'Addarios on when I bought it; when I switched to the Fodera SS strings, I found them even more focused than the old set of D'Addarios.
I use DR Sunbeams on my TRB 6 II, I keep the strings for very long time, raraly replace, so lose most of the brightness, but that string don’t lose the sustain!
I wouldn't call it modern, not today at least, it surely was in the 80s. The concept behind the TRB was some kind of 6 stringed Super J, with noiseless single coils and active electronics. Switch on the Neck pickup and there's the p-bass character, switch on the Bridge pickup and there's the funky-honky sound of the jazz bass. At the same time it doesn't sound like either of those, but definitely a variation of that fenderish sound. Its very hi-mid rangy/focused sound I strongly believe to come from the neck/fretboard, which is totally different from any Fender bass.
Same goes for Furlanetto, Fodera and other 6 stringed basses with 2 soapbars in J position or any combo of P+J.
At this point I don't know what's modern by today standards anymore. But something that mostly steers away from Fender designs. Maybe Dingwall or MM Bongo.
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Apparently, TRB stands for 'Totally Radical Bass'... but I can't verify that on the Yamaha pages
I think the “Totally Radical Bass” thing was a joke someone made years ago on this thread. I haven’t seen anything credible that suggests that the letters actually stand for anything.
That's what I recall hearing as well, though I have nothing to back it up either
Someone somewhere also mentioned that TR is the initials for the gentleman that originally designed it, with B being for Bass, but again I have no actual reference. That said in the event anyone can read what I'm assuming is Japanese, the answer might be here in some of the embedded images in the 90s: Chronology - Yamaha - United States
Here's the literal translation (slightly odd wording in places):
To express YAMAHA’s high dimensionality bass concept. Evolution of peripheral equipment contributes to sound-range expansion and for player’s desires such as new phrasing. Total quality cope (?) with a whole body. Compilation of technical style “TRB”.
Maybe 'Totally Radical Bass' isn't so far off after all.
To express YAMAHA’s high dimensionality bass concept. Evolution of peripheral equipment contributes to sound-range expansion and for player’s desires such as new phrasing. Total quality cope (?) with a whole body. Compilation of technical style “TRB”.
Maybe 'Totally Radical Bass' isn't so far off after all.
According to some Brazilian bassdudes it might be an acronym for The Real Bass.
Início e Fim dos Yamaha TRB5 I e II.
Início e Fim dos Yamaha TRB5 I e II.
I'm wondering whether it's not based on a Romanization of Japanese words. Unfortunately Google Translate is near-worthless, pretty much any English to Japanese translation ends up a kana of the English words (Japanglish).
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