In fact the other day I was helping a friend set up his Yamaha synth. It has a TRB Bass patch but it never explains what "TRB Bass" is except "A bass guitar sound" ...
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Hello Yamaha fans, due to some issues I had to replace the pickups in my TRB 6P. It now has Bartolini pickups and a Glockenklang preamp. Has any of you managed to blend in the piezo pickup when you changed the original electronics?
I replaced PUPs and preamp in my TRB6II by a set of Delano SBC 6 HE/S-E (dual coil humbuckers) and a sonar 3 MS/E preamp. Installation was not that easy, not because of electronics but because the thickness of wood to get the pots and switches through. I wasn't keen on modifying the preamp cavity (apart from additional holes) so as to be able to put back stock PUPs and preamp if I wished. I "3D printed" some kind of nuts I designed to hold the pots (the pot threading was just level with the bass body). I also printed side extensions for the pickups so they fill the same length as the original ones.
I'm very happy with the result, more punch, very transparent pickups and electronics, and a nice passive feature. I have yet to explore the new tonal possibilities, it takes a while IMO for fingers to make the best of a new sound.
A final note : I put switches on each PUP for series/parallel wiring and used a 30kOhm resistor for the volume to sound the same between the two. On second thought 35-40k would probably be even better but I'm too lazy to make the modification, I'd rather play !
I'm very happy with the result, more punch, very transparent pickups and electronics, and a nice passive feature. I have yet to explore the new tonal possibilities, it takes a while IMO for fingers to make the best of a new sound.
A final note : I put switches on each PUP for series/parallel wiring and used a 30kOhm resistor for the volume to sound the same between the two. On second thought 35-40k would probably be even better but I'm too lazy to make the modification, I'd rather play !
Fascinating. @knight of ni, you’ve been one of the strongest apologists for the sound of the TRB II series’ stock sound. What was it that made you decide to mod your bass?
It's been a tough decision, and that's why I wanted the mod to be reversible.
I entered a funk/soul band some weeks ago and I realized that the stock pups/preamp lacked punch as soon as the strings broke in, at least for the Dunlop SBs I use. Of course I can change strings every 1-2 months but also the new strings have a lot of zing I'm not really after (It's the SB crunch I love).
It became really obvious when I used my G&L M2500 for the new stuff and compared to the TRB. What my fingers could dial easily from the G&L I couldn't on the TRB.
Then there is the option of boosting lows and low mids to get back the punch, but there are already plenty of mids on the TRB (maybe too much even if I like mids a lot), also the preamp frequencies don"t really appeal to me (never had), so I had to EQ on the amp.
And it's been a while that I've been tempted by a more modern 6 strings, Kingston MTD Z6 to be precise. But I love the playability of the TRB6II and didn't want to buy yet another bass. That Delano pups and preamp are used in some Marleaux and Maruszczy basses I like was also an argument.
To summarize : I love the stock electronics but IMHO it is somewhat restrictive and I wanted to keep the TRB as my #1 because I really love to play it. So I went for a more versatile setup.
A Hungarian guy did a nice, creative way to replace the pickups in TRB 6 II, fit the nőn standard, pickup caviti size, with Barts, and get nice visual look...
I will ask hím to let me try the bass, and compare with my 6 II, I curious...
I will ask hím to let me try the bass, and compare with my 6 II, I curious...
A few months ago I obtained this 1992 TRB-6P from the son of the original owner, a guitar player and Yamaha endorsee who passed away over 20 years ago. For some reason Yamaha sent this bass to him in 1992, and it really never got played and had literally only been taken out of the case a handful of times before I got it. Unfortunately, in recent years the bass was stored in a non-climate controlled storage space in Arizona, and it had some minor damage as a result - a crack at the upper end of the fingerboard, some finish bubbles at the fret ends, and major fret sprout that had to be filed down to avoid severe pain while playing (!) All of the latter issues were caused by shrinkage of the fingerboard wood, I would think. Most strangely, and something I have never seen, the finish on the top of the body seems to have shrunk to the point that if you run your hand over it you can feel the grain of the wood in places. It's almost as if the instrument was baked, which in a way it was. Other than all of that, as you can see from the pics the bass is in superb shape. The electronics are perfect, it sounds great, and after some TLC it plays great as well!
I used to own a very early single truss rod TRB-6P, which was my main bass all through the '90's. I had to retire it because the neck was very prone to bowing or up-bowing with temperature and humidity changes, to the point where it needed frequent truss rod adjustment and it wasn't dependable to take on the road (I suppose that explains the transition to the dual truss rod design). Anyway, despite the neck instability I greatly missed that bass, so getting this one was an unexpected, welcome and somewhat nostalgic acquisition. I'm very happy to have it and I've been playing it a lot.
(Note: the funky look of the headstock in the head-to-toe shot is just some kind of reflection)
I used to own a very early single truss rod TRB-6P, which was my main bass all through the '90's. I had to retire it because the neck was very prone to bowing or up-bowing with temperature and humidity changes, to the point where it needed frequent truss rod adjustment and it wasn't dependable to take on the road (I suppose that explains the transition to the dual truss rod design). Anyway, despite the neck instability I greatly missed that bass, so getting this one was an unexpected, welcome and somewhat nostalgic acquisition. I'm very happy to have it and I've been playing it a lot.
(Note: the funky look of the headstock in the head-to-toe shot is just some kind of reflection)
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Couple more shots (note: plastic is still on control cavity plate):
Yeah, my favorite 6 was my '91 green single trussrod trb6p! Congrats.
That's interesting to see next to mine - one thing that's obviously different is the placement of the bridge pickup, which is noticeably closer to the bridge on the earlier 6P's. Another difference (not seen) - the dual truss rod models have a bulkier neck profile. I prefer the feel of the necks on the single truss rod models, but I suppose that comes with a cost, which is the potential for instability that I mentioned in my previous post.
@Quintessence : it's getting worse. After I changed the PU and preamp, I checked the sound against a new set of Dunlop Superbright SS and their deliciously crunchy tone. For the last years I swore by SS strings exclusively.
The sound was OK but a bit thin in the highs. And I caught myself thinking "hmmm, it would be interesting to try nickels...". I ordered and put on a set of EB Slinky and yup, better (except for slap but I don't slap or not much). So me, a proud adept of stainless strings, always happy when scraping my fingers against a new set of SS, who was ready to wear a 'Nickel sucks' T-shirt, I now willingly accept, even embrace, the idea of keeping nickel strings on my TRB.
Am I ill ?
The sound was OK but a bit thin in the highs. And I caught myself thinking "hmmm, it would be interesting to try nickels...". I ordered and put on a set of EB Slinky and yup, better (except for slap but I don't slap or not much). So me, a proud adept of stainless strings, always happy when scraping my fingers against a new set of SS, who was ready to wear a 'Nickel sucks' T-shirt, I now willingly accept, even embrace, the idea of keeping nickel strings on my TRB.
Am I ill ?
I ask you here, because on forum there are few informations about these trb....
Originally I was looking for a TRBX but used and new now in Italy are not common. I could buy a good trb1004 black used not for few but in good conditions.
I am thinking about the weight, the sound could be better than TRBX, it is an heavy bass, but balanced? I've also a rbx A2 and it has a lot of neck dive not practic when playing .
Originally I was looking for a TRBX but used and new now in Italy are not common. I could buy a good trb1004 black used not for few but in good conditions.
I am thinking about the weight, the sound could be better than TRBX, it is an heavy bass, but balanced? I've also a rbx A2 and it has a lot of neck dive not practic when playing .
I prefer the older TRB I or II Basses, I never tired the 4 string version, but 1005 and 1006 are a very nice basses too, very balanced, I dont think is very heavy, but not as light as an SR Ibanez for example...
One of my biggest regrets has been getting rid of my TBR5P Fretless
Sounds like you're not so much ill but on an exploratory journey! Seems like getting involved in this funk/soul band motivated you to look for more of a specific thing (punchiness), and then you were just on a journey from there.
I have had at least two instances before where I got 90+% of the way to "the tone in my head," only to find that the tone in my head (and what it took to get there) began to morph and evolve. Hope your journey is enjoyable (and doesn't cost too much)!
Has anyone gotten a chance to play both a TRB-6P and a TRB-5P (1st generation)? How close is the tone between the TRB-5P (which has P+J pickups) and the TRB-6P (2 Js)?
I have a TRB-6P, and I love the tone (now that I've finally figured out a boost + cut combo that works for me). I'm just finding that the neck is SO BIG. Sometimes I like that I have a sixth string and can easily play higher while staying in a low neck position. But sometimes playing it feels like I just took a bite that was twice as big as what I should have taken, and now I have to awkwardly figure out how to eat it all.
I'm mulling over the idea of trying to get a TRB-5P in its place (or just in addition, haha). If I were going to try for a trade, I would want to be certain that I would be getting (virtually) the same tone in a 5-string package. (I'll also be starting a dedicated thread on this, but figured I'd ask here, too).
I have a TRB-6P, and I love the tone (now that I've finally figured out a boost + cut combo that works for me). I'm just finding that the neck is SO BIG. Sometimes I like that I have a sixth string and can easily play higher while staying in a low neck position. But sometimes playing it feels like I just took a bite that was twice as big as what I should have taken, and now I have to awkwardly figure out how to eat it all.
I'm mulling over the idea of trying to get a TRB-5P in its place (or just in addition, haha). If I were going to try for a trade, I would want to be certain that I would be getting (virtually) the same tone in a 5-string package. (I'll also be starting a dedicated thread on this, but figured I'd ask here, too).
Hey does anybody have pickup size specs on a TRB1005 (korean, lefty (not that it matters)). I measured with a small metal ruler and go 4.75 Long (including dog ears) and 1.5 wide. does that sound right? My Preamp has died and I'm thinking I'll get new Pups first then down the track (If I feel the need) go with a onboard preamp.
