Hey Can I join. Just picked this up this week! TRB1004 - I just got done cleaning and setting it up. The Silver Surfer sticker came on it but I might keep it on there for a while.
Korean. Can't tell what year. Man what a differance with fresh strings! Considering changing the bridge. Any suggestions?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Does anyone here happen to have any TRB 4/5/6 p (piezo!) parts that they would care to sell? These are not available through Yamaha, I presume...
I know it is a long shot, but if you happen to have one of those piezo bridges or the preamp, I would be very interested in hearing from you! PM me!
I know it is a long shot, but if you happen to have one of those piezo bridges or the preamp, I would be very interested in hearing from you! PM me!
Update on my new to me TRB 1004 K
Loving it since changing the strings and lowerimg the action. Have to get a ball end hex to adjust the neck so I can get it down a smidge more. The only thing that is frustratimg is the EQ. I noticed right away that the mid knob messed with the highs and lows so I assumed overlap in the freq or something. This grp has been very helpful in explaining that phenomena. It's still frustrating though. Hoping I can get the hang of it a bit better. I was originally goimg to chamge out the pickups, EQ, and bridge but Im going to hold off a bit. I AB'ed it with my Streamer NT and realized I really need to do work on that first. Its a newer one so it doesnt have the soumd of my early German Thumb. Not a fan of the MEC. When I change out the pickups on the TRB Im comsidering Aguilars or Barts. I habe Agi's in my Alder BB404 and love them. Or maybe it will stay stock. Except for the bridge. That probably still needs to get changed out. Hipshot B looks to be pretty close size wise. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks
Loving it since changing the strings and lowerimg the action. Have to get a ball end hex to adjust the neck so I can get it down a smidge more. The only thing that is frustratimg is the EQ. I noticed right away that the mid knob messed with the highs and lows so I assumed overlap in the freq or something. This grp has been very helpful in explaining that phenomena. It's still frustrating though. Hoping I can get the hang of it a bit better. I was originally goimg to chamge out the pickups, EQ, and bridge but Im going to hold off a bit. I AB'ed it with my Streamer NT and realized I really need to do work on that first. Its a newer one so it doesnt have the soumd of my early German Thumb. Not a fan of the MEC. When I change out the pickups on the TRB Im comsidering Aguilars or Barts. I habe Agi's in my Alder BB404 and love them. Or maybe it will stay stock. Except for the bridge. That probably still needs to get changed out. Hipshot B looks to be pretty close size wise. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks
Hello guys. I want to ask you a question about getting a TRB1005J or a TRBX605.
I have been toying with the idea of getting a TRB1005J (in caramel brown ) for some months. I like it being 35" and the few videos I watch, it sounded really good. But there is not that many info compared to the TRBX and the BB range. However, I have recently thought about getting a TRBX605 (in matte amber ) and change the pick ups to Aguilar Super doubles. The reason is that a friend of mine has those pickups in another bass (I don't remember the model, but they are not the stock pickups) and they sound amazing (I have Aguilar pickups in a jazz bass and they also sound much better than the stock Fenders IMO). Probably change the preamp too, but I'm not sure since I kinda like the preamp in my BB.
The main differences about theese two I think are the scale and the sound. I already have a BB735, so I'm looking for a more kinda modern sound. I think the TRBX may be more modern sounding and the TRB more jazzy (the pickups are single coil right?). Having a 34" scale already I wouldn't mind trying a 35" (I will try to test it before buying). But I'm not sure if the TRB could give me that modern vibe. I'm looking for something like the Ibanez SR2405 and the TRBX may be closer to that.
PS I know I know, why not getting an Ibanez SR to get that vibe? Because I cannot stand the look. The only Ibanez I like is really out of my budget. Don't get me wrong, they are pretty awesome instruments, but I cannot stand the looks. And I really like Yamaha.
I have been toying with the idea of getting a TRB1005J (in caramel brown ) for some months. I like it being 35" and the few videos I watch, it sounded really good. But there is not that many info compared to the TRBX and the BB range. However, I have recently thought about getting a TRBX605 (in matte amber ) and change the pick ups to Aguilar Super doubles. The reason is that a friend of mine has those pickups in another bass (I don't remember the model, but they are not the stock pickups) and they sound amazing (I have Aguilar pickups in a jazz bass and they also sound much better than the stock Fenders IMO). Probably change the preamp too, but I'm not sure since I kinda like the preamp in my BB.
The main differences about theese two I think are the scale and the sound. I already have a BB735, so I'm looking for a more kinda modern sound. I think the TRBX may be more modern sounding and the TRB more jazzy (the pickups are single coil right?). Having a 34" scale already I wouldn't mind trying a 35" (I will try to test it before buying). But I'm not sure if the TRB could give me that modern vibe. I'm looking for something like the Ibanez SR2405 and the TRBX may be closer to that.
PS I know I know, why not getting an Ibanez SR to get that vibe? Because I cannot stand the look. The only Ibanez I like is really out of my budget. Don't get me wrong, they are pretty awesome instruments, but I cannot stand the looks. And I really like Yamaha.
I've just picked up a TRB-5P and am also looking for the serial number. I looked inside the control cavity but it's been painted black over the original green. Will the serial number be under the black paint?
I'm also looking for replacement headstock decals. Does anyone know where they can be sourced?
I have a TRB1004 and I find it to be very modern. I was also considering the 605 but I walkes into a shop and they had just got in a 1004 at a really good price so I jumped on it. Read back in the thread about the pickups and preamp. They are pretty much made to work together. I was thinkimg I was going to switch everything out too but decided to live with it a while and came to really enjoy it as it is. The preamp is a bitntouchy in my opinion because when you shift the mid evertthing kind of changes in the highs and lows. Doesnt seem independant. After spending time with it I have been able to dial in a great tone and it is a favorite bass. Btw I also have Agi J pickups in a BB and have owned many Fenders. I tend to switch those out as well. I string the TRB with extra light strings to ease the tension of the 35" scale. When I bought it the neck was super straight, the action was really high, and the strings were really heavy and were dead. I almost didnt buy it. Glad I did bc with a proper set up and new steel strings it is awesome. Good luck!
I've been playing my TRB1005j for over 10 years. It can be very modern sounding if you slightly turn back the bass control just behind the detente and boost the mids just above the detent. Its midrange will cut through the densest mixes that way. That aside, if you roll to the neck pickup, and dial the mids back and boost the bass you'll get close to a vintage vibe with it if you want it. But it's true, the bands are not independent and seem to get some interesting overlap the more you boost or cut.
It's base (hehe) sound is kinda like a turbo-charged jazz bass. A lot of people seem to run the neck pickup quite low into the body... Once you raise the neck pickup up, the bass "speaks" more.
Here's a video that gives you some idea of how the TRB1005 sits in a mix:
Comparing it to my 34" scale BB, the 35" scale isn't really all that noticeable. Having a 24 fret neck is more noticeable though. Ergonomically, the body and upper horn are shaped to give you easy access to first position anyway.
that video you just put... that Yammy sounds downright killer!! But i bet something has to do with the nice GK head behind ahaha but still it seems realllllyyy underrated as a great bass on the market.
I wonder if I would get that kind of beefy tone if I swap the pickups on my TRB-6P 1992 for some Bartolini G6 classics. Anyone could shime in on this?
my stock p-ups are wayyy too low output and I even wonder if theyre shot
Thanks MachMike, but now I'm more confused. The previous owner has sanded the bass back to bare timber as he didn't like the translucent green but he's only just removed the colour and there's no remaining evidence of any number that might have been stamped into the back of the headstock so he would have had to have sanded off a lot of wood to remove the number totally. Another 5P owner said there was no number on the back of his headstock, as the pic shows.
Was the number stamped in or was it a decal?
Attachments
The only place I've ever seen the serial number on the original TRB series is on the back side of the headstock. If it's in the control cavity, it would have to be under the preamp motherboard, which I've thankfully never needed to remove.
Stamped: It would take some effort to sand the whole thing to nothing.
Attachments
that is interesting! The preamp died on my 1005 a few months ago and I've not played it since, I was going to get some replacement pups and go passive till it was time to put in a preamp (although I have a L6 helix, that's more tone shaping than I'll ever need!). Did you just wire in a Volume and tone? Can you give me some more info?
Further to my last post about passive wiring. There seems to be some confusion. Can anybody give a definitive? Is it possible with all the pickups to wire the dummy to ground and the hot to a passive circuit (Not settled on what but I've got 5 holes to play with! so VBT and a series/paralell switch and a producer knob seems to be the go for now)
for Reference, here's a pic of the backside of my pickup and the preamp board (which currently makes a sound like a dying whale when plugged in...)
Thanks in advance!
Hi everybody. I just bought this bass. I'm excited to play it! Quick question though. Is this translucent black or purple? It's kind of hard to tell. I haven't seen one that is purple or that looks similar to this. What do you think?
Last edited:
Have you tried bypassing that output jack and testing around it?
The jacks Yamahas shipped with are not name-brand and seem to be quite loose. I replaced mine with a Switchcraft and the difference in stability is striking as long as you don't use those D'Addario/Planet Waves cables with the longer tips. If that jack is shorting the wrong way, it could cause the preamp to make those sounds.
You can try grounding the dummy coil, but I don't think it's necessary. It'll still just be a plain single-coil set without the proper differential preamp to cancel them out.
Welcome to the Bass edition of "What colour is this dress..."
As far as I know, that is actually Translucent Black. Looks like an early 90s model.
Yeah I go back and forth with the color. The seller said it's purple haha. How do the early 90s models stack up against the later models?
