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MGR/Francois « Yamaha RBX5 »
Published on 06/29/05 at 15:00Bought from eBay for USD 250. I wanted better than an "entry-level" 5-string bass with a limited budget to spare. As usual I turned to Yamaha and found what I wanted. This bass is over 12 years old, not to be confounded with the current RBX-series. The body looks like a P-bass, glossy black finish with golden hardware.
The neck is only 1 3/4 in. wide and is very thin, which makes it a delight to play for a 5-string. It's only 1/4 in. wider than my 4-string SoundGear. The original EMG pickups have been replaced with active Seymour Duncan and upgraded electronics. The sound is very nice and the two-pickup configuration with separate volume controls, and common tone control allows for variations of the sound envelope.
Not much, really. It's a bit on the heavy side, that would be my only complaint. But it has a solid alder body which offers excellent resonance.
After those years the bass still looks and handles perfectly. The build quality is faultless, as with all Yamaha instruments. The black glossy finish is still shiny with the expected little scratches after more than a decade of use. The neck is straight and strong, intonation very low. The tuners are strong and accurate and hold their position. The strap buttons solidly hold in place. Quality is at par with expensive basses I have seen.
As with all other Yamaha instruments I own this one is no exception, quality is present everywhere and leaves behind many other expensive branded basses. If your budget is limited and still want the best, buy a Yamaha!
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
The neck is only 1 3/4 in. wide and is very thin, which makes it a delight to play for a 5-string. It's only 1/4 in. wider than my 4-string SoundGear. The original EMG pickups have been replaced with active Seymour Duncan and upgraded electronics. The sound is very nice and the two-pickup configuration with separate volume controls, and common tone control allows for variations of the sound envelope.
Not much, really. It's a bit on the heavy side, that would be my only complaint. But it has a solid alder body which offers excellent resonance.
After those years the bass still looks and handles perfectly. The build quality is faultless, as with all Yamaha instruments. The black glossy finish is still shiny with the expected little scratches after more than a decade of use. The neck is straight and strong, intonation very low. The tuners are strong and accurate and hold their position. The strap buttons solidly hold in place. Quality is at par with expensive basses I have seen.
As with all other Yamaha instruments I own this one is no exception, quality is present everywhere and leaves behind many other expensive branded basses. If your budget is limited and still want the best, buy a Yamaha!
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com