Yamaha TRBX505 5-string Bass Guitar - Translucent Brown Reviews

Truth be told, I originally planned to buy a Sire 5-string based on reviews, but they were out of stock and I didn't want to wait. I have an old Yamaha RBX5 that I like, so I decided to save a little money and get another Yamaha 5-string. I picked the TRBX505 and it was a good choice.

The instrument is not too heavy and the neck is very comfortable to play. It looks great and the sound versatility is very good. I like having the option to switch between active and passive, which was a requirement when choosing a new bass.

I have received only compliments since bringing this out to play with my church band.

Surprisingly comfortable, amazing sound, and great quality: you couldn't go wrong. This was the first ever bass I purchased, and I'm extremely happy I chose this one. Being a 6-string electric guitar player, I was surprised at how easily I was able to play this bass, and how good it sounded right out of the box. The active/passive switch makes a huge difference, and along with the on-board eq and tone controls, this bass provides a massive range of character. Not only does it sound good, but it looks good too. The mat finish is done really well, and the metallic hardware stands out brilliantly. No fret buzz, stays in tune; I am genuinely shocked at how good this bass is. And at this price? What are you waiting for?

I love this bass! I had been out of music for many years, so this was my return to the 5 string, and I couldn't be happier. Very easy to play, and I can great tones. The deal maker was the active/passive switch. (I've had batteries die onstage.) And wow, does it sustain! My only regret is that due to supply issues, the only one I could find was at a rival website. But now that Sweetwater has them in stock, grab yours today.

ive had this bass about a month now and I'm really blown away by this bass, it's well crafted, and the neck is so comfortable. the pickups sound beautiful and well balanced and the pre-amp is also amazing. You should pick yourself up one.

i am just playing bass guitar for five yrs now and i want to upgrade my guitar for five string so i decided to buy the yamaha TRBX505 so far so good. and i would like to thank you all the people involved from sales dept all the way to shipping dept. "keep up the good job"

First bass guitar. Been playing guitar for 40+ years and wanted to get a quality instrument with some versatility. This Yamaha is a well crafted instrument. Finish is superb. Playability is great. The sound variations available is astounding. No fret buzz right out of the box. Just unlocking a bass guitar style and find this easy and fun to play, both studio & live. Sweetwater set is is far superior to other on-line dealers. Sweetwater also set me up with a Gator case for this bass that fits perfectly. While I love going to the music store, this kind of quality and service will make it hard to justify the drive.

For the price, this is an exceptional 5 string bass. I give it 5 stars! The ability to switch from active to passive is great if your battery goes dead. The active channel has allot of punch and body. The action is so easy to play. Great Bass if you like to play slap, but also plays sweet and mellow, bluesy, funky.
The look and feel is worth way more than the sweet price Having that low B is awesome and really allows me to get down if you know what I'm talking about. you cannot go wrong with any product from Yamaha and that includes this sweet bass guitar, comparable to bass guitars 3 or 4 times it's price. Get one while they last is my recomendation!

The TRBX505 surely isn't what you'd expect at the price-point - it's more than you'd expect. This bass is really well crafted, it is balanced extremely well, the neck length is perfect while still offering a full two octaves and I really like the smooth satin finish on the neck and body. It's playable! Frets are finished very well, apparently an improvement over earlier versions. After playing it a while to appreciate it's character, I've come to realize that though the onboard electronics are loud enough and have head-room, for my tastes it gets a bit muddy/boxy when you start crankin' on the Bass and Mid boost. These are active so db's aren't the issue, the guitar loses tonal clarity and, again for my taste, lacks punch. In Passive mode, it has a truly classic sound that can be sculpted to your personal taste or music genre! Is the tonal clarity a deal breaker? NO! This is a great bass guitar and Yamaha has done a fantastic job to offer so much for so little. There are ways to deal with the electronics characterization with external pre-amps, effects pedals or a pre-amp transplant. Don't hesitate to add one of these to your arsenal. They seem to be in demand as there was a wait time for mine. Sweetwater is THE only online vendor to trust with your music gear! They are experts and they treat you professionally in a friendly manner.

I saw the positive reviews here at Sweetwater and elsewhere for the Yamaha TRBX-505, so I bought one for a gigging guitar. It's lightweight, extremely well balanced, is a 2 octave scale, but feels like a short scale and of course is affordable. It is very comfortable and fun to play. OEM electronics? Meh... Mine may have been a lemon. No matter what on board pre-amp shaping, or even with pedal effects, I couldn't get any satisfying sound out of this guitar. It just sounded boxy and hollow, at any setting, so it sat in its shipping box for several months. After playing my Spector NS loaded with Aguilar electronics more regularly, I decided to up-grade the TRBX-505 to Aguilar pickups and pre-amp. HOLY CRAP!! My TRBX 505 is now a tone demon (or Angel, if you prefer)! And, it is so comfortable to play!! My TRBX-505 now has a sound quality as good as any higher end bass guitar in my inventory. I have basses costing over $ that this now puts to shame. Total cost with upgrade - around $, which I consider a reasonable cost for the sound of a semi-custom bass. Oh, I should mention, the electronics upgrade will void your Yami warranty. Pfff... it's worth it! All parts came from Sweetwater. Dustin helped me with some of my upgrade questions and was very quick to respond to them. Now, I love my TRBX 505!

I love this bass. I originally bought a 305 locally played it for a few days and found a used version and gave it a try. I ended up liking it so much I ordered one. Thankfully I had a grace period with the first bass I bought and it went back. I liked the 305 but the selector switch was more of a nuisance to me. I really wanted a passive sound option and this bass nailed it.. Course I have a P bass for a true old passive sound. But my Yamaha 505 is what I'll play 90% of the time.

The neck is very thin. Between an Ibanez sr505 and this bass the necks are very similar. Thin and a tighter string spacing unlike a fender jazz V which feels monstrous.

Hi Folks --

I was not very happy with this bass. First of all the finish has small bumps in it and is not smooth. I had to
get the bass adjusted when I received it and I do not care for the sound. So ... I am taking this bass to a
luthier to get the height of the strings lowered and the intonation fixed and different strings to see if I like
it. I am so mad at myself for not returning it but live and learn. I have to admit the 2nd time I purchased a bass
it arrived in perfect condition so no worries there.