dave_bass5

I take your point but it was like this before I shimmed it. I've done various truss rod adjustments as well but I don't want to throw everything else out just for this. the other stings are fine at the same point on the neck. I supose it might be a slighty high fret but I've placed a straight edge on them and can't see any issues. It's really not that bad, and only noticable at home, and when I play a bit harder with a thick pick. My other basses have the G string sitting at 1.5mm above the 12th fret, this has it at about 2.2mm. Yamaha recommend a high 3mm I believe so I'm doing well. The overal action is a bit higher on this bass, but that might be to do with the fact that I'm so used to vintage frets, so still getting used to the slightly higher frets this has. I've done 4 gigs so far with it and other than the battery dying at the last one (and me fumbling and getting lost at the first) I really have nothing bad to say about it.

Thanks guys. Yes, the Yamahas are excellent value for money. I supose the narrow neck isn't for everyone but it suits me down to the ground. The reason i shim my necks is for two reasons (on some bassses). I started doing it because I tend to rest my hand on the bridges. On some of the cheaper basses the saddle posts would dig in to my hand, so shimming the neck allowed me to raise the saddles to the point where the posts weren't exposed, but still keeping a lot action. The other, more common reason is to keep the stings more parallel to the fretboard at the higher frets. It's just a personal thing but I like to see the gap even and not getting larger.

Better than "in the bin" though ;-)

On Thomanns website

Thanks guys. Yes, it's a lovely looking bass. If it had vintage style frets then it would definitely be a keeper. For some reason I just prefer those frets and all my necks have them other than this one. I really can't see me getting rid of it though, if nothing else I want at least one 5 string bass, even if I don't use it all the time (at the moment I am).

I got this a few weeks ago but only just got around to taking shots of it. As we all know, no pics means it didnt happen so ive had to wait :-) Ive been meaning to get a 5 string for a while, and almost have a few times recently. Mainly Squier and Fender Modern players. What put me off those was that i really didnt feel i needed a new bass, i was more than happy with my Jazz bass. Then all of a sudden someone pointed out the Yamaha and on paper it seemed like a good idea. Its has a lovely narrow nut, feels really nice when strapped on (and when sitting), i love the brown stain look and best of all, its got a lovely passive tone, that works even if there is no battery in the bass. Lucky really as it went dead on me at the last gig so i had to do the last set in passive mode. Its actually quite warm sounding in passive mode, so good for the older Motown stuff we do. The overall active tone is quite modern, and quite bland. This is ok, its a good starting block. I guess im used to the Fender tone so im still getting used to it. Its working out really well at gigs. If i have any issues with it its the fact that i cant get the action as low as id like without fret buzz. Although a 5th sting and wider neck is a step up from what im used to, its very easy to play. I just wish i could get the action down a bit, especially on the G sting. Ive shimmed the neck (as i do with all my basses) and im sure a lot of people would say its a low action anyway. Yamaha suggest 3mm on the E at the 12th fret, i prefer 2mm. This is achievable but not on the G string (especially between the 5th and 9th fret). Still, its just me being picky really. Thinking about maybe getting it Plek'ed but i probably wont, due to the cost. This is the first Yamaha bass ive ever played, and while its not the last bass ill ever buy its a bass im happy to have. I doubt ill ever really love it, due to the tone and action, but its a bass that will serve me very well for a while. [url="https://flic.kr/p/pf4Ya5"][/url] [url="https://flic.kr/p/pf4Ya5"]Yamaha TRBX 505 Bass.[/url] by [url="https://www.flickr.com/people/30114189@N05/"]Dave Pearce (London)[/url], on Flickr [url="https://flic.kr/p/q9LVGC"][/url] [url="https://flic.kr/p/q9LVGC"]Yamaha TRBX 505 Bass.[/url] by [url="https://www.flickr.com/people/30114189@N05/"]Dave Pearce (London)[/url], on Flickr [url="https://flic.kr/p/pfijH2"][/url] [url="https://flic.kr/p/pfijH2"]Yamaha TRBX 505 Bass.[/url] by [url="https://www.flickr.com/people/30114189@N05/"]Dave Pearce (London)[/url], on Flickr

[quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1416929598' post='2615150'] The model is basically a Fender American Special specific to Thomann. [/quote] Yeah, I've seen it on thier website. Very nice bass and a pretty amazing price for a MIAO.

That does look like a lovely bass.....or will do with a different pick guard :-). I wonder how this stacks up against the Squier VM PJ.

Agree about the neck. Mine has been on 3 different basses since I got my jazz bass. It's the jazz size and vintage frets that do it for me. I notice this is basswood, Im sure my white one isn't. I've had it since they came out so maybe they have changed the wood. Anyone know if I'm imagining this?

Oh my, now this is lovely (IMO of course). http://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier/basses/jazz-bass/classic-vibe-jazz-bass-60s-rosewood-fingerboard-inca-silver/ I love my White one, and its been the best Jazz ive owned for a good few years, but this new version is definitely on the cards now

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1415917188' post='2605319'] [url="http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-11/20141113_215636_zpsmmhtlanx.jpg.html"][/url] [/quote] Blimey, its a bit early to have the Christmas tree up isnt it :-)

[quote name='StringPing.com' timestamp='1415877959' post='2604714'] I can't say I share your experiences with silent tuning with a clip-on, Uncle Psychosis. Most of the instruments I tune with a clip on are unplugged. I've even set the intonation on a few electric guitars using them. The intonation won't be perfect, but it's hard to tell the difference between it and a perfectly intonated guitar. But YMMV, I guess. Maybe they've gotten better recently? [/quote] I too use one of those mico tuners and have never had any issues with it, not even on the B string of my TRBX. I do clip them as close to the nut as possible, and this seems to work fine on all my basses. For setting up my basses i use a Peterson Stroboclip. Much easier to see and a lot more accurate (apparently). Ideal for setting intonation.

My open opinion on this is that low action bassss seem fast and easy to play, but depending how I dig in I have to raise mine higher than I would sometimes like. Certainly at home I play with a lighter touch, but at gigs I play harder. I love low action and a few years ago I tried a JO5 that had a very low action. It brought a smile to my face as my fingers were racing all over the neck. After a few mins though I realsied I was choking notes and getting fret buzz quite a bit. It was just too low for my style of playing. That's just my thoughts though.

Before I got back in to playing bass about 12 years ago, I don't remember ever having any preference to strings, action etc. As I've got older I seem to have become more fussy. I put a lot of this down to BassWorld and then Basschat putting things in my head that have no need to be there lol.

Cheers, yes, we are the heart and soul of the party :-) Then again, if you could see what i could see you wouldn't be smiling either. you are right of course, that's not a Peavey, it is indeed an Ibanez I had just been looking at a Peavey bass when i typed that. Ill change the post.

Yep, its me posting shots of me. Taken by Fran (Grandwazoo) at a pretty down market social club in South London last year. I dont smile a lot on stage, not much to smile about really :-) This was the first time i had played a 5 string for years, let alone a wonky one. This was also GW's bass, his new (to him) Ibanez PJ. Much more my thing.

I know what you mean. Ive come to the conclusion that an amp that has a pretty neutral tone works for me. I started a thread a few months ago that pretty much said i was bored with the MB tone and needed to liven things up a bit. I ended up realising that yes, its sterile but that give a nice clean canvas for some outboard gear. Now i use a Darkglass VMTD and i dont even notice the amps signature tone now.

Ive been using Markbass amps for years, and have to agree with you John. Thats not to say i dont like them, quite the opposite, but i find they need something in front of them to bring them to life, especially with a passive bass. I do think the older heads like the SA and LMII series had more life than my F1, but i look on it more as a power amp that can be tweaked a bit rather than a tone shaping amp.

I think you are mistaking your Squire of a Squier ;-). Not so sure about the tone of the Squiers, good enough certainly, but the pups are the one thing i always upgrade. Not just because they are Squiers, but more because other pups give me the tone i want.

well all i can add is that you either have a fake or you haven't looked at the headstock properly ;-)............its Squier :-) I do agree though, Squier are putting out some very nice basses these days. Although ive just sold my VM PJ as it just wasn't needed, my two Classic Vibes will be with me for life (or at least while i need a 4 string Fender). Ive had issues with MIA's in the past but both my CV's turned up perfect. For me the necks on these basses are very, very good. To my fingers even better than the Fenders that have the med-jumbo frets.

Glad you got it sorted but doesn't this leave you with two amps now?

Anyone remember the Sue Ryder "craze" a few years ago? I know loads of people brought them but im convinced they were mostly unplayable. I tried 3 and felt they were terrible. Now these I can believe would hinder anyone, even me, and it's normally the other way around ;-)

That does sound more like personal preference to me. I find a wide P bass neck and high action very, very hard to play, yet I know others love this set up.