Machines

This is one of the reasons I quit as an admin, can't he bothered with legal crap.

Had a reply from Yamaha. They're not out till September .

[color=#351C75]As a long term user of D'Addario strings - I was interested in trying out the new range of Balanced Tension sets. This review should allow me to compare them to their own range, and avoid any hype of a new brand.[/color] [color=#351C75]The EXL220BT (40-95) strings are well packaged in a sealed plastic bag inside your typical cardboard sleeve. As with all D'Addario strings, the ballends are colour coded for ease of identification (E = Brass, A = Red, D = Black, G = Green). This also looks rather snazzy if you have a bridge design that allows them to visible.[/color] [color=#351C75]The test bed for these strings was my 2010 G&L L-2000 Tribute Carved Top, a bass i've had for 2 years and that came with D'Addario EXL's to start with, and since they were so good - i've only ever replaced them with such (45-100). [/color] [color=#351C75]My usual choice of gauge is 45-105, however I fancied a change and went for the 40-95 set of the balanced tensions. Fitting was straight forward and all strings had plenty of length for the string post with a fair bit being snipped off. Once stretched and tuned to standard, there was a fair amount of string buzz. this was clearly due to the lower tension of the strings compared to the previous set and was easily remedied with a truss rod adjustment and retune.[/color] [color=#351C75]The bass was setup medium height which allows a little buzz when really digging in, as I dislike to low an action and buzzing on nearly every note played. Acoustically thes strings are very bright and snappy, but it's been a while since my last string change and this difference is always hard to believe when fitting a new set. How did I live that long with so little top end ?! Plugged in the difference was obviously night and day with the old strings, but no different to any other set of XLs.[/color] [color=#351C75]There's only so much one can detail about a set of strings whose sale point is that they have the same tension as each other, but these strings sound great, they have a detailed top end without being too thin at the bottom (one reason I avoid stainless steel). Regarding the balanced tension - they do what they claim to. I put the old strings onto my old Encore P bass purely to feel the differences in tension. It was clear that on the 'unbalanced' set, that differening tensions were able to be felt across the strings, where the new set felt a lot more balanced. [/color] [color=#351C75]The D'Addario website says "D'Addario EXL220BT Balanced Tension electric guitar sets are comprised of mathematically optimized string gauge combinations, resulting in greater control and playing comfort."Does this make a difference though ? That's only for the individual player to decide. String tension inequality is never a problem I feel i've encountered and thus i'm indifferent to the balanced set compared to a normal one, if the price is the same as a normal set i'd probably opt for these, but it's not a deal breaker if I can only get the 'unbalanced' set. In the timescale of the review I can't detail how long they will last, but i've had a few hours at home and a 3 hour rehearsal with them and they still sound as they were fitted... *interlude*[/color] [color=#351C75]...and a month later they're still doing the business, mucho impressed.[/color]

That BB looks so much better than the 375 with those pickups in. Perhaps just naff colour choices for the RBX3 range ? I've emailed Yamaha to try and get a release date for the TRBX as i'm impatient !

I know what I'm looking for but not what meets the criteria. I'm after a 5 string, 2 MM style humbuckers, active and if possible coil tapping/switching as per a Stingray, but also under £500. I've ruled out L2500 as too similar to what I have. Help me people !

I generally leave all switches down (towards the jack socket) and all knobs on full. Then just use the top switch as a pickup selector, everything else is a variance on those basic sounds.

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1368041409' post='2072514'] Even if people want it they seem to not want to pay what it could go for. But when they need to sell they expect others to pay a wishful price [/quote] This is a good observation and one I've made too. I love guessing the price before reading the thread and deciding if it'll sell, usually it doesn't. Same on eBay though but people are even more clueless and optimistic than I thought possible.

Tada ! It's a Yamaha RBX5 with a different neck. If not it's bloody close.

My hunch is an early Yamaha RBX with a nodded headstock.

Poles are still there on the M series just blacked out like on a Stealth Bongo. I fancy trying one but it'd never be a match for my L series.

They are excellent. Very under rated and amazing value for money. I'd take mine over a US Fender any day.

I hate demos with effects or overdrive, wish that video was just a clean sound.

Still ugly though. Amazing how much time they put into the research of making it hideous.

I literally can't wait. Nearly bought an RBX375 a few weeks ago and held off. Looks I did the right thing.

If those prices hold through to when they're released I'll definitely be getting a 5 string version. Just wish I knew when that'll be.

When ? How much ?! I've been silently waiting for Yamaha to develop the under used RBX range and this seems to be what I've been waiting for. Can't wait to try one.

[quote name='richardjmorgan' timestamp='1365592704' post='2041427'] Ah, ok. Is there a particular technical reason for this? It's not a phenomenon I've ever encountered on any of my 2 pickup guitars. [/quote] It is the same principal on a Les Paul but since you have twangy trebly string and the Human ear is more sensitive in this frequency range you won't notice.

Having 2 pickups with a large gap between them produces a scooped sound and a perceived drop in volume of the mids.

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1365339614' post='2038181'] try google [/quote] Don't mind Gareth. He's in here because we don't discriminate against people for being unhelpfulm

Slightly off topic but the 5 string I tried had such a crappy light body wood (advertised as 'hardwood' on the website) that it had worse neck dive that a Thunderbird. Shame, as it sounded OK.

A 3 hour rehearsal with it nearly killed me but shorter sets are OK as long as there's a break !

Very optimistic pricing there. I think £450 is the top price going for a really good condition one (that's how much mine was).