zvirus Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 (edited) Hello Everyone, Having troubles to make decision. Im after a bass which will fit any kind of music lets say more in a studio... Im focused on jazz but as said will be happy to play other kind of music as well For money I have I can buy: Fender SQ Vint. Mod. Jazz Bass 77 + Set of Fender CS60 Jazz Bass Pickups all for about £340 including shipping. or Yamaha TRBX504 which is an active/passive bass, good looking and I guess - versatile. It will cost me £335 with shipping. Thanks in advance for any tips Edited November 1, 2014 by zvirus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 Well, I happen to own both of those I've got a Squire VM Jazz (the red one) that I've just installed a KiOgon wiring loom in. I'll be upgrading the pickups soon so it'll be fairly like the one you're after really. I've had the jazz for a month and the Yammy for over a year. Both are superb to play and have really nice thin necks. As with most modern basses the first fret on the Yammy seems to be a further inch and a half away from my body than the jazz's. Most of my basses other than my Squire jazz are like that. So I find the jazz much easier to play. Soundwise, well the jazz has that traditional jazz sound that I find very versatile. The Yammy has a much more modern sound, more clinical. The humbuckers are very clean-sounding and whilst the jazz has single coils, they're not noisy at all but you get that single coil sound. In passive mode the Yammy sounds almost identical to its active mode. The output volumes are the same too which could be handy. The tone pot doesn't seem to offer the same tonal range as the jazz. It feels like it should go brigher but doesn't. In active mode you get the full suite of toys to play with. Well, you get bass mid and treble These give you a nice range of tonal variations. Scooping the mids out can be quite nice. It sounds very similar to the VPF filter on a MarkBass littlemark/combo actually. I would say both could suit any style of music and they do record well. My preference is actually for the jazz. I don't think it falls behind the Yammy in terms of versatility, even though it lacks the active eq. Plus it has the bonus of sounding like a traditional bass whereas you might be able to tell on a recording that the Yammy isn't a Fender-based bass. Happy to answer any specific questions about these two! It's a shame you're not close to Bristol as you could have popped round and a/b tested them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zvirus Posted November 1, 2014 Author Share Posted November 1, 2014 Thanks very much! More than enough but..... looks like I have to throw a coin I've had Squier Jazz 70 and I was very very surprised when connected to my Hartke Amp - sounded better than my handmade GMR with active MECs... I'm also low string action lower but same time play hard when required. I`d only accept 3mm and below on 12th fret. Which one of them will allow me to have low string action? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted November 1, 2014 Share Posted November 1, 2014 As with any bass that all depends on how well they're set up. The Squire was well set up when I bought it but not all of them are. I've played a few of the Yammy's in a shop and bought mine second hand from here and they're very consistently set up. Actually, I've just measured mine with a cheapy tape measure (so not the most accurate but it can't be off by much if anything). Both are 3mm or just under on the E string at the 12th fret. My Overwater classic jazz is 2mm and gets that dug-in clang very nicely when you play moderate or hard. One thing I found with the Yammy is that you'll need to set it up when the weather changes in the summer and winter. The neck is thinner front to back than than jazz and seems more susceptible to moving with the temperature. I've only had this happen once and if you can set up your neck relief yourself without problem then you'll be fine. I'm not good at that stuff so I struggled but that was more down to me. If you're thinking of modding your bass (as you are with the pickups) then I'm finding it much easier to get parts for the Squire as a lot of Fender parts will fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zvirus Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 Hi, Thanks ones again. I have no problem with guitar mods or set ups - it`s kind another hobby... I`d rather go for SQ as love the maple neck and sound it makes. The Fender CS 60 pickups are best (for me) I have ever heard. Case closed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 Out of the two it's my favourite too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted November 2, 2014 Share Posted November 2, 2014 The cheaper TRBX304 sounded better to me me, the TRBX504 sounded a little bland in comparison. I would go for the Jazz too though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zvirus Posted November 3, 2014 Author Share Posted November 3, 2014 Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I've recently got a TRBX505 and I agree with the above 'bland' comment. To my ears it can't do the Jazz tone very well at all, not even P tone. It has a tone for its own, but one I feel lacks any realy character. It works for me though so I'm not really complaining, just pointing out. The preamp is nice though, and the very good thing (for me) is the bass will even run without a battery in it. I've not come across many low end active bass that will do this. Plus it has a low battery indicator as wel. I needed a 5 string so I got this bass, but I much prefer my Squier CV Jazz for that real jazz bass tone, which I feel fits any style of music. Ive never played a VM Jazz, I have a VM PJ, but my vote would definitly go to a CV jazz over the VM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zvirus Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) Hi Everyone, Due to tight budget I have decided to go for...... New ESP LTD Elite J4 See Thru Black with hardcase Made in Japan for.... £400(including shipping) bought in Italy. The Guitar is on it`s way to me (tracked shippment) Details can be PM if You want. Also been told by an experienced Jazz Player who has played many diffrent guitars (USA made, Mexicans, Germans, Asians) in his life that SQ Fenders necks twist very often and overall quality is not very good for the price they are sold in the UK.... So, If I could buy proper instrument for my budget I had, I went for ESP guitar. Ive got B-205 fretless bass from LTD and It`s brilliant so far. Thanks again for all tips and help! Edited November 5, 2014 by zvirus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Im not sure i follow. The TRBX 504 costs less than the ESP, so why pay more if your on a tight budget Good luck with the ESP anyway, they are fantastic instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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