Sunday, November 12, 2023

Yamaha TRB-6P Six-String Bass | Part 1

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Overview

Hi there, and thanks for dropping by. I'll be working on a Yamaha TRB-6P Six-String Bass soon. As I'm totally unfamiliar with this bass, I've had to do quite a lot of research online. The results have been rather interesting, so I thought I'd kick off this series with some information regarding the TRB-6P. 

According to Yamaha USA, the TRB line was introduced in 1991 as an "upscale departure" from the Broad Bass [BB] line. The TRB line included Yamaha's first six-string basses, the TRB Custom and TRB-6P. A third six-string bass was added to the lineup in 1994, namely the TRB-JP John Patitucci Signature Model. 

Now, let's talk catalogs. There is a small and grainy image of the 1991 catalog [pages 21-22] on the Yamaha USA website. Though it's impossible to read the fine print, you can still make out the TRB-6P, TRB-5P and TRB-4P basses featured. Up a dozen notches is The World of Musical Instruments Brochures, which offers a downloadable pdf file of the entire 1992 Summer Edition Catalog. Images and legible descriptions of the TRB Custom, TRB-6P and TRB-5P are featured on pages 14-15. Very nice of them, don't you think? 

The first two images below are of the aforementioned catalog pages at a resolution of 600 dpi. To view any image full-sized, just right click and select "Open image in new tab." One last thing, kindly be informed that all non-catalog images in this post are courtesy of Yamaha USA, Kurosawa Music Japan and Albert Yap. 

Main Features

Serial number and "Made in Japan" headstock stamp
Three-layered figured maple/rosewood/maple body
Through-body five-piece maple/mahogany neck
Rosewood headcap
Bone nut, 2-3/16" width
Ebony fretboard/24 frets/34" scale/39" radius
Abalone dot inlays
Gold hardware
Sealed Yamaha Japan three-a-side tuners
BPZ-6 bridge

Electronics

Two YLB-S6JZB ceramic single-coil pickups
Bridge-mounted piezo pickup
Onboard two-band 9V preamp

Preamp Controls

Master Volume
Pickup Blend [Mixer]
Treble Control
Bass Control
Piezo/Magnetic Pickup Blend [Mixer]
Piezo Low Cut Switch



Yamaha 1991 Catalog, pp. 21-22

Yamaha 1992 Summer Edition Catalog, pp. 14-15

Figured Maple Top


Neck-Through-Body Construction

Rosewood Headcap/Bone Nut

Yamaha Japan Sealed Tuners

Ebony Fretboard/24 Frets

Five-Piece Maple/Mahogany Neck

Cross-Section of  TRB-6P Body, Neck and Fretboard

Onboard Preamp Controls

TRB Series Owner's Manual, p. 1


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