RBX374 Review

Progressive looks and effortless playability make the RBX series our best-selling basses. The ergonomic body design and smooth tapered feel of the bolt-on necks are identifying qualities of RBX basses. New to the line are the 374 and 375, which feature the unique RBX body shape and 3D headstock, along with newly designed humbucking pickups and active circuitry.

Features:	9
Sound:	9
Action:	8.7
Reliability:	8
Impression:	8.7
Overall rating:	8.7
Users rating:	7.4
Comments:	22

overall: 9.8

Featured review by: unregistered, on april 03, 2006

Purchased from: GAK

Features: It was made in 2004. Japan/China. It's got 24 jumbo frets and I think its 34" scale. It's got a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard, the body is probably ash I'm not really that sure. Silver metallic finish although mines pretty battered up. Standard bulkier than Fender bridge. It's got active electronics (9V), with a 2-band EQ (bass, treble) and volume and pickup sweep selector. The pickups are Yamaha humbuckers (bridge & neck) very-high output. The tuners are just standard sealed Yamaha ones. // 10

Sound: It suits any style and is especially good for rock/metal. I use it with a Behringer BX4500T 450watt head and a 4x10" aluminium coned cab. It has a great sound for any style and is great for some funk style stuff. You don't get any feedback at all even though the pickups are louder than any other bass that I've ever played! It's best not to put the bass and treble up on full as you get distortion through very cheap amps (although not mine), just keep them in mid-position and turn up the amp! Wide variety of sounds can be created from Jaco to Pantera. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action came fine out of the factory, although I have changed it many times when I change strings etc. The pickups were fine too and there were no flaws at all! // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar had stood many live gigs. Just the paint come off pretty easy, but that's my fault anyway. The hardware looks like it will last forever and still sounds great after nearly 2 years. I don't have a backup guitar at all and don't need one, just spare batteries because it's active. The finish comes off easily but that doesn't make a differnce to how it sounds. // 9

Impression: I mostly play rock and metal and this guitar is a good match for it. I also play other styles, funk, jazz too and it suits them well too. If it was stolen I would try some other basses since I have had more experience now and would prefer a professional bass like a Fender Jazz, Precision. This does sound pro though. I love the fact you can get it to sound like the bass you could never get or your own custom bass. The action is great and it stays in tune all the time. // 10

overall: 9

Reviewed by: weeblrock, on january 08, 2007

Purchased from: Normans

Features: I have no idea when or where this was made, sorry. It has a 34" maple neck and a 24 fret, rosewood fingerboard which is useful for soloing. It has a solid alder body and black finish but you can also get it in flat silver and red. It has an unusual body shape but feels great to play. Controls include master volume, pan-pot pickup selector and a 2-band EQ. it has active electronics which runs on a 9v battery. This bass has really good natural sounding humbucking pickups. the only negatives I could find were that it needs tuning quite often and eats up 9v batteries in no time. Overall though amazing value and great features // 9

Sound: This bass is incredibly playable for any style. I mainly play funk, slap and rock (e.g. Red Hot Chili Peppers, guns n roses and primus) but when I was first introduced to this bass by my bass teacher he showed me how versatile it was. The 24 fret neck really compliments the basses' versatility; it means you can play a great range of tones in virtually every style. I play this through a Roland Bass-Cube 30 which has onboard effects and compression. This bass can be noisy if you hit the top of a fret but that is only a very minor thing. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This bass has quite a good factory setup but for people Who play a lot of slap bass, the pickups are a bit raised but that can easily be adjusted. When I first got this bass (at Christmas 2006) the treble control put up a bit of a fight but as I used more the controls do not give as much as hassle as before. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I haven't played Live at all but I’d say this could withstand a Live gig but a would definitely recommend you bring another bass with you as backup. As with most Yamaha's you get the impression that the hardware will outlive you. I’m a bit clumsy so I always hit the bass against something when I pick it up but it hasn't shown up on the woodwork or even scraped the finish off a bit and it certainly has effected the sound or hardware. The strap buttons are a problem though, my strap falls off very frequently. // 9

Impression: The style I play goes perfectly with this bass as would any other style with the possible exception of death metal. I haven't been playing bass for that long about 3 months now so I don’t have much to compare it to except the Squier Jazz Bass and the Ibanez SR300FM which it easily beat. If it were stolen I would definitely get another one. The only thing I could want more is better strap buttons. But if you're looking for a bass of amazing value and great quality consider this bass. // 9

overall: 7.2

Reviewed by: snakeyes9510, on may 11, 2006

Purchased from: Gary Bennet Music

Features: Made in 2004. 24 frets, 34' scale, rosewood fretboard and painted maple neck. Alder body with 2 active Yamaha electronic humbucker pickups. Volume, treble, bass, and pan-pot knobs. All black hardware which really brings out the bass. 3D heastock too which is very nice. // 8

Sound: Very warm sound to this bass. Can be very clean and sharp or lots of bass and very moving. Suits almost any type of music. Sounds really good with some of the effects through my Yamaha Magicstomp EB. Pickups hum a little bit when turned up fully, and if you tap on the body of the bass, the pickups pick up the sound. When battery starts to die, you knotice a unclear sound from the pickups, and it means to change it ASAP. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: Very good set-up. No factory defaults. Pickups could have been raised a little bit more but that only took to minutes to adjust myself. The finish on the body is very eye-catchy, with a nice solid color to it. The back of the neck is painted black, with a very thin coat and it is easy to chip. Be very carefuul with the neck because it is one of the most addorable things about this bass. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This bass will last all night, with a new battery. This bass eats batterys and is known to do so. Allways carry an extra 9V battery in your case just incase it does decide to die on you. The hardware is very tightly and firmly fit and so are the strap buttons. I would use it without a backup bass, not a backup battery though. The finish will last forever, there is no flaws or even surface scratches on my body and I've had it for 1 year. But the neck is a different story. // 6

Impression: This bass can adapt to any type of music with a few adjustments to the knobs. This bass is definatly worth the extra batteries over a Yamaha RBX170 because the pickups are so much better. I wish I would have asked about the average battery life of this bass because if you play atleast once a day for 1 hour or more. You will probably find yourself buying a new battery every 1-2 weeks. The finish is great and will last forever. Great bass overall but if I had my money back and knew about the battery problem. I would have spent it else where. // 7

Comments

[mosh_it_up]

if you wanna buy me one dont hesitate

[brokenbassboy]

i got one and they are actually amazing playing for the price they sell for.

[Weybl Himself]

Bass player in my band has one of them. Huge sound, beautiful tone.

[dimebag7]

My bassist was looking at this.

[h0d0g]

has any1 got a 774...supposedly they r seling really bad...

[le-ciel]

this is a great bass i have ever look.i want one of them

[bassmonkey16]

i'd love to get my hands on that body....
a good friend of mine plays yamahas. he has a high end model, i forget which. but man do they ever have a versatile tone.

[UnDarkGuitar]

3d headstalk? haha

[ben_trivium]

can some one please tell me the price of the guitar as i cannot findout. my email is [e-mail]

[maximus_bass_!!]

amazing bass, not 2 keen on the silver tho. but its not as good as the epi. thunderbird x x

[campbed_2000]

i no this has nothing to do with this, but i must keep to some of the narrowminded people on UG, IVE GOT ONE WORD FOR YOU< DRAGONFORCE!! EVRYONE ELSE SUCKS!!

[metpajoe]

i have the rbx-375.they are such good basses especially for that price and i have played the 374 which is also really good

[Name Eman]

i really dislike this bass, for the same price i bought an Ibanez SRX700, far superior in my opinion, this bass has suprisingly minimal control over the sound, and the quality of the switches and dials (on the one i've played) were poor. Spend your money on better things, i'd say

[Mr.Glue]

Nice bass:O

[Ultrabassman]

The bass cost 240 quid when i bought it. The week after they were selling it for 199 (!) so there you go.

By the way I wrote this review, UG made a mistake again.

Ultrabassman

[Ultrabassman]

When I first bought this bass, I used to leave the lead in because i didn't realise it drained the battery!!! But it still lasted around 2 weeks though. All you have to do is remove the lead.

Ultrabassman

[4string-tsurigi]

I've played the fiver variety in a music and though it sounded good. but I didn't play plugged in. but it was pretty comfy.

[metallicaddict]

to anyone who plays a four-string and has ever thought about getting a five-string: DO IT ITS WORTH IT!!!

[tezzanator92]

your problems with batery life can be fixed!!, email yamaha about it.. and you will get instructions on how to fix it . they messed up the wiring inside apparently, mine has been ok though (maybe coz mines newer?). BTW these are VERY nice basses, buy one, you will not be disappointed

[punksucks666]

my little bro use to play one for an houre or 2 a day and was buying batteries nearly every week. darty finishes wont fade, dodgy pickups and i think its made of basswood, an alright guitar for only $530 or bout so

[Jacko-Twisted]

I baught one for only £280 and it is amazing for a bass that low a price range. It sounds brilliant and feels so natural and comfy for a 24 fret bass. the finish does get knocked off easy (I got mine in black so scratches and dings are show up easy) but nothing will effect the sound. apart from having no battery power. the most under-rated basses to be made. ever. it is just that good, i cant find anything bad to say about it, apart from that the finish chips off fairly easy. Thats it, superficial crap that doesnt reallly affect the bass at all. So worth investing in.

[AlexBRFC]

Got the rbx374 at the end of 2006 for £220. It's an absolutely awesome guitar, and sounds ace playing any style (I play rock/indie/pop/reggae/funk/blues anything and it sounds great). Definitely reccommend!