Blue Yamaha Bass Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

Should you be in the market for a decent, inexpensive bass, you really should consider this model. Having just arrived home from jamming with six friends, three of whom (including myself) are gigging pros, I felt obligated to congratulate Yamaha Corp for creating such a marvelous bass for the price. I brought my favorite jamming bass–a Squier VM 70's jazz bass–to the jam yet ended up playing this TRBX for four hours. (The guy who owns the studio remarked that he just bought it (used), and he wanted me to try it out.) I'll admit that the controls for the pots are cheap plastic, but everything else about the bass was top notch. It's a passive bass, but the EQ is very responsive with a wide range of voicings from its P/J style pups. Beautifully finished neck, a fretboard with a generous slab of rosewood–it sure looked and felt like rosewood, despite what it's being called in the GC write-up–a really smooth fret-edge finish, solid body wood, but not too heavy. Tuners worked great, and the sunburst stain under the urethane finish was masterfully done. The studio owner bought the bass with flatwound strings, but the pups made them sound clear, with a nice degree of sustain. This TRBX will serve a bassist well as a back-up, but I wouldn't be surprised if some would use it as a main axe (maybe after ditching the plastic knobs for better-quality ones). btw, I had it input to a Tech-21 bass Sansamp (which I use all the time), and into a GK MB210-ii. Even with the Sansamp bypassed, it performed quite well. In summary: Nice surprise!BassesRBetter

After building myself an in home studio, I quickly realized the only thing i was missing was a bass. Swung over to a local store (sorry MF, i was in a rush!) and checked out their large selection. Being that i'm a drummer, I was looking for apparent quality as I didn't much know the specifics or traits that i should be mindful of. The price tag, finish, weight and balance of this thing caught my eye. I toyed around with it for a moment and purchased it about 15 minutes later. I would be lying if i said this was the most played piece in my studio – BUT whenever i do pick it up i am always impressed. Plugging it directly in to a preamp and hitting record with this thing is a dream. You can go from a very washy sound to some solid attack with the knobs. Contrary to one of the previous comments, it does have a volume knob. As i have developed my skills in the studio and on a guitar/bass I have never felt beyond or limited by this guitar. Exceptional piece, I can say with confidence that if bass was my main instrument, i would love to have this guitar as a backup. But for someone like me?…..perfect.Chris

This bass is excellent for the money. It comes out of the case ready to go, just requires tuning which can be easily accomplished with the provided tuner. The case and stand are of excellent quality. The case is hard and sturdy. Its fairly large but will definitely provide great protection. The stand is very sturdy and props the bass up securely. The bass itself sounds great. The only issue Ive encountered with it is some rattle on the E string which I believe can be fixed with the proper adjustments I just havent taken it in yet. Otherwise it sounds nice, full, and rich. Its also beautiful to look at. Overall a fantastic buy for someone looking to get into playing bass. Highly recommend!nicholapedraz-0

This bass is excellent for the money. It comes out of the case ready to go, just requires tuning which can be easily accomplished with the provided tuner. The case and stand are of excellent quality. The case is hard and sturdy. Its fairly large but will definitely provide great protection. The stand is very sturdy and props the bass up securely. The bass itself sounds great. The only issue Ive encountered with it is some rattle on the E string which I believe can be fixed with the proper adjustments I just havent taken it in yet. Otherwise it sounds nice, full, and rich. Its also beautiful to look at. Overall a fantastic buy for someone looking to get into playing bass. Highly recommend!nicholapedraz-0

I bought this for my husband as a Xmas gift. He is really pleased with the playability, sound quality and overall appearance. Next day delivery was brilliant too!Louise B.

I've been wanting to start learning the bass for a while now, so I started looking and saw this one… looked at a few video reviews and it sounded amazing! And it has definitely exceeded expectations! Such a lovely sound and so comfortable to play, even for someone who is classical trained in piano and not really touched a guitar of any sort haha! Brilliant product!Darcie J.

Cool vintage looks, solid construction, love the neck profile. After minimal adjustment to the setup it plays very well and sounds great through my current rig. Good features for the price, pickup routing could be closer but I can live with that. Overall, very happy with it.D.W.

I am a beginner bassist that started playing bass about maybe 5 or 4 months ago. I originally had an ibanez gsr 200 to start which was a solid bass. But the Yamaha I a step up in every way when it comes to quality and tone and how much fun you have with the instrument. I can't say much about the electronics as I haven't had much time with the bass to notice anything but all and all they have held up just fine. I highly recommended this bass to people of all skill levels.Mountaineerace

The bass has excellent tone. Was exactly what I expected. Was not happy about the loose tuning peg which buzzes from the vibration of the strings, but will find a way to make it stop. Fret buzz on the A and D string on the first fret of each one is an issue which leads me to believe that the nut is not properly fitted. Pickup buzz from the lower bridge pickup will mean that I will not be able to record with this bass. That being said, for practice and jamming purposes it will definitely be ok. Still despite these minor issues, love the tone of the bass.CroRoc462

Bought one of these basses after searching high and low for used Attitudes and always wanted to play one. Finally found a III online at GC used. It was basically brand new out of the box. Once I received it I was totally blown away. I have Fender P and J basses and am very familiar witht the P neck, my first bass and have it for over 25 years. The ABIII neck is so comfortable and the action is amazing. The playability blows all of my Fenders away and I hate to admit that because I still love playing them but this bass just raises the bar. Construction is top notch. The neck through construction is solid and the body is solid but very light. Hardware is excellent and the recessed bridge just adds to the low action and sustain. Harmonics are bright and clear, there's no fret buzz and the bass plays very fast. Comes with a set of BS strings which I really like. I'm not sure if it's the strings themselves or the neck profile but bending is quite easy to do everywhere on the fretboard and not just where the neck is scalloped. Which brings me to that section…. just a great feature that adds to new inspiring riffs and soloing ideas. I would never try or do that on my other basses as it was just such an effort to bend and not buzz or be difficult to do but the scalloped frets make it a breeze. Fiinally, the tone. The EBO-esque neck pickup really keeps a nice low end thump and they are very complimentary to the P pups. I would recommend this bass to anyone that was thinking about a high end "players" bass. This thing is meant to played and played hard.Joeglow

Bought one of these because I always loved the look and sound of Billy's bass but more importantly the P bass sound with the extra grind he has. I started to do research on the new one and didn't find too much on it but decided to jump in. So glad I did! The action is unreal and the tightest of all of my boutique basses with no fret buzz anywhere. The neck is chunky but very comfortable. Smooth palm rest and very fast playing. All of my guitar buddies are flawed by how low the action is and how great it feels. The quality is bar none. The bass is super responsive and sounds great with no effects used. Great P bass tone on the single plug in. When I ran 2 amps to try the 2 pickups in separate channels it just really added an immediate boost to the tone. There's so much dynamic range that the possibilities are endless. The scalloped neck was something I never had before and it is such a great feature to have if you like to bend notes. Very easy and super clean tone. The finish and construction quality of the bass is flawless. Very light overall bass, lighter than my Fender American Standard Jazz bass. Very comfortable right hand placement on the pickups or behind, I play in several positions but those are my most often used. Slap sound is very good as well. The neck has a little scoop taken off the end of the fretboard to accommodate your plucking finger. Great Bass, Great sound, super quality. I'd recommend this bass to anyone looking for a high end instrument. It's no wonder you can't find any of the older Attitudes for sale used. People just don't get rid of them!Joesph Loscacco

Bought this because I love the look and feel of a P bass but of course because of Billy. The feel and playability is unmatched by any of my boutique basses. Super low action with no fret buzz. The action is what a guitar player would die for and no wonder Billy can fly around on this thing. It's a shredder bass with the authentic P bass tone. Chunky yet very comfortable neck. scalloped frets were something new to me and I am totally in love with them. Clean work on the fret dressing, no burs or sharp ends. Total attention to the details on the neck. The body is super light and very well made. The D tuner is something I used on all of my basses and this comes standard. The P pickups have a great punch to them as expected from a split system and as authentic sounding as any Fender I own. I think they have a bit more meat to them which is great, I think just an overall upgrade to the classic design. The neck pickup has this EBO like tone that captures that nice sub kind of thump but it's not over the top and clear. It totally compliments the P pickups. A great pairing to my ears. I played the bass totally clean and flat EQ at first and was totally impressed then added some grit distortion to the mix and there's Billy's sound! I split the stereo outputs to a clean and distorted amp to mix the 2 channels and you get the best of both this way. You can also get both pickups through on amp as well but I wanted to try it the way he does to get the full experience. Hardware, tuners and bridge are all excellent quality, no complaints there. The recessed bridge is a great addition as it aids to keeping the strings as low as possible without over compensating them or having to adjust the neck angle or saddles. Intonates perfectly. I'd stack this up against of my Fenders or any of my other high end basses any day. It's no wonder you can't find the other Attitude versions for sale used on the net. They hold value and people just don't get rid of them. Now I know why.Joesph Loscacco

Yamaha consistently puts out great instruments and this bass is no different. The neck is smooth and easy to play, the pickups sound great and the tone control is out of this world. You can dial in the most specific changes you want from bright and punchy to a low dark rumble. It's quality built and has a great feel and the ease of playability is what makes this stand out from the crowd. This is a stellar choice for any bass player looking to expand their sound.Matty P

If you're looking to get into bass, or want to add an affordable 5 string to your arsenal, this is a great choice, especially if you play heavy music. This bass shares a lot of features and aesthetics with an Ernie Ball Stingray or Bongo, at a quarter the price. It's active electronics allow a lot of shaping right there on the bass, and it's one of the lowest priced active electronics I've seen on a bass. Between that and the 2 humbuckers, this bass has output for days.DJ Jazzy Josh

Should you be in the market for a decent, inexpensive bass, you really should consider this model. Having just arrived home from jamming with six friends, three of whom (including myself) are gigging pros, I felt obligated to congratulate Yamaha Corp for creating such a marvelous bass for the price. I brought my favorite jamming bass–a Squier VM 70's jazz bass–to the jam yet ended up playing this TRBX for four hours. (The guy who owns the studio remarked that he just bought it (used), and he wanted me to try it out.) I'll admit that the controls for the pots are cheap plastic, but everything else about the bass was top notch. It's a passive bass, but the EQ is very responsive with a wide range of voicings from its P/J style pups. Beautifully finished neck, a fretboard with a generous slab of rosewood–it sure looked and felt like rosewood, despite what it's being called in the GC write-up–a really smooth fret-edge finish, solid body wood, but not too heavy. Tuners worked great, and the sunburst stain under the urethane finish was masterfully done. The studio owner bought the bass with flatwound strings, but the pups made them sound clear, with a nice degree of sustain. This TRBX will serve a bassist well as a back-up, but I wouldn't be surprised if some would use it as a main axe (maybe after ditching the plastic knobs for better-quality ones). btw, I had it input to a Tech-21 bass Sansamp (which I use all the time), and into a GK MB210-ii. Even with the Sansamp bypassed, it performed quite well. In summary: Nice surprise!BassesRBetter

After building myself an in home studio, I quickly realized the only thing i was missing was a bass. Swung over to a local store (sorry MF, i was in a rush!) and checked out their large selection. Being that i'm a drummer, I was looking for apparent quality as I didn't much know the specifics or traits that i should be mindful of. The price tag, finish, weight and balance of this thing caught my eye. I toyed around with it for a moment and purchased it about 15 minutes later. I would be lying if i said this was the most played piece in my studio – BUT whenever i do pick it up i am always impressed. Plugging it directly in to a preamp and hitting record with this thing is a dream. You can go from a very washy sound to some solid attack with the knobs. Contrary to one of the previous comments, it does have a volume knob. As i have developed my skills in the studio and on a guitar/bass I have never felt beyond or limited by this guitar. Exceptional piece, I can say with confidence that if bass was my main instrument, i would love to have this guitar as a backup. But for someone like me?…..perfect.Chris

I'm a guitar player who bought this to use for recording (and because I think bass is a cool instrument!). This is very playable, sounds great with my Spark Amp and through my Scarlett 2i2. Though this is low priced, it does not in any way feel like a compromise. I highly recommend it.SHANNON

I've been playing for over 30 years. I mainly play a fretless bass but I like to play a fretted bass at times. My old fretted bass is worn out and spending 2k on an instrument that isn't my main go to bass is not something I'm going to do. This Yamaha is a great bass. The finish is perfect. Even in the hole to adjust the truss rod. I got the translucent black and It's a very black matte look. The frets are not super polished but are not sharp or sloppy. They play really nice, stand tall, and are capable of a wide variety of tones with different playing stlyes. The 5 piece neck is really playable. I'm really digging it. Mine is perfectly adjusted right out of the box. Tuning pegs have a really cool gunmetal finish and are adjustable if the ever get sloppy. Bridge is the same gunmetal finish and isn't high mass but it's not flimsy like the stock fender and it is the standard 5 screw type if I ever decided to change it. I don't think I'll do it anytime soon. The sustain resonates so well. Maybe better than my pricey fretless. I'm really into the mahogany body. Mine came with the intonation setup perfectly. It shipped detuned as it should've. All I did was stretch the string and tune it. Man do these electronics shine. I've got to spend some more time really learning the controls but I was able to dial in a few tones I wanted to try immediately. My first impression of the strings is that they really suck. Maybe that's true but they do play well and they're not dead but I bought a set of my favorite strings that I'll get on when I get sick of these. Overall I got a lot more bass than I expected for the money. A beginner could really grow into this and more advanced players should be quite satisfied.ZioEnzo

First, I saw it in a shop just out of the corner of my eye and it grabbed my attention. So, I am usually not a fan of Yamaha, holding this bass in my hands convinced me in seconds I found it easy to play because of the neck form, which is curved asymmetrical, giving a good grip for my thumb. The when the seller passed me the cable to a very cheap amp, I was immediately sure that this is an exceptional bass guitar for a good price. As I am also not a fan of active electronic, the possibility to switch between active and passive is well done, and when during a concert your battery gives up, there is no big problem to switch to passive and change the battery before the next song. I love to take this bass when I do not know what the meeting with other musicians is about, and even with electronic music it can cope. The bass is very light and easy to carry, it is easy to play and playing with the active electronic gives you a huge variety of modern sounds, that is really nice to experiment with. Surprisingly for me Yamaha did a lot of innovative things with this bass guitar and a lot of things right. Meanwhile I am used to the thin grey matt painting and somehow, I started liking it. It makes the bass looking just different from any other. Try it! I also think that the bass is worth each penny.EL Principe de la Navarte

Yamaha TRBX174EW is a great bass. It has a very balanced and versatile tone. I bought it with a pickups upgrade in mind after watching YouTube videos, but decided not to as soon as I played it. Looks great and sounds very nice.Alex

I'm really a 99% guitar player and only 1% bass player but I am completely satisfied with this bass for my purposes. I like to make guitar videos on you tube and honestly , I only even play the bass to add fullness to the sound. For not being a professional musician the price I paid for this bass is a great deal. ( This sight won't let me type in how much ?!?) I get exactly what I want out of it. I find it easier to play ( good action ) than my last similarly priced bass and it sounds good. If I could play like Geddy Lee or Steve Harris ( my 2 fav bass players ) maybe I'd spend more money. But this bass is plenty good enough to learn songs , practice on , or even play it in a local band. I've played in a few local/garage type bands and I would have no problem using or letting someone else use this bass for a show. Unless you are a professional I would definitely recommend this bass.scott b

Great value, set up was proper, finish was of good quality.Sound improved with higher quality strings, overall a really good guitar, especially for the cost of an entry level bass.thocow33

I am really impressed with this Banshee Bass. I was surprised on how light it was and the quality of woods is nice also..Alder body with Maple/Rosewood neck and a graphtech nut. I would recommend this bass to anyone looking to get a short scale Bass. Good job Schecter!Curt

I've been searching for a precision-style bass that is smaller and lighter and more comfortable to play than the traditional Fender models. I've tried a lot of short-scale basses and this is the first one that really works. When strung with flat-wound strings, it has a warm tone that is very similar to a P bass. Other short-scale basses either look like toys or suffer from poor tone. Usually the E string is at fault because it will be floppy and will sound different and ugly compared with the other strings. On the Banshee, the E string is taught and sounds good. I think the large tuners and high-mass bridge make the difference. The Banshee is well-built and has high-quality components. The neck is C shaped at the low end and flattens to a D shape at the high end, making it easy to reach the high notes. I know it's a good neck when I find myself noodling for hours when I practice. I can't wait to pick it up and I hate to put it down. My only complaint is the tuners. They don't hold tune for long and they are fiddley. The slightest nudge will send a string over or under tune and it can be difficult to find the sweet spot. Also, there is a loud 60 cycle hum that will probably require some additional shielding to fix. I'd recommend the Banshee to anyone who plays classic rock or soul music and wants a bass that's comfortable and easy to play. Check it out!David, K

I recently switched to exclusively short scale basses, and recently let go of my American Pro Fender P bass, which was difficult to part with. Since then, I've not been able to find the signature P bass sound – until now. The Banshee is a grown up, solid bass that plays a lot like an American Mustang meets the P bass. The string-through body might be the reason for the powerful sustain, as well as the beefy alder body and the high-mass bridge. I threw DR Black Beauties on it, and it's just fantastic. Solid craftsmanship and the pickup is strong and versatile, even with just a volume and tone knob. I've owned about a half-dozen basses, three short scales, and this is way above the rest, including the Mustang. Just for comparison's sake, I recently purchased a Fallout Tribute bass from G&L, and it just felt tinny and cheap compared to the Banshee. Other features are the neck – slim and fast, and so easy to play. Fretwork was above average for the price, no sharp fret ends. Tuners are light, no neck dive at all. I checked the setup when I got it back home, and the truss rod needed a slight adjustment but the intonation was perfect. The TUSQ nut was set too high for the string action on the first fret, and required a tiny bit of filing. Only two issues were that the rosewood looked warped out of the box, and the pickup anchor screws stripped immediately with just a slight turn, and appear to be stuck in the body and unable to be adjusted. Overall, this is one of the best short scale basses out there for the price.Scott

This bass has the best sounding J pickup I've ever owned on a P/J bass. I always buy P/J basses as I prefer the slimmer necks that they usually have with the P pickup and never use the J pickup as they usually leave a lot to be desired for my ear. They usually sound congested with too much emphasis on the mid range. The mid range tones are present but the tone has more of a J neck pickup characteristic as opposed to a bridge J pickup. I was concerned about the fret edges when I bought this one as I saw a video review complain about how sharp they were. Are they as smooth as the higher end models I've played. No, they are not. Is the bass useable right now without a set up. Yes it is! I plan on using it a my next gig.James

Based on the BroadBass of the 70's, this is a great player without killing your budget. For an inexpensive bass it both plays and sounds extremely well. The BB's of the 70's were always nice and this one brings back that great vintage feel and sound that the original's had. I have played these in the studio before to break sounds and tone's up…it did the job and did it well.Lee @ Sam Ash CIncinnati

I had wanted to learn how to play bass guitar since my early 20's so I finally decided to make it happen at age 46. After doing quite a bit of online and in-store research I landed on the Yahama TRBX 304. Rather than explain all the reasons I didn't select a different brand or model I'll tell you why I picked this one. To put it simply, it just felt and sounded right. The neck is smooth and somewhat narrow which is great for my small hands. The frets are mellow with no sharp or jagged edges and the ergonomic pick-ups with the thumb/finger contours fit like a glove. The electronics are amazing as well. Aside from my poor finger placement on the frets I don't get a lot of annoying buzz. The five EQ settings are great for allowing me to find the sounds I'm looking for without investing in a higher end accessories. My only complaint about this guitar would be the aesthetics. While I like the feel and contouring of the base, I wish they had a better color selection. Would love to see this in the old violin sunburst color the 204 comes in but I have no complaints otherwise. Having never really played a guitar of any kind I'm happy to say I've already been able to learn a few easy songs like Seven Nation Army. Yesterday I learned Tool's "46 and 2" and have a basic understanding of The Beatles "Come Together". Overall I couldn't have made a better choice within my $300 – $400 budget.JASON

I've owned this instrument for going on seven months. Possibly the most beautiful bass I've ever owned; wherever I play I'm complimented on its jewel-like stunning candy apple red finish. Combined with a superior active EQ system, it's a beauty AND a beast. Great variety of styles through a 5-way switch that actually works! Nicely finished, high-quality rosewood fretboard with a satin neck, a bit on the thin side. Currently it's suffering the dreaded winter season's sharp fret ends, but it's only slight. A feature I appreciate (especially after 4-hour gigs) is the body wood, which is substantial enough, but somehow made lighter, I guess by "chamfering" which is what I call tapering, because it's not chambered. Somewhat beefier bridge than a Fender Std American J-Bass, perfectly aligned to center strings directly over the pole pieces. Easy access to the truss rod. The bass could have benefited from a better nut, but it's serviceable. Pups are designed with a scooped out slot as a thumb rest, which I notice other musicians find beneficial (but I don't, depends on how you prefer to rest your thumb). I often use this for practice/rehearsing and sometimes for gigs when I don't want to risk losing or damaging my G&L Kiloton. This really is the only bass I'd consider gigging with full-time at the price–it's that good.MetroPlexBass

For the last six months I have been trying to find a new bass. Went through Ibanez, Scheter, Music Man, Lakland and Fenders up to custom and limited editions. None played like the Yamaha BBP35 or even sounded as good as the BBP35. Hats off to Yamaha for a quality, professional bass. Played many basses through the years high end and expensive custom shops. Yamaha outplays them all.Raydio

This instrument is absolutely in the top tier of other well known upper end builders. I find it to sound "classic", but at the same time having that something extra that BB's are known for plus great definition and clarity. The playability is superb and the build quality it up there with the best of them. I also do hear a difference with the wood treatment they use on these basses. It sounds played in and feels played in. This has become my workhorse instrument. I just love it.Gerry

For the last six months I have been trying to find a new bass. Went through Ibanez, Scheter, Music Man, Lakland and Fenders up to custom and limited editions. None played like the Yamaha BBP35 or even sounded as good as the BBP35. Hats off to Yamaha for a quality, professional bass. Played many basses through the years high end and expensive custom shops. Yamaha outplays them all.Raydio

This instrument is absolutely in the top tier of other well known upper end builders. I find it to sound "classic", but at the same time having that something extra that BB's are known for plus great definition and clarity. The playability is superb and the build quality it up there with the best of them. I also do hear a difference with the wood treatment they use on these basses. It sounds played in and feels played in. This has become my workhorse instrument. I just love it.Gerry

I watched dozens of reviews of various Bass guitars of varying price ranges. This guitar sounds fantastic in whatever genre of music. This bass is everything that Dagan, of PMT, said it was. It looks great too. Watch his review here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmJAYSbM2ZMGeoff W.

I've had mine for 1 year so far. Very nice. I have the natural wood looking style, which gets compliments all the time for musicians. The neck is smooth, easy to play. Sounds great. Down side is the active pre-amp drains batteries too fast. Even when set in passive, the battery will drain if it is plugged into an amp (even with the amp off). It will eat a 9V over night. So with that said, I never use the active setting, I just leave it in passive mode. You'd be better off getting a pre-amp pedal if you want that functionality.Michael

Wow, what a stunning bass this is! So much punch and grunt! The sound has so much depth, with beautiful lows and rich mids. Beautiful neck, slim and smooth to play. Sadly, I had to set the bass up when it arrived – AWFUL fret buzz, but no real big issue I guess. All in all, VERY impressed!Simon B.

The bass has excellent tone. Was exactly what I expected. Was not happy about the loose tuning peg which buzzes from the vibration of the strings, but will find a way to make it stop. Fret buzz on the A and D string on the first fret of each one is an issue which leads me to believe that the nut is not properly fitted. Pickup buzz from the lower bridge pickup will mean that I will not be able to record with this bass. That being said, for practice and jamming purposes it will definitely be ok. Still despite these minor issues, love the tone of the bass.CroRoc462