Yamaha TRBX504

December 2013 Guitarist 129
QUICK TEST
MISCELLANEOUS
Quicktest
Claiming that one
single-channel
dirt pedal can
successfully cover
tones from crunch to
metal could be seen as
asking for failure, but not
when you have MXR’s
Custom Badass team on the
case. With this latest Badass,
they’ve served up wide-
ranging output and distortion
controls, plus a three-band EQ
for extra tonal shaping. Power
requirements are the usual
nine-volt battery or power
supply, and it’s also true bypass.
Sounds
What’s immediately apparent
is the pedal’s tight, responsive
dirt across the entire gain range
– according to the team behind
the Badass, its frequency
response reacts to the amount
of gain you’re using. So there’s
no muddy sag on low-gain open
chords, and plenty of bite and
compression for high-gain
molten leads. The latter arena is
where the Super Badass excels,
and its huge rock tones are
positively grin-inducing.
Then there’s that three-band
EQ. The pedal’s 12 o’clock tone
recalls gain’d-up British amps
from the late 70s, but the
tweakability afforded by the
bass, mid and treble means that
more contemporary American
sounds are just a few turns
away. The mids control is
central to the pedal’s flexibility:
up it for vintage crunch; cut it
for metal aggression.
Verdict
For versatility and supreme
distorted tones, the Super
Badass is among MXR’s
greatest drive pedals. The low-
gain settings might not knock
the Tube Screamer off your
’board, but this is still a
fantastic sounding, great value,
supremely flexible distortion
– and it’s badass to boot.
[MB]
GUITARIST RATING
Guitarist says: With colossal
dirt wherever you set the dials,
the Super Badass delivers tones
worthy of its name
Badass by name, badass by nature
CONTACT: Westside Distribution PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.jimdunlop.com
Yamaha’s reputation
for making great basses
continues with another
well-crafted instrument
that makes use of a solid
mahogany body with
significant chamfering to
the top, which aids both
playing comfort and weight.
The five-piece maple/
mahogany laminate neck is
ultra-smooth to the touch
and has Jazz-like
proportions with a slim
38mm nut and offset pearl
dot inlays.
The body design
is typically
Yamaha, meaning
excellent balance
and access to those
uppermost frets.
While the burnished
chrome bridge/
tailpiece allows for
top loading of
strings only, it’s
a high-mass
raised tail unit
and offers
maximum natural
sound transference
from the strings to the body.
With a pair of quad-
polepiece pickups and an
active/passive preamp design
with a battery of controls, it
will come as no surprise that
the prime function of the
TRBX504 is to produce an
array of quality tones.
Sounds
The H5 pickups are
stunning. In passive
mode they offer a range
of gloriously funky sounds
and when switching to active
mode the potential is neatly
doubled. With the tone
controls set flat there is little
variation when switching
from passive to active, but in
active mode they really come
alive and offer both cut and
boost. For dynamic attack
and punch use the active
setting, while the passive
mode provides those fruity
and warm traditional bass
sounds and pickup blends.
This is a tactile
and versatile bass
with a host of
sumptuous
sweet spots.
Verdict
Versatile, full of
delightful tonal
surprises and all
at a price that
won’t break the
bank – what’s not to
like about this fine addition to
Yamaha’s bass range?
[RN]
High spec and delivery from this stylish
and roadworthy bass
CONTACT: Yamaha Music Europe PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.uk.yamaha.com
Yamaha TRBX504
bass guitar
£484
GUITARIST RATING
Guitarist says: Yamaha’s latest
bass takes some beating; great
playability and a broad range of
passive and active sounds
http://vault.guitarist.co.uk
MXR M75 Super
Badass Distortion
£99
GIT375.rev_quick.indd 129 10/31/13 12:02 PM