Yamaha RBX-170

Ok this is just an update to the review I gave last time it's been awhile so I've learned what I like and don't like. What I think it's good at and what it's bad at (but can be fixed too make it better).

Okay first let's start with the positives the pickups (Or pickup)
Well the P pickup sorta lost it's high output maybe it just needs some tweaking on the action or just a new bridge or something I don't know I just know I uset to love the sound of it with a new set of Dean Markelys now even with a new set the P pickup just sorta sucks.
I'm proably gonna replace it with a Seymour duncan Quarter Pounder.

The next pickup the Jazz pickup really gets a good bell like sound. You know that's good for Ska and some punk and mainly for country and pop. I don't do country but, I guess those damn single coil strats and teles whould need a bell tone chime I guess.

Anyways the tone/volume knob(s) are great they really alter the sound not just lower the volume like in Squiers and cheapie no name brands.
So the sound is great it's still versatile and great sounding.

Well I've only had the action set up twice since owning it when I bought it in '07 and a year later in '08 don't really worry to much about the action I play mainly punk and metal if it ain't broke don't fix it right?

Kidding kids always get your guitar or bass set up by a pro atleast yearly if not you can destroy your invesment.

My excuse for not doing it is I've been lazy and for a excuse that's a crappy one!

I'd say it is built for years of playing it still hasn't even got a scratch and I play pick almost exclusively. I gave up on my fingers as the callouses would really grow right and well Dunlop Tortex does sound really good.
So anyways the finish is still dark black I can still see my face in it the frets are all shiny and nicely set and my fretboard is well soaked in sweat and blood (Don't ask) and yet it still plays like it's a Jazz bass neck (I think it is anyways).

I registered my bass a long time ago for a Lifetime Warranty so if it dies (I don't think it will) Yamaha will send me another one.

Recently though the bridge was popping strings like crazy so I had to get a saddle replaced as it was cutting into the string making them pop everytime I tuned them. So I might get a BadAss II soon also along with a new P Pickup from Seymour Duncan.

All in all I find it the perfect starter and the perfect choice for studio sessions and live gigs at the local pub or bar. Basically there isn't anything that it can't do ATLEAST descently that I've seen. I saw a photo of the Shiny Toy Guns (Former) Bassist Carah Faye Charnow using this bass (it was black) live. So it can more than take what ever you throw at it.

Overall I'm happy I bought it and am really finding no reason to trade up just yet even after all this time I find I haven't outgrown it and really I'm just planning to get a new bass cause I want to have another bass to play around with I don't really need it.
Hell, once i learn how to work my dumb Tascam DP-01 I'll upload material for my bands first cd. Sure this bass isn't a Fender or a Ibanez or even a Attitude model Yamaha but, this thing can beat your ass!

Made in Indonesia, 4 strings, 24 frets, 2 tone controls + volume, nice shape, looks solid. My first bass and it has everything I need. It's perfect for begginers and surely for intermediates too. Tune very easily. Body could have benn more decorated but it's OK.

Good sound, even on a crappy PG-10 10 watts amp. Perfect for my style: heavy metal (Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden), hard rock (Scorpions, Deep Purple) and Nu metal (Slipknot, Nirvana). Very good pickup quality, nice tone. Could be better, but would require a 1000$ bass...

Bought used. Good condition, little bit scratched

Everything looks very solid. I'm almost sure I could throw it on the ground and it would still play.

I'm playing since 2 months. If this bass was stolen I would buy it again. I like it a lot. It's my first musical instrument and I feel it's made for me. For the price I think this bass is perfect.

made in indonesia 2003 I think 4 strings 24 frets
2 volumes 1 tone
passive pickups
cheap cable, it broke after a wile

the sound is descent, but it has a really passive sound, its sound its not too hard unless you use a pick (and I don't use them) so sometimes I end up playing it really hard to make the strings sound a little more, but thats just me I think.
Its a perfect biginer bass, specialy if you are going to play jazz or reggae. But I play from reggea, to ska, to punk, funk and slap. and there is something missing when using it to funk and slap because it has sound its more of a deep style than a treble slap and plug funk style.
Nothing special with the tone, I think its almost the same anyway you tune it.

other than that is a good sound

this is the first bass I got so when I got it, I didn't knew much about how it was supposed to be setted-up. But it actually has to be setted up a lot when you get it, The strings where too hight, the pickups where different and it was badly equalized, but as soon as I setted up in the music store, I liked it very much.
The Finish is well made.

I Played both, for practice and live, for practice, is really good, and in live, well.. it serve just fine, and never had a mayor complain about it.
The hardware has worked fine for the 9 moths Id have had it, and never got a complain.
Its really solid and its seems to last long years.
once, the bag opend and the bass fell in the street, and it only made a scratch.

Ive been playing for 9 months now, and I have played a few basses rather than this one, but it was actually a good choice. I use is with a Fender Rumble bass Amp 25 watts, and it sounds nice.
After buyindg this bass I investigated a little and this was the best option for its low price. Yamaha its actually a garantee of quality on things they do.
right now im tryng to sell it, but only because I want to try new things, and that I want a bass that has a harder sound than this one, for playing funk, and ska. I Recomend it for any beginer

Made in Indonesia, passive, 4 strings, black. After a year I made it fretless!
Got it with tools and short cable.

P-pickup no noise at all and deliver very low freq. J-pickup produce a little hum. Yamaha original pickups have 30 procent more volume and definition than Squier Jazz Bass Standard. I found no reason at all to change pickups. Or maybe for couriosity I will with Duncan.

I use Fender flatwounds. It is just amazing sound with combination of strings and no frets.

Set up was good. But I think you must do it your self.

BUT the neck had a little curve out in the midle of the fingerboard. No visible with your eyes, but fret buzz always there.
That was the reason to made it fretless and repair that curve.
Cost me 50 eur.

NOW is perfect! Now I would give it 9!

One year and very reliable for me. Very nice finish. No sharp edges of the frets! I put it completely apart and back together.

I only change the strap button screws with longer.

In Slovenia I was treated nice in Yamaha official store.

I will keep this fretless and buy a Yamaha BB-414 in a close future.

I only wish to have chrome knobs!

Here's a good passive. P + J pickup'd, four string, 24 fret, black metalic, MONSTER! It is my first bass and no I don't know where it was made but, it is very light. Due to the fact it has a alder body which also helps it resonate. The good part of 24 frets is more color for your canvas. The Neck is bolted on maple. Very good looking in my opinion. With a nice rosewood fretboard to set it off.
It is a nice finish too it gets dirty quickly though. The body style is hard for me to describe. So you need to see pics. WORDS CAN'T DO IT JUSTICE! Now the headstock I can it sort of looks like a 'Shark fin' when it sticks out the water. It has chrome tuning keys sealed with a ratio of 20:1. It's bridge is also chrome. But I think it should be black since the Volume knobs are. It's scale is 34". Suprisignly even a short person like me can reach both high and low siting or standing!

It sound can get me from a Rock Ballad, to Punk, to Hard Rock, to Metal, to Nu-Metal, to Death Metal on the fly. It is good for when I want to sound like Fieldy (KoRn), and for that it's just icing on the cake for me. I set it to where the P pickup is louder than the Jazz in the Bridge. It is a great bass. Even on open notes you can tell it's Metal I'm playing. That is also due to the fact my Fender Rumble 15 amp's EQ's is turned off. My basses sound is futher backed by it's fader knob that can control the sustain on both the P and J pickups.

Well this is were it suffered. It was set up wrong. It needed to be set up by a nice Guitarcenter clerk where I bought it. He adjusted the neck, raised the pickups, and even had to adjust the action. So for that it was disapointing. But, DON'T PASS THIS BASS UP!!!!
With the right ammount of TLC you can have a very versatile, durable, great sounding, Monster. As a matter of fact I named mine 'Sinister'.

I have yet to put it to the test live. I can't drive, and my band isn't really a band yet so. Yeah. But, the hardware is very good. It gives the bass great intonation. I am starting to learn how to slap and even without a tuner I can still tell that their in tune. I may be wrong cause I never tested 'em but, they don't sound or look out of tune. The strap buttons are great! I don't have strap locks and the only time the strap came off is when I was messing around. I think that is also due to my fast reactions though. Anyways even without pluging it in I can hear every note. So it's really great for late night practice. I can see me using this when my band gets together with no back up. But, I plan on getting an RBX 370 Yamaha.

I recently registered my instrument. Haven't needed them yet. So I can't tell you anything.

I am a beginner a real beginner. Less than a month of experience. I am not gonna compare it to basses cause I never really have. YET. So wait. I love everything about this Bass. It is my baby. If anyone ever stole it I'd be pissed. Really pissed. I only wish I bought a tuner but, that's another story. Now to any beginners thinking of Squier DON'T belive me. My parents wanted me to get that Squier Affinity P Bass pack instead of this. No Way! I suggest this bass. Why Pros: Good hardware, great play ability, and Versatile pickups
Cons: Not backed by a popular Company like Fender, Ibanez, or Squier.

But, all that aside beginners don't even know what they want in a bass I know I didn't. So get one that you want is in your price range and will be able to let you play comfortably. If your short chances are you don't need that long, heavy, Fender Jazz with the $800 price tag. So get this. It's light, cool, and affordable. I belive it's the easiest choice any beginner can make. Plus it's only $180!!!!!!

Its a fairly simple passive system with one j pickup and one offset
I mainly use the offset, but the J is great for jazz abd treble
the knobs are Pickup 1 volume, Pickup 2 volume and Master Tone

It sounds OK
Going from a more expensive Godin, the sound is not as good, naturally, but it is still a lot better than many guitars in this price bracket.

the E string twangs metallically slightly, but i am used to it now

Its a really nice gloss black, and it has a rosewood fingerboard which is matte at the back

It looks really nice, but the gloss does get dirty

Well, its been really great, its reliable, but the gloss does get scratches quite easily

Nothing major though

Havent needed any yet
although I would imagine taht a huge company like Yamaha would have good customer support

Its just about the best learner on the market in my opinion
I would recommend it to any ammuateur who wants something good but budget.
I am very happy with it.

Already all covered but might as well...
24 frets, 4 string bass with passive precision and jazz pickups
2 volume and one tone controls, made in japan
fairly thin neck, small tuning knobs (compared with fenders)
beginnner bass, not for the experienced and those wanting something different. Nothing out of the ordinary here, but what it does have, it has with decent quality.

My playing style varies greatly, from funk to classic rock to punk to indie. I was tempted to go for a more expensive active p-up version of this (rbx270?) but it cost #100 more.
To be honest, the sound it gives is pretty generic; it definitely doesn't have that 'full' sound. But I did try other basses in the shop, including a mexican fender jazz; I only just chose the yamaha.

But I did experience the bass out of a decent high-powered fender bass amp that a friend owned, and it does sound like a force to be reckoned with! As long as you have a good tone and pickup balance, it will give a very good sound. The sound being 'generic' can also be an advantage, as it doesn't fall on its face when you experiment with different styles of music. Even though it won't give you what you want, it will deliver decent sounds no matter what. No noise problems to mention.

The action is very low to start with (a little too low for my liking) but there isnt any buzzing, so no complaints. The pickups needed raising a bit to get a better sound, but otherwise everything came ok. No loose parts or anything else.

See, here's something I like about cheaper basses by good companies like yamaha. They give you the decent sound, but because of the lower price, you aren't scared of breaking one ever.
It has had a fair bit of natural wear on it sicne i bought it 1 and a half years ago, but completely superficial. The bass plays just as good as it did the day I bought it. Hard shiny lacquer finish which will withstand anything you throw at it. Neck is less resiliant, but just as good as most basses in similar price range.
Gig without a backup, no question.

Haven't had to deal with them and I doubt I will for this bass

I will admit this was my first bass. I hadn't had much playing experience prior to buying it, but I still feel I chose the right bass and that's important.
If stolen or lost, after having the experience with this for a while, like anyone else I would go for a better bass for a bit more money.

If you have no experience with basses, add a point ot the score
If you are now moving onto a more advanced level, take one off.

Either way, I can't deny that it is a brilliant bass in the lower price range. This would also do for a cheap backup for someone's more expensive bass. But yeah, no regrets over buying it at all and it does the job very well indeed!

Built in '05 (I presume, just bought it in march of '06 new)24 fret. It's about the size of a P-bass with Fender Jazz look-alike pickups. Mine is misty red (not my color of choice, but I had to have it that day for a show where I was going to be standing in on bass, I'm a guitarist by trade with some expirence on bass)

The only other bass I ever played on a regular basis was a Fender Jazz, having been spoiled by the incredible range of tone and dynamics of the Fender Jazz I was rather pleased with the tone this bass produces. It doesn't get quite as warm as a Jazz, but it gets every bit as bright as a P-bass if not more. Wether that's good or bad is subjective. I am still in the process of tweaking it, pulled the truss rod back some. The intonation is good at the 12th fret, but off some at the 24th fret, so I will need to tweak the bridge a hair. However the factory adjustment is pretty good all in all. I swear by most things Yamaha, I used to seel their motorcycles and will not own any other brand receiver amplifier. Their electronics are top notch for the most part. I was not entirely happy with the pots they use in this bass though. When you reach the full volume position on the pots it makes a funny subtle little noise, but really that is the only thing I could possibly complain about in that department.

Like I said befor, the factory adjustment is pretty good. Everyone has their own tastes though, and any new instrument should be super tuned. I had mentioned that the 24th fret intonation is a little off, but that may be due to my adjusting the truss rod, I still need to fool with the saddles. The pickups were set a little weird, or at least so I thought. I repositioned them, but now I get a tiny bit of distortion at full blast, maybe I will set them back some. Other wise this is a top not setup.

It seems to be a fairly solid built instrument. I have not had it long enough to give you an honest opinion, but everyone else who has posted a reveiew had had pretty good things to say...

Never had to deal with Yamaha customer support with anything they built, bikes, guitars, home electronics...

I have been playing bass off and on for about 10 years. I would definatly buy this bass again if I had to replace it. I made my purchase decition almost entirely on price, and I was not expecting to get something as nice as I did. I would recomend this bass to beginers, mediocres and even for pros it's a good bass to have laying around in your room to practice on even if you are a studio or touring musician.

Basic passive P/J features. Although, I installed a series mod in mine...a pull of the 2nd volume knob and both the P and J pups are in series...

the pickups sound clean, the finish is great, the bridge is OK (works for me)...the tuners aren't the best, but I haven't had any problems with keeping it in tune.

the neck is thin and fast and quite good for ANY axe this price.

I play it in church ... it sounds GREAT!... I can get just the right tones out of it...nice and round and warm, all the way to bright and cutting.

what's not to like?

the fretwork was very good as delivered, so a tweak of the trussrod, some adjustment on the bridge and I have the action as low as I ever want...

neck is solid in the pocket...finish is flawless...

I dig it...and for this price... are you kidding me???

It's solid...it stays in tune even in high humidity...everything is solid on this puppy...

great construction for the price...

Nothing wrong with it...so who needs customer support? :)

I've been playing bass for over 15 years, and this is THE BEST bargain bass I've owned. I really dig quality bargain basses...

24 frets and a deep cut so you can hit those really high ones, nicely sized
the Head is very odd looking but thats an asthetic thing
great finish
very lightweight

the sound is a bit bright for my tastes, i like a deeper/warmer sound to my basses. if you want you can make it really treble-ly, but i'm not a fan of that kind of sound.

taken a lot of abuse, i've had it for 4 years and its lasted. the pick ups are a bit close to the strings, causing a lot of "farting" sounds - easy to fix. the output electronics are bit sketchy, fell out once and gets a bit "noisy" everyonce and a while

never dealt with the company

probably the best low end bass you can get. better than a squire. best bet for the low cost, if i had more money i would go up to a fender jazz bass or maybe higher end yamaha (bb414+). its had its problems with the output electronics and pick ups but its been a pretty sturdy lady other than that.

This is a 4 string bass. It has 2 volume pots and a tone pot. Had it for 2 years. Strongly built, nice solid feel, but quite light.

I play everything from fusion to heavy metal. it suits all these styles and has quite a good range of tone.
Settings can easily be adjusted (on bass and amp), so 1 minute my band are playing melodic death metal, the next im doing a walking bassline over some jazz chords.
Obviously the amp matters too but it has quite a warm tone for a budget bass. It is better for the stage than studio; its pros are in its rugged construction more than in its tone.

I havent adjusted the factory set up and ive had it 2 years.
The body or neck did not have any flaws, everything was a ok.
It has a loose tone pot but that is my fault due to gigging and will soon be adjusted.

This is a very durable bass, and is built to last. Everything about it feels solid, and the finish is bright and glossy.
One warning; keep the body clean with a cloth - fingerprints show on this bass!
I have used it on a gig without backup, i play downtuned (metal!) and mine was the only downtuned bass there.
Its a reliable bass. Full Stop

This is my first bass, but I have played around and I can truly say it is a very good bass for the price I payed for it.
If it was stolen, I would not buy it again as I have been playing it for 2 years and now need an upgrade.
!This is the perfect beginners bass!

this bass was made in 2003 in indonesia....
24 frets-4strings

my style is progressive rock and melodic death metal....the sound is so muddy and vague man....i still love this bass though it was my first one...so i still have a little nostalgia over it...frets buzz(especially after the 12th ones)
on stage you can't even feel it...you just feel something going boom behind you and that's it. it doesn't have a catchy clear sound at all..

well i can't complain about the body finish...the black finish has taken a lot of beating and still not a scratch! poor wood though....
the frets after the 12th ones sound wierd, as if missing a 1/2 tone, you have to bend it a little to get the right note....
pickups aren't noisy...but weak

strap buttons not solid, my bass almost fell during a concert. i had to grab on it for dear life...in the end i grabbed a chair and continued playing....but it's really been durable besides that....

never dealt with the company

i wish it had better wood and pickups and better alignment for the strings...(especially for the frets beyond the 12th ones)

Made in 2003 in Indonesia. 4 strings, P/J bass passive pickup combination. Jazz style neck. Metallic red. Plastic knobs, separate volume and single tone. Intonatable top load vintage style bridge. Designed as a learners instrument and very much pitched at the bottom end of the market. I'm not a fan of the body shape, I prefer less 'modern' styled instruments; however I was attracted by the obvious quality for the asking price.

Very light well balenced body, comfortable for sitting and standing. Body wood unknown.

Rating is based on the price.

P/J bass combination. The neck P-pickup has a nice thump, much better than I expected for the price. Bridge J-pickup is in a word, terrible. Very noisy and weak. It doesn't look like one, but Treat the RBX170 as a cheap P-bass and you can't go wrong.

Played through a little T-15 Vox amp it has a nice classic rock sound, warms up a bit when fed through my Behringer valve pre amp. Noise doesn't increase when fed through a PA, again very impressive for the price.

Don't bother with the bridge pickup.

Rating is based on the price category.

Unbelievable for the price. Flawless paint job. Tuners are solid and stable. Neck is smooth and frets are dressed nicely. No fret buzz and no weak spots. I changed to very light strings (40-90) which caused a buzz in the G string. I raised the bridge adjustor and all was well. Neck is very stable, I didn't bother adjusting it when changing the string gauge.

Rating is very much based on the price.....

I have my doubts that the bridge would survive a heavy handed player as it is light gauge pressed metal. Not a problem for me as I only play with my thumb. The rest of the bass is solid enough. I doubt anyone would want to use this as their primary stage instrument. Without a usable bridge pickup it's tones are limited. It sounds like a cheap P bass but looks like a modern style instrument, so who would want to be seen playing it?

No experience. Yamahas are very well made for their price category so I wouldn't expect any problems. Dealer is very helpful. Unable to rate.

Bought strictly for home use. Had a cheap Yamaha classical guitar for 20 years (probably only used it for about 5). Thought I might try a bass so I went looking for a cheap starters instrument. Have just sold it after 18 months. I wouldn't bother replacing it as I now have the bass bug and have moved on. I now own a Japanese 51 P bass and Epiphone Viola short scale.

The price has actually come down about $50 since I bought the instrument. Very good quality for the price. Highly recommended for a beginner.

see below for the specs

i play metal, definately suits me. i was actually looking to spend about $300-$400, tried this as a "why not" kind of thing and was blown away. in my opinion, this bass destroys everything in its price range and competes nicely with higher priced stuff. great sounds, gets that "wet" cannibal corpse bass sound with my hartke when i want it to. pretty good variety. have recorded with it and played rehearsals, great for both.

the pickups werent set up well at all, had to do that myself. when i got it, one of the Ps was way deep, the other almost touching a string without it vibrating. i had to kind of make the P pickups crooked, both pups having the higher side in the center. i was getting some unwanted clicking otherwise, and also the G string was louder than the others for whatever reason. the overall set up was good enough though. no flaws, but could have been way better.

seems very durable, friends have dropped it, i accidently banged the head into a wall somehow, everythings perfect. everything looks like it will last. id gig without a backup, no problem.

never had to deal

ive been playing about 3 years, into a hartke. great sounding. before this i had a no-name starter bass that i'd been "starting" on for about two and half years. when i decided to play bass with a band, i knew i'd need something much better. was looking for something more expensive than this, no need to buy it. a guy i knew played it after playing his $6-700 fender, said he wanted one! haha. love just about everything about it except its set up. nice bass.

Indonesian
24 frets
Passive
Black
Agathis body
1 single 1 split coil
Rosewood scale
Came with a cable, tools and manual

The agathis body is very light, wich is good but it looks and feels somewhot "toyish", tuners seem very plastic also, but it never gets out of tuning, even playing violently and slapping. The 24 frets are a good add-on altough not that usefull.

I don't have an amp myself, I use mainly a Marshall and a Hartke in reahersals, it sound much better in the Hartke, and could sound better if I had the time to deal with the equalization. It is not noisy, but it can be if played in a smaller amp, with a higher tone. It is very versatile, but wouldn't fit a style in need for a deeper, heavier sound. It has gone thru studio and stage with no problems.

In fact the neck was warped and would not adjust, for laziness I never took it too be repaired, then I set the strings fairly high and now I can't think of myself playing with low set strings. Its ok because of the price, but I think it could be tighter, the knobs are a bit loose, and it seems there's too much space in the wood for the pick-ups, so they look like they're loose (but are not).

It seems fragile, but in 6 years and 4 months it went thru almost a year in a studio where punk bands played (no offence, I play punk myself), constant bangs near the plug and some playing near the beach, and it is still like it was. This bass sometimes seems temperamental, sometimes sound great other just ok.The strap button became loose, but I think it was thru misusing. The finishing is really solid made. I think it could be used without a backup if you are optismistic, but to me the agathis body always seem it can break-up out of nothing, if you really love this bass its affordable to buy two and use one as backup. Besides the bad impressions on the body, solid for the price.

Never dealt with them.

It was my first bass, I wish I had picked another of the same model, because mine had problem, but in the end the problems helped me creating a self style. If stolen I would buy something better, but when i got enough money I would buy one again. Just my teacher at the time didn't like this bass, he said I should had bought a Precision like as cheap bass, at the time I was quite ashamed, but now I like it. My favorite feature is the pick-up configuration, and I don't like the body wood. I think that in this price category is a very good choice, its much more versatile than the others, and longer lasting.

The only thing I absolutely hate about this is the knobs. As soon as I can, I want to put chrome knobs on--the black looks just so tacky.
I like the rest of it--vastly nicer neck than either the Squier I've played, or the Washburn that my youth band's bass player uses. For a passive bass, it's really nice.

I love the P/J sound. I tend to use with the J at around 70% and the P at about 40% on, and it sounds terrific. I can go from a deep full P to the nice light J bass sound.

The action was okay from factory, a little buzz from the low E--quickly fixed by tightening the tuner screws by about half a mil. More potential for slap-bass as well with more room--they were too high to begin with.

This bass is rock-solid. I haven't used it very much live, but I gig without a backup--mainly since I can't afford one, but it's just such a nice bass that I wouldn't consider anything else.

n/a

Love the bass. Would recommend it to anyone--I'm not a great bass player, but really enjoy it. Compare this to a cheap squier, cheap anything, and it rocks, just because it has two pickups over the one, so such a huge ammount of tonal control, let alone the nicer wood, nicer neck, etc.

Firstly the bass looks brilliant so top marks there. and the agathis body is also great!! to see the features go to a search engine. the ones you will find are gr8 like the three controls thats give good quality.

the sound is good obviously u pay for what you get so it isnt goin to be the best in the world but still the bass is superb for an advanced player not just for bigginers because of the good quality!truly sick sound! the only falt i think is that i get vibrations from the strings hitting the frett board but it isnt that noticable unless your playin extremly hard!

i dont think the bass has a thing wrong with it. it was put together perfectly and because i own one i fell its the best i could get! thats why i picked it.

the rbx 170 is great for live gigs so controled and made to perfection.the finish is hard wearing. if my dog srathched it the dogs nailes would look in a worse state.the strap buttons are in the right place so you dont have to worry if your jumping around like a prat as i do the bass will stay where you put it. this bass is truly reliable and will play at gigs with no problem. the only thing that ia where the imput is tighten it before playing so you dont get static.

the company where great and where quick to deliver and it came in good codishion. it was protected well for the journey.

its amazin baicly and yamaha should get a real pat on the back for there efforts its the best value for money you can buy!!

Alder body, Maple neck, Rosewood fingerboard, 24 frets, P/J type pickups, Volume control for each pickup and tone control.
I only give it an 9 because it can be a bit of a pain having to turn 2 volume controls up and down! appart from that, what more could you want from a passive bass?

This is probably the best sounding bass i've ever played, in this price range of course! To me it just sounds natural, which in my opinion is ideal. I've played many basses with pickups that color the sound too much, or don't reproduce what the bass sounds like acousticaly. It's great! Almost no noticable unwanted noise.

Yet again, In this price range I have yet to find a bass that's built/made as well as this!
To me this rating doesn't include things like action/setup as I always set up all my own instruments.

When I got this bass, I sanded off the finish (by hand!) to re-shape and re-finish the body (not because there was anything wrong with the shape in the first place, I just like modding guitars!) and let me tell you that this is one sturdy paint job! Since then it has suffered all manner of abuse and still plays like a dream!

Never dealt with them, although Yamaha make very good instruments so i'd be suprised if they let themselves down by having bad customer support.

I've been playing drums for nearly 7 years, bass for nearly 6 years and guitar for nearly 4 years. I've played many styles of music in many bands and I have to say that for the 2 years I have owned this bass, I have yet to find a musical situation that it won't sound good in! I've owned and played several expensive basses and this bass is as good as, if not better than some of them. I have changed the shape of the body, but thats just me being a modder at heart! I also re-wired it so it has no tone control (because i never use it) and 1 volume control to adjust the volume of both pickups at the same time. I find this works better for me, but only because I personaly don't use the other controls! Would I buy it again? Well, I'm about to buy another one for songs in a lower tunning, so, Yes! I should also mention that I have a minor spinal disorder and this is the lightest bass i've ever played! truly a godsend! and at this price, I don't ever have to worry at gigs about weather it's going to get nicked/broken/heavily abused in transit! You should at least try one of these out, I strongly recomend it!

Very good looking guitar nice finish bought it in August of 2004 24 frets, good range of sounds available with a volume control and two other knobs i cant remember what they do but they do produce a wide range of sounds for a guitar in this price range. The fret board is rosewood which is very nice and the neck is the smoothest you ever will find, i would buy it just to run my hand along the neck :) Makes it a joy to play. It has quite a nice shape but lack maybe abit of imagination but still looks good. The neck is nice and slim for you with small hands. I didnt get any freebies when i bought this guitar but for the price o well :)

For the price range i think youl find it hard to get a better sounding guitar than this. I do play it with a Fender bass amp which may help but even still it is a very crisp sound and makes you want to play it. Although i did find it did vibrate alot unless you got your fingers pritty much in the middle of the fret but that comes with practise. I would not tend to use it for gigging but i spose you could it would definately do the job, but sounds great for home pratising. One other thign i loved about this base is that it stays in tune forever put it in and itl never leave, great for begginers :)

The base is easy to set up plug it in a your away. No fault with it when i bought it which was nice to see, although when i bought my fender amp the power lead had a bloody continental plug on and if any of you have tried to find a continental to english adaptor its not that easy. But any way thats nothing to do with the guitar :) It has a lovely shined finish and that neck ;D smOOOOOth

Ive had no problems with this baby yet shes seems like she will last a long time although i havent had her long but it seems durable enough. I think for live playing you could use her but i would tend to say she is best for home use and studio work. The strap buttons are solid i was pleased to find which isnt always the case as when i bought my electric guitar it was falling off after spending #350 i took it back and they told me to just tie abit of string around it, buggers. But this guitar is solid enough but i would have a back up guitar while gigging but thats just me the pesimist :)

Never had ne problems with this baby but if i do ill let u know :)

As you can guess im english i am 17 and been playing the bass for only a month now, but i have been playing my George Harrison style guitar ( the beatles rock : )for many years so i do know what im talking about and for begginer or some1 who just doesnt wanna spend to much on a bass guitar this is the one :) If i lost mine i would probably cry but also go stright out the door any buy another. Hope u found this help full BYeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Made 2003 in Indonesia
Fretted with a 2 octave neck 24 frets
2 Volume and 1 Tone
1 Split-Single and 1 Single
Passive elecs
Full scale Agathis body, Bolt-on Maple neck
Mines Black (blue and red too)
Bridge is a vintage type with standard yammy tuners
Got a gig bag thrown in after a haggle.

My style is rock so its suits it well.
Currently use a Peavy guitar amp(arghh) at home but a Warwick Sweet 15 for practice rooms. It has a great range of sounds blending the 2 pickup and tone too. Dont know if its better for studio or gigs cause I've only used it studio so far, but there its is great for the money.
Even though it has a low action it has a lovely tone and yet can get very growly as well. Overall a damm fine sound, no dislikes at all.

Action was a bit high. Tech lowered it. Before it was lowered it was nice now it like a guitar almost. So easy to play. Pickups were fine that I could comment on. I noticed when I got it home that one of the tuning pegs was rattley. Took it back to Sound Control in Newcastle and they replaced it quickly. About a month later the jack socket became crackly and got steadily worse. I took it back again and the tech replaced it with a american socket, which is much better quality.
Otherwise no other probs, but these were annoying at the time cause the socket ruined a rehearsal.

Not sure how well it wil stand up to gigging as I'm not up to that stage yet. Fingers crossed though. But I has a tough finish and hasn't dented yet, and I throw it around a bit.
The shiny bits seem solid enough too. At least as good as bass twice the price and more. It hardly ever goes out of tune. I had to check my tuner was working once, cause it stayed in tune so long.
My teacher says I would be daft to gig without a backup so no i wouldnt, but I risk it and would feel comfortable. The change from my Yammy to my Squire backup would kill me I feel. What a rubbish bass.

Never had to deal with Yamaha direct. The repairs to tuner and socket were carried out under warranty, without question. I recommend the shop fully.

A years warranty

Been playing about 2 years. Have used a Squire P-Bass before. Not nice. I think if I was stolen I would maybe go for one of the higher end RBX or the Nathan East signature. Quite like the Tribute G&Ls. I love the way the bass looks;very mean and moody but its a swine to keep clean. I was warned about it. Compared to the Peavey Dynass and the Ibanez GSR, it is far better. The tone range on the Peavey was non-existance! This is a great beginner bass and i would thorough recommend it to anyone. I showed it to a mate who owns a studio, and he really rated it. Can't say fairer than that.

Made in Indonesia, not sure of the year but I'd guess 2003 or 2004 since I just bought it new at Guitar Center. 24 frets, 4 strings, solid Agathis body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, got mine in the metallic blue color (also comes in metallic red and black). There are 2 volume controls (1 for the P pickup and 1 for the J pickup) and 1 tone control. 2 pickup configuration (P/J), passive pickups. Standard string-thru bridge assembly, closed tuners (not sure what's on the inside). Didn't come with anything (no manual, cards, allen wrenches)...not sure if it's because the sales guy forgot, or because it just doesn't come with any.

Seems to suit my music style well (although I've only been playing bass for a week!), I play Green Day, Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews, all sound good, especially being able to use either the P or J (or mixture of both) pickups. I'm playing through an Ampeg BA112 50w amp, and it sounds great. I haven't experienced any electrical buzz, and there is very little fret buzz (I haven't had it set up professionally yet). The tone ranges from nice and deep booming to a punky sound, so it's very versatile. Haven't played it in the studio or on stage, just in the apartment for practice (will be playing with a guitar and drums frequently, just haven't yet).

Only thing I don't like about it so far is that the P pickups are closer to the neck than on the other basses I tried out, so sometimes I'm finding my pick hitting the pickup. Maybe my pickups came too high, I don't know...but they can be adjusted, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

The bass I got seems to have been set up pretty well at the factory, I picked out one that I felt had good action (there was actually a variety of factory set action heights in the store, so not ALL of them were set up great from the factory). The pickups seem like they might be a little high (but I don't know much about how the bass is supposed to be set up yet), but can easily be adjusted. I didn't notice any flaws in the body, neck, frets, or hardware.

No idea about reliability or durability other than what others have said, since I've only had the bass for a few days. However, everything seems solidly built, and seems like it will last.

haven't had to deal.

I've switched over to bass from playing guitar for 9 years (only been playing bass for a week), this is my first bass. I think if it were lost or stolen, I'd buy the same one...however if it were lost or stolen in 3 years or so I'd probably upgrade. I love the sound and feel of the bass. I don't so much like the fact that the P pickup is so close to the neck, but that's definately workable and probably won't even matter once I really learn how to play. The body style feels a little odd if you're playing sitting with it on your knee, but if you've got it strapped on it feels great, and is light weight!

When I bought this I also tried out the Squier Standard P-Bass Special, and the Ibanez GSR200. The Squier just had a flat sound, not a booming low end and not a very bright high end, just blah in the middle. The Ibanez had an interesting feature which would boost the bass sound, so you could get booming bass, but if you did then the highs would be quite muddy. If you lessened the booming feature then the highs sounded great but the lows were weak. The Yamaha has both great lows and highs.

This is definately one of the BEST basses you can get for this price category.

Made in Indonesia, not sure of the year. 4-string, 24 frets, two volumes, and one tone control, PJ pickup config, passive electronics.
Agathis body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. features are simple enough , but not too simple.

My band has a classic rock/ grunge sound, and this bass is perfect for it. I run this Bass right into my peavey basic 112. There's a bit of pickup noise, but some humbuckers will take care of that. With a pick, it has a bright midrangey punch, and fingerstyle, it gets absolutely huge low end. i never thought a $200 bass would sound good.

The main reason I bought this bass was that the action was perfect. The Pickups were pretty high, but that was an easy adjustment. The only other adjustment i had to make was to tighten the strap buttons, what do you expect for $180?

I hear a lot of complaints about Yamaha's tuners, but i've used this bass as a weapon, and it stayed in tune. The strap buttons haven't given me any problems, and the bass is really light. I would use this bass w/out a backup.

Never had to deal with them

I've been playing for 3 years, and my only other piece of gear is a peavey basic 112( I got a good deal on that, too). If it were stolen, i'd go for something a little more high end (probably a BB series). About the only thing that could make this bass better is some humbuckers, but this bass was worth $180.

Its made by Yamaha 200x (not completely sure)
24 frets, 4 string, 34" scale
one p-bass pickup, one jazz one. Standard P/J config
volume, volume, tone setup. Passive of course

Nothin special, but the 24 frets is nice
its got the features a passive bass should have

I play punk/emo type stuff and this bass does a really good job. Compared to other basses in its price range its a gem. Not quite as growly as a true p-bass or j-bass but the possible tones are still good. Lots of variation. With a good amp, you can make this thing sound like a million bucks. slap, finger, tapping. There is a way to make it sound good.
Overall, I am pleased with the sound. Nothin to write home about, but nothin to mock either. I may replace the pickups. But for most players, the sound will be perfectly fine

When I first got it it was set up OK. Not perfect. I had to do a small truss rod adjustment and I also put the action lower. One thing about this bass is that you can get the action SUPER low if you want to without buzz. I was VERY impressed with this. The one problem I found was that the pickups were pretty tall off the body which at first made it tough to lower the strings alot. But on the bottom of the pickup (if you take them out) there is a foam type block. I shaved those down and now I have plenty of room and it sounds great :)

The finish looks awesome. I got the metallic blue one. The tuners look kinda cheap but so far I have had zero problems with them. The bass never goes out of tune at all.
Controls are solid, bridge is ok.
overall, its not bad at all(after a little work)
Some people complain about fret buzz but learn how to adjust your instrument and you can get rid of it 90% of the time.

So far I have had zero problems with this bass. Its solid and can take some punishment.
I am a little worried about the tuners but they can be replaced at a reasonble price if needed. So far they are fine.
Finish is thick. Its gonna last awhile
After my initial adjustments I haven't had to change anything. It stays put quite well
Stap buttons seem solid to me. Im in a punk band and jump around and stuff and no problems at all
Good solid reliable bass

Haven't need any

Im going to give this bass a 10 overall
Its NOT the best bass obviously, but for its price, its an amazing value.
I would reccomend it to any player on a tight budget, beginner, or weekend warrior.
If it were stolen or lost, Id get a more high end bass just because Im saving up anyway. This bass was so I would have someting to gig with right now, and its doing a great job.
It was either this one or a squire when I was in the shop. The squires just didn't do it for me. I could feel the "cheapness". Whereas on the yamaha, it felt much better. More comfortable. (And it looks great too)
Ive had it for about 6 months now, and its like a rock
24 frets, P/J pickups, low action, reliable construction, decent tone: $300.
Great deal

24 frets
4 strings
Agathis body
Maple neck
Rosewood fingerboard
Chrome tuners/bridge
Dual P/J style pickups
Passive tone controls
Black, red metallic, and blue metallic finishes

This bass offers a wonderful range of tone.
I've been playing for 4+ years now, and compared to my old one, this baby's a dream.
I can do jazzish stuff (slapping, etc.), and punk all within the same knob settings!

My only beef is that I get a bit of fret buzz off the E string, but that's not huge.

I got a really nice blue metallic finish on this one. I recieved it from the factory in mint condition, not a scratch on it.

100% pefect.

I've played 2 shows and recorded with this (since March), and I must say it's an EXTREMELY durable bass!

There are only three problems: The pickups were a little loose. The tuner for my D string broke within a short amount of time, and the strap buttons weren't well put in (that was fixed by buying new screws).

But yeah, this has been through straps falling off many-a-time, and still come out in perfect condition (a note to whoever may buy it: BUY STRAPLOCKS!).

I trust this bass a lot, I'm confident enough not to bring backups to gigs, or extra strings, I believe I'll be using this bass for a good long time.

I've never had to deal with them

If you want a great all around bass, BUY THIS!
Besides the tuners, strap buttons, and loose pickup, this bass is flawless. It's great to gig with, and record with.
If this was stolen or lost, I wouldn't hesitate on buying another one.

The clean tone really hooked me when it came to buying this (as opposed to 4 years of a really horrible bass), I mean, I even run it through a Peavey 20 watt Microbass amp and it sounds good.

The features of this guitar are pretty good except you can not tell whicw knob is which. The laminated finish is really good and glossy.
The thing that i like most about the features is that there are 24 frets.

The only problem with the sound is that sometimes it is crackly. But you can adjust it with the un-labled knobs. The sound is awsome in my
Marshall amp.

The action on this base is not the best but it is still pretty good. The finish is excellent and good looking. It is set up pretty good and it comes in cool colors. Your friends will be jealous.

The duribility of this bass is great. It comes from the factory in excellent condition. Everything about the bass is bilt really well.
It comes home ready to play.

Um........ I dunno.

This bass is basically everything I was looking for. It is the best for beginner bassists. Buy it............. and I will give you a purple nickle. And maybe some pie and creamed corn. Potato.

just bought it brand new, never even picked up a bass before. was looking at packages from ibanez and squire for around $300 that included bass, amp and accessories. Instead i got this Yamama RBX170, a bigger amp, a longer cable, and instead of a gig bag and video i got a folding stand, for $320. I am way pleased with my purchase. I thought this bass had a quality feel to it, and it looked better than the entry level squire or ibanez. This was about the cheapeast setup I found, even at pawn shops, and I feel like I got a decent instrument, even if it is Yamamas basic model.

sounds like a bass to me!

quickyl tuned and adjusted at the store. Seems good to me, but what do i know ?

yamahas web site kinda sux, they have almost no information on this instrument. i was trying to figure out which knob was which... still don't know.

P-J pickup configuration, passive. Standard volune / volume / tone controls. Fender style bridge. 24-frets, long scale.

Your basic, no-nonsense bass. (The best kind, IMHO)

(I helped a friend pick this out for her teenage daughter who decided to play bass. Mom didn't want to spend a lot of $$$$)

Nice open tone. Bright. Could be warmer to my taste, but for the $$$ is fine. The J pickup soloed does hum a bit, but that's normal. Nice variety of tones from the two pickups.

Setup was OK, but I had to redo it for my friend. (Action and intonation. Most basses come the same way this one did.

Frets were great, fit was great, finish was flawless.

Looks like a solid, Yamaha product. The tuners look a bit "iffy" but, they could be OK. (I don't like closed back tuners on basses)

I would play with this live.

RBX 170 "entry level" or "beginners" bass. Basic 4 string. Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Agathis body (what's that?). Passive electronics. PJ Pickups.

Using it with a) Behringer BX600 (also entry level), a Trace Elliot Commando 15 and a Hartke 3000 head on a 4.5XL cabinet. I'm amazed at the versatility of this bass! Play it any way you like it and it can handle it. I've gotten to expect low end basses to suck when slapped, but this little guy stands up and takes it like my Ibanez and better than my Dean!

It grooves. It rocks. It jams. It kicks butt!

Took very little setup; the store set it up for me, but it took almost nothing. Fit & finish are not flashy, but flawless. Intonation is perfect. Action is light but no buzz. Pickups are dead silent. Tuning is tight.

Only gripe: black pickups, black knobs, black fingerboard, but a light colored (maple) head. Huh? Sure doesn't affect play though.

Seems to be built solid. Survives my junior high school son.

Use it live with confidence (unless you do the Pete Townsend thing). I play 4- and 5-string; I'd not hesistate to use this as my 4-string in a smaller gig without a 4-string backup.

"Limited lifetime warrantee." I don't expect to need it.

In the low price world, it's easy to find cheap gear that looks pretty but sounds awful. Occasionally you can find something low priced that's pretty decent. But finding something like this Yamaha is rare. It's inexpensive, but it's NOT cheap! This isn't a toy, regardless of the price.

This little "under $200" ax will put anything under $400 to shame.

I am following up on a review i did when i first got the bass,now i am here to crucify it. I think its senseless to repeat the features so if you will scroll down and you will get the picture.

Sound... hmm. what sound? The bass is very basslike, but with the precision pup on it is very very blunt sounding which makes me never use it at all. The bass with the jazz pup on is very bright, almost too bright. The mid is the basses weakpoint. It is blunt no matter how much tweaking you do to it. I dont use any pedals because i think they cover up how bad the person plays, not the bass. Anyways, the stock strings are absoluted donkey shit. I replaced them with Dean Markely blue steel and the sound was improved greatly, but it still is very dissapointing. Save up children, buy a better sounding bass. Highs are very good on this bass i have to admit, but we dont want a cross dresser here, a bass should sound deep not like a de-tuned guitar. You can get some decent variety. Anything (genre) that requires a deep bass sound does not suit this bass well at all. This thing is for the genres that require a trebly bass like jazz.

Tuners- Dont get me started, this is probably the most disappointing part of the bass, they are shit. If you play for more than two hours straight, not even beating the shit out of it like i do (im a slap god and i play slap most of the time i play)it gets out of tune and it is very very inaccurate when it comes to tuning. I have broken two strings with those pos's, And are they chrome? i think not. If you look to the side of the tuner you can see a line....mmm plastic
Fingerboard- I dont even think its rosewood. Seriously i have pampered this bass and what happens? The black grain of the rosewood turns into this plastic colored white. WTF, is this bass made of plastic or what? The knobs are plastic and look ugly, and they dont even match the god damn bass. And one of my knobs was missing a washer and wiggles like crazy. There's quality for you my friend

So far i have a broke knob and after four months the damn thing dies on me. The washer which hold the pot in place disappears because the shitheads at Yamaha decided to put it there where it can easily be loosened, which it has loosened on me several times. So the pot dies on me. Great. The finish looks excellent, but the stupid pple who made it scratched it up pretty bad. This bass would be very reliable if it were made in a better country and of better material. I would not even think about using this bass during a gig nor would it be a backup. Im so upset because i actually wasted 150 dollars, but my parents didnt think i was serious about playing bass. WHAM! they were wrong. And now im stuck with a pos bass that doesnt WORK!

I havent called yamaha, and i dont want too, this experience drives me away from them. You would think the Japanese make awesome basses (which they do, except that this one was made in malaysia)

Beginners- dont buy it
Intermediate- Laught it
Advanced- Use it as firewood

SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY A BETTER BASS! I am probably gonna save my money and buy a pedulla, a lakland, or a spector, and maybe a fender jazz. Well Christmas is coming so i guess i know what i wanna get. Anyways, this bass isnt happening for me.

I think you know the details. I'ts an allround bass without
any senseless stuff.
And I think you don't need more features to be a great and happy
bassman.

It's great for nearly every kinda music.
I play blues and rock, but it should also be good playing jazz.
You always get the sound you want (with the right amp, of course!)
and playing gigs on it is pure fun.

Knowing the price of this bass, you will be surprised how
perfect it is built. The finish is great, especially the red metallic one :))).

Reliable like every other instrument by Yamaha

Never dealt with them...

It's the first bass I own, but I played some others and I think it's the best one you can get at that price range.

Think this is the rbx 170 - 150 quid.
Basic features, 2 stock pickups P/J.
I play this thru a marhshall valvestate 40w guitar combo cause i'm stupid and don't have a bass amp.
I think the body was made of some light wood, possibly agathis, but it could be that new luthite stuff.

The pickups are great. I like to play hard with a 3mm stubby. Bass - 10 - treble - 10 - mid - 1 yet no However no matter how much i fiddle with the EQ i can't seem to get a bassy feel. Its loud tho. lol lol

The set up was great. It buzzes a lot but i think its the way i play lol lol.
Why bother adjusting stuff. It should be left how it was. I like my basses 'au naturelle

I've gigged with it numerous times, including once when i begged the music shop to let me borrow it, coz i didn;t have a bass at the time. lol lol

I haven't had to contact them yet cause my bass is so good

i've been playing bass about 6 months now and i think i'm fully qualified to give my opinion on this fine guitar.
buy it
be like me

2002 Yamaha RBX170 Made in Indonesia 24 frets 4 srting maple neck ( i beleive one piece) rosewood fretboard one volume two tone controls i beleive that the pickups are stock yamaha, one precision and one jazz, im not quite sure what the body is made of, but it is pretty light, im guessing alder. It has a very attractive finish, dark metallic blue, it has a precision body with jass neck, and it is very fast to play on 34" scale very attractive color

I love metal(metallica iron maiden ozzy megadeth) and funk/punk (red hot chili peppers) and this guitar has a great variety of sounds. IT has a very very dark sound with the precision and a very very warm and smooth sound with the jazz pickup on. Slapping is extremely excellent with this guitar. The guitar resonants very much every time you play low notes. I love the fast neck and feel, it is very light and you could play forever with it, just make sure your strap is comfortable.I love the sound period. I really love the way flea plays and this guitar can mimic it with no problem whatsoever

My bass was set up PERFECT. It was in tone the action was perfect. My only complaints were the following: 1. The stupid people at the factory had scratched my guitar 2. The stupid people at the factor missed painting some spots by my pickups 3. The stupid people at Yamaha decided to put black plastic controls with a metallic blue... this personally looks like shit. However those complaints are very minor details, im quite anal about my hobbies. Anyway.. the metallic blue color is extremely extremely awesome. I also have seen the candy apple red and black and i must applaud Yamaha for such fine jobs on the paint. I have no fret buzz whatsoever.

Ive played several gigs and it has withstood everyone of them, basically you could kiss a back up good bye because you wouldnt need one. The strap buttons are extremely solid. The finish has withstood much abuse from my younger brother who just recently "hit" my guitar with his acoustic. However it did not leave a scratch whatsoever. This guitar is built like a tank and its not going anywhere soon

I have never dealt with them, but i do have a warranty... i beleive its a year

THis guitar is GREAT!!! It has a beutiful finish, awesome sound, incredible slapping ability, and is a joy to own and play. I have been playing for 36 years and this is a very very good quality guitar for its price range. Ive played Fenders, Gibsons, Richenbackers, Ernie Balls, Squier, Ibanez, Washburns, Warwicks, and ESP's and this guitar is exceptional. I chose this guitar because i was very interested in adding a Yamaha to my collection and am overall surprised to see that Yamaha makes excellent guitars at excellent prices. YOU MUST BUY THIS GUITAR!!!!!