Yamaha TRBX605FM 5-String Electric Bass Guitar

The Flagship, With a Low B.

The Yamaha TRBX605FM sits at the very top of the TRBX range: the five-string flagship, and the most expensive bass in the series. Like the four-string 604FM it breaks from the rest of the range with a sculpted alder/maple-laminated body and a flamed maple top — every other TRBX is mahogany.

That timber choice matters on a five-string. Alder is brighter and more scooped than mahogany, and the maple adds attack — which is exactly the character that keeps a low B articulate rather than swallowing it in warmth. Paired with the full 34" scale, this is the tightest-sounding five in the range.

Electronics are the proven 500/600 package: YGD H5 alnico humbuckers, a three-band active EQ, and an active/passive switch with “level-matched output, whether in passive or active mode”, plus gold-plated internal parts and a battery alert LED. 43 mm nut, 18 mm spacing, flat five-string radius. In Matte Amber.

Why This Combination Suits a Five-String

The flagship specification and the extra string reinforce each other here in a way worth spelling out.

Flamed maple top on a sculpted alder/maple body

Yamaha's “mass-optimized 3D design” contouring in the range's only non-mahogany body — brighter, snappier and better suited to keeping a low B defined.

Low B on a full 34" scale

Five strings tuned B–E–A–D–G on a full-length scale, keeping the B under proper tension rather than letting it flop and go indistinct.

Active/passive switching with level-matched output

Full three-band active EQ or a genuine passive circuit at the flick of a switch, without a volume jump. If the battery dies mid-set you keep playing. A battery alert LED warns you first.

YGD H5 alnico humbuckers and gold-plated parts

Quad-pole piece design with alnico magnets for “a clean, open tone”, feeding a preamp built with “high-quality, gold-plated parts” for corrosion resistance and reliability.

43 mm nut, flat five-string radius, five-piece neck

A wider 43 mm nut with 18 mm spacing on a much flatter fingerboard than the four-string models, keeping string height even across a wide neck. Five-piece maple/mahogany lamination for stability.

Q. Is it worth the step up from the TRBX505?

Only for the body and the looks. The pickups, EQ, active/passive switch, neck, scale and bridge are identical. What you gain is an alder/maple body with a flamed maple top — brighter and snappier than mahogany, which genuinely helps a low B stay articulate — plus gold-plated internal parts. If you want more capability rather than a different voice, the 505 is the better buy.

Q. Do I actually need a five-string?

Only if you need notes below bottom E, or you want lower positions under the hand without shifting. If neither applies, the four-string TRBX604FM is the same instrument with an easier neck, and it costs less.

Q. Will the low B sound tight or muddy?

This is the best-equipped five in the range for that. The full 34" scale keeps the B under tension, the alder body is naturally brighter than mahogany, and the alnico H5 pickups are voiced for a clean, open response. Use the bridge pickup and the mid control if you need it tighter still.

Q. Is the flamed maple a real top or a photo finish?

Yamaha specifies a flamed maple top over an alder/maple-laminated body — real timber, not a printed finish. Because flame figure is natural, the pattern varies from instrument to instrument, so no two are quite identical.

Q. What happens if the battery dies mid-gig?

You flick the switch to passive and keep playing, with no volume jump thanks to Yamaha's level-matched output. A battery alert LED warns you before it gets that far.

Q. How different does the neck feel from a four-string?

Wider at the nut — 43 mm against 38 mm — with strings slightly closer together at 18 mm rather than 19 mm, on a flatter fingerboard. Most players adapt within a few weeks, but heavy slap players notice the tighter spacing.

Q. Is a case or gig bag included?

No — Yamaha does not supply a case with the TRBX605FM. On the most expensive bass in the range, and one with a five-string neck that needs a properly cut bag, a good case is worth having. Ask us and we will match one before it ships.

Why Buy Your Bass from YMS?

• ✓ Authorised Yamaha Premium Retailer: Buy a genuine India-market Yamaha instrument with official manufacturer warranty support.
• ✓ Set up before it reaches you: We check action, relief and intonation, and confirm both active and passive modes work, so it is stage-ready on arrival.
• ✓ Bassist-focused guidance: We will tell you honestly where the step up from the TRBX505 is worth it and where it is not.
• ✓ Support beyond the bass: Five-string gig bags and cases, spare 9 V batteries, straps, stands, cables, tuners, strings and bass amps.
• ✓ Pan-India delivery: Order from anywhere in India, subject to serviceability for your location.
• ✓ Physical-store support: YMS teams in Bengaluru and Mangaluru are available for product enquiries and after-sales guidance.