I first came across this bass back in November 2000 I opened Guitarist Magazine and there it was, I immediately fell in love with this weird looking bass it had a style like nothing else on the market but I’d just finished uni and was skint; so even if I could have found one I wouldn’t have been able to afford it

At that time when I walked into music shops there seemed to be two kinds of basses, traditional Jazz/Precision style basses (so many clones!) or sleek modern styled basses like the one owned at the time; a lovely looking green Yamaha RBX 760. There didn’t seem to be any risk takers building basses during the late 90′s or if there were no one was stocking them. Although there are quite a few out there now I’d quite like, if only I could justify it to my girlfriend!

I love the design, it’s a contradiction of styles that just works for me. Although you could say it’s based on a traditional Jazz bass the design differs in many ways. It’s fun without looking cheesy, it has a design heritage dating back to the 60′s but it still looks fresh.

The body is a weird reverse cutout that’s been elongated, it looks sleek; slightly like a reverse Rickenbacker 4003 but with a little less class. The balance isn’t great but you can forgive that because it looks amazing.

The angled ergonomic headstock shape dates back to the 1960′s and the original SG line of guitars it gained the range the name “Samurai”; I love the simplicity of the design.

Nothing on this bass is complicated, the electronics are passive, the pickups are nice and punchy, within seconds you can dial in the tone you’re looking for.

Eventually the model was discontinued but I managed to pick one up on ebay, its blue and it became my favorite bass to play.

Body: Solid alder
Neck: Maple, with rosewood fingerboard
Scale: 34″
Nut Width: 1.57″
Frets: 20
Electronics: 2 special-design Yamaha single-coils, Individual volume controls, Master tone

A few years later I managed to get hold of a SBV550 in red which has a Precision style pickup while retaining the Jazz pickup at the bridge, the tone is noticeably different to the standard SBV500 you can get that nice Precision bass thump with the bonus of getting back some of the Jazz bass tone if you want it.

This bass was never to my knowledge available in the UK.

The only time I’ve ever seen one of these on stage Fumi from Polysics was playing a 550.

I’ve found a little bit of the history in the Yamaha Guitar Database.

SB-1C

Release November 1968 until around 1971

SB-2

Release April 1966 until around 1967

SB-2A

Release November 1967 until around 1971

SB-5A

Release November 1967 until around 1971 sales

SB-7A

Release November 1967 until around 1971

I love the design of these things and the sound is just what I’m looking for.

http://www.harmony-central.com/Reviews/Yamaha_SBV/