Thanks for the help!- I get that the 604 has the better look- But which one SOUNDS better? Is there a clear winner as far as tone/sound?
Getting ready to pull the trigger on buying one- I need someone to push me over the edge.
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Thank you Howard. The one negative I’ve read about the 604 is that some people don’t care for the tone. They feel the 504 (perhaps because of the body wood) has a better tone. Any thoughts?
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you’ll have to define what is a “better tone” … 
pure theory based on the body wood, which if I understood well is the only major difference between the 504 and 604. :
- the 604 must sound clearer, more precise, more scooped, with more attack. I’d say more modern overall.
- the 504 must sound fatter, warmer, more mellow, with more complex mids, less brighness, a softer attack. also the 504 must be heavier.
what sounds better ? you decide 
anyway with an active preamp and the same pickups (and I suppose the same neck ?) the difference should not be that huge.
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Thank you terb- I’m an absolute beginner, so i know as much about bass as I do about women and nuclear physics- that is, nothing. I’ve done enough research to narrow my choices down to the two yamaha guitars- The majority of reviews of both are quite positive, but there are several people (who I assume know more than me) who complain about the “tone” of the 604- I was just wondering if anybody had more information or a strong opinion either way. The last thing I want is bad tone!
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if you’re a total beginner, I’m not sure you would notice a tonal difference between those two (very similar overall) instruments. if one looks better than the other to you, take this one !
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The tone on the 604 sounds amazing to me.
I remade my soundcloud account just to show you 
This is the bass, clean into my DAI, neutral EQ.
Here it is through an Ampeg preamp I used to have, to give you an idea of what it might sound like through an amp:
As @terb said, bright attack, punchy low mids, higher mids a little scooped sounding. I really like the sound.
Go to a store and try them both!
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You realize, of course, that knowledge of these two subjects typically is mutually exclusive… unless you are Richard Feynman 
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I have a 604, sweet bass, prob won’t need to upgrade for many years. Yamaha makes a solid product.
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Yeah I’ve had a few of their bikes.
My FZR Thou EXUP was ace 
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I wanted an R1 or R6 for a long long time. Always ended up with Kawasakis for some reason though.
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Yep I basically don’t have GAS for other basses. Totally happy with mine.
I do have GAS for pedals though
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Ducati for me for last 15 years Howard, but I had the first (pre-EXUP) FZR1000 that came out, and then I had the first EXUP when it came out.
The FZR then morphed into the R1
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Nice! Never even ridden a Duc. Always thought they (and Aprilia) looked great though.
I never had a Yamaha bike (mostly Suzuki, with one Kawa and one Honda exception) but my father has a few XT500s. great funny things.
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I’m a Yamaha gal too. I have a Yamaha BB235 five string and love the sound.
Never cared much for Yamaha bikes though. I’ve always been a Honda gal. I’ve owned 5 different Honda models and 1 Victory.
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Charming.
I’ve never cared much for Honda or Victory bikes
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No offense intended…
I have always ridden cruisers, not sport bikes, so that makes a big difference.
Honda or Suzuki or Kawasaki sport bikes are not bad I think
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Non taken Pam, I was being silly.
I do like Honda’s actually, they’ve made some ace bikes over the years, and I even had one - a CG125.
A friend of mine has a Victory and I quite like the look of it, but cruisers aren’t really my thing at all.
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