CameronJ

It’s a strange one. The neck on my Dingwall Super P is very much in the flat ballpark, even more so than my Yammy, yet I find it incredibly comfortable. But the Ding has 19mm bridge spacing and a slightly wider nut than my Yamaha BB. The nut width and string spacing on the Fender I played felt pretty similar to my Dingwall, which is probably why it felt so comfortable to me. The Fender’s neck was definitely a bit thicker/chunkier though. The Yammy BBs seem to have a narrower nut width and 18mm bridge spacing if I’m not mistaken, before we even get into the thickness of the neck itself. Lots of variables.

Well there we go. I’d consider “warm” and “dark” to be in a similar ballpark as far as my descriptors of tone. Which just highlights how subjective this all is. Perhaps your “warm” = my “woody”?

Re: the Fender v Yamaha “P tone” topic, I compared a BBP35 to a Fender Am Pro Precision 5er a couple of weeks at Wunjo and there was a definite tonal difference between the two. The Yammy was darker and rounder, whilst the Fender was brighter and more woody sounding which (and I realise this is heresy on this thread) I preferred. The Fender was also a bit wider at the nut with a slightly chunkier neck overall which, unexpectedly, I also preferred. As a disclaimer, I should say that I’m 6’8” with absolutely massive hands so your mileage definitely may vary!

In my experience, yes. My 735 is definitely a bit lighter than my old 1025x. And that’s with the addition of the preamp and battery in the 735 which the passive 1025 didn’t have. But with wood being an organic substance and natural variety at play I’d suggest trying out a few 434s in person if possible to make sure you get one that feels comfortable to you.

I certainly feel like my 735a has a more traditional P tone than my old 1025x did, although I sold the 1025x a few years ago so perhaps failing memory is a factor!

I can’t make any promises re: the transition from 4 to 5 strings - I willingly made the switch because a lot of the music I listen to requires more range than a 4 string offers. It also just so happens that my hands “fit” a 5 string neck better than a 4 string neck anyway. Most books are indeed geared toward a 4 string neck but they can still be applied to a 5 string fingerboard - as with anything, practice makes perfect!

To add some info, matte finishes tend to wear in a way which slowly turns them glossy over time. This can actually end up looking pretty nice IMO with the edges and contours of the body developing a nice sheen while the flat surfaces retain more or their original matte look. Personally I really like the effect but I’m sure it isn’t for everyone.

A satin finish will always be prone to more visible wear than a gloss finish. But on a practicality level, if gloss finishes are uncomfortable for you when playing then the decision is surely a no-brainer? Go for the satin black BB735a.

Have to say the GK sim is definitely one of my favourites too!

I wonder if anyone has ever modded the gain in the AGS circuit on a Tonehammer to make it more useable?

I’d rather just take the Alpher to be honest!

This makes good sense to be fair!

Me neither! I didn’t realise the finish was quite so translucent!

I alternate between right and left leg depending on what I’m working on at the time. I think a big part of it stems from my former octave pedal addiction - playing in the upper register is a must for most octave pedals so it makes ergonomic sense to have the bass on my left leg. For straight ahead groove playing, the right leg is king for me.

Always loved the look of these CV basses - never seen one without the pickguard before. Looks great!

I can’t help but think this is very smart. Keeps the punters happy. Happy punters = happy landlords. Happy landlords = repeat bookings. Repeat bookings = a happy band.

I have a Gruv Gear Solostrap Neo - It’s the widest and most well padded strap I own, built like a tank too, so I can only imagine the experience offered by Gruv Gear’s DuoStrap. It ain’t cheap but I’m pretty confident it will be a very, very comfortable setup.

I had to google that. Excellent work sir

That is excellent - never seen it before either!