Yamaha BBs

[BASainty]

Received the BB 415 for Ben this morning, I got to say I love the wine burst look and the grain poking through the red subtly.
As for playing this was going to be a back up fr my TRB5-II and you know what I would go as far as say I prefer the way this feels and plays, I really like the chunky p style neck to it, nice and fast too.

As for pictures here we are:

[attachment=121529:IMAG0211.jpg]
[attachment=121530:IMAG0212.jpg]
[attachment=121531:IMAG0213.jpg]

And this is my current family!

[attachment=121532:IMAG0214.jpg]

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1350596840' post='1841192']
Dropped in to PMT in Romford last weekend intending to buy some sort of Fender/Squier Jazz bass. Tried about 10 between £200 and £800 quid. Bob suggested i try this. I bought it. Head and shoulder better than anything else i tried and its ousted my Spector Euro as my gigging bass. Cant believe how good it is for such a (relatively) cheap price.

[/quote]

Very nice! Probably the colour I would go for if I was buying one of the newer BBs. Have you owned or played a 414? I'd be interested to know how they compare.....

[such]

TRBboy, I've never had a 414 or 424, but did compare them at stores a lot (even A/B a couple of times) - they sound very much the same, but feel a bit different, 424 is stiffer, you can certainly feel what that laminated neck and 45 degree string-thru-body are doing. I'm not entirely sure, but I also think that the neck is a bit thicker on 424 as well, but maybe it felt that way because of its greater stiffness.
I want to get a Candy Apple Red BB424x, looks very rock with that black pg, and they don't offer that colour in more expensive models

[Mudpup]

You're right - the 424 feels really stiff.

Thats the first impression i had - it feels bombproof and really solid. Really resonant acoustically too which is probably a byproduct of the rigidity.

Makes my Spector feel quite fragile.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1350651362' post='1841778']
Received the BB 415 for Ben this morning, I got to say I love the wine burst look and the grain poking through the red subtly.
As for playing this was going to be a back up fr my TRB5-II and you know what I would go as far as say I prefer the way this feels and plays, I really like the chunky p style neck to it, nice and fast too.

As for pictures here are:

And this is my current family!

[/quote]

Nice! Should be a good backup for your TRB, which looks very nice by the way! I always wanted one like that......

[Machines]

Me and my BB614 from 2007.

[bengovier182]

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1350651362' post='1841778']
Received the BB 415 for Ben this morning, I got to say I love the wine burst look and the grain poking through the red subtly.
As for playing this was going to be a back up fr my TRB5-II and you know what I would go as far as say I prefer the way this feels and plays, I really like the chunky p style neck to it, nice and fast too.

As for pictures here we are:

[attachment=121529:IMAG0211.jpg]
[attachment=121530:IMAG0212.jpg]
[attachment=121531:IMAG0213.jpg]

And this is my current family!

[attachment=121532:IMAG0214.jpg]
[/quote]

It looks soo much nicer now that you've got it haha
Better finances one day and i might get another one!
Enjoy.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Machines' timestamp='1350667380' post='1842113']
Me and my BB614 from 2007.

[/quote]

If we're posting playing pics with our BB's, this was me playing my BB414 at our Stag and Hen party (Pimps and Ho's theme!) back in 2008:

[attachment=121568:stag and hen.jpg]

[BASainty]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1350681579' post='1842371']
If we're posting playing pics with our BB's, this was me playing my BB414 at our Stag and Hen party (Pimps and Ho's theme!) back in 2008:

[attachment=121568:stag and hen.jpg]
[/quote]

Loving the white BB! It really brings the colour of your jacket out
I didnt even realize they did a white BB414 this is shocking... I feel like I've let myself down

[TRBboy]

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1350683511' post='1842398']


Loving the white BB! It really brings the colour of your jacket out
I didnt even realize they did a white BB414 this is shocking... I feel like I've let myself down
[/quote]

Yeah the vintage white was my favourite, but the orange metallic was quite cool too. I later upgraded it with a Gotoh bridge and an Aguilar OBP2-SK preamp with stacked treble/bass. Aguilar fitted with virtually no modification!

[BASainty]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1350723692' post='1842620']


Yeah the vintage white was my favourite, but the orange metallic was quite cool too. I later upgraded it with a Gotoh bridge and an Aguilar OBP2-SK preamp with stacked treble/bass. Aguilar fitted with virtually no modification!
[/quote]

Oh that's cool how does it sound now with the preamp and bridge?

Speaking of bridges I'm thinking of upgrading my BB 415 with a new one to help with sustain on the B string (every other string is perfectly fine). Anyone got any suggestions?

[Horizontalste]

Has anyone fitted a de-tuner to their Bb?
I'd like the easy "d" option on my 614 but I wouldn't know what to buy...

[such]

4StringFortress - ask Sean here what bridge he used for his orange 415 - he was quite satisfied with the results. Personally, I'm thinking about an inexpensive bridge in style of Hipshot A-style that Thomann have in stock. Other option is (and I may go for it eventually) the 5string Babicz bridge, which has a thick and heavy backplate and an easy-release string anchoring - this last thing is particularly important to me. Definitely think about getting a string retainer (such as a Hipshot) for the B string at the headstock, to increase the angle on the nut and improving tension. The bridge swap will only improve things if the string anchor point is further back (from the saddle) and/or lower (closer to the body surface) than the original one. Personally, I want to get my 415 refinished in some funky colour (like Burgundy Mist or maybe Surf Green or something), and I'm thinking about routing a precise pool for the bridge in order to get the string anchoring lower, particularly if I was getting a Babicz, whose saddles still have full contact with the baseplate, even if set high. That would provide the sufficient angle and tension, almost like string-thru-body, but with easily swappable stringage

[TRBboy]

[quote name='4StringFortress' timestamp='1350976201' post='1845647']


Oh that's cool how does it sound now with the preamp and bridge?

Speaking of bridges I'm thinking of upgrading my BB 415 with a new one to help with sustain on the B string (every other string is perfectly fine). Anyone got any suggestions?
[/quote]

TBH the Gotoh bridge was a waste of time. Because of the thicker baseplate and larger saddle diameter, you couldn't adjust the action low enough. I had to put the original saddles on the Gotoh bridge to make it work! I much prefer the Wilkinson BBOT with brass saddles I've got on my RBX270 (and it was only £15!).

The Aguilar pre made a massive difference, but for me there was always something lacking with the core sound of that bass, so I sold it. It was either just lacking some sustain and natural response, or I just couldn't get the sound I wanted out of those pickups. They are great basses, but I was just never 100% happy with it.

[paulconnolly]

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1350998261' post='1845997']
Has anyone fitted a de-tuner to their Bb?
I'd like the easy "d" option on my 614 but I wouldn't know what to buy...
[/quote]

Have a Hipshot D-tuner fitted to my BB1100S

[neepheid]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1351011023' post='1846217']
TBH the Gotoh bridge was a waste of time. Because of the thicker baseplate and larger saddle diameter, you couldn't adjust the action low enough. I had to put the original saddles on the Gotoh bridge to make it work! I much prefer the Wilkinson BBOT with brass saddles I've got on my RBX270 (and it was only £15!).
[/quote]

In this case, rather than replace the saddles you could shim the neck, increasing (very slightly) the neck angle which for the same bridge saddle heights will require you to raise the saddles to achieve the action you had before. A strip of wood veneer works best in my experience (being about 0.6mm thick and being the same (ish) material as the wood around it), but there's many basses out there with a cigarette carton shim in them

Edited October 25, 2012 by neepheid

[Horizontalste]

[quote name='paulconnolly' timestamp='1351105216' post='1847466']


Have a Hipshot D-tuner fitted to my BB1100S
[/quote]

I think Il have to go and look at them. There seems to be loads of different styles/fit.

[Sean]

Now here's a thing...

What is a BB? To me a BB is a BB200, BB300, BB400, BB1000, BB1200, BB2000, BB3000 and any Yamaha bass that has the classic BB body shape and headstock and usually a P or reverse P pickup - that's what I like and that's what I expect. IMO even my BB1300 pushes the limits of what a BB is.

How is this ever a BB except in name?




or this

Body shape completely different, headstock totally different!

Nathan East's signature model is a BB but it isn't what I think of as a BB. Why don't these completely different basses have a different nomenclature? Anyone know?

Edited October 25, 2012 by Sean

[RandomBass]

I'm now a BB414 owner courtesy of 4StringFortress (thanks Ben).

What a fabulous instrument. I had a RBX a few years ago and really liked that, but went all Fender (and look-alikes).

The BB arrived Friday - and I gigged it that very same evening, with flats. So that's a totally new and unknown instrument, with strings I'm not used to. What an idiot I am.

Well, it turned out to be perfect. Got some roundwounds to put on it (thanks again Ben!). But god it sounds so good with these flats I may leave them on there a little longer.

Very nice indeed.

Cheers

Geoff

Edited October 29, 2012 by RandomBass

[BASainty]

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1351535896' post='1852342']
I'm now a BB414 owner courtesy of 4StringFortress (thanks Ben).

What a fabulous instrument. I had a RBX a few years ago and really liked that, but went all Fender (and look-alikes).

The BB arrived Friday - and I gigged it that very same evening, with flats. So that's a totally new and unknown instrument, with strings I'm not used to. What an idiot I am.

Well, it turned out to be perfect. Got some roundwounds to put on it (thanks again Ben!). But god it sounds so good with these flats I may leave them on there a little longer.

Very nice indeed.

Cheers

Geoff
[/quote]

Glad your enjoying it yea I do love flats on BB's I will probably get a 5 string set for my 415. Just to let you know they are Picato flats, they are very nice quality and a reasonable price too If I do get more it will be Picato again.

[MindGoneBlank]

Yet another BB fan here. Owner of a BB424. I've played a few and can honestly say that at any price point I'd take the Yamaha over a Fender. They're just better.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1351188119' post='1848496']
Now here's a thing...

What is a BB? To me a BB is a BB200, BB300, BB400, BB1000, BB1200, BB2000, BB3000 and any Yamaha bass that has the classic BB body shape and headstock and usually a P or reverse P pickup - that's what I like and that's what I expect. IMO even my BB1300 pushes the limits of what a BB is.

How is this ever a BB except in name?

or this

Body shape completely different, headstock totally different!

Nathan East's signature model is a BB but it isn't what I think of as a BB. Why don't these completely different basses have a different nomenclature? Anyone know?
[/quote]

I suspect that around the late nineties, when "modern" basses were (arguably) most popular, Yamaha thought they would breathe some new life into the BB range by modernising them. Combined with the development of the Nathan East model it probably seemed like a great idea (and I personally love 'em!). The BB605 pictured above was produced as a budget version of the NE, and has a NE-1 preamp (i have one in black), and there was later the BB2004/5 which weren't far away from the NE in terms of spec/build quality (i think they were around the £1000 mark). I guess these "modern" BBs didn't work out that well for them because they weren't around for all that long, and as more traditional style basses came back into favour Yamaha returned to the traditional BB design we all know and love.

[iconic]

Anyone know where I can 'pickup' a pickguard for my broadbass 414....I tried thru a yamaha dealer as to buying a pickguard for a 424x but they couldn't get any joy from the yamaha importers.

Cheers

Ps my bb414 in metallic Orange is still with me and has seen many bass's come go, cracking tools!

[Horizontalste]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1351755854' post='1854899']
Anyone know where I can 'pickup' a pickguard for my broadbass 414....I tried thru a yamaha dealer as to buying a pickguard for a 424x but they couldn't get any joy from the yamaha importers.

Cheers

Ps my bb414 in metallic Orange is still with me and has seen many bass's come go, cracking tools!
[/quote]

Ruck bought some pickups direct from Yamaha, he emailed them through the website.
Got to be worth a try, although I cant imagine why you would want to cover that lovely orange paint with a piece of plastic

[Sean]

[quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1351729689' post='1854838']


I suspect that around the late nineties, when "modern" basses were (arguably) most popular, Yamaha thought they would breathe some new life into the BB range by modernising them. Combined with the development of the Nathan East model it probably seemed like a great idea (and I personally love 'em!). The BB605 pictured above was produced as a budget version of the NE, and has a NE-1 preamp (i have one in black), and there was later the BB2004/5 which weren't far away from the NE in terms of spec/build quality (i think they were around the £1000 mark). I guess these "modern" BBs didn't work out that well for them because they weren't around for all that long, and as more traditional style basses came back into favour Yamaha returned to the traditional BB design we all know and love.
[/quote]

Makes sense to me:-)