hamfist Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 (edited) SOLD With a slightly heavy heart I am selling this Yamaha BB414. I bought it off the forum as a bit of an experiment with fretless, and do love this bass, but simply am not playing it, and need to realise some cash from it. My heart is with my frets I think in the end. Anyway, this is a gleaming metallic orange Yamaha BB414 with a custom unlined ebony fingerboard fitted by luthier Andy Viccars. Couple of very minor dings, but still a beautiful example. In really great condition. Everything apart from the fingerboard is standard. But, don't underestimate the ebony fingerboard. Compared to other fretless' I've played, it really makes a significant difference. Currently strung with roundwounds, this bass mwaahs like a beast. I'm rubbish at fretless and it makes me sound good. Check out a soundclip of me arsing around on the bass, just plugged straight into my computer. No EQ, no compression, no nuffink. here ....... [url="https://soundcloud.com/#alanbridges/bb414-clip"]https://soundcloud.c...dges/bb414-clip[/url] £215 couriered to your door within mainland UK, or £199 collected from the Southampton area. I will ship to the EU, but please contact me for exact costs. [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/mr-orange.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-body.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-headstock-rear.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-neck-front-higher.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-neck-front-lower.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-neck-rear.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-rear-body.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/headstock-front-1.html"][/url] [url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/bb414-arty-pic.html"][/url] Edited April 18, 2013 by hamfist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Hiya Alan matey, Sounds like a nice fretless, would you say the neck on this is more P or J in feel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1365688639' post='2042947'] Hiya Alan matey, Sounds like a nice fretless, would you say the neck on this is more P or J in feel? [/quote] More like a solid feeling J I'd say. It's the standard BB neck, so nut width is a smidge under 40mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1365691153' post='2043012'] More like a solid feeling J I'd say. It's the standard BB neck, so nut width is a smidge under 40mm [/quote] hhmmm tempting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Ahhh, the chocolate orange bass.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Yep the Chocolate Orange Such a thing of beauty: delicious and enjoyable at the same time (Like you really needed that bump lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 if it was lined... (or if I could play...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Mark, are you tempted to get it back.....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 +1 for the ebony board. Both my f/less basses have ebony boards and to my ears and fingers it feels and sounds so much better that the rosewood and maple equipped fretless basses I have owned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='Bobby K' timestamp='1365721488' post='2043642'] Mark, are you tempted to get it back.....? [/quote] I do feel bad letting it go in the first place. I wish I had the commitment to put the fretted basses away for a while and perfect my fretless playing. Unfortunately I don't have the spare cash at the moment otherwise this may have been winging it's way back to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1365720928' post='2043633'] if it was lined... (or if I could play...) [/quote] When trying out fretless, I bought both a lined and this unlined fretless (with dots on the side obviously). Surprising, I found the dots on the side of the neck, with no lines easier and more intuitive to play than the lined fretless. The lines just made the whole fretboard a bit busy visually for me, and the absence of them allowed me to play a bit more with natural "muscle memory" of where notes should be. I would certainly advise any newbie to fretless to not be put off by an unlined board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1365755928' post='2043845'] I would certainly advise any newbie to fretless to not be put off by an unlined board. [/quote] This gets a massive +1 from me I was originally put off by the lack of lines, but the side dots really are enough; I'd never buy another lined fretless again. Have had three unlined fretless basses and never had any problems. Gets you using your ears and playing expressively Oh, and PM'd re: a trade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petergales Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='Bobby K' timestamp='1365759058' post='2043932'] This gets a massive +1 from me I was originally put off by the lack of lines, but the side dots really are enough; I'd never buy another lined fretless again. Have had three unlined fretless basses and never had any problems. Gets you using your ears and playing expressively Oh, and PM'd re: a trade [/quote] +1 from me. My experience exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1365755928' post='2043845'] When trying out fretless, I bought both a lined and this unlined fretless (with dots on the side obviously). Surprising, I found the dots on the side of the neck, with no lines easier and more intuitive to play than the lined fretless. The lines just made the whole fretboard a bit busy visually for me, and the absence of them allowed me to play a bit more with natural "muscle memory" of where notes should be. I would certainly advise any newbie to fretless to not be put off by an unlined board. [/quote] Yup, same here.. I find lined actually harder to play, and I'm looking at the lines all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1365761859' post='2044001'] Yup, same here.. I find lined actually harder to play, and I'm looking at the lines all the time! [/quote] Another agreement from me! Lined offers no real advantage in my experience. Lovely bass btw....well worth the cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebuckets Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 +1 for unlined I had an unlined stingray and it was my main gigging bass for 2 yrs -lovely tone. The ebony board on this will be sweet and will laugh at a roundwounds attemp to dig in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 [quote name='thebuckets' timestamp='1365766259' post='2044099'] +1 for unlined I had an unlined stingray and it was my main gigging bass for 2 yrs -lovely tone [/quote] ahh, really miss my 'Ray 5 fretless Best fretless I've had for sure. I can vouch for the great work of Andy Vickers by the way, with the ebony board on this. My BB405 also has a replacement ebony board from Andy. Really nice work; you'd think the bass originally came with the board! Buy this with confidence chaps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aLxbass Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 If this was the bb mark had off me whilst it still had frets it was a great bass. Have a bump on me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.mayzes Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 +1 for ebony fretboards (love the ebony on my vintage modified fretless) and also +1 to yamaha bb414! I just got a bb415 and I'm in love with it. Has seen more action recently than my main bass which is a jap fender. Amazing value for money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolando Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 I wish I had the cash for this! Looks like such a lovely bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 13, 2013 Author Share Posted April 13, 2013 [quote name='aLxbass' timestamp='1365768637' post='2044172'] If this was the bb mark had off me whilst it still had frets it was a great bass. Have a bump on me [/quote] Yes, I believe it is the same bass. Bought by me from Mojo (Mark). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 Orange juicy goodness bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 17, 2013 Author Share Posted April 17, 2013 bump with small price drop ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Posted April 17, 2013 Share Posted April 17, 2013 Pm'd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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