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The Yamaha BB mega-thread


Al Krow

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Just now, M@23 said:

I felt a fraud, and thought best to change it! Haha. Yes, the ones that came stock are D'Addario EXL170-5. They're 45-130s. I really like them, plus they're very reasonable priced. I liked them as the ones on yours are, which are definitely worn in, but they could probably do with a fresh set if you like that new-string-zing! I'd have got another month out of them! 

Thanks Mark. 

Is it also fair to say the steels, being much harder than nickel, tend to wear down frets a lot more quickly?

Dang! Only one month more playing time before I need to restring? Ah but wait... that probably equates to another year or two for me (phew!) given that you are doing a LOT more gigs than me - I'm guessing you must be doing 250 gigs a year?! 

...and you're doing all those gigs on just one bass! 

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Just been prompted by your new avatar Mark to reflect on design. The shape of the older BBs I know is certainly not to everyone's liking (I've obviously not had a problem with it!!)

But I have to say the new line up, not least the BB P35, is IMO very good looking and I'd say holds its own very well aesthetically when lined up against the more traditional Fender shape. In my case, I'd go further and say I genuinely prefer it.

YMMV - beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder!

PS @M@23 if I got anywhere close to 100 gigs PA (let alone 150) Mrs Krow would have me out on my ear for sure! Definite tinge of envy that you can do what I love doing as a hobby, full time.

Edited by Al Krow
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51 minutes ago, gobasserk said:

BB414 / Harkte 25 watts combo. Mobile phone on the floor.   Goes from PJ to P to J back to PJ

BB414 PU sounds

They also provide a Hartke (I think 50W) combo in the Yamaha store in central London. Not the best amp to be using in the middle of a store with a lot of noise around for hearing bass, but I guess that's maybe the whole point - as they have a bunch of other customers and instruments to sell besides basses! 

Your clip sounded much better than the quality of the sound in the Yammy store! And certainly through headphones you can hear the three different settings quite clearly - I think I marginally preferred PJ over P and suspect that it would cut through better in a live mix.

For recording did you DI out of the amp or use a microphone to record the cab? Sorry ignore that, just spotted the 'mobile phone on the floor' 😄 

Edited by Al Krow
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The Hartke combos -especially the HD combos sound great played alone. I switched to two of the 12" combos with 500 watts each two years before but with the band I just could not cut through.  Every time I played for myself I had a dream come true sound. But with the band....
It was also a dream to transport... went on a tour and played a normal analog rig one night... sold the Hartkes and thank god Mark Gooday saved me with a very potent analog bass rig.

The recording is just a mobile ...the low frequencies can't be heared... but just to give an impression.

Edited by gobasserk
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11 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Andy - that one's a 425 and you're mostly (entirely?) a 4 string man, right? 

I’ve owned loads of 5’s, just don’t need one at the minute.

Thought I’d share a very reasonably priced 425 in case anyone was looking.

theres a 424 in the same finish starting at £125 but that’s got a bit of a prang on it. But I keep looking at it thinking “I’ve repaired worse than that” - but it’s collect only...

edit - @Reggaebass that’s the one. About 5 pictures in,  theres a big ding.

Edited by AndyTravis
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9 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

It was about 24 stone too 😂

That and the fact that you found it pretty close in sound on the NE2 (although am I correct thatit doesn't have the semi parametric mid cut of the NE2 - which means it does a bit less tonally?), was definitely very helpful in ending my particular gear quest for one of these, for which I'm very grateful (who isn't when a BCer has just saved them spending ££s?) 

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A very nice 614 in Old Violin Sunburst has just come up in York on gumtree.

unfortunately the seller wants about £240 more than it’s worth (and I think about £50 more than they were when new...)

have messaged seller. Being ignored 👌🏻

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50 minutes ago, krispn said:

@Al Krow

Are you finding the additional semi parametric mid cut is a feature you’re employing frequently or more a case of its handy to have? I’m guessing it’s good for slapping?

Hey krispn, it interacts as an overlay to the 3 band EQ and seems to add a breadth of tonal palette to my NE2 that I don't find on any of my other basses. It has a surprisingly large impact on tone. 

There's a Nathan East NE1 pedal in the FS right now going for a good price and I'm a little tempted to get it for use with the rest of my Yammys, but it's not a particularly petite pedal!

I can also see why the para mids on a John East uni pre seems to be such a popular feature, although this will not be quite the same as the NE para mid-cut overlay. 

So in answer to your Q it's an 'always on' feature of my NE2 tonal set up (and not by-passed). 

Edited by Al Krow
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