The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Baceface]

Thanks @therealting , although I can't find anything online for the Bass Doc, other than some historical posts mentioning the name on this site.

Also thanks to @AndyTravis . I hadn't considered that Yamaha might be able to supply something. I might ask them if it would fit the BB614.
Having done some crude photoshopping, I quite like the black and white idea but I do like a nice torty 'guard. I suppose it's just the commitment to putting holes in the bass - no backing out then. I guess it's not worth much anyway. 

Thanks again. Crude 'shopping attached, just for larks...

[CameronJ]

Black all the way. It works well with the pickup surrounds. Looking very classy!

[AndyTravis]

Shell...

the 424/1024/2024x pickguard 100% fits the 614

[Baceface]

Loving that horn @AndyTravis!
Had to google that as I'd never seen a 614 in that colour. That's a really nice 'burst and the black pickguard looks great. 

That finish wasn't available when I bought mine. I liked the natural more than the pewter and (I think) red-burst. I do wish it came in the BB414 metallic orange - that was a killer colour but I couldn't find one to try. 

I think that the BBs have such a big, round body that a pickguard helps break up the vast acreage of timber. I'm still leaning tortwards myself but black would be a second choice and I think I'd be happy with either.

I don't want to derail anything here but did you make any other mods to it? I keep reading that the pre-amp is the weak link on these but I lack any in-depth knowledge of such things. I must confess that I never use it but that might be that I don't like active tones (or as a home based player, I have no need for them). A chunky bridge would be sexy although lighter tuners might bring the weight down a bit. Do you have any thoughts on what might (or might not) be a worthwhile upgrade? Cheers.

[AndyTravis]

@Baceface

I sold the 614, looking back on the pictures I wish I hadn’t. But sound wise I preferred my (now famous) 414.

don’t change the tuners, don’t change the bridge - and the preamp used correctly is absolutely fine.

it’s a typical low/mid price bracket OEM preamp,  nothing spectacular but functional.

 

[Baceface]

Cheers @AndyTravis. I guess that, having just got back into the bass, I'm just itching to upgrade something.

The tuners and bridge work perfectly and I suppose the eq isn't doing any harm if I'm not using it.

Am getting seriously tempted by some Sandbergs and the BB would still justify it's place as a "beater". 

Thanks for the advice.

[therealting]

7 hours ago, Baceface said:

Thanks @therealting , although I can't find anything online for the Bass Doc, other than some historical posts mentioning the name on this site.

He’s on Facebook. Regarding holes in guard / bass, you can always use double sided tape. 

[Muzz]

Just as an aside, the 414 I bought has really grown on me: it's much better for my purposes than the 1024x I briefly had, and that P-pup is a belter.

I originally bought it for a song, thinking I'd be doing a fair bit of work on it (bridge, nut, tuners, pickup, possibly a John East EQ), but the more I play it, the more I realise it needs nowt*: I put some Elixirs on it (thereby increasing my overall investment by a significant percentage) and it's terrific as a passive P.

I was in a similar position back in the day, when the backup to my BB3000A was a boggo BB300, and there'd be gigs when I just wouldn't bother with the posh one... 

 

* OK, possibly some Hipshot Ultralights, but that's pretty much window dressing...

[dave_bass5]

On 22/07/2019 at 20:19, therealting said:

Well yeah, these days there are lots of fantastic basses at all price points. There are loads of PJ basses at a fraction of the cost of a P34...

Yeah, my 425 is more than a playable match for my P34. 

I would  never make a claim that I would instantly spend P34 money if I needed a PJ.

I think my P34 is over priced, but I rushed in to getting it and I’m happy with it, but under no illusion i could have spent much less and been just as happy. In fact MIJ never even factored in to my buying decision, I’ve played too many non MIA and MIJ basses to even consider the country of origin a necessity. 

I sometimes think having a MIJ bass is a status symbol. They have a good rep and are not too common, so it’s a bragging right as well  

I mean no offence to anyone, I’m just saying how I feel about spending more money without considering cheaper options  

 

 

 

[Al Krow]

5 hours ago, Muzz said:

Just as an aside, the 414 I bought has really grown on me: it's much better for my purposes than the 1024x I briefly had, and that P-pup is a belter.

The P pup on the 414 / 424 (in my case the 425) has one of the meatiest kick-you-in-the-stomach punches I've come across (although I understand that the G&L pups are possibly even hotter?)

I actually ended up in the opposite camp preferring the harmonically more complex tone of my 1025 to the brute P thud of my 425 - but we've both clearly ended up with a bass player's grin on our respective mugs!

 

@dave_bass5 totally agree - extra cost is no guarantee of a noticeably better product; particularly with Yammys when you're already getting a LOT for the money with the more budget basses.

Just once in while though, you can spend more on a piece of kit and think "yup I totally appreciate the quality of craftsmanship on this bass" (e.g. Ken Smith) or this cab absolutely is worth the extra etc. 

I guess at the end of the day, it's all part of experience and why having a community around you whose experience you can tap into, like we have on BC, is awesome. 

[dave_bass5]

10 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

The P pup on the 414 / 424 (in my case the 425) has one of the meatiest kick-you-in-the-stomach punches I've come across (although I understand that the G&L pups are possibly even hotter?)

I actually ended up in the opposite camp preferring the harmonically more complex tone of my 1025 to the brute P thud of my 425 - but we've both clearly ended up with a bass player's grin on our respective mugs!

 

@dave_bass5 totally agree - extra cost is no guarantee of a noticeably better product; particularly with Yammys when you're already getting a LOT for the money with the more budget basses.

Just once in while though, you can spend more on a piece of kit and think "yup I totally appreciate the quality of craftsmanship on this bass" (e.g. Ken Smith) or this cab absolutely is worth the extra etc. 

I guess at the end of the day, it's all part of experience and why having a community around you whose experience you can tap into, like we have on BC, is awesome. 

Totally agree, and I wasn’t saying anyone shouldn’t spend more, it’s a pleasure we like to indulge in every once in a while, but I’d genuinely like to know what makes a MIJ jazz a must over cheaper ones that would make someone automatically buy one. 

Really am interested in this and not knocking anyone. 

[Baceface]

6 hours ago, Muzz said:

Just as an aside, the 414 I bought has really grown on me: it's much better for my purposes than the 1024x I briefly had, and that P-pup is a belter.

Sorry to hang about here like a bad smell but...

To me the BB614 pickups sound good but I'm no expert and this is my only bass. I've played a few, far posher, instruments and not felt they were that much better. Again, I'm no expert.

I do, however, keep reading about people preferring the BB414's tone though. I did A/B the models but that was about 10,000 years ago when I bought it. I thought the 614 sounded as good and, as I remember, no different to the 414. I rarely use the eq (other than treble roll-off) but I do love the pickup blend control. I think I just preferred the colour of the 614 (I'm shallow, I know).

This leads me to believe that the tonal differences heard by better, and more experienced, bassists must be down to the 614 preamp/eq. If they perceived that difference even when the eq was set flat, then I assume that the preamp must be colouring the sound to it's detriment. 

So, I'm wondering if trying to get some kind of passive mod would be likely to give me a better sound?
I realise this is all very subjective but I've seen the 614 compared unfavourably to the 414 so many times that there is a very high probability there's something in it!

 

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Baceface said:

So, I'm wondering if trying to get some kind of passive mod would be likely to give me a better sound?

Haha - feel free to hang around sporting whatever odour you like for as long as you want! This is, after all, a thread for all Yammy BB lovers (and prospective lovers!). 

Btw - I loved your photo-shopped alternatives of the BB614! With the natural wood I'd personally go for the white PG or no PG; which just shows we all have different taste!

I was kinda lamenting a while back the lack of a passive option on my NE2 - but for a different reason, 'cos I would almost certainly be playing it actively. It was simply that it would be a nice fail-safe in the event that the battery cut out mid set. I think there was a comment earlier in this thread from @krispn that it would be a pretty easy job for a tech to do in terms of installing an active / passive switch or pull out knob.

In fact the new Series 3 734A, which is the spiritual successor to the 614, has done exactly that i.e. it has a passive / active switch.

Edited July 24, 2019 by Al Krow

[Baceface]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

Haha - feel free to hang around sporting whatever odour you like for as long as you want! This is, after all, a thread for all Yammy BB lovers (and prospective lovers!). 

Btw - I loved your photo-shopped alternatives of the BB614! With the natural wood I'd personally go for the white PG or no PG; which just shows we all have different taste!

I was kinda lamenting a while back the lack of a passive option on my NE2 - but for a different reason, 'cos I would almost certainly be playing it actively. It was simply that it would be a nice fail-safe in the event that the battery cut out mid set. I think there was a comment earlier in this thread from @krispn that it would be a pretty easy job for a tech to do in terms of installing an active / passive switch or pull out knob.

In fact he new Series 3 734A, which is the spiritual successor to the 614, has done exactly that i.e. it has a passive / active switch.

Thanks @Al Krow. I wasn't ignoring @krispn's suggestion. I suppose I'm just wondering if it's worth my while getting such a switch installed.

As a non-electronic type I can't see why the preamp in flat mode would colour the sound that much!
I'm wondering what it is that people hear in the 414 that they don't in the 616. More highs? Lows? Clarity? Punch? etc. etc. 

I do find the 614 quite a "powerful" sound. Not a huge problem but am guessing that there's some kind of subtle gain boost regardless of how the eq is set.

Thanks again.

[Al Krow]

I suspect the answer to your Q is what Andy T said earlier:

17 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

it’s a typical low/mid price bracket OEM preamp,  nothing spectacular but functional.

With a really good quality pre. IMO there should be very little difference in sound between the active set flat and the passive mode.

[Cuzzie]

29 minutes ago, Baceface said:

Thanks @Al Krow. I wasn't ignoring @krispn's suggestion. I suppose I'm just wondering if it's worth my while getting such a switch installed.

As a non-electronic type I can't see why the preamp in flat mode would colour the sound that much!
I'm wondering what it is that people hear in the 414 that they don't in the 616. More highs? Lows? Clarity? Punch? etc. etc. 

I do find the 614 quite a "powerful" sound. Not a huge problem but am guessing that there's some kind of subtle gain boost regardless of how the eq is set.

Thanks again.

One mans punch is another mans nut kick, pick ups will change voices depending on magnets, orientation of magnets, wiring, potting etc.

Regardless whether your bass has an on board EQ however many bands, or just a tone knob, that can shape a sound nicely in addition to whatever you go through to amplify be it a combo/amp/desk or combination.

As you said, it’s not a worry or a huge problem, but if they are powerful like you say, at some point in your signal chain there will be some gain to fiddle with. Get you bass volume knob at a level you like, louder can sound too pushed, and then the same with your tone and know how they interact to suit you and another instruments you may play with.

You can then dial in or turn down the gain to match the volume level required and bingo, you are away with a very simple set up.

You may of course like other things in your chain to bring out the basses inherent tones as you play, but the principle in that respect remains the same.

Enjoy

[Cuzzie]

@Baceface Oh and so far as switches, pots, capacitors, knobs etc. go, there are a whole heap out there, that can give you what you need, even without going active not requiring any additional hole drilling in the bass, all with a simple solder, which is fun in itself

Edited July 24, 2019 by Cuzzie

[Al Krow]

5 hours ago, Baceface said:

I suppose I'm just wondering if it's worth my while getting such a switch installed...

Just remembered this earlier post, which might be of interest to you:

On 06/05/2019 at 15:04, MDWagstaff said:

I have the 615, replaced the pre with an Aguilar [OBP3] which sonically has put it up there with £1k+ basses. Without fail it has been given compliments on how it sounds by everyone the first time they've heard it

[TJ Spicer]

5 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Haha - feel free to hang around sporting whatever odour you like for as long as you want! This is, after all, a thread for all Yammy BB lovers (and prospective lovers!). 

Btw - I loved your photo-shopped alternatives of the BB614! With the natural wood I'd personally go for the white PG or no PG; which just shows we all have different taste!

I was kinda lamenting a while back the lack of a passive option on my NE2 - but for a different reason, 'cos I would almost certainly be playing it actively. It was simply that it would be a nice fail-safe in the event that the battery cut out mid set. I think there was a comment earlier in this thread from @krispn that it would be a pretty easy job for a tech to do in terms of installing an active / passive switch or pull out knob.

In fact the new Series 3 734A, which is the spiritual successor to the 614, has done exactly that i.e. it has a passive / active switch.

I wished I had a passive option on the BBNE2 too, especially after finding out the way in which these pres let you know they're running out of battery! 😅

[gobasserk]

A shot of some video recordings last night. Hot weather AND lights made us sweat even before the start   This was from the end though ..

Edited July 25, 2019 by gobasserk

[Al Krow]

11 hours ago, TJ Spicer said:

I wished I had a passive option on the BBNE2 too, especially after finding out the way in which these pres let you know they're running out of battery! 😅

I guess there is an easy, low cost, green(!) fix available though! Rechargeable 9V batteries, freshly installed before a gig

1 hour ago, gobasserk said:

A shot of some video recordings last night. Hot weather AND lights made us sweat even before the start   This was from the end though ..

Looking good! 

Edited July 25, 2019 by Al Krow

[TJ Spicer]

6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I guess there is an easy, local cost, green(!) fix available though! Rechargeable 9V batteries, freshly installed before a gig

Looking good! 

I've never ventured to rechargeables - Are they sufficiently long-lasting? I can run my 9v in most basses for a year + - would that outweigh going rechargeable?

 

[therealting]

@TJ Spicer Get yourself a Keith McMillen Batt-o-meter and check before gigs. 

[TJ Spicer]

1 minute ago, therealting said:

@TJ Spicer Get yourself a Keith McMillen Batt-o-meter and check before gigs. 

I just feel like maybe I'm taking a risk when I'm playing 150+ gigs a year moving away from something I've always been well served by 😬

[krispn]

I think a passive option should always be available on an active bass but I suppose on a Signature model the big name players usually have a tech to concern themselves with battery changes!

Edited July 25, 2019 by krispn