The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[AndyTravis]

Just now, TheGreek said:

An improvement IMO

The thing is, they’re not really the same thing...

You should buy a bb404 and a bb414 and swap the electronics over...you’ll only be about £250/300 out of pocket...winner.

[Al Krow]

22 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

I picked a 414 (same pickups as 424) over a 1024.

just so the balance in the force is restored 

Yeah try both @Reggaebass.

I've ended up with the opposite love to Andy. Well not that opposite really, given they are both Yammy BBs, lol!

Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we all liked the same thing. 4 billion blokes all after Scarlett Johannson...

[Paul S]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yeah try both @Reggaebass.

I've ended up with the opposite love to Andy. Well not that opposite really, given they are both Yammy BBs, lol!

Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we all liked the same thing. 4 billion blokes all after Scarlett Johannson...

See, I find her as sexy as a ball bearing.

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, Paul S said:

See, I find her as sexy as a ball bearing.

Oooooh ball bearing...PHWOAR 

[Paul S]

Its the way they roll about so.... effortlessly! 

[AndyTravis]

Just now, Paul S said:

Its the way they roll about so.... effortlessly! 

Stop, stop...I’ll rip me troosers lad...

[Paul S]

reminds me of the old joke:

Psychiatrist 'Vot zeems to be zee problem?'.

man 'I just LOVE cream buns'

Psychiatrist: 'Vell, I see nosink wrong vis zat, I rather like zem myzelve'

Man 'Really - you too?  Aren't they just so damned sexy!'

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

the 424 is a little "flatter" and the 1024 / 2024 more harmonically rich in terms of pups

While both the 424 pickups are usable, I'm finding that I leave the switch set to both pretty much the entire time, which I guess bears out your comment. They make two quite different sounds, but ones which blend together well.

[MDWagstaff]

35 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

An improvement IMO

I used to have the BB605, while the body was nice the neck didn't feel too great compared to other BB's I've played  

[Reggaebass]

36 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yeah try both

I had the 414 but it turned out it had a problem with the truss rod and I couldn’t get the action low enough for me, but I really liked the way it sounded and the playability, very different from my jazzes and P’s , so I’m thinking I’ll try another Yamaha 🙂

Edited January 20, 2021 by Reggaebass

[bassfan]

4 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

I had the 414 but it turned out it had a problem with the truss rod and I couldn’t get the action low enough for me, but I really liked the way it sounded and the playability, very different from my jazzes and P’s , so I’m thinking I’ll try another 🙂

Is there a vintage white 414 in the for sale threads? 

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, bassfan said:

Is there a vintage white 414 in the for sale threads? 

I’ve been trying to buy it for a fortnight...

[bassfan]

1 minute ago, AndyTravis said:

I’ve been trying to buy it for a fortnight...

Doh. Sorry! 🤦🏻‍♂️

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, bassfan said:

Doh. Sorry! 🤦🏻‍♂️

No it’s fine. I get the feeling I may still be waiting next week.

[Muzz]

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

I picked a 414 (same pickups as 424) over a 1024.

just so the balance in the force is restored 

Without wanting to unbalance anything, that's exactly what I did...I only had half an hour with a 2024, but I thought it was really, really good.

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, Muzz said:

Without wanting to unbalance anything, that's exactly what I did...I only had half an hour with a 2024, but I thought it was really, really good.

I loved my 1024, but it was like a smoother sounding 414 - then I just preferred the 414, and could get that same sound by backing off the tone control a midge. So...🤷🏻‍♂️

[Reggaebass]

Does the 1024 have a dual action truss rod, as I think my 414 had a single action one 

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Does the 1024 have a dual action truss rod, as I think my 414 had a single action one 

Ah yeah, that. Hahah. I forget 

[Al Krow]

29 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Does the 1024 have a dual action truss rod, as I think my 414 had a single action one 

P10 of the manual: EB Owner's manual_EN.pdf (yamaha.com)

Have to 'fess I've not had to touch the set-up on my 1025 and certainly not had to adust the truss rod - was perfectly set-up for me straight from the Yammy Store in London.

[Al Krow]

11 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Ah yeah, that. Hahah. I forget 

So was a single action truss rod a feature of the 414 that got sorted when the 424 came out, together with Yamaha providing a laminate neck? 

I think otherwise the models are pretty identical, right?

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

So was a single action truss rod a feature of the 414 that got sorted when the 424 came out, together with Yamaha providing a laminate neck? 

I think otherwise the models are pretty identical, right?

I really can’t remember the truss rod now, long time since I had the 425.

the 45 degree through body stringing and laminated neck were the differences.

 

[Al Krow]

I'm a bit partial to a laminate neck (for stability and strength and they can also look good)...and love the fact that they come as standard on Yammy BBs these days.

Body through stringing according to Yamaha: "The traditional method in which strings are bent induces stress when transmitting string vibration. Diagonal Body Thru Stringing significantly reduces [stress] transferring string vibration to the body reliably and efficiently."

But does it really make a difference to anything much?

Loss of the neck through option both from appearance and ability for the bass to "sing" on the higher end models is the thing I'd like to see addressed more than anything else. Available now only on the flagship NE2. 

[AndyTravis]

Think Multi Lam necks are cool - and I’d certainly associate them with earlier BB models.

I think a good 1 piece neck is still better than a not so good laminate...I know it was a common feature on Jaydee basses, but I had a supernatural and I couldn’t get it to settle...

And I’ve seen a few basses with twists/warps where the wood hasn’t been seasoned or done right with laminate necks.

Yamaha obviously seem to get it right.

I would like a 424x in red, or white - even black would be ok. I keep an eye out,

[GreeneKing]

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Loss of the neck through option both from appearance and ability for the bass to "sing" on the higher end models is the thing I'd like to see addressed more than anything else. Available now only on the flagship NE2. 

I certainly agree with respect to appearance. Thinks neck thru Warwick Thumb circa 1989 and drools......

I'm a little amazed at how the BBPH manages to achieve this 'sing'. In a large part I suspect due to the 3 piece body sandwich with maple at it's core. The attention to fixing the neck to body is a part of this too I'm sure. I did see a photo that hinted at an additional location 'tang' on the neck. Not sure about this though and I don't want to remove my neck to find out.

[Guest]

31 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I'm a bit partial to a laminate neck (for stability and strength and they can also look good)...and love the fact that they come as standard on Yammy BBs these days.

Body through stringing according to Yamaha: "The traditional method in which strings are bent induces stress when transmitting string vibration. Diagonal Body Thru Stringing significantly reduces [stress] transferring string vibration to the body reliably and efficiently."

But does it really make a difference to anything much?

My TRBX has a laminated neck, four bolt join and a regular bridge. My BB424 has the same laminated neck and four bolt join plus the 45° through body stringing. The difference in how the strings sound unplugged is massive, the BB feels alive in comparison.

The other factors: the TRBX body is smaller, which the neck doesnt go as far into; the BB is 2mm wider and 3mm thicker. 

Which is the most important factor?