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The Yamaha BB mega-thread

Al Krow

By Al Krow,
in Bass Guitars

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Dazed Mentor

Dazed

Posted
Posted

I asked Sims a while back about changing the coil positions used in the Superquad - although my question was about the jazz position and it wasn’t an option. I can’t recall if there was a reason or what it was. 
 

The other way to overcome it was to mount the pickup upside down - although the wiring exits from the wrong side but that wouldn’t work for a split coil layout. 

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Dazed Mentor

Dazed

Posted
Posted

Those were my thoughts as well, but, considering the cost it would have been a very expensive game of trial and error if it didn’t work out. 
 

I actually did a search and found the email from Martin Sims after posting here to see if there was more info. There wasn’t. Simply that it couldn’t be changed. 

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Munurmunuh Grand Master

Munurmunuh

Posted
Posted (edited)

Speaking of four halves, something pinched from TB a while back, two splits run together

 

Screenshot_20210510-202039_Chrome.jpg

 

PS I keep thinking through this, and always end up thinking it would be more fun shifted one block of plastic closer to the bridge. Then you've one Reverse P in the BB1200 spot, and one Reverse P in the Stingray spot. Would that sound any good? Sure I don't know :D

 

1640823135775497622552768115984-01.thumb.jpeg.fdf040243779bc5ec1028184aa23a427.jpeg

Edited by Ricky Rioli
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Doctor J Grand Master

Doctor J

Posted
Posted

The thing to be careful of with fancy switching is to make sure you're running coils in series at every point. Most switches facilitate parallel wiring and I'd imagine it could get very complicated indeed to ensure you're always running one coil into the next and then to the output. If you're not running in series, you're not getting real P tone.

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Munurmunuh Grand Master

Munurmunuh

Posted
Posted

I recently worked out the wiring for a three-way switch going between the three possible pairs of four adjacent coils, always in series.

 

Without the option of wiring them in parallel complicating things, it turned out to be quite straighforward. Basically all 4 are in a single chain and the selector is deciding where in the chain to start and finish.

 

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krispn Grand Master

krispn

Posted
Posted

While the DRoc can do some ‘conventional’ sounds the whole flavour of the tones are more modern sounding. That’s not to say you can’t eq it in a way to make it a bit more ‘old school’. I only played one briefly but did enjoy the overall vibe but did think it’s sounded ‘modern’. I didn’t play it standing up so can’t comment on how it would feel on a gig but I’d say it’ll be pretty spot on knowing how Dingwall designs it’s stuff. 
 

I’m sure you already have but check out some you tube videos for the tonal options. I think Anderson’s did a review of them. As for feel you’re gonna have to get your hands on one to really know if it’s for you. I have played other Dingwall basses and the fan frets are not a barrier - you’ll barely notice after a few minutes. 

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Misdee Mentor

Misdee

Posted
Posted (edited)

Regarding reversing the coils on the P pickup on a Yamaha BB, whenever I play a BB2000 (classic bass) I am reminded what a noticeably lean sound it has. There is no getting away from the fact that it is not a warm- sounding bass. Whether that is because of the reverse  P pickup is a matter for conjecture, but it is definitely a thing.

 

The 1024/ 2024, by way of contrast and for example, has a fundamentally different sound, with a big cushion of bottom end. Whatever BB you customise, are you sure you want to upset the tonal balance? Just playing devils advocate, but are you sure you it will be better rather than just different? What is it about the existing sound that you are dissatisfied with? Why do you think reversing the P will remedy that dissatisfaction? 

 

For me , one of the great things about the Yamaha BB is the remarkable balance between the P and J pickups compared to a traditional Fender- style PJ. I've no idea how they did it but  a long time ago they recognised the problem and sorted it in a way that still eludes most other manufacturers. Much kudos to Yamaha for that.

Edited by Misdee
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andy67 Mentor

andy67

Posted
Posted

Anderson’s have a couple of second hand BBs for sale, a white 424 (£249) & a 400f (£300).

 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/search?categoryId=&storeId=10151&catalogId=3074457345616676668&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=24&searchTerm=Yamaha+bb&authToken=-1002%2CXZvf36sLiPiYegUJrwTEpYgBzE92SYyViFqNTYY0v8k%3D&#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&facetLimit:&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

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javi_bassist Experienced

javi_bassist

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Folkesy said:

Wow! Nice! Are you pleased with how it sounds?

Very. The jump in quality is very noticeable. The stock pickups were more low-mid and mid focused. These ones have more low end. They sound very musical even without the preamp engaged. 

I have to admit that preamp+pickups cost me more than the bass itself, but it was worth it. I find it really comfortable, but soundwise, I was not that pleased. Now, it's probably my favourite bass

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Maude Grand Master

Maude

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, andy67 said:

Bargains:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-BB404-Fretless-bass-/363677765661?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/used-Yamaha-BBG4S2-electric-bass-guitar-pearl-cream-/393839803272?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

That fretless seems a right bargain. I don't know what they're worth but any fretless Yamaha has to be worth that. 

If it was closer I'd grab that. 

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AndyTravis Grand Master

AndyTravis

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, BassApprentice said:

So there are two VERY nice BBs for sale currently, and I was all for the BBG4, but then I sad the Crimson BBN ii. 

 

Anyone able to do a quick list of the differences between these? Are the neck profiles the same etc. 

yeah they’re borderline the same - much like car manufacturers, they did a mid lifecycle repackage.

 

With cars, it’s usually a grille and headlight shape change.

 

On These - they put different pickups in and did some colour changes.

 

but necks and bodies…same.

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Muzz Veteran

Muzz

Posted
Posted
On 30/12/2021 at 21:04, Dean Vincent said:

Just wondered if any BB owner who has also played a Dingwall D-Roc has any insights on how they compare and contrast? 🙂

I've got a couple of BBs (and I've had a few more, too) and a Dingwall ABZ, and I've played a D-Roc (the Far East version), and I'd agree with what's been said above about the more modern sounds from the D-Roc.

 

I put a Dingwall Split-P pickup into the neck position of my ABZ (and it has an East Preamp) for that very reason - now it can do the modern sounds and the more traditional ones, too.

 

The build quality and 'sing' of the Dingwall is better than pretty much any of the BBs I've had (with the possible exception of a 2024 I played at Bass Direct a good while ago), then again it's better than pretty much any bass I've owned, and that includes Alembics, Statii, Seis, Overwaters, etc, etc...  It is a Canadian Dingwall, tho, and they're that bit better than the Far East ones...

 

It's just a shame it doesn't get played much any more...

 

My BB of choice these days is a mildly customised BB414 (yeah, the cheap one), which is as good a P/J bass as an awful lot I've had/played for three, four, five times the price.

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BassApprentice Mentor

BassApprentice

Posted
Posted
On 03/01/2022 at 23:00, AndyTravis said:

yeah they’re borderline the same - much like car manufacturers, they did a mid lifecycle repackage.

 

With cars, it’s usually a grille and headlight shape change.

 

On These - they put different pickups in and did some colour changes.

 

but necks and bodies…same.

Ta Andy, any massive tonal differences between the pickups? Both seem a great deal for the quality of basses. 

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AndyTravis Grand Master

AndyTravis

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, BassApprentice said:

Ta Andy, any massive tonal differences between the pickups? Both seem a great deal for the quality of basses. 

Can’t speak with authority on this - I had the active version of the crimson one…

 

It was about 4 years ago - and I’ve owned about 400 basses since then 😋

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