The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Al Krow]

On 21/09/2019 at 14:59, 2elliot said:

The new BB looked and sounded great last night. 

See through cherry red colour, bolt on neck, matching headstock. Satin finish hardware, 3 tone controls, one volume and one switch. 

The second one had what looked like an extra inlay on the fourth fret between the d and g string.  

 

On 04/10/2019 at 18:36, matbard said:

Any news about the Peter Hook Signature model?

@2elliot seems to have his finger closer to the pulse on this than the rest of us

[2elliot]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

@2elliot seems to have his finger closer to the pulse on this than the rest of us

I haven't spotted any new info. I know he's touring the States shortly. Let's see what pictures appear.  

[dannybuoy]

A rare BB5000A for sale in Italy:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/219406111488370/permalink/2417746774987615/

[TRBboy]

5 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

A rare BB5000A for sale in Italy:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/219406111488370/permalink/2417746774987615/

😍😍😍 That's gorge! The spacing always looks super tight on these though? 

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

A rare BB5000A for sale in Italy:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/219406111488370/permalink/2417746774987615/

You a little bit tempted dB? 

[dannybuoy]

Not for me, thought you might be tempted though!

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, dannybuoy said:

Not for me, thought you might be tempted though!

I've only just got shot of a high end Yammy BB which I originally got from someone who, unlike me, could properly play the thing and it's now back in the hands of another very capable bass player where it deserves to be! 

Besides, I'm very fortunate to have the modern day variant of the BB 5000A already in my herd

[TRBboy]

I'd love a BB2005, but they don't seem to come up very often.... 

[Al Krow]

30 minutes ago, TRBboy said:

I'd love a BB2005, but they don't seem to come up very often.... 

Well there's one in the FS right now. Just has different label on it...

 

[TRBboy]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Well there's one in the FS right now. Just has different label on it...

 

Oh really?! I'll have to have a look! What do you mean by different label? 

[Al Krow]

Seems to me that the BB NE2 is pretty much the BB 2005 with a different label.

I think the NE2 has a 3 band EQ vs a 2 band on 2005, but that's pretty much it in terms of key differences. So if you want a 2005 with a bit more on top then the NE2 will tick all the boxes. 

Not sure why there's such a big price differential between used NE2 and used 2004s though (no idea what a used 2005 would go for).

[TRBboy]

4 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Seems to me that the BB NE2 is pretty much the BB 2005 with a different label.

I think the NE2 has a 3 band EQ vs a 2 band on 2005, but that's pretty much it in terms of key differences. So if you want a 2005 with a bit more on top then the NE2 will tick all the boxes. 

Not sure why there's such a big price differential between used NE2 and used 2004s though (no idea what a used 2005 would go for).

More or less! The country of manufacture is different I think, and the NE2 is obviously the Nathan sig, so I guess that bumps the price up a bit. We had a 2005 on the shop I worked on years ago, and it was awesome, bit out of my price range at the time! 

Edited October 18, 2019 by TRBboy

[pete.young]

The BB2005 is a great bass in it's own right, but there are significant differences which no doubt contribute to the difference in price:

• Both are made in Japan, but the BBNE2 is assembled in the Yamaha custom shop by Yamaha's best craftsmen;
• Completely different pre-amp;
• Completely different pickups - the BBNE2 are dual-stacked humbuckers, the BB2005 are single coil (at least according to the spec sheet https://www.manualslib.com/manual/539175/Yamaha-Bb2005.html?page=11)
• BBNE2 has an ebony fingerboard, BB2005 has rosewood.

I think there's a lot more to it than the label.

[Al Krow]

Thanks Pete.

Are there any differences in the preamp other than 3 band vs 2 band?

Ebony and Rosewood are both quality woods.

Single coil will give a more Jazz feel to the 2005 than the dual-stacked humbuckers (but the noise cancelling of nature the humbuckers is something that I appreciate).

Not convinced the Yammy MIJ quality from their 'standard' Japanese workshop is going to be significantly worse than their Custom shop boys.

So in terms of final product it seems to me that a fair comparison to think about would be a Yammy BB1025 vs BBP35.

If I was buying new on value for money grounds I would go for the 1025 every time and even then my used 1025 is so much more than "good enough" despite being made by one-eyed Indonesian workers (frankly I don't buy all this prejudice against not-made-in expensive territories. Anyone spotted where Apple assemble their iPhones? Clue: it's not the USA or Japan), that the 1025 was the bass I held onto, not my P35.

If the 2005 had a 3 band EQ I would have definitely gone for that over the NE2 for the same reasons. But it doesn't and 2005s are as rare as hen's teeth so the point is otiose.

[AndyTravis]

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

despite being made by one-eyed Indonesian workers (frankly I don't buy all this prejudice against not-made-in expensive territories.

I don’t know what this is...”despite being made by one-eyed Indonesians...”

very uncomfortable with reading that.

I have Indonesian family members...they all have 2 eyes...

maybe I’ve just got it wrong.

 

as an aside, the 2004/2005 are Taiwanese.

[Cuzzie]

13 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

despite being made by one-eyed Indonesian workers (frankly I don't buy all this prejudice against not-made-in expensive territories. 

Even if this is made ‘in jest’ or to make a point it’s neither funny nor appropriate 

[Al Krow]

7 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

I don’t know what this is...”despite being made by one-eyed Indonesians...”

very uncomfortable with reading that.

I have Indonesian family members...they all have 2 eyes...

maybe I’ve just got it wrong.

 

as an aside, the 2004/2005 are Taiwanese.

Yes you did get it wrong, so rest easy Andy. 

Just read the words in brackets in my post which explains my point. 

I was being completely ironic (and not trying to be funny) ie I TOTALLY rate the work of the Indonesian workers which is why I am so happy with my BB 1025. 

[AndyTravis]

Ah. Irony. Ok...

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, AndyTravis said:

Ah. Irony. Ok...

We're completely on the same side here, mate. My view is as per the statement in brackets: 

"frankly I don't buy all this prejudice against not-made-in expensive territories."

[AndyTravis]

4 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

We're completely on the same side here, mate. My view is as per the statement in brackets: 

"frankly I don't buy all this prejudice against not-made-in expensive territories."

Ok, I get the point you are making. 

[dave_bass5]

I too agree about all this MIA,MIJ stuff. I bet my P34 would play and sound exactly the same if it was made with the same hardware and treatment, but not in Japan. 
 

[AndyTravis]

I’ve never ever put any credibility into those opinions/statements.

”mij Fenders are brilliant” - some are, I’ve played some Japanese fender dogs, and by the same token some amazing and terrible MIM ones. Same goes for USA built.

we once got 8 new 2008 jazz basses in at once and 5 were great, 2 were underwhelming, and I sent one back - just horrific. 
 

I don’t believe that geography has a bearing on wether or not a bass is any good.

That’s before you take into account what each individual player wants.

but if it helps, I owned several Japanese BB’s and some Taiwanese ones at the same time. There was nothing between them, quality wise.

I kept the 414, which is Indonesian. And “lesser”. Sits proudly with a jazz bass and Modulus which if I bought new now I’d have to spend £10,000 to replace between them. Think it’s cost me £150 in total.

 

[Al Krow]

Following on from our discussion a couple of days back on MIJ vs elsewhere, I received this really positive review of the BB P35 I'd recently moved on, from the guy who bought if off me:

"I just want to drop you a note. The BB [P35] is an amazing instrument, I haven't had such a positive vibe from a new instrument in ages.

Since getting it home I used it both in our studio as well as a dep gig and I cannot be happier. It has enough flexibility in tone to be useful in a lot of settings, but also has the sensitivity and responsiveness to touch that I often miss in active basses.  

Only thing I did was change the strings (I am not a D'Addario fan) and tweaked the setup a teeny bit and it feels like I have been using it for years. The neck is just perfect for me."

Worth also mentioning that Mark, whom I bought the bass off, rated this as the best bass he'd ever played and was only moving it on as he needed a lighter bass for the considerable amount of gigging he's doing.

The one stand out feature for me of both Mark, who is a pro bass player, and the guy I sold this same bass on to is that they are both in a league up from me in terms of how good bassists they are. I can't help but conclude that their greater skill and experience on the bass means that they will be hearing a difference in quality between a very good and an outstanding bass in a way that will simply pass me by.

[dave_bass5]

Makes me want to keep my P34.....which i too am loving again. 

[krispn]

@Al Krow you didn’t build it 🤣🤣 but it’s good to see the new owner is enjoying it. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by krispn