The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[IanA]

25 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

What’s this about? I never said that.🤔

Sorry I think I must have made an error when posting... I will delete. The comments were from me!

[IanA]

 

well unfortunately that was a very short romance, the 4.5 kg weight was just too much for my shoulders even with a Gruv Gear strap, so off to Bass Direct it went yesterday 😕

[dave_bass5]

20 minutes ago, IanA said:

Sorry I think I must have made an error when posting... I will delete. The comments were from me!

No problem, i thought that might be the case.

As it i is my BB435 went back. Lovely bass but i just didnt feel I shouldn’t  be spending that money with what’s going on in the world at the moment. I might need it to buy food at some point rather than have yet another bass. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by dave_bass5

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, IanA said:

well unfortunately that was a very short romance, the 4.5 kg weight was just too much for my shoulders even with a Gruv Gear strap, so off to Bass Direct it went yesterday 😕

It is kinda frustrating when the weight is just that bit too much on the P34/5. It was the exact same reason that it all three of owners of the P35 I had moved it on (at just a shade over 10 lbs). All three of us otherwise rated it as a fabulous bass.

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

No problem, i thought that might be the case.

As it i is my BB435 went back. Lovely bass but i just didnt feel I shouldn’t  be spending that money with what’s going on in the world at the moment. I might need it to buy food at some point rather than have yet another bass. 

Just raid the neighbours' pantry! Apparently there are overflowing larders up and down the country to match the empty shelves being met by our health workers after their long shifts 

[IanA]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

It is kinda frustrating when the weight is just that bit too much on the P34/5. It was the exact same reason that it all three of owners of the P35 I had moved it on (at just a shade over 10 lbs). All three of us otherwise rated it as a fabulous bass.

They really are superb basses, had it been 4kg ish it would have stayed without doubt. If there were a lighter version I would be all over it but I am guessing the wood combos would probably make that difficult.

I have replaced it with a Sterling H which tips the scales at 4.1kg and the difference is very noticeable indeed. 

[Al Krow]

3 minutes ago, IanA said:

They really are superb basses, had it been 4kg ish it would have stayed without doubt. If there were a lighter version I would be all over it but I am guessing the wood combos would probably make that difficult.

I have replaced it with a Sterling H which tips the scales at 4.1kg and the difference is very noticeable indeed. 

Interesting you mention that - the bass that Dave just returned, a lovely BB435, tipped the scales at 4.1kgs also. But that definitely does seem to be at the lighter end of the current Yammy BBs

Edited March 22, 2020 by Al Krow

[AndyTravis]

Well...I’m in trouble with the BB police. Something inexplicable has happened...and it’s much lighter than 4.5kg.

[Al Krow]

Just now, AndyTravis said:

Well...I’m in trouble with the BB police. Something inexplicable has happened...and it’s much lighter than 4.5kg.

Is it one of the current 3 series Andy or one of the older ones?

[AndyTravis]

Just now, Al Krow said:

Is it one of the current 3 series Andy or one of the older ones?

It’s not a bb at all...which has upset my brain. 
 

And it’s not a yam. 

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, AndyTravis said:

It’s not a bb at all...which has upset my brain. 
 

And it’s not a yam. 

Hahaha...that might explain it 😁

[Al Krow]

Yup I too could start prattling on about Ibanez or softer wood Sandbergs which are all v light.

BUUUT technically this is a Yammy thread AND still your true home, dear chap, even if you do go off and get expensive, albeit still lightweight, clones of Sire V7/P7 basses😁

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Yup I too could start prattling on about Ibanez or softer wood Sandbergs which are all v light.

BUUUT technically this is a Yammy thread AND still your true home, dear chap, even if you do go off and get expensive, albeit still lightweight, clones of Sire V7/P7 basses😁

Roger and co we’re trading before sire were a twinkle in Marcus Miller’s eye...but fair enough...

[Al Krow]

15 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Roger and co we’re trading before sire were a twinkle in Marcus Miller’s eye...but fair enough...

But aren't they Warwicks these days? 😉

[AndyTravis]

10 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

But aren't they Warwicks these days? 😉

Distribution yes. Manufacturing in NYC, Japan (as previously) and I think Warwick’s chinese rockbass facility (Or the one they use) for a new range.

[fclef4life]

Hey guys! What are the differences soundwise between BB2025X and BBP35 models? I've heard on some youtube videos the BB2025X has more bite, but youtube is not the best source of truth. Would appreciate your opinions. 

[Al Krow]

Not sure how many of us have had both. My experience will be close in that I have a "played in" BB 1025 and had a P35. 

The fact that my 1025 was played in should have gone some way to achieving what the wood treatment does on the 2025.

I found the P35 to be marginally sweeter in tone, I suspect largely down to the newer model pups. The strings were in a similar condition but any differences there would also play a significant part. 

In summary: very similar. So much so I held onto my 1025 as it was the lighter of the two basses, again not by much (0.2kg). 

Edited March 23, 2020 by Al Krow

[fclef4life]

4 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Not sure how many of us have had both. My experience will be close in that I have a "played in" BB 1025 and had a P35. 

The fact that my 1025 was played in should have gone some way to achieving what the wood treatment does on the 2025.

I found the P35 to be marginally sweeter in tone, I suspect largely down to the newer model pups. The strings were in a similar condition but any differences there would also play a significant part. 

In summary: very similar. So much so I held onto my 1025 as it was the lighter of the two basses, again not by much (0.2kg). 

Great review, thank you @Al Krow. So the bite on 1025/2025 is indeed more substantial compared to P35.

I see a BBNE2 on your profile pic. I know it's a different beast, but how would you compare it to other BBs?

Cheers!

[TRBboy]

14 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Interesting you mention that - the bass that Dave just returned, a lovely BB435, tipped the scales at 4.1kgs also. But that definitely does seem to be at the lighter end of the current Yammy BBs

I've seen other BB435's under 10lb too... Can't remember exactly what mine weighs, but I think it's about the same as Dave's was. My BBN5 is noticeably lighter. 

[TRBboy]

Well, I've received all the supplies, and finally pulled my thumb out and made the first steps towards my apocalypse /quarantine project last night. 

It will be having a respray (experimenting a bit, but fingers crossed it'll work out okay!), I'm going to attempt to make a pickguard, and fitting new knobs. 

Did toy with changing the pickups and pots, but in all honestly there's nothing wrong with it at all!

Will keep you updated with my progress. 👍

N. B. Excuse the nappy bags, they were just handy to put the hardware in! 

[Al Krow]

21 minutes ago, fclef4life said:

Great review, thank you @Al Krow. So the bite on 1025/2025 is indeed more substantial compared to P35.

You're welcome :) 

I'm not sure I was saying that at all however. If anything I was trying to get across the point that they are very very similar!

22 minutes ago, fclef4life said:

I see a BBNE2 on your profile pic. I know it's a different beast, but how would you compare it to other BBs?

I wouldn't compare it to other BBs. It's a COMPLETELY different animal. It is much closer to the TRB 5PII sound wise from what folk like @AndyTravis who I believe has owned both have said.

In particular the BBNE2 doesn't have a P pup is and is purely active, whereas the more modern BB bases are PJ and the majority are purely passive.

[IanA]

For those looking for a BB with a more aggressive sound I played a BBP34 with Nordstrand Big blades on Saturday...

It was a very aggressive sound with a deeper but tighter low end...

[TJ Spicer]

16 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Distribution yes. Manufacturing in NYC, Japan (as previously) and I think Warwick’s chinese rockbass facility (Or the one they use) for a new range.

German Masterbuilt equivalent to current NYC (Warwick CS), Metroline will be German team-built (GPS equivalent) and new Metro Express Will be Chinese like current Warwick Rockbasses. 

Roger is still building customs in NYC, I was there 2 weeks ago choosing top woods for my custom build (although the shop is now shut for the virus!) 

I know the feeling - A Sadowsky PJ5 was the only bass that could usurp my love Yammys, particularly the BB, and sadly has! I‘d be intrigued to see how I felt if I had a BB with the Sadowsky pre and pickups. 

[AndyTravis]

27 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

German Masterbuilt equivalent to current NYC (Warwick CS), Metroline will be German team-built (GPS equivalent) and new Metro Express Will be Chinese like current Warwick Rockbasses. 

Roger is still building customs in NYC, I was there 2 weeks ago choosing top woods for my custom build (although the shop is now shut for the virus!) 

I know the feeling - A Sadowsky PJ5 was the only bass that could usurp my love Yammys, particularly the BB, and sadly has! I‘d be intrigued to see how I felt if I had a BB with the Sadowsky pre and pickups. 

Yeah just read up on it. I think I read early speculation about where things would be built.

it’d be interesting to compare the Metroline (Warwick) to Metroline (Japan).

If I could find an Mv4 (Japan) for sale in ice blue met or LPB, that’d do me.

[TJ Spicer]

19 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Yeah just read up on it. I think I read early speculation about where things would be built.

it’d be interesting to compare the Metroline (Warwick) to Metroline (Japan).

If I could find an Mv4 (Japan) for sale in ice blue met or LPB, that’d do me.

I’m almost definitely going to compare the two when the Warwick builds are available - and it’ll undoubtedly end up on my YT channel.

That’s the thing I always find so difficult with Sadowskys, finding the right colours outside of custom. Took me 5 years for a PJ5 in Olympic white to come up! Worth the wait - though the BB735a did admirably in the ‘5 string PJ’ space in the arsenal!