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The Yamaha BB mega-thread


Al Krow

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29 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Mark, we've been waiting for your detailed BB P35 review like for ever, so I'm glad we're finally getting a peek at this. Does look lovely (even from that angle!)

But delighted that you're still loving it even though the honeymoon period must shortly be coming to an end (how long is a bass honeymoon period anyway?!) 

White BB1025 is about as likely to leave the Krow household as @ChunkyMunky's. So don't hold your breath (in case of asphyxiation). 😄 

However "when the time comes" if you're still after a relatively mint black BB425 (currently without a selector switch, which I need to reattach) then give me a shout. 

Remind me what you used to play bass wise, which has since made way for your BB P35? 

 

I should give it a thorough write up, really. I've had it over 3 months now and it's done at least 2 gigs a week since, I think the honeymoon period is over, its not a 'new' bass anymore. It's replaced a Sadowsky 5. Which was great too. Definitely interested in the black 425! 

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23 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Lol! You gonna keep me hanging then? 

What I need to hear from you is why the BB1200S is just so much better than the BB1000S and why I should quench my GAS with immediate effect 😂

Actually scrap that. Really unhelpfully there's now also a BB1200 in the FS! 

What I need is some clear advice as to why I shouldn't be thinking about getting a bass that's > 30 years old 😂

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23 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Yes - but you have a very impressive pedal board. 

PB - Hazbeen 18-06.jpeg

... and all that's needed to make it near perfect is to replace that Duality with a Mastotron and add a SA Manta (and possibly a Thumpinator) 😁

Ha ha, the HX has a low pass filter .... Thumpinator not needed, so really a “budget friendly” solution..... wink wink

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20 minutes ago, HazBeen said:

Ha ha, the HX has a low pass filter .... Thumpinator not needed, so really a “budget friendly” solution..... wink wink

Presumably you mean a High Pass Filter. But if I recall correctly, Helix has both high and low pass filters, right?

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34 minutes ago, HazBeen said:

Ha ha, the HX has a low pass filter .... Thumpinator not needed, so really a “budget friendly” solution..... wink wink

So you're not disagreeing about the Mastotron and the SA Manta then? 😄 

I'd be genuinely surprised / impressed if a multifx effects patch could match the "always on" ability to cut the sub audio of a dedicated HPF like the Thumpinator, given that a fair chunk of the HX's processing power will be taken up with other effects patches when the HPF effect is an add-on.

But if it can that's definitely a feather in its cap!

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2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

So you're not disagreeing about the Mastotron and the SA Manta then? 😄 

I'd be genuinely surprised / impressed if a multifx effects patch could match the "always on" ability to cut the sub audio of a dedicated HPF like the Thumpinator, given that a fair chunk of the HX's processing power will be taken up with other effects patches when the HPF effect is an add-on.

But if it can that's definitely a feather in its cap!

I imagine a fixed HPF or LPF takes up very little processing power so I wouldn’t be surprised if the likes of the HX could pull it off with relative ease, even on heavily loaded patches.

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On 28/08/2018 at 07:01, Al Krow said:

This BB1000S has just had it's asking price cut by 50% to £300 in the FS.

I'm trying very hard to resist! :) 

bb1.jpg

@hookys6stringbass you (or any other of our BB lovers) aware what the key differences between the BB1000S and the BB1200S were?

1200s is active, single reverse p pickup with 5 piece maple mahogany neck through, ebony fretboard and oval markers  colors were deep green and burgundy.

1000s is passive, reverse pj with 3 ply maple mahogany neck through, rosewood fretboard and dot markers. colors were brown stain and persimmon red. 

Edited by hypercarrots
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4 hours ago, hypercarrots said:

1200s is active, single reverse p pickup with 5 piece maple mahogany neck through, ebony fretboard and oval markers  colors were deep green and burgundy.

1000s is passive, reverse pj with 3 ply maple mahogany neck through, rosewood fretboard and dot markers. colors were brown stain and persimmon red. 

Really helpful, thanks! Do you know what period the 1000s, the 1100s and the 1200s were made?

For completeness how did the 1100s differ from the other two?

And finally how the "s" versions differed  from the non "s" versions?

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1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Really helpful, thanks! Do you know what period the 1000s, the 1100s and the 1200s were made?

For completeness how did the 1100s differ from the other two?

And finally how the "s" versions differed  from the non "s" versions?

1000s - early to mid 80s?

1100s - mid 80s?

1200s - 82-85ish?

1100s has unpainted bolt on neck with rosewood fretboard and dot markers. Some were made in Japan, some in Taiwan. There were two different kinds of bridges and two different regular p/j pickup sets.

The first version had the smooth plastic surround on the p pickup like a bb450. The bridge pickup was like a fender jazz bass pickup.   

lot0064.jpg

 

The second version had no surround on the p pickup and the bridge pickup had a unique shape

yamaha-bb1100s-2032287.jpg

 

There is no bb1100 and the bb1000 doesn’t really relate to the bb1000s. The bb1200s is the same as a bb1200 with active preamp.

The easiest way to see differences is to just google the model numbers and look at the images that result. 

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15 hours ago, Al Krow said:

So you're not disagreeing about the Mastotron and the SA Manta then? 😄 

I'd be genuinely surprised / impressed if a multifx effects patch could match the "always on" ability to cut the sub audio of a dedicated HPF like the Thumpinator, given that a fair chunk of the HX's processing power will be taken up with other effects patches when the HPF effect is an add-on.

But if it can that's definitely a feather in its cap!

Well, I actually do disagree with.... Mastrotron I never got into, preferring more Muff based sounds. The Duality is so blooming handy as it does the gated/synthy fuzz as well as a Muff-ish blow your face off with the turn of a knob. The Manta I liked a lot, but it just wasn't practical enough for me. Still what works for me may not work for someone else.

The HPF on the HX does not use a lot of processing power, it is an always on affair for me so not allocated to a knob either.

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The Duality does indeed sound handy...just had a listen to a review of it on YouTube; as you say each to their own, I won't be moving on my Mastotron and Aftershock just yet :)

 

Edited by Al Krow
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Great thread - I’ve also been on a BB journey over the last year... it started with a 1024 which blew me away, one of the best P tones I’ve heard and so much bass with the tone rolled off!

Then I saw an ‘84 BB3000 for sale and curiosity got the better of me. I immediately preferred the slimmer (front to back) neck profile of the 3000 however the p’up output and tonal range wasn’t a match for the 1024 p’up. So I ordered a 1024 p’up from Yamaha and installed it in the 3000. This is now my most played bass and the 1024 has gone. The 3000 has a lovely resonance and feel of an older bass, and that powerful 1024 p’up seems to compliment it well.

My BB needs are well met for now!

 

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47 minutes ago, woolf said:

Great thread - I’ve also been on a BB journey over the last year... it started with a 1024 which blew me away, one of the best P tones I’ve heard and so much bass with the tone rolled off!

Then I saw an ‘84 BB3000 for sale and curiosity got the better of me. I immediately preferred the slimmer (front to back) neck profile of the 3000 however the p’up output and tonal range wasn’t a match for the 1024 p’up. So I ordered a 1024 p’up from Yamaha and installed it in the 3000. This is now my most played bass and the 1024 has gone. The 3000 has a lovely resonance and feel of an older bass, and that powerful 1024 p’up seems to compliment it well.

My BB needs are well met for now!

 

That sounds amazing - didn’t know those 1024/1025 pups could be ordered or I would have done so a long time ago!!

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8 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

That sounds amazing - didn’t know those 1024/1025 pups could be ordered or I would have done so a long time ago!!

Yes, ordered via a company called  Sontec that supply Yamaha parts in the UK... not the best customer service but the p’up arrived eventually.

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Yamaha BB1200S

Guys - a BB1200S has come up for sale on another site. You'll not be surprised from recent posts that I'm finding myself afflicted by the onset of GAS for this particular model of bass!

But I'll have to fess that I have no idea what a decent condition BB1200S is "worth" in terms of coming to an agreement on price with the seller. 

Thoughts from any of you would be very welcome as to what the typical price range for one of these might be?

Out of interest, which of you have a BB1200S in your current herd or have had one and moved it on? Are they even close to being as good as their reputation would suggest?

Edited by Al Krow
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On 02/09/2018 at 20:19, Al Krow said:

Yamaha BB1200S

Guys - a BB1200S has come up for sale on another site. You'll not be surprised from recent posts that I'm finding myself afflicted by the onset of GAS for this particular model of bass!

But I'll have to fess that I have no idea what a decent condition BB1200S is "worth" in terms of coming to an agreement on price with the seller. 

Thoughts from any of you would be very welcome as to what the typical price range for one of these might be?

Out of interest, which of you have a BB1200S in your current herd or have had one and moved it on? Are they even close to being as good as their reputation would suggest?

I have three of them... in terms of price that's a hard one... I've seen them go for £700... £900..my first one cost me £500ish many moons ago...

As for reputation... I'd say they most definitely are as good as people say... they are so well built....

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2 hours ago, hookys6stringbass said:

I have three of them... in terms of price that's a hard one... I've seen them go for £700... £900..my first one cost me £500ish many moons ago...

As for reputation... I'd say they most definitely are as good as people say... they are so well built....

That's very helpful, thanks. Just checked @hypercarrots earlier post and you mentioned that the BB1200S were 82 to 85, the one that has come up FS is an 83 model. I'll definitely be departing from my comfort zone in getting a bass that's 35 years old if I go for this (all my basses are all currently < 5 years old) :) 

I'm presuming that all the 1200S were MIJ basses?

How would you say your 1200S stacks up against more modern BB's - I guess that's a tricky question given that that e.g. the BB 1024 has a P/J configuration and is purely passive whereas the 1200S is both active and passive but just has a (reverse) P? 

Edited by Al Krow
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