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The Yamaha BB mega-thread


Al Krow

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15 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I'm going to stick my head up over the parapet now...

Now I love the necks, the electronics and the tonal package but TBH I'm not a big fan of the body shape. IMO the body is too big and I don't like the top horn.

If they made a smaller, more modern design (Spector/Warwick/ Ibanez) I'd be more inclined to buy and keep one. I have been tempted to buy one and send it off to @Andyjr1515 to transplant everything into something along the lines of my suggestion - not too dissimilar to the BE2 (wish they would make them at a more Yamaha price range - i.e great VFM).

I wonder if the parts fit any of those cheap "build yourself" basses on eBay??

After being a long term user of Yamaha BB basses I find myself in a similar frame of mind. I love the way they play, the sound and everything about them except..... the big bloated body.  At one point I loved the appearance of my 424x  and 1024x with the additional scratch plate and chrome but now its looks leave me cold.

Sold the 1024x which was my main gigging bass, which played and sounded great and replaced it with a Precision player series. Probably not as good or as versatile as the 1024x  but I just find it more appealing and want to pick it up more to play.

Still got my BB 414, 424x and 734a which has a slightly smaller and more appealing Body shape.

Have had the same thought about transferring all the parts off one of my BBs onto a precision style body.

Hoping its just a phase and I will fall back in love with the BB body shape.

Note did have a BB 604 which had a smaller body and great pre amp in but wasn't as good as any of my current BBs

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1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

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.

 

single action truss rod (as opposed to dual action) is a selling point if you're buying a Moollon....

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1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

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? 

Probably the intrinsic quality of the wood used

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7 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Out of interest, why’s that Luke 🙂

Moollon's thing is 'authentic sounding' and metalwork made with older alloys - I think the luthier thinks a 1 piece flat sawn with a single action truss rod sounds more like a vintage bass 

:S who knows how much difference it makes. I'm guessing between a multi laminate neck with dual action and multiple carbon rods and a 1 piece flat sawn with a single action truss rod you could hear a difference... the smaller changes I've no idea! 

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Just now, LukeFRC said:

Moollon's thing is 'authentic sounding' and metalwork made with older alloys - I think the luthier thinks a 1 piece flat sawn with a single action truss rod sounds more like a vintage bass 

:S who knows how much difference it makes. I'm guessing between a multi laminate neck with dual action and multiple carbon rods and a 1 piece flat sawn with a single action truss rod you could hear a difference... the smaller changes I've no idea! 

I think the big issue is that a one piece neck such as a Fender rarely if ever needs relief forcing into it. A double action trussed of course is designed to do just this if it is needed. If a neck is made very stiff (laminated construction with perhaps stiffer woods used) with extra support added by way of carbon or steel rods etc then the act of adding the frets can cause a slight back bow that stringing up alone doesn't counter.

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2 hours ago, Paul S said:

I like pretty much everything about them except the weight.  If they could do the same bass - particularly the 5er - but at 8lbs I would be very happy.  It would be entirely feasible.

They could chamber the wings to reduce weight

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1 hour ago, MoJo said:

They could chamber the wings to reduce weight

They could.  They could make them out of swamp ash or basswood.  Nevertheless I hold out hope that a random lightweight one will come along - it seems most basses can vary a lot like this :) 

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6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I tend to associate chambered bodies with more up market (in terms of pricing) basses. 

Given the price point of the Yamaha BBs just wonder whether chambering would be viable?

I’m having a 32” scale P bass built at the moment. It has a chambered swamp ash body. The process is labour intensive. That’s the cost implication. The body will weigh a little over 2lbs compared to the typical Warmoth body at 4+ to 6+ lbs. There’s a build thread if anyone is interested. 

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8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I tend to associate chambered bodies with more up market (in terms of pricing) basses. 

Given the price point of the Yamaha BBs just wonder whether chambering would be viable?

They'd have to market one as a lightweight special or something and charge more.  Certainly I'd pay more for a guaranteed lightweight.  But it is also why getting bits hollowed out as a retro thing on an existing bass just isn't worth it.  Pay, say, £250 for a BB425 then (in my case) pay someone to make some chambers in it just doesn't make economic sense, much as I'd like it.

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Another stand arrived today so I was able to take a shot showing the difference in size between the BB and the TRBX. I should have thought of doing this when there was some natural light, but never mind. 

20210122_162617-01.jpeg

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There's a BCers' axiom that basses tend to fill the number of stand spaces available to the owner. 

Don't make my schoolboy error of getting a 7 bass stand to replace my old 5 bass stand...

 

...and then not selling the 5 bass stand 😁

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36 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

There's a BCers' axiom that basses tend to fill the number of stand spaces available to the owner.

I'm really really hoping that the SB-1 due to arrive sometime this side of the Rapture will neatly render the TRBX superfluous and take over its stand, sending the TRBX off to a new home. Both 1½" nut, both light, both strung with Chromes....so there's a decent chance. But I'm not going to risk saying anything definite 🥴 

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11 minutes ago, MDWagstaff said:

Sold already! Gutted, I've always wanted that exact bass but alas it wasn't meant to be 

Yeah not surprised at all and I was really tempted myself - they hardly ever come up and this was on for a really good price!

Okay it might need a bit of work on the bass EQ but I can't imagine that would add more than £75 to £100 tops worst case? And given there is one on eBay for £1,200 it's still great value.

Edited by Al Krow
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