The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[MirrorMan]

That is nice, but a tad too much for me!

[krispn]

On 30/03/2021 at 14:40, Al Krow said:

Haha - yes you've definitely done your bit to keep the bass market afloat over these passed 12 months 😁

I suspect this is going to vary a fair bit. Mine's at approx. 3.5mm above the 21st fret on the A string of my BB1025.

 

3 hours ago, MirrorMan said:

That is nice, but a tad too much for me!

Do you mean with the string fretted at the last fret or the unfretted height?

[Al Krow]

My (approx i.e. within 0.5mm) was measured above the fret, as opposed to above the fretboard.

[Cuzzie]

21 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

My (approx i.e. within 0.5mm) was measured above the fret, as opposed to above the fretboard.

I think what @krispn means is the string being fretted as in playing a note rather than it being open.

When you are setting up and measuring the relief you tend to fret the string at the first fret and where the neck hits the body and check with a feather gauge how much relief you need in the neck.

General parlance is measuring from the fret to the bottom of the string at the 12th, to set saddle heights and string height, then at the first fret for filing the nut.

Measuring the string height without fretting a note is not great as in general unless it’s stupid low, or you have set relief as such it shouldnt buzz

the string heights will vary across the strings slightly being the norm, or not depending on your flavour, but they tend to

Edited March 31, 2021 by Cuzzie

[Al Krow]

Fair points, however I was responding as simply as possible to the specific query raised by a fellow Yammy owner, with an explanation of how it's been measured for easy comparison (which was measured unfretted). I'll leave him to make use of it, or otherwise.

On 30/03/2021 at 08:20, Dean Vincent said:

Just wondered what everyone finds a comfortable string height on the final fret of their BBs for a low but buzz free action. 

[such]

This thread makes me think I would probably be able to turn my P bass into a combo of a BB1024 and 1025 at current low prices, with little to no extra investment 🤔

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, such said:

This thread makes me think I would probably be able to turn my P bass into a combo of a BB1024 and 1025 at current low prices, with little to no extra investment 🤔

The only fly in the ointment is that 1025s don't seem to come up that often these days and tend to get snapped up pretty quickly (providing they've not been price gouged - I saw one on eBay for £900+ which was very "hopeful"!).

And if you find one in vintage white, definitely hold onto it 😉

Having said that, I'd be surprised if you noticed too much difference between the current 435 range and the previous series 1025, so that gives you another very good option. And frankly the more budget 235 owners on here are full of praise for their basses. 

Edited March 31, 2021 by Al Krow

[Cuzzie]

20 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Fair points, however I was responding as simply as possible to the specific query raised by a fellow Yammy owner, with an explanation of how it's been measured for easy comparison (which was measured unfretted). I'll leave him to make use of it, or otherwise.

That was read and considered  - hence my reply to put into context, and some detail.

If it’s buzzing on an open string the set up is severely wrong, I think most people would be thinking about when the buzz comes on once fretted - which nicely corresponds to his answer - but it will completely depend on how you set your relief.

[krispn]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Fair points, however I was responding as simply as possible to the specific query raised by a fellow Yammy owner, with an explanation of how it's been measured for easy comparison (which was measured unfretted). I'll leave him to make use of it, or otherwise.

Whereas I was asking for a bit more detail - an unfretted note shouldn’t buzz or rattle so in theory an open string could be set much lower than a fretted note on the same string but that’s not the best guide when one starts to play!

@MirrorMan do you have experience setting up your basses or do you normally get it done by a tech? I only ask as I’ve sent an e book to a few folk with loads of info on set up and it comes with some gauges which can be printed and templates made on old cereal boxes or thin card. It’s written by luthier Jerzy Drozd - I think I’ve sent you a copy ages ago @Al Krow?

Happy to send it on @MirrorMan if you think it’ll be useful and if anyone else fancies a copy just get in touch. 

*I found the link on his site

https://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-perfect-bass-guitar-setup

Edited March 31, 2021 by krispn

[LukeFRC]

20 minutes ago, krispn said:

Whereas I was asking for a bit more detail - an unfretted note shouldn’t buzz or rattle so in theory an open string could be set much lower than a fretted note on the same string but that’s not the best guide when one starts to play!

@MirrorMan do you have experience setting up your basses or do you normally get it done by a tech? I only ask as I’ve sent an e book to a few folk with loads of info on set up and it comes with some gauges which can be printed and templates made on old cereal boxes or thin card. It’s written by luthier Jerzy Drozd - I think I’ve sent you a copy ages ago @Al Krow?

Happy to send it on @MirrorMan if you think it’ll be useful and if anyone else fancies a copy just get in touch. 

*I found the link on his site

https://www.jerzydrozdbasses.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-perfect-bass-guitar-setup

I think it was @Dean Vincent asking the set up questions.
The question doesn't really make sense without knowing what your relief is set at  

[krispn]

Yup my bad 😀 That’s the thing with set my ups there’s a bunch of interlinked factors at play. 

[Cuzzie]

4 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

I think it was @Dean Vincent asking the set up questions.
The question doesn't really make sense without knowing what your relief is set at  

What a relief.....

[krispn]

*slow clap*

[Cuzzie]

7 hours ago, krispn said:

*slow clap*

Better than an itchy one

[Munurmunuh]

4kg 2024 on sale here on BC klaxon. Thank goodness it's not white 😅

[krispn]

2024! Snap it up!

[EJWW]

Tasty models.

There are two 2024/Xs for sale on BC at the moment. Darryl's has been up for what seems like ages and is identical in price but 0.5kg heavier. Personally prefer the non-X version myself but I'd jump on either one at the right price. 

An Olympic white one with a few dinks went on Ebay a couple months ago for around £1250. Ummed and ahhed but I just couldn't bring myself to cross the 1k mark for a lovely but basic instrument. 

[Munurmunuh]

I've noticed that I the tone knob on my 424 is either on 0 or 10 - it may as well be a switch.

On the recent varitone thread, attention was drawn to this rotary switch made by@KiOgon -

An alternative for the tone pot, a 4 way rotary switch that gives 2 tone positions + Bypass and Kill/Off.
Clockwise operation gives;
A = Off or Kill
B = On - Bypass, no tone pot/resistor or capacitor, straight through output
C = .033uF PolyDrop capacitor, changed from .047 for better differential
D = 0.1uF PolyDrop capacitor, Old School deep velvet tone

I was wondering how .033 and .1 would relate to whatever it is that I already have in my 424, and how they would behave with the three positions of the pickup selector. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Ricky Rioli

[jrixn1]

46 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

I've noticed that I the tone knob on my 424 is either on 0 or 10 - it may as well be a switch.

On the recent varitone thread, attention was drawn to this rotary switch

I don't know why it's like that, but address the issue by getting a working pot.  It should be audio taper.

The varitone approaches things from a different angle, giving you the "tone rolled off all the way" sound, but with two variations.  Do you like that fully rolled-off tone currently?  You'll lose the ability to have it quarter- or half-rolled off, personally I use those the most, and rarely all the way off.

Quote

I was wondering how .033 and .1 would relate to whatever it is that I already have in my 424, and how they would behave with the three positions of the pickup selector. 

I don't know what the stock cap is in a BB424 but it should say on the side of the cap, or post a photo here if you're not sure.

 

[Munurmunuh]

14 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

I don't know why it's like that, but address the issue by getting a working pot.  It should be audio taper.

The pot is working fine, the reason that

1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

I've noticed that I the tone knob on my 424 is either on 0 or 10 - it may as well be a switch

is because my hand never sets it anywhere other than the two extremes.

[jrixn1]

7 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

is because my hand never sets it anywhere other than the two extremes.

Ah, I misunderstood!

[MDWagstaff]

https://youtu.be/valxsh2KTGI

 

A band I used to play with invited me back to rerecord some old material. I figured as this is one of the more bass prominent songs and was recorded on my faithful BB it made sense to share it here 👍

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, MDWagstaff said:

https://youtu.be/valxsh2KTGI

A band I used to play with invited me back to rerecord some old material. I figured as this is one of the more bass prominent songs and was recorded on my faithful BB it made sense to share it here 👍

I really loved the follow on track - Night Light. OMG Matt Jones' vocals - awesome!

[Richard Jinman]

Are there any BB1100s players out there who have found another BB (or another non Yamaha bass) with the same neck profile. If you’ve got one you’ll know how good it feels... incredibly flat, a little wider than a jazz. I bought a BB1600 and a Bb2000 assuming they would have necks that were similar or the same. I was wrong: they feel much thicker, more akin to a P neck. So, is the 1100s neck shared by another vintage BB or will I just have to find another 1100s?

[BassApprentice]

You can go years without seeing an orange BB for sale and now there's 2 in as many days 😂

 

Very tempted...