The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Richard Jinman]

2 minutes ago, Richard Jinman said:

Unusual colour isn’t it. The neck pup sounds particularly good so it’s going to be the P to my 1100s J. Did you contact the seller about it as well Andy? Was a Gumtree ad. I spoke to him on the phone and it sounded like he was winding down his playing. He also mentioned “my BB2000s” which is tantalising!

By that I mean he has several BB2000 rather than a BB2000s!

[AndyTravis]

12 minutes ago, Richard Jinman said:

Unusual colour isn’t it. The neck pup sounds particularly good so it’s going to be the P to my 1100s J. Did you contact the seller about it as well Andy? Was a Gumtree ad. I spoke to him on the phone and it sounded like he was winding down his playing. He also mentioned “my BB2000s” which is tantalising!

I didn’t in the end - I’ve a 350f I’m modifying.

The 450 is basically a passive 1100s - which is no bad thing.

If you fall out with it - I’ll make room. 😉

[AndyTravis]

Bah - no dice today. Up until the left hand side of the body, the grain was nearly uniform enough for a natural finish 

[bagsieblue]

On 12/05/2021 at 08:44, Al Krow said:

Does your 605 have the NE1 circuit also? Dunno if you have come across a 2005 also in your travels and been able to compare them?

And I have no idea how they sound / play compared to the current line up, but I'm guessing more similarities than differences ie you know you're playing a Yammy BB! 

What is the deal with the NE1 link to the BB604/5?.

I've had a BB604. I've had the NE-1 pedal too.

I found the BB604 pre to be nothing alike.

I'm sure I remember reading the NE link to the bass was from a Yamaha typo and has become a myth and that there is no link to anything Nathan East related?

 

[AndyTravis]

12 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

What is the deal with the NE1 link to the BB604/5?.

I've had a BB604. I've had the NE-1 pedal too.

I found the BB604 pre to be nothing alike.

I'm sure I remember reading the NE link to the bass was from a Yamaha typo and has become a myth and that there is no link to anything Nathan East related?

 

It has the sweepable mid?

Ive always known it to be referred to as the ne-1 preamp. 
 

They sound great for the money they go for, even if if they were 3 times the price they’re good.

[bagsieblue]

7 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

It has the sweepable mid?

Ive always known it to be referred to as the ne-1 preamp. 
 

They sound great for the money they go for, even if if they were 3 times the price they’re good.

Yep, sweepable mid, but can't adjust the Q.

@thepurpleblob mentions it in this thread too.

 

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, bagsieblue said:

Yep, sweepable mid, but can't adjust the Q.

@thepurpleblob mentions it in this thread too.

 

I'm thinking maybe some of the really fancy stuff onboard pre's by Status and John East gives you a Q adjustment, but there are not too many other onboard preamps that allow you to adjust the Q.

The flagship BB NE2 has a mid-cut frequency selector but no Q. But with that addition combined with its 3 band EQ it becomes a more versatile preamp than you'll get on most basses.

[bagsieblue]

6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

I'm thinking maybe some of the really fancy stuff onboard pre's by Status and John East gives you a Q adjustment, but there are not too many other onboard preamps that allow you to adjust the Q.

The flagship BB NE2 has a mid-cut frequency selector but no Q. But with that addition combined with its 3 band EQ it becomes a more versatile preamp than you'll get on most basses.

Aware of all that - my query was as to how the BB604/BB605 has this NE / Nathan East tag on it.

BB604/5, higher end NE signature Yamahas, and the NE pedal - My thoughts are they are all different circuits.

Im not disputing the quality of any them.

Just curious as to how the BB604/605 got the Nathan East tag.

I've had an admittedly quick google around and can't see anything on the official Yamaha published information that ties in the Nathan East preamp, or a variation of, into the BB604/BB605.

Looks like nothing more than just a sweepable mid - found on many basses.

 

[MDWagstaff]

15 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Aware of all that - my query was as to how the BB604/BB605 has this NE / Nathan East tag on it.

BB604/5, higher end NE signature Yamahas, and the NE pedal - My thoughts are they are all different circuits.

Im not disputing the quality of any them.

Just curious as to how the BB604/605 got the Nathan East tag.

I've had an admittedly quick google around and can't see anything on the official Yamaha published information that ties in the Nathan East preamp, or a variation of, into the BB604/BB605.

Looks like nothing more than just a sweepable mid - found on many basses.

 

It's a misconception because the BB604/5 is based on the NE2 shape and as far as I'm aware the BB2004/5 did share pre-amp qualities with the BBNE2. The BB604/5 preamp is a different (much cheaper) preamp than those found in the higher end variations understandably. It wouldn't make much sense for Yamaha to put such a saught after preamp in what was the budget BB of the time. 

[Guest]

19 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Just curious as to how the BB604/605 got the Nathan East tag

Given how bassfacts normally evolve on the internet, it's probably something to do with Leo Fender's top-end hearing loss

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, bagsieblue said:

Whats 'Flat'? Is that effectively off?

Not sure how you can have a flat Q. A flat spike isn't much of a spike.

[bagsieblue]

20 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Whats 'Flat'? Is that effectively off?

Not sure how you can have a flat Q. A flat spike isn't much of a spike.

Dont know - here is a spec sheet I've just found online.

[Woodinblack]

19 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Dont know - here is a spec sheet I've just found online.

Ah ok, so it is an off.

[Al Krow]

The BB NE1 and NE2 onboard preamps don't have the Q control allowing different EQ curve patterns i.e. they have a fixed Q.

Our previous thinking on this was that the basses that bore his name would very likely have hardwired the "Deep-4" setting given that this was his favourite.

You ask why would Yamaha put the same EQ into the 604/5 as their other high-end basses? Good question. But no different as to why is a BB1025 almost identical to a BB2025, but costs a fraction of the price, I guess!

[bagsieblue]

4 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Our previous thinking on this was that the basses that bore his name would very likely have hardwired the "Deep-4" setting given that this was his favourite.

Are you saying the BB604/BB605 bore the Nathan East name.  I can't find anything official published by Yamaha on that.  Have you something that does to share please?

Very likely have hardwired the Deep 4 setting?  Really?, hardwired in a setting?

Isnt it just a pot with a sweepable EQ?

[bagsieblue]

Link to the manual here:

I'm not seeing any reference to a Nathan East / NE Circuit?

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1049534/Yamaha-Bb604.html?page=3#manual

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Are you saying the BB604/BB605 bore the Nathan East name.  I can't find anything official published by Yamaha on that.  Have you something that does to share please?

Very likely have hardwired the Deep 4 setting?  Really?, hardwired in a setting?

Isnt it just a pot with a sweepable EQ?

Nope - I'm saying the BB NE1 and NE2 bore his name. 

On the onboard preamp you don't get a choice of "shallow", "deep" "flat" options so if Nathan had to pick one EQ curve for his NE model bass you'd guess his favourite?

I'm not really saying anything about the 604/605, other than if the 604 recently sold was a "604 NE1" (as described) then it may well have the same pre-amp NE circuit as on the BB NE1 / NE2. 

[javi_bassist]

I have the BB605 and the mid switch is just an on/off mid cut.

And I have to admit that I don't really like that preamp. But I think Yamaha called it NE1

[bagsieblue]

37 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Nope - I'm saying the BB NE1 and NE2 bore his name. 

On the onboard preamp you don't get a choice of "shallow", "deep" "flat" options so if Nathan had to pick one EQ curve for his NE model bass you'd guess his favourite?

I'm not really saying anything about the 604/605, other than if the 604 recently sold was a "604 NE1" (as described) then it may well have the same pre-amp NE circuit as on the BB NE1 / NE2. 

Not massive on Yamaha knowledge but please correct where necessary.......

OK - so, Yes - I was originally picking up on your thought that the BB604/5 had the same preamp as in the  BBNE1/2 basses.  This has come up before so I was interested to clarify.

It  seems that we assume a link / commonality between the 3 that I don't think is actually there.  I'm talking about the actual function / performance of these parts, not where they are called, which is probably where the confusion comes from!

 - NE 1 Pedal - Outboard Pre.

 - Onboard Pre in BBNE1/NE2

 - Onboard Pre in BB604/605

NE1 Pedal - discussed above what it does.

The On board Pre in BBNE1/NE2 has trim pots in the cavity for further adjustment?  Agreed not shallow'/deep/flat but you can move the eq points?

The Onboard Pre in BB604/605 is just a bog standard pre with sweepable mids.  I'll help your argument a little here in the interest of getting to the bottom of this - I think the board on this pre is stamped NE1.

The comment or link is then made  - incorrectly in my view, (......and I say that having made the mistake myself in lazily copying the information I'd found elsewhere when I sold a BB604), that the BB605 has the "same" preamp as in the NE1 Pedal and/or the NE Signature Basses.

Edited May 14, 2021 by bagsieblue

[bagsieblue]

Here we have:

Pedal - Controls on top

BB NE Signature  Bass control cavity cover - Trim pot adjustments

A NE1 Board

Question - can anyone put up a gut shot of their BB604/BB605 or find one online? - I/m not 100% that the 3rd pic below is what is in the bass?

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by bagsieblue

[bagsieblue]

38 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

I have the BB605 and the mid switch is just an on/off mid cut.

And I have to admit that I don't really like that preamp. But I think Yamaha called it NE1

Can you upload few photos of inside the control cavity, the preamp please?

[TheGreek]

Is this well priced?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203312744211?hash=item2f56624713:g:3kgAAOSwzRdgV61n

[bagsieblue]

3 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Is this well priced?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203312744211?hash=item2f56624713:g:3kgAAOSwzRdgV61n

No, should be £70ish.

[javi_bassist]

55 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Can you upload few photos of inside the control cavity, the preamp please?

What do you want to know? I can't take any photos because I took the bass to a luthier to change the preamp. I opened it before that though, and what I could see is that there were like two separate parts of the preamp: one for bass and treble and the other for the mids and the switch. 

[bagsieblue]

5 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

What do you want to know? I can't take any photos because I took the bass to a luthier to change the preamp. I opened it before that though, and what I could see is that there were like two separate parts of the preamp: one for bass and treble and the other for the mids and the switch. 

If this is in the control cavity.