The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[LukeFRC]

26 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Well balls…the only other BB414 I want has come up for sale in…LONDON.

Such a shame that none of your fellow BBfans live in that little place.... (somewhere near Raynes Park zone 4 ) 

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Such a shame that none of your fellow BBfans live in that little place.... (somewhere near Raynes Park zone 4 ) 

Maybe they do. Maybe they’ll grab it themselves…MAYBE THEY’RE ALREADY THERE NOW.

 

SWINES!!

[LukeFRC]

37 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Maybe they do. Maybe they’ll grab it themselves…MAYBE THEY’RE ALREADY THERE NOW.

 

SWINES!!

Nah @Al Krow plays 5 strings

[AndyTravis]

9 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Nah @Al Krow plays 5 strings

He’s got lust in his eyes…just like hogan.

 

 

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

Nah @Al Krow plays 5 strings

I do and I'd want to meet half-way in any event - otherwise a 3 hour round trip for me! SW London is both one of the poshest and also one of the most PITA places in the capital to get to. Hate the amount of travel time when gigging there, somehow feels massively more painful then heading up to Colchester and back (same time but way further!).

 

Besides we all know Andy will have sold it within 6 months...

 

And you're right Travis, I do have lust in my eyes. But not 4 a 414 😉

[Al Krow]

However if the fella met me half way, I do also have a daughter up in Manchester, so this actually could be got to you... 

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

However if the fella met me half way, I do also have a daughter up in Manchester, so this actually could be got to you... 

the guy can’t reply to a message - I suspect it’s a wonderful idea but ultimately futile exercise 

Edited February 8, 2022 by AndyTravis

[AndyTravis]

And @Al Krowmy current bb414 is on about 5 years.

 

And the 1600 is here to stay, that would’ve been a huge, huge error.

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, AndyTravis said:

And @Al Krowmy current bb414 is on about 5 years.

 

And the 1600 is here to stay, that would’ve been a huge, huge error.

That's like millennia by Trav standards!! But for the record, how many 414s have come and gone since that 5 year lock-up 414 came into your hands?

[Maude]

I've reckon I've worn the same pair of underpants longer than Andy has kept some basses. 

😄

[AndyTravis]

17 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

That's like millennia by Trav standards!! But for the record, how many 414s have come and gone since that 5 year lock-up 414 came into your hands?

None.

 

all 424s. It saw off a 1024x and some 1100’s too.

[AndyTravis]

7 minutes ago, Maude said:

I've reckon I've worn the same pair of underpants longer than Andy has kept some basses. 

😄

I’ve bought and sold basses before they’ve even arrived before now.

 

some though, they get played.

[Machines]

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

And @Al Krowmy current bb414 is on about 5 years.

 

Amazingly I have an RBX775 that's nearly on 19 years and a MIM Precision I have gigged once and rehearsed twice with that's on 7.  Everything else is within the last 12 months.

[andy67]

2 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

And @Al Krowmy current bb414 is on about 5 years.

 

And the 1600 is here to stay, that would’ve been a huge, huge error.

One I’ve already made and regret more than I can tell you.

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, andy67 said:

One I’ve already made and regret more than I can tell you.

Well. You’re welcome to come for a brew and rub mine if you’re in need 😉

[andy67]

2 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Well. You’re welcome to come for a brew and rub mine if you’re in need 😉

Don’t tempt me 😋

[AndyTravis]

1 minute ago, andy67 said:

Don’t tempt me 😋

 

[Guest]

Random titbit of info (I'll spare you the boredom of learning how come I know this) — the headstock on my 424 is 1mm thicker than the headstock on my Squier, 14mm vs 13mm.

[krispn]

10 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Random titbit of info (I'll spare you the boredom of learning how come I know this) — the headstock on my 424 is 1mm thicker than the headstock on my Squier, 14mm vs 13mm.

I know the weathers pretty bad today but…😀

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, krispn said:

I know the weathers pretty bad today but…😀

 

I was peering at the BB, trying to work out how come something could both be a bit on the heavy side and also have a bit of head-dive. Once I put it down, my eyes went to the P, and immediately I noticed a difference. Perhaps the gloss on the Squier also makes it look more svelte?

 

I've been trying to work out if, theoretically, the thick 424 neck could be put on a body that was both lighter and better balanced.

 

What I'll do, of course, is sell it sooner rather than later, and then spent decades whining regretfully about having let the most comfy neck I ever met go.

[krispn]

My jmj has a thicker headstock but I believe that’s a feature of the 60’s version it was based on. Probably ‘helps’ with the tone?!?

[Guest]

The BB neck is at least 1mm thicker than the P's, so I'm not surprised the designer continued in their ways with the headstock. The BB feels a lot more rigid than the P (and also than my TRBX, which was also laminated) and that does seem to transfer itself to each note's attack. Perhaps more in how it feels than anything actually audible. I dunno. 

 

I do know that I wish the bass was lighter. Last autumn, whilst unpacking some boxes with an arm benumbed from a vaccination jab, I ferked my shoulder. For the time being, what had been just about manageable isn't  

[andy67]

4 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Random titbit of info (I'll spare you the boredom of learning how come I know this) — the headstock on my 424 is 1mm thicker than the headstock on my Squier, 14mm vs 13mm.

This is very noticeable on a US Fender against its Mexican/Chinese/Japanese/Indonesian & Korean Fender cousins. Hmm, wonder why Fender didn't build any in Taiwan?? The headstock on a US Fender is a few mm thinker than those of the aforementioned countries. Stupidly, it really irks me and stops me buying Fender that is not US.  

[Guest]

Assuming that the 13mm I measured with a plastic ruler was actually 12.7mm, that would be a proper murican ½"

 

Googling suggests a pre-CBS P will be nearer ⅝", over 15mm.

 

Thicker wood supporting the thing holding the string steady has got to have some effect, but I can't get my head to work out what.

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by Ricky Rioli
More of what you don't want

[javi_bassist]

I was afraid this day would come... but I find myself playing and taking to gigs more often my BB605 than my BB735... Man, the 5th string in the 605 is just amazing. I cannot say enough good things about the construction of this bass. The 5th on the 735 is okay, but I find it with less body than the 605. I'm not sure how to describe it. I love both basses anyway. They are keepers.