Yamaha Nathan East Signature Bass

[guyl]

There's been a few Nathan East signature basses for sale on here recently. For some reason I'm getting a bit of a hankering, even though I've never played one!

What do people think of them? Just as good as a "standard" BB, or a serious step up?

I'm lucky enough to play a variety of gigs so looking for something versatile. I suppose default needs to be something that sounds big and punches through your standard function band set...

thanks for any advice...

[AndyTravis]

I’m sure @Al Krow will be along shortly.

if you think of the stuff Nathan East plays on, from Fourplay to Phil collins, he has to cover a lot of sonic ground so I’d assume these basses can do a fair bit of everything - and a covers set should be more than happy with this bass.

 

[Dood]

One of my very first reviews back in 2010 time was the BB NE2. I still remember to this day how nice it was. So its a thumbs up from me!

 

EDIT: I've found the review! I thought it had been lost. Having just had a quick look, I'm embarrassed to say I seem to have forgotten about the B STRING in the video! 

https://www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com/issues/issue-7/reviews/yamaha-nathan-east-bass-bb-ne2/

 

[Al Krow]

Here's what I posted on the Yammy BB mega thread when I first picked up a Nathan East in the Yammy store near Oxford Street in London.

Yamaha BBNE2 (Nathan East)

Wow - Warwick Streamer Stage II meets Yamaha! It’s a completely different beast to the rest of the Yamaha BB range.

BBNE2 pups are stack type Alnico V Humbucker pickups include a hum-cancelling coil. This is combined with active electronics and versatile controls e.g. in place of single tone control on the BB1025, the BBNE2 has a 3 band EQ for bass, mids and treble; mid cut frequency & mid cut on-off switch together with the usual pickup selector and volume.

In combination they deliver a wonderful, tonally rich sound (even through a 75W Hartke combo at the store!) which I’ll have to admit puts even my former Warwick $$ German Corvette in the shade.

It has a contoured body which provides a compact, comfortable body shape and I found the neck to be very playable.

Nice touches, which sadly aren’t found elsewhere further down the Yamaha range, include individual bridge pieces and 5-piece neck-through design (but both of which Ibanez provide as ‘standard’ in their BTB Premium range).

I then had to wait six months for a mint condition used white NE2 to make an appearance in the FS, but it was worth the wait. It's an absolutely lovely bass; without doubt one of the very best I've had the privilege to play and to still own. 

Edited July 6, 2019 by Al Krow

[visog]

2 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I’m sure @Al Krow will be along shortly.

if you think of the stuff Nathan East plays on, from Fourplay to Phil collins, he has to cover a lot of sonic ground 

 

Has NE played much with Phil Collins with his latest signature? I though Leland Sklar has done most of his bass?

[AndyTravis]

37 minutes ago, visog said:

Has NE played much with Phil Collins with his latest signature? I though Leland Sklar has done most of his bass?

Fair point. Clapton then...🤷🏻‍♂️😉😂

[guyl]

Wow - thanks guys. Great help! 

[pete.young]

Whereabouts are you @guyl - if you're anywhere near Ipswich you're welcome to come and try mine, and it'll probably go to the east anglian bass bass if that happens.

[EBS_freak]

BBNE2 is the only bass I regret moving on... but I needed the cash to fund a custom build at the time.

They are incredible instruments.

[guyl]

2 hours ago, pete.young said:

Whereabouts are you @guyl - if you're anywhere near Ipswich you're welcome to come and try mine, and it'll probably go to the east anglian bass bass if that happens.

Thanks for the offer @pete.young  I’m in Stockport - but travel a bit for work and will take you up if I’m in your neighbourhood 

[Al Krow]

19 hours ago, guyl said:

I'm lucky enough to play a variety of gigs so looking for something versatile. I suppose default needs to be something that sounds big and punches through your standard function band set...

"Sounds big" 

"Punches through your standard function set"

Yes, absolutely!

Screenshot of Nathan playing his BBNE2 from the following gig with Eric Clapton in Tokyo. Treat yourself to a listen through a decent pair of headphones

 

Edited July 6, 2019 by Al Krow

[visog]

10 hours ago, EBS_freak said:

BBNE2 is the only bass I regret moving on... but I needed the cash to fund a custom build at the time.

They are incredible instruments.

Agreed re. integrity of the instruments. Bass Direct have a couple of beauties.

Don't you think it's weird that that acronym actually represents 'Bunnel Brunnel Nathan East' which is a hybrid signature model of two people.

P.S. Also unusual is the valid conjunction of 'that that'.

[AndyTravis]

45 minutes ago, visog said:

Agreed re. integrity of the instruments. Bass Direct have a couple of beauties.

Don't you think it's weird that that acronym actually represents 'Bunnel Brunnel Nathan East' which is a hybrid signature model of two people.

P.S. Also unusual is the valid conjunction of 'that that'.

I always understood that BB means Broad Bass. The early models even have it on the the Headstock.

[Mastodon2]

I haven't played the Nathan East model but it does stick in my mind as being one of those basses that I've never heard get a single bad review or complaint. 

They are made in the Yamaha custom shop in Japan, same as the Attitude LTD basses, which I do happen to own. I can say with confidence that the build quality and craftsmanship of the stuff they put out is exceptional. 

[visog]

20 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I always understood that BB means Broad Bass. The early models even have it on the the Headstock.

It appears you are correct - I stand corrected. This from a Talkbass poster, who sounds like they know what they're talking about - no guarantee I know! Also an earlier thread from BC too.

Bunny Brunel might have had a hand in testing the Yamaha BB series, along with the likes of Abe Laboriel, Nathan East, Lee Sklar, and a bunch of other session guys, but as I've understood it, John Carruthers developed the "Big Body" series basses for Yamaha, with input from all those early testers. It was not Bunny's design, or named for Bunny Brunel. 

 

[Al Krow]

One thing I should have mentioned about the NE is that it delivers thunderous, bone rattling LOWS!! Very probably the deepest, meatiest low end of any bass I've come across.

On 05/07/2019 at 17:02, Dood said:

EDIT: I've found the review! I thought it had been lost. Having just had a quick look, I'm embarrassed to say I seem to have forgotten about the B STRING in the video! 

https://www.guitarinteractivemagazine.com/issues/issue-7/reviews/yamaha-nathan-east-bass-bb-ne2/

Great review, Dan...and don't worry about forgetting to mention the B string - I think I've covered that off in my comment immediately above! 😂

Edited July 7, 2019 by Al Krow

[Dood]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

One thing I should have mentioned about the NE is that it delivers thunderous, bone rattling LOWS!! Very probably the deepest, meatiest low end of any bass I've come across.

Great review, Dan...and don't worry about forgetting to mention the B string - I think I've covered that off in my comment immediately above! 😂

Do you happen to know the string spacing on these?

[Al Krow]

11 minutes ago, Dood said:

Do you happen to know the string spacing on these?

Just measured:

72 mm from the mid point of the B string to the mid point of the G string at the bridge (=18 mm spacing).

35 mm for the same measurements at the nut.

[Dood]

12 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Just measured:

72 mm from the mid point of the B string to the mid point of the G string at the bridge (=18 mm spacing).

35 mm for the same measurements at the nut.

Thank you!

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, Dood said:

Thank you!

Welcome  

It's always perplexed me that string spacing seems to be measured at the bridge. I'd have thought that the 5th or 7th fret would have been the more obvious place and would also then better take account of both the bridge and nut string spacing?

[krispn]

We play finger style at the bridge so that my account for it. Closer margins at the bridge can leave some players feeling cramped due to a familiarity with the 'traditional' Fender spacing. Nut width seems more important to some up at the skinny end and that's when 'skinny' 'baseball bat' and 'chunky' start getting used.