Yamaha Nathan East

[dclaassen]

I recently got my hands on one of these and was really excited to see how incredibly cool it was. Surprisingly, it left me mostly cold. 

     Pros-

        -Range of tones: If you like tweaking midrange, this is your bass

        -Pickups: Reminds me of my old RD Artist...huge sounds and big, fat signal that would drive effects wonderfully

       -Looks: It is beautiful

     Cons-

        -Baseball bat-type neck: I like my Jazz and my MPV, which both have skinnier necks. This felt more like a G&L neck...not my thing but YMMV

        -Actual tone quality: It would probably sit great into a mix, but not with any kind of expressive color at all. It just sounds like a blank canvas to me. Would be a great recording bass IMO. 

        -Ability to inspire: Almost none. It feels so generic...it does not respond to subtle plucking or fretting changes at all. More NASCAR than F1

 

Anyway..that's my take. As always, it is just one opinion, but I would definitely recommend playing one before buying one. It is a wonderfully built bass that conceptually is spot on...just not my brand of banana.

 

Additional note...I did NOT install the strings that way......

 

[Paulhauser]

How about putting new strings on it and trying that way?  (I'm assuming by your comment on the the string installation that you kept those on the bass)

Even my regular basses that I know the sounds of can sound a lot more dynamic and open after a string change..... 

[dclaassen]

Good idea...my experience with other chunky necks leads me to believe that it won't make me happy. If I did change, I'd go to my favorites, which are Elixer Nanowebs. 

 

Have you played one of these?

 

BTW, the string comment was because whoever strung it did so like a guitar...didn't run the cut end into the tuner hole. 

[javi_bassist]

I have a couple of basses that I don't really like the tone by itself. Nothing beat my jazz bass when I just play alone or with a drummer. But, when it's time to play with a band, those basses get all the love. I'm not saying that this is the case. However, we usually have to try basses alone and they shine better in a mix.

 

But it must be dissapointing not liking a bass in this price tag. 

[chris_b]

I have never played one of these, they are way too heavy. I don't know if his bass is customised in any way, but Nathan East always gets a sound I like.

 

Nice looking bass, I prefer it in black.

[dclaassen]

19 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

I have a couple of basses that I don't really like the tone by itself. Nothing beat my jazz bass when I just play alone or with a drummer. But, when it's time to play with a band, those basses get all the love. I'm not saying that this is the case. However, we usually have to try basses alone and they shine better in a mix.

 

But it must be dissapointing not liking a bass in this price tag. 

Good thing I didn't buy it...:)

 

I am fortunate that I already have 2 basses that work well with the band I am currently playing in. I can afford to be picky, but, if possible, I'd like to play this one at a gig to see how well it mixes in. That neck, though......

 

Am I in the minority in wanting a skinnier (not Rick skinny though) neck?

 

 

[javi_bassist]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

Nathan East always gets a sound I like.

 

 

Must his fingers... Or the strings

[dclaassen]

1 minute ago, javi_bassist said:

 

Must his fingers... Or the strings

It's got a great sound....just not full of character. My MPV sounds unique, but sits really well in a mix, same for the active Jazz. Again...courses for horses.

 

Oh, and Nathan East could probably get a great sound out of a 2x4 strung with old baling wire. 

[ezbass]

4 hours ago, dclaassen said:

It's got a great sound....just not full of character. My MPV sounds unique, but sits really well in a mix, same for the active Jazz. Again...courses for horses.

 

Oh, and Nathan East could probably get a great sound out of a 2x4 strung with old baling wire. 

I played one of these years ago and, as you say, it's a bass sound, yet somewhat devoid of character. I did not find it inspiring and was rather disappointed. 

[dclaassen]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

I played one of these years ago and, as you say, it's a bass sound, yet somewhat devoid of character. I did not find it inspiring and was rather disappointed. 

Glad to hear it’s not just me…

[Lozz196]

I found this a bit with my old BB1100s, was a great bass, versatile and reliable but felt a bit sterile on the sound.

[Guest]

I played one fairly recently. It wasn’t massively heavy but definitely solid. Beautifully finished but it is covered in a thick gloss finish, which together with the ebony board tends to give it a pingy sound, a bit like a Ken Smith. Neck felt OK but not particularly sleek or fast. The bridge pickup and blended it sounded great but the neck pickup solo’ed was a bit disappointing. Fit and finish was perfect but not something I’d want to drop £3.5K on - for that money in the Yamaha range I’d much prefer the TRB-PII series, which is also a gloss coffee table finish but more characterful and versatile.

[Sonic_Groove]

 

8 minutes ago, FDC484950 said:

for that money in the Yamaha range I’d much prefer the TRB-PII series

 

Thanks! That doesn't help My GAS for a JP2 LOL 😂

[ezbass]

I liked the John Myung signature when I played one at a guitar/bass show. 

[TheGreek]

Glad this came up...

 

As a fairly recent recruit to the Yamaha fold (I blame @AndyTravis) I have been lusting after one of these for a while now. 

TBH those that I have seen were a bit more than I wanted to pay,  even though they're held, in general,  in high regard. 

My "solution" was to buy the pedal of the same name (twice) but haven't had the opportunity to try one at any volume.

I'll let you know if/ when I get the chance. 

[Misdee]

When I first started gravitating towards Yamaha BB  basses the thing that surprised me the most was how unlike Fender basses they sounded. They have a tone which is quite apart from the typical P/J Fender fare. The active JJ arrangement on the NE is even more boutique-sounding. I can totally understand whern folks compare it to something like a Ken Smith rather than a typical Jazz Bass-style 5 string.

[dclaassen]

2 hours ago, Misdee said:

When I first started gravitating towards Yamaha BB  basses the thing that surprised me the most was how unlike Fender basses they sounded. They have a tone which is quite apart from the typical P/J Fender fare. The active JJ arrangement on the NE is even more boutique-sounding. I can totally understand whern folks compare it to something like a Ken Smith rather than a typical Jazz Bass-style 5 string.

I agree that it doesn’t sound like a Fender. I found it not nearly as warm or as tonally responsive to touch as my Spector or Pedulla.

[Machines]

On 29/10/2022 at 12:33, ezbass said:

I liked the John Myung signature when I played one at a guitar/bass show. 

 

I've got one, it is not the gritty rock bass you expect. It has a very clean tone, the preamp is fairly timid - but it's great for recording.

[pete.young]

3 hours ago, Misdee said:

 The active JJ arrangement on the NE is even more boutique-sounding. I can totally understand whern folks compare it to something like a Ken Smith rather than a typical Jazz Bass-style 5 string.

The pickups are stacked humbuckers, not jazz-style single coils, so I wouldn't expect them to sound like a typical Jazz bass.

[dclaassen]

3 hours ago, pete.young said:

The pickups are stacked humbuckers, not jazz-style single coils, so I wouldn't expect them to sound like a typical Jazz bass.

To me, they really sound similar to the old Gibson active humbuckers.