Greggo

Unfortunately not no, just checked.

I notice it disappears when bass is lying flat but occurs in playing position. I'll try and get a recording of it - the string (seems to affect low E most) still vibrates, but whatever is is vibrating loudly does dampen the note.

Noticed today that when plucking the strings quite hard that there is a weird vibration in sympathy with string (like a loud rattle) but this seems to go when clamping the neck quite hard near top of headstock around first fret or behind nut.

The sound isn't coming from Bridge or nut itself or any of the frets so wondering if anyone might know what it could be if they've had something similar. Truss rod rattling?

When amplified it doesn't pick up rattle but it does dampen the notes to some extent and affect tone.

I don't know what it is about BB's that makes them so appealing. I used to think they were butt ugly but now I can't get enough of looking at them especially vintage models.

I think it must be the unassuming but unmistakable looks and the simplicity of them.

[quote name='dudi8' timestamp='1396385730' post='2413081']

Modding platform??
[/quote]

Haha just me being daft - as if that bass needs any modding

Great bass for a modding platform

[quote name='col.decker' timestamp='1396271873' post='2411599']
While I was on the bog earlier I was pondering my rig set up.
[/quote]

Haha! Got to be the funniest opening line I've read for a while!

Nice looking bass. Not sure about the chicken knob on lower horn but very pretty indeed!

Another one I look like the look of is the BB1000s as well which seems to have the matching headstock which I like. Were these higher end at that time?

Doesn't Retrovibe do a copy on alembic?

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1396258553' post='2411372']
I've had a BB614, a BB300 and I have today a BB350F and a BB450. My current two are both mid 80s (BB450 is 1985 and BB350F is 1986) and both were made in Taiwan. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you a Japanese one, I suspect you're going to have to aim earlier than that.

All I can say about the ones I've had is that I've had no worries gigging any of them (apart from the fretless, and that's my fault, not the bass's ). My BB450 is my least expensive bass (and a rescue job at that - it had been parted out, truss rod maxed out, no nut - got it all back together and fixed all the issues) but I'm happy to pick it up and play it any time. I find the neck has a nice inbetweeny profile - not as fat as a P, not as skinny as a J.

Me and my BB450 at Belladrum (Tartan Heart) Festival last year:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bs4gJsM660[/media]
[/quote]

Bit difficult to concentrate solely on the bass in that video

But very nice and good sound too! I believe the BB450 did the orange sparkle colour too which the 41x series adopted?

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1396213524' post='2411103']


They're very different to the 414. Different hardware, different pickups, different profile necks. The BB300 neck is quite wide but shallow and probably has a similar amount of meat to the J neck but just a different shape.

They were mass produced, mass appeal basses at the time and therefore are very accessible.
[/quote]

Thanks for info. They sound ideal as an interesting alternative to a Squier Precision and I am a fan of the looks of a BB.

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1396194199' post='2410806']
Yes, they're very good. The BB400 has a 3-piece alder body, the BB300 doesn't, I can't work out what it is but the body is made of lots of pieces glued up. The necks are very good but differ in profile between the models, teh BB300 has quite a wide shallow profile whereas the BB400 is more like a P.
[/quote]

Are any of these like a 414? This is slimmer than P but thicker than jazz neck.

Been toying with the idea of selling on my 5 string Vintage EST96 and perhaps getting another Yamaha BB because I do love the BB414 I got in a trade last year.

Been looking at the different models over the years and I'm really drawn to some of the (low end?) models from the 80s which I believe are Japanese made.

I particularly like the BB300 with its single P pickup but also the BB450 with the P/J.

Anyone have any experience of these and how hard are they to get on the second hand market and what kind of price these go for?

Surely this makes bass playing more exciting!

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1396111259' post='2410059']
Its the vintage reissue series, V96. Sounds exactly like a jazz should.


[/quote]

Nice - I do like the Vintage stuff, although my Vintage 'ray copy needed a change of preamp to sound anything ray like. I like the idea of their Precision copy the v4.

What a great tip! Slightly off topic but what Vintage reissue bass you got?

[quote name='iamtheelvy' timestamp='1396007682' post='2408904']
On the whole, people tend to love either flats or rounds. However, you don't often see much love for half/ground/pressure wound strings. I offer no reason for that, I can see the benefit of them, but don't go for them myself either...
[/quote]

I can tell by general wayward drifting of this thread that there is little love/experience of them. Maybe it's that most people just want one or the other (rounds or flats) so these don't come under the radar. I'm still intrigued by them though!

Thanks for replies. Status half rounds are half the price of Chromes so may take a punt on these anyway. I struggle with the feel of rounds having used flats for past few months so hoping the smoother nature of halfs will give me what I'm after.

I'm a recent convert to flatwound strings and particularly love the smooth feel. But I still sometimes crave the "bite" of rounds.

Are half rounds a good middle ground in this sense? I'm thinking of trying inexpensive status halfs. I know people say some flats are bright like rounds (chrome?) but it's more about keeping a flatwound feel but a rounds type of sound and not spending a lot.

Plus I'm going to be going to one bass so can't string one with flats / one with rounds.

Thanks!

I've been playing bass for 14 years and the most I've paid is £220 - I often get a complex thinking I should invest in something better (more so when I was gigging and rehearsing weekly) but since I've joined this forum I've started playing more and getting better on the basses I've got and I've learned absolutely loads from setting basses up including truss rods, saddle heights, pickup adjustments to wiring electronics. I've come to conclusion that for me personally I don't need to spend a lot of money to get what I need out of an instrument.

I went into a music shop to try out various Squier Precision including a 50s CV, and the one I liked the most was actually a P/J Squier Affinity (also the cheapest).

I think my Yamaha plays slightly better but having played the Affinity side by side with a bass similar to mine (a BB424) the squier did sound a bit nicer to my ears and the P pickup was still in the correct place despite having a J in there too.

I may just keep the Yamaha though for time being and see what comes up and will use it as trade fodder (as it was itself acquired in trade).

Thanks for replies.

What makes me think I want a Precision may sound silly, but years ago I used to own an Encore P bass copy and I have never had a better recorded bass tone than that bass believe it or not, even though I've owned "better" basses.

So I'm hoping a decent precision is what I would like to get sounds I want.

Or maybe I need to get another Encore P?!

I like the idea of getting a Squier CV Precision to go along with my CV 6 string telecaster and I feel that the P pickup suits the music I'm recording at the moment anyway so may move on the Yammy and another instrument to fund.

Taking away the fact the Yammy has a J pickup more than the CV does anyone have any thoughts on whether it would be worth pulling the trigger on a CV but losing the Yammy. In other words would the p pickup alone on CV be better than the P pup on Yammy. I've always felt the Yammy sounded great but perhaps a tad too hot.

I know it should be a case of playing one, but as this is a knowledgeable forum and most combinations of basses have been tested thought I'd ask first!

Thanks

As above anyone happen to know so I don't have to mess about with taking strings off? I've printed and laminated some radius guages to get bass and guitars saddle heights set "correctly" rather than approximately, but don't have any info on my Vintage bass.

Cool, managed to sort them out! Luckily I found the broken cobalt string and matched by string colour / lack of silk ends - cobalt are very grey in colour so stand out a bit!