Misdee

I've got a fairly recent 4402 fretless with Lakland/Hanson pickups and electronics and it sounds fantastic. No problem with the A and D strings whatsoever. A very, very versatile bass.

I've got one of these basses and they are indeed fantastic instruments. They do have lots of great tones available as someone else has noted, but I find them to be relentlessly "modern". The Bongo isn't a bass I would choose for retro tones. It has its own signature sound and is all the better for that! A refreshing change from the plethora of basses on the market desperately trying to evoke a fashionably "vintage" vibe.

The maple core of the P34 could be pretty heavy. I suppose a lot depends on luck!  Less chrome on the P34 but it still has metal knobs and a scratch plate.

Just to clarify, you'll get no lack of punch from a Spector - they're one of the most powerful sounding basses out there - but it doesn't sound like a traditional Fender P Bass. Probably because it sounds too powerful!

They may both be PJ's, but comparing Spector and Yamaha is not comparing like with like. Both great basses in their own way, but very different, in terms of construction, overall feel and tone. The Yamaha will give you more of a traditional P Bass sound and feel. The Spector NS2 is much more of a modern hifi tone and a unique ergonomic, feel due to the curved, compact body. Not necessarily neck-heavy but definitely a different balance to a conventional Fender- style bass.

On 12/12/2017 at 23:46, chrisgriff said:

My BB2024X arrived  I was worried for a short while that it'd be just the same as my 1024x ....and I'd be a few (!) quid poorer....but the more I've played it (only had it a few hours) the more the differences really show. First thing was the weight, noticeably lighter than the 1024x. The neck on 2024x is slicker with slightly less clunky dimensions (I've not measured! Just my initial feel), the neck near the heel is finished much more smoothly meaning access higher up is a lot easier, quite noticeable. Finish much much nicer (to be expected though given price difference). Frets are also not as 'tall' which certainly adds to the playability. 

Sound-wise, there isn't a lot in it as has probably been expressed elsewhere, and they are currently wearing different strings so not an accurate comparison, but the 2024 seems a bit more articulate and even across the board....but maybe only the player can tell! 

Overall, couldn't be happier! Merry xmas to me 

Beautiful bass, Chris, exactly the same as mine!

I can honestly say these Yamaha BB's are one of those rare instances in life where the value of something becomes even more apparent  over time. I hope you get as much enjoyment as I do with mine.  

May I ask if you have any impression how the weight of the new P34 compares with the 2024X?  The 2024X's tend to weigh in at about 9 1/2 lbs in my experience.

21 hours ago, Al Krow said:

Be great to see a pic of your 2024s if you're up for sharing that with us?

In the interest of clarity, I've got a 2024X and a 2024. The major difference apart from the obvious  cosmetic ones, is that the 2024 is over 1/2 lb lighter in weight. As a relatively old bloke from the pre-computer age, I am not very au fait with digital technology, but I will try post a picture when I can get one of my kids to help me.

To be honest with you, I haven't played any of the 10 Series basses so I can't comment on the relative merits in relation to the 20 Series, but I am perfectly willing to believe that the 10 Series offers a great deal of the same qualities for a fraction of the price.

What I can say with conviction is that the 20 Series  compares very favourably with much more expensive high-end "boutique" basses I own  and have had in the past. For example, I've got a USA-made Lakland PJ with a Jazz-width neck that is a lovely bass, but it has a far more conventional Fender-style tone and overall vibe .These Yamahas,  in contrast, sound effortlessly huge and surprisingly un-Fenderish considering that, at face value they are share many similarities in construction. The Lakland has essentially the same tone as the PJ 5 string that Paul Turner is playing in the video Funkydario  posted .In comparison, these Yamahas have  a unique tone that you really wouldn't want to change. There are so many basses on the market that sound like Fenders but the Yamahas are refreshingly different.

17 hours ago, chrisgriff said:

Main differences were the P34 sounded a touch brighter and nice and aggressive but not a lot in it tbh. The pickup blend obviously lends a different feature to overall sound which although more nuanced, I'm a man of simple tastes and quite like the simplicity of the switch (even though I know the switch has its problems). The knobs felt nice and solid, neck felt great to me, I'm a big fan of the bb neck dimensions in general. The main problem I had was that the P34 wasn't set up very well, very high action and it felt pretty unplayable as it was. So probably not a fair comparison because a decent setup might have changed my opinion. And when I picked up and played the 2024x, I felt I was home :-) action was way better, much easier to play, neck is beautiful with lovely grain. 

I should have spent longer comparing but I had a train to catch lol but in short for nearly £1700 for the bb P34, it's a shame it wasn't better setup as it will certainly affect players' impressions when trialling in the shop....it did for me. But I was pleased it made me look at the bb2024x ?

Thanks for the info Chris. Looks like I will be adding a BBP34 to my collection then !

18 hours ago, chrisgriff said:

I was passing yamaha store London the other day, thought it see what was in. I tried the bb P34. I went in for the B734a - they didn't have any in that day so I can't comment on how hey compare. The p34 had a good feel and sounded great. It probably needed a set up though. I was surprised that I missed the curved thumb test in the the top of the P-pickup that's on the previous BB. A really minor change but I've just gotten so used to it on my 1024x. 

So for comparison I went and tried a BB2024x......I love the look of the 2024x versus the new ones (although the black 734a is ??), it was obviously familiar in feel as I have a 1024x. But it was just great, and the quality was amazing. It's a classic and I just thought I'd be sad if I never owned one.....cue moment of madness. It arrives Tuesday ?

I've got a couple of BB2024's and they are the best basses I have ever owned in nearly forty years of playing bass. I'm sure you'll be pleased with your purchase in the long term. 

I'd be very interested to hear more of your impression of the BB P34. I'm really keen to know how it compares with the previous range in terms of sound, playability and and overall quality.

14 hours ago, drTStingray said:

 

To be honest, weak G string sound has no place in this thread as the OP has already decided they want a Stingray. Why try to talk him out of it?

I own lots of Stingrays and don't experience the problem - I have never heard any sound sample which replicates this effect in hearing Stingrays recorded since 1976.

Therefore I'm inclined to believe it's a user issue - there are so many variables in play that something as simple as slightly compromised hearing could create this effect (to a listener stood a couple of feet in front of speakers pointing sound out past their knees). 

The original post was asking which model MM to plump for, so I mentioned the Bongo because I am a big fan. I've had a few Stingrays myself, and one in particular had a problem with the G string. You don't have to look too far to find others who've had the same problem. I've played bass for over 40 years and owned some very good instruments. I wouldn't discourage anyone from buying a Stingray, I just want this chap to be aware of some of the issues. They are often heavy and that can be a bigger problem than any tendency to sound uneven.

 Great basses, if you can find a good one, nevertheless.

On 11/14/2017 at 22:21, Bolo said:

Only some owners seem to experience this problem, usually after a home 'pro' restring and setup...

To be fair,this a very common gripe about Stingrays, and even EBMM have all but admitted it is an inherent characteristic of these basses. It is not just a matter of people being inexperienced at setups.

11 hours ago, Jenny_Innie said:

In terms of impact on the music scene, yes.  Way, way before my time - but didn't they (and their contemporaries) ...... with the assistance of Malcolm McLaren yes ......break the mould of a turgid scene of flared-trousered tedium of supergroups and 10 minute solos.  

There a lots of what people call "seminal" albums - but NMTB was a game-changer for music.

This is exactly what I mean by a propagandised version of music history.

I was about at the time and yes there was plenty of crap music before punk rock. However, there has been just as much  crap music since the advent of the Sex Pistols and their supposed salvation of popular music from the demon of self-indulgence. So what then, exactly did this seismic change bring about? 

The Sex Pistols were essentially a media event not a musical one. There was nothing remotely new about the sound of the band. Their significance was all about context. They have been turned into something that they never actually were, in reality, by people with their own agendas.

Super Furry Animals ? I can smell a rat. Surely one of their friends or relatives compiled this list. They might just scrape into the top twenty bands from Wales.

 Another questionable inclusion would have to be T Rex. And Radiohead at 3 ? Such lists seem to have been put together by music critics of broadsheet newspapers, who want to rewrite the story of rock music to fit their own pretentious agenda. Thats why bands like Iron Maiden have been conspicuously omitted. They don't fit into their airbrushed view of history, despite being one of the biggest selling and most influential British bands ever. To be honest with you, I can't stand their music myself, but nonetheless Maiden are surely much more important than most of the bands on this list.

One thing to consider about a Stingray is that many of them tend to be rather heavy, and they have an inherent problem with the G string sounding weak. My own personal preference when it comes to MM basses is the Bongo, but I totally understand that the looks are not to everybody's taste.  I've got an HH Bongo and it is an absolutely fantastic bass, light with an incredibly powerful and punchy sound.

May I ask Leroy, having read elsewhere on another thread that (like me) you are very aware of weight when it comes to basses, how are you coping with this beauty?

Mick Karn is my favourite fretless player too.Japan were a great band.

What's more, I don't even remember particularly being aware of the weight of individual basses. Back in the 80's I had a pre-EBMM Stingray. Chances are it weighed at least 10 lbs, going by what vintage examples weigh in at. In my memory, it was weightless!

Nowadays I am just as neurotic as everybody else about bass weight. I have it in my mind that Jazz basses seem heavier than other styles of the same given weight. i.e. a 9lb Jazz bass feels more cumbersome than a 9lb Precision. I know this defies the laws of physics, and yes I probably do need some kind of professional help.

Stunning!

I'm getting backache just reading some of these posts!

My heaviest basses are 9 1/2 lbs, and anything heavier than that would be useless to me personally. I am, however, very weight-sensitive.

What strikes me most is how much weight has become an issue nowadays. Back in the 70s and 80s I really don't remember anybody commenting (let alone whinging) about the weight of basses.

And believe me, there were plenty of boat-anchors about! The shops were full of Kramer, Aria, Ibanez, JayDee, Wal etc. all of which were weighty by today's standards. In those days heavy weight was seen as a mark of quality woods and substantial hardware .But then, men were men in those days!

It's fair to say that slap bass certainly isn't as mainstream as it once was :- listen to the Top 40 from just about any week in the 1980's and it was epidemic - but it still has a place. There is no reason why bass players of any generation can't use this technique tastefully and imaginatively. As Duke Ellington famously said: if it sounds good, it is good.

As a bass player who started playing in the late 70's, I like a bit of slap now and again, especially if it has an old-school vibe. In no way am I primarily a slapper, but like Dr T, I enjoy playing that style and practice it regularly. Nothing wrong with that!

I don't think high action necessarily sounds better [i]per se, [/i]but it definitely does sound different. I much prefer the sound and playability of a low action because I actually want a bit of clang and buzz when I dig in to emphasise a bit of aggression. Others may favour the opposite approach for equally valid reasons. There is no right and wrong to this. Everyone to their own taste!

Don't be surprised if EBMM steal your idea and start marketing this adaptation. They have already committed heresy by introducing a passive Fender- style P and PJ, so what do they have to lose?

MusicMan Bongo is a unique sounding bass. There really is no alternative. Does the hi-fi active modern bass sound better than just about anything else around, IMO.

When people say "less is more" what they are saying is that in a given circumstance the music is best served by a more sparse approach. Nobody would argue with the efficacy of that.

But is less always more? Would The Who have made better music if John Entwhistle had adopted that ethos? Or Chris Squire with Yes? What about the Red Hot Chilli Peppers if Flea had been a shy retiring minimalist?

[quote name='2elliot' timestamp='1498836951' post='3327487']
I wonder why the price difference between bb2024 and bb34 is so great? Both made in Japan.
[/quote]

Looks like Yamaha are pitching the new top -of -the-range model at a much lower price point than the previous series. These basses look to be essentially straightforward conventional PJ models The 20 series was, by comparison, unique and really rather special. I doubt these new basses feature spline joints etc.

Nevertheless, any Japanese -made Yamahas will still be pretty good, regardless!

What is going to kill CD is downloads rather than vinyl. To my grandkids a vinyl record might as well be a penny-farthing bike. Besides which, with the advent of Tidal and lossless audio etc. downloads can sound very good on a decent system.