Al Krow

Yup agreed. They are pretty identical in terms of woods, pups etc. Obviously a MUCH bigger difference here is the fact that the P34/5 is purely passive and has VVT tone controls and 734A/5A is both passive and active and has quite different EQ options and a bigger body cavity to accommodate an active EQ. Given all of these, it's going to be hard to isolate the impact of the IRA treatment. The better comparison would be the 1024/5 and 2024/5. Identical components as far as I can tell (I've read some minor differences in neck wood combinations). The 2024/5 are MIJ (vs Taiwan for the 1024/5) and have two treatments ARE (acoustic resonance enhancement) in addition to the IRA (initial response acceleration) we've been discussing, to give it a 'played in' and vintage feel and DB has mentioned he prefers the neck finish on the 2024/5. The price difference between the 1024/5 and 2024/5 was, however, eye watering. But you'll have already gathered from a few of the 1024/5 owners, we're finding that that the we've got a fantastic gigging bass!

I think it's a sonic treatment to relax the fibres of the wood.

The new series 3 P34 / P35s have the IRA treatment. It supposedly delivers a "played in" feel to the bass, which obviously will happen to a bass anyway once it's been played in. So the difference between a new P35 and an old BB, on that score, is likely to become marginal due to the old BB having been played in. Harry, who bought my P35, said it felt very played in and really well balanced etc. But it was 18 months old by the time he bought it. So how much was an accelerated effect of IRA and how much simply being played in (particularly by the guy who had it before me), I have no way of telling. I guess the parallel is with Sandberg aging of their basses.

No need to shed tears: Just buy @bassfan beers. And Mercy shall follow, like night the day. And P-basses will be in play. Even if they do all sound the same.

They really are that good, aren't they?! I think @Muzz has had a similar experience with his BB which is on the verge of pushing a Sandberg out the door (just as mine did 18 months back!)

Can't have too many knobs.

Sure. You can have @NJE's prize as he's been issued a ban by Dave so it's going spare.

Haha Mr Stubby - you should check my OP for what got the short straw in the Krow household this year. My faith for all things Boss is certainly not a blind one! 😉

You're not out yet. And you could put a £10 deposit down on my Ibby 5 string today (which would anchor the purchase in 2019 according to the great Book of Sibob) and then complete in 2020 after you have sold your P34 (which means I get to use my Ibby on NYE). Where there's a will there's surely an amenable loophole to be found?

And if that is the case, then by virtue of the bass not being the most expensive bit of his rig it would appear to be a 1024X (which tbf was the bass he had a wanted ad up after a while back). The plot thickens...😁

@mrtcat congratulations mate, that's an awesome rig! I'll have to fess that I find it difficult other than through a close inspection of the pups to distinguish the BB424X and the BB1024X models, so you'll need to please spill the beans on which of the two models you have there?

Both of those might be playing second fiddle to something mighty fine wending it's way over to Dave-Towers in the next 24 hours. But there again these are all matters that need to be carefully weighed in the balance.

@White Cloud is there any significant difference between the US NS and the Czech Euro LX models in your opinion?

I agree she's great! My vote would have gone to another of her tracks.

Anyone looking to part with their P35...Saw that Harry had traded his a couple of days back so that one is no longer available.

I appreciate I'm biased - but @White Cloud's comments sum things up perfectly for me. Gratuitous Euro 5LX pic of one I was fortunate to get my hands on a few months's back:

Yup - those posh Yammy cases are blo*ody heavy!! And the standard Yammy gig bag is 1/2" too small for my Yammy basses (but fits my Ibbys just fine, lol!)

It's a shame there isn't a decent double strap that can take the load evenly across both shoulders - that I've come across yet anyway. If there is please let me know - it would mean that heavier basses would cease to be off limits! Currently I restrict myself to 10lbs or thereabouts, which includes the 1025, for 2 hour gigs.

Thanks - and actually given how close the 1025 and P35 were tonally, the fact the 1025 was a touch lighter and I could be less "precious" about taking it to pub gigs were two key reasons for keeping hold of it rather than the P35.

I think the 735A may be wee bit lighter than the 1025, but there was very little in it with my two - so it's interesting that your 735A was so much lighter Cam. I put it down to the greater cavity space for the active electronics in the 735a, taking a chunk of wood out. No question that the P35 I had was a little heavier than my 1025 though, as @HazBeen, who bought my P35, will be able to confirm having handled both. I don't find my 1025 too heavy at all for regular 2 hour gigs.

From series 2, I've owned a 425 and 1025 and from series 3 the 735A and P35. My take on your question would be as follows: It seems to me that the Yammy approach has been to listen to what their customers are saying and go for incremental improvements to an already excellent bass with each new series. So from series 1 (414 etc) --> series 2 the focus was on neck and body construction e.g. laminated necks to improve rigidity. Series 2 --> series 3, key changes are slightly more refined pups, VVT tone controls, standard pup sizes and slightly honed body shape. Tonally I found my 1025 to be very very close to my P35. The P35 was very slightly 'sweeter' and the J pup on the 1025 a touch more aggressive. The bass player who sold me the P35 and the one I moved mine onto are both in a league more capable than me as bass players and both have raved about how good the P35 was - the only reason they both moved theirs on was due to needing to switch to lighter basses for individual personal issues. They both have said that the P35 was one of the very best basses they have ever played, and I have zero reason to doubt them. Having met them both and being aware of what other basses they have played, believe me that is high praise indeed! In terms of comparison to Fender P basses, I think two key points - many Fender Ps are just that i.e. P basses with no J, whereas the Yammy BBs have for some while been PJ and it's the ability to combine (series 2) / blend in (series 3) the J that, for me, gives the Yammy BBs it's particular flavour. There was quite a nice video comparison a few pages back done between a Yammy PJ and Fender P. If you are finding your BB424 to be superb, then why not stick with it? Exactly the conclusion I came to with my BB1025.

^^Yup! I've been completely bowled over by my Spector Euro LX5 bought a few months back. I now find myself thoroughly deflated of bass GAS looking through the FS section, for the first time in a very long time. It's disconcerting. I guess I now just need to grow my hair and get myself booked into a tattoo parlour...

Haha - very true! Also Yamaha BB basses - I've now had two BB 425s and two BB 1025s. But at least with pedals and basses it's deliberate and I've never ended up with a duplicate at the same time. Certainly not true for me and CDs - I'd go into HMV on Oxford Street and think "Oh I like the look of that." Well er yes, you liked the look the look of that the last but one time you were in the store too mate. Lol! I ended up resorting to listing out my CDs on a sheet of paper I carried around. All feels so long ago now. Spotify has totally killed off my CD purchases these days. Probably a good thing in my case.

Is that the same one that @Mickyk was "bangin on about"? If so, that's quite a lot of love for this particular combo in the space of a couple of posts! @Deedee - we need some pics please! If you had to choose just one of those as your 2019 best purchase which would get the crown?

Do you ever end up buying the same thing twice? I used to that with CDs all the time...