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The Yamaha BB mega-thread


Al Krow

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23 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

Guys, one question: How much do the batteries on your BB73X last?

I thought that if I used it in passive mode it didn't use battery. WRONG. I know that. And I used to leave my 735 plugged. So the battery lasted like 6 months. Then, I learned the things about active basses (do not leave it plugged, in passive mode it also affects the battery) and the battery lasted like 8 months. And it wasn't my main bass at the time so I didn't use it that much. I'm curious if there is something wrong with my unit.

Ah that's annoying! So if you remove the battery and switch to passive mode you don't get any output? 

Having said that, if you're not planning on making use of the active mode you might as well just get a 435...

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32 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

 in passive mode it also affects the battery

 

6 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 So if you remove the battery and switch to passive mode you don't get any output?

I haven't seen a circuit diagram, but this doesn't sound  completely right...

Certainly my BB735A works as normal when I remove the battery (in passive mode of course). This would make me think that the battery is not in the passive circuit.

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3 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Certainly my BB735A works as normal when I remove the battery (in passive mode of course). This would make me think that the battery is not in the passive circuit.

Yup, that would be my expectation from experience with all my other basses which have dual active / passive capability i.e operates just fine in passive without a battery present.

@javi_bassist maybe worth re-checking exactly what is the position with yours and / or if you are saying something different to the point that John and I are getting at?

Edited by Al Krow
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Active basses usually use the input jack to activate the preamp (I. E. When the jack is plugged in, the battery circuit is made and the preamp activates), therefore whenever the cable is plugged in the battery will be draining, even in passive mode. At least you know passive mode works without a battery, so even if it does mid gig you can carry on playing in passive mode. Not all active preamps are like this, sometimes 'passive mode' isn't a true bypass of the preamp, and it won't work without a battery. 

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Sorry, I explain myself really bad. I mean that, with a battery in it and in passive mode, I thought that the preamp wasn't using any battery power, and I was wrong. If I remove the battery, I can use it in passive mode without any problem. However, I prefer the active mode. But my concern is that it only lasts for about 8 months... Other players in my area with active basses (non Yamaha. They use Musicmans, Sadowsky, Sire...) claim that they don't change the battery in at least one year and a half or even two. That's why I think that my preamp might have something wrong

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43 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

But my concern is that it only lasts for about 8 months... Other players in my area with active basses (non Yamaha. They use Musicmans, Sadowsky, Sire...) claim that they don't change the battery in at least one year and a half or even two. That's why I think that my preamp might have something wrong

The Musicmans, Sadowskys and Sires have different preamps to your Yamaha, so will have different power requirements. Comparing them isn’t all that useful. What batteries you using?

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7 hours ago, javi_bassist said:

Guys, one question: How much do the batteries on your BB73X last?

I thought that if I used it in passive mode it didn't use battery. WRONG. I know that. And I used to leave my 735 plugged. So the battery lasted like 6 months. Then, I learned the things about active basses (do not leave it plugged, in passive mode it also affects the battery) and the battery lasted like 8 months. And it wasn't my main bass at the time so I didn't use it that much. I'm curious if there is something wrong with my unit.

So you were leaving the cable plugged into the jack most of the time when not playing? If so I think you were lucky to get more than one month!

Edited by dannybuoy
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2 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

Also you said you leave your bas

So you were leaving the cable plugged into the jack most of the time when not playing? If so I think you were lucky to get more than one month!

I think what he was getting at is he wasn't always unplugging it because he didn't realise, but even after he started unplugging it every time, he is only getting 8 months out of it. 

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On 04/09/2019 at 17:37, TRBboy said:

Still keep looking at 735's....  VERY tempted..... 

Wish there were used ones coming up for sale, but maybe that's testament to how good they are! 

Your wish seems to have been granted - in case you've not already seen, one just went up on the FS thread :)

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10 minutes ago, TRBboy said:

Thanks for the tip off! Sunburst unfortunately..... Not really a sunburst kinda guy..... 

Fair, you either love it or you don't! John is totally mad to be moving his 735A on anyway (I've already told him), particularly as he still loves it as a bass! 

Funnily enough I used to be a massive fan of 'burst. But I've now become an 'anything but' 'burst, overly civilised pups, 4 strings... 😀

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Update on my case:

It's not that I always left it plugged. There were times when I took breaks and I left it plugged for one hour or two. But I'm doing another test so I'm being more careful now and I'm "counting" the days so I'll keep you posted haha.

Edited by javi_bassist
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@Andyjr1515 - just quoting from part of your full post as there were a couple of "takeaways" that immediately jumped out at me, which I suspect may well be of interest to other folk, and which I've taken the liberty of highlighting. Have to say that in the over 2,500 posts we've had so far on this thread, I don't think anyone has made these points with such clarity - so thank you!

1 hour ago, Andyjr1515 said:

While I'm waiting for the knobs to arrive for Tom's Squier, I've kicked off the initial work for another small job - this time for @Sibob

Those of you who follow the Yamaha BB thread will know that he's had a problem with the neck on his BB415.  Some kind soul suggested that I might be able to do something with it and so he sent the neck to me a week or so ago.

Basically, @Sibob couldn't get enough adjustment on the trussrod to achieve a decent flatness of neck.

I love Yamahas, but I'm not keen on the trussrods they tend to use.  The love comes from the fact that ALL of their instruments are just, well, right.  I play a Yamaha sax - and that is as good as every Yamaha guitar and bass I've ever played.  Just look at the carve on this neck:

ruLX2tpl.jpg

It is as smooth as silk and it feels great!

But - the trussrods are single acting and have a relatively small adjustment range.  So they rely on the neck being flat with the trussrod loosened and no strings, then the adjustment is enough to counteract the bow resulting from the string tension.

So - full loosened, it should be flat...

Edited by Al Krow
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Well ive given up with my P34. Love the tone, love the feel, but when i stand up to play it i find its awkward. Set up is fine for me, but i have a feeling its the depth of the neck. Tried all sorts of strap heights etc. it plays ok but i feel slower on it. I had a rehearsal last night and i kept fluffing the lines.

Im going to go back to my Fender for now, or maybe give the 425 an outing.

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3 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

Well ive given up with my P34. Love the tone, love the feel, but when i stand up to play it i find its awkward. Set up is fine for me, but i have a feeling its the depth of the neck. Tried all sorts of strap heights etc. it plays ok but i feel slower on it. I had a rehearsal last night and i kept fluffing the lines.

Im going to go back to my Fender for now, or maybe give the 425 an outing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wz0XbsqfOE

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