Al Krow 5,235 Posted January 25 (edited) 1 hour ago, Fil1ip said: I have a BB414 and it's ace. But a subjective question is what BB would be an upgrade i.e better pick ups etc A 1024 (or 1024x with scratchplate and added chrome) would be the obvious choice for me, but as you will gather from very contented 414 and 424 (which is the same thing as the 414, but with a laminate neck and body through stringing) owners on here, not all folk agree with me (or Yamaha) that a 1024 is a step up 😄 If you want to go seriously posh then you are into P34 or 2024 territory. PS I've added you to the "wall of shame" of BB bass owners on the OP Edited January 25 by Al Krow 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fil1ip 65 Posted January 26 10 hours ago, Al Krow said: A 1024 (or 1024x with scratchplate and added chrome) would be the obvious choice for me, but as you will gather from very contented 414 and 424 (which is the same thing as the 414, but with a laminate neck and body through stringing) owners on here, not all folk agree with me (or Yamaha) that a 1024 is a step up 😄 If you want to go seriously posh then you are into P34 or 2024 territory. PS I've added you to the "wall of shame" of BB bass owners on the OP Thank you I really like by BB414, nearly bought a 424 first but at the time there was a £100 difference. Are the 734As worth it? However I much prefer basses without scratch plates. I would definitely like to try a MIJ Yamaha. I placed an order for an ibanez but cancelled it as I really like my Yamaha ☺️ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
javi_bassist 126 Posted January 26 1 hour ago, Fil1ip said: Thank you I really like by BB414, nearly bought a 424 first but at the time there was a £100 difference. Are the 734As worth it? However I much prefer basses without scratch plates. I would definitely like to try a MIJ Yamaha. I placed an order for an ibanez but cancelled it as I really like my Yamaha ☺️ I had one. I sold it because I mostly use 5 string now (a BB735). The 734 is an amazing bass. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gobasserk 210 Posted January 26 (edited) I once had a 1024x. It surely felt somehow more high end than the 400 series, yes. Everything feels a bit like an upgrade. But although it has the "better" pu's and everything, I liked the 400 series better. The 1024x was heavier and somehow sounded not as "fresh" as my 1000's or the 400 series. So it had to go I think 3 weeks after I bought it. Maybe it is a psychological thing... If a "cheap" bass sounds very good I love that bass, while when an expensive bass sounds good, it is what is expected of it to do. I owned (in my younger years) anything from Wals (3) to Modulus, several Status, Warwicks etc etc... and to be honest, I miss some of them now because I know their today's market price ( oh man..) but not because I miss their sound! Edit: But I love my 1000MA's because every time I enter a studio it is this bass that get's the job! No matter what other bass was arround. So I am happy. Edited January 26 by gobasserk 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
javi_bassist 126 Posted January 26 Do you guys know a 5- string BB that has jazz style pickups? I'd love to have one. I think the 605 and the 405. Any other model? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDWagstaff 50 Posted January 26 11 minutes ago, javi_bassist said: Do you guys know a 5- string BB that has jazz style pickups? I'd love to have one. I think the 605 and the 405. Any other model? You have the BBNE2 which is crazy expensive. Occasionally used you will find the BB2005 which is the model in between the BB605 and the BBNE2 in terms of price and quality. I don't think they've done a traditionally styled BB 5 string with jazz style pickups, I could be wrong though. I always think these models look more like reshaped TRB's than BB's. They did at one point offer a shape which looks more like a smaller bodied version of the traditional BB (like the BBNE and G5) but they all had soap bars as far as I'm aware 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDWagstaff 50 Posted January 26 (edited) For reference I've attached the 3 main iterations of the 'BB' shape. When looking for stock photos it did in fact bring up the BBG5 (smaller version of the traditional BB) with Jazz style pickups so that is also an option if looking used. BB2025 BB2005 BBG4/5 Obviously there will be slight differences across similar models (BB3000 and BB2025 while having the same body template do vary from each other), but I think this is useful to highlight the extent of variation that has happened over the years. Edited January 26 by MDWagstaff 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
javi_bassist 126 Posted January 26 I've only seen the BBG4/5 with soapbars. And I have to admit that in blue looks pretty cool. Thanks for the info! I'm also curious in how a BB1025x would compare to a BB735. I have a lot of GAS for a BB1025x in caramel brown... Maybe I'll pull the trigger so that I can compare it by myself haha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDWagstaff 50 Posted January 26 4 minutes ago, javi_bassist said: I've only seen the BBG4/5 with soapbars. And I have to admit that in blue looks pretty cool. Thanks for the info! I'm also curious in how a BB1025x would compare to a BB735. I have a lot of GAS for a BB1025x in caramel brown... Maybe I'll pull the trigger so that I can compare it by myself haha. No, problem! Al Krow is probably best placed to answer that question. The biggest difference will be the electronics and the fact the 735a can be active or passive where as the 1025x is purely passive. The version the G5 with the soapboars is active while passive versions have the jazz pickups 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Krow 5,235 Posted January 26 6 minutes ago, javi_bassist said: I've only seen the BBG4/5 with soapbars. And I have to admit that in blue looks pretty cool. Thanks for the info! I'm also curious in how a BB1025x would compare to a BB735. I have a lot of GAS for a BB1025x in caramel brown... Maybe I'll pull the trigger so that I can compare it by myself haha. I personally preferred my purely passive 1025 over the two active/passive 735As I've had. I think I boiled that down to not being blown away by the preamp in the 735A, whereas I love the 1025 passive tone. Just my two cents worth. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
javi_bassist 126 Posted January 26 4 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I personally preferred my purely passive 1025 over the two active/passive 735As I've had. I think I boiled that down to not being blown away by the preamp in the 735A, whereas I love the 1025 passive tone. Just my two cents worth. In my case, I like the preamp of the 735. It does what it has to do, without anything else. But I also love older Yamahas and I had the 1025x for some time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Krow 5,235 Posted January 26 (edited) 50 minutes ago, javi_bassist said: I'm also curious in how a BB1025x would compare to a BB735. I have a lot of GAS for a BB1025x in caramel brown... Maybe I'll pull the trigger so that I can compare it by myself haha. 33 minutes ago, javi_bassist said: In my case, I like the preamp of the 735. It does what it has to do, without anything else. But I also love older Yamahas and I had the 1025x for some time. Hah! I'm now confused, if you have had the 1025X and have a 735A you should have a pretty good idea how they compare already? Edited January 26 by Al Krow 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ricky Rioli 422 Posted January 26 53 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I think I boiled that down to not being blown away by the preamp in the 735A, Is the preamp in the 735a the same as the one in the TRBX504/505/604/605? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDWagstaff 50 Posted January 26 3 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said: Is the preamp in the 735a the same as the one in the TRBX504/505/604/605? Yes and no, I can't speak for the 735a but the TRBX5/6 series have the same preamp but tweaked centre point frequencies for the controls compensate for the TRBX5 being made of mahogany and the TRBX6 being made of alder/maple 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Krow 5,235 Posted January 26 I've kinda wondered whether I should have kept my 735A and just swapped the preamp with a John East 3 band. But I guess I already have several really good active basses and suspect I may still have picked up my 1025 at every opportunity! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
javi_bassist 126 Posted January 26 53 minutes ago, Al Krow said: Hah! I'm now confused, if you have had the 1025X and have a 735A you should have a pretty good idea how they compare already? My mistake. I wanted to say that I had the 1025x on my radar hahaha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreeneKing 227 Posted January 26 13 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I've kinda wondered whether I should have kept my 735A and just swapped the preamp with a John East 3 band. But I guess I already have several really good active basses and suspect I may still have picked up my 1025 at every opportunity! The beauty of the East Uni Pre is that a passive tone can be included giving all the benefits of active/passive with a decent blend. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Krow 5,235 Posted January 26 15 minutes ago, javi_bassist said: My mistake. I wanted to say that I had the 1025x on my radar hahaha. Ah that makes much better sense now! 55 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said: Is the preamp in the 735a the same as the one in the TRBX504/505/604/605? Actually that's a really interesting point. I think you mentioned that your 424 sounded much more "alive" than your TRBX, hmmm...seems there may be a bit pattern then if the 735A is using the same preamp? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muzz 1,406 Posted January 26 Yep, I've replaced all the preamps in all my gigging basses with John East Retro/Uni-Pre ones. Not only are they the very best preamps out there, it also means I've got a standard set of controls when I look down mid-gig, and I know exactly what does what... If I still had my 3000A, I'd have put a John East in there a good while ago...the only thing I'd do to the 414 (other than possibly put Ultralight tuners on it) would be to put a P-Retro on it, but they don't make them any more... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreeneKing 227 Posted January 26 1 minute ago, Muzz said: Yep, I've replaced all the preamps in all my gigging basses with John East Retro/Uni-Pre ones. Not only are they the very best preamps out there, it also means I've got a standard set of controls when I look down mid-gig, and I know exactly what does what... If I still had my 3000A, I'd have put a John East in there a good while ago...the only thing I'd do to the 414 (other than possibly put Ultralight tuners on it) would be to put a P-Retro on it, but they don't make them any more... When I last spoke to John (quite recently) he was trying to source re-chargeable batteries for the P Retro so they aren't not made, just not available at the moment. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ricky Rioli 422 Posted January 26 6 minutes ago, Al Krow said: I think you mentioned that your 424 sounded much more "alive" than your TRBX I only ever play it on passive - couldn't find anything for me in the active controls Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muzz 1,406 Posted January 26 5 minutes ago, GreeneKing said: When I last spoke to John (quite recently) he was trying to source re-chargeable batteries for the P Retro so they aren't not made, just not available at the moment. Oooo, that's good news...I have a couple of recipient basses in mind... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete.young 977 Posted January 26 6 hours ago, MDWagstaff said: You have the BBNE2 which is crazy expensive. It doesn't have jazz pickups though. It has stacked humbuckers in jazz-shaped cases. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jezzaboy 750 Posted January 26 (edited) Right I`m going to throw myself on the mercy of the BB collective. As the GAS is strong and a RicinB*stard is now out the window, a BB may be in the frame. Had a BB 434 - nice bass, BB 735a - wasnt keen on the black finish and didn`t really give it much of a chance. But I have been looking at a BBP34 but is it worth almost twice the price of the 735a? Or is it worth almost 3 times the price of a 434? All 3 under consideration are sunburst ish. Of course being a fickle bampot, I may change my mind and get something else entirely! But it gives us something to talk about. Edited January 26 by jezzaboy Being a pillock! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Krow 5,235 Posted January 26 47 minutes ago, jezzaboy said: Right I`m going to throw myself on the mercy of the BB collective. As the GAS is strong and a RicinB*stard is now out the window, a BB may be in the frame. Had a BB 343 - nice bass, BB 735a - wasnt keen on the black finish and didn`t really give it much of a chance. But I have been looking at a BBP34 but is it worth almost twice the price of the 735a? Or is it worth almost 3 times the price of a 434? All 3 under consideration are sunburst ish. Of course being a fickle bampot, I may change my mind and get something else entirely! But it gives us something to talk about. Well a BB 343 would certainly, absolutely, no question, totally, all night long give us something to talk about...but we know what you meant 😁 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
