I was really lucky to be in japan a year ago when this music store in Tokyo had huge sale. I grabbed this bass for $800, but it wasn't that easy as it sounds. I actually went there a day before to just be on the line up for the bass. I even slept out side in winter cold night that day... (it was ridiculously cold!) I came home happy with the bass, but the thing is that I could never be satisfied with original SLB-200 sound. I read that SLB-200 is much improved compare to SLB-100, however, my expectation for this bass to sound was the sound of alter-ego that has real woody double bass tone(
www.alter-ego.it). Its was too far from that sound. Recently i finished sound making for the bass and I finally could be able to satisfy with it.(I don't have any samples right now, but i will post here eventually if I could find time to do so.) What i did to my bass is just adding the system that ALTER-EGO has. A.E. bass comes with one condenser mic which is Schertler STAT and their original pre-amp. For the pre, I'm pretty sure you can order their original one if you ask them, but since i don't have time and money so, i went to a local music store here in Vancouver and picked Sans-amp Bass Driver from Tech-21. Now it sounds full bodied upright bass! I really satisfy with the set up. They improved dynamics and bottom-end of the bass. Im assuming that Yamaha imitated construction of the body as A.E. so my theory should make sense.....? Well, who knows. Now I practice with joy like I played on URB everyday!! cheers!
slb-200 Silent becomes Tru Loud bass........ 
