NPD: Yamaha PB-1

JoshuaTSP · #1 08-18-2011, 11:52 AM

Pics when I get home.

Got the PB-1 yesterday, plugged it into the FX return of my Ashdown ABM500....since I do not have a power amp yet.

Through my practice cab (1x15), the PB-1 sounded REALLY good.

I was immediately taken by how good it sounded.
The tone controls were all at noon.....which I understand is mid scooped....since it's a Fender tone stack. I've read a few posts that 2-10-2 is flat, and someone that actually tested it 0-10-0.8 or something like that....

Pretty much anything from all at noon to the 2-10-2 settings sounded good to me.

I A/B'd it with the Ashdown....since I could just go back and forth between the inputs with the cable.
The Ashdown sounds okay, but the PB-1 sounds great.
So much more character to the PB-1.....nice and thick....with a little growl. The Ashdown is a little more sterile compared to the PB-1......punchier with the EQ set flat.

I haven't tried it with the band yet, so we'll see.....but I'm really digging the tone of this thing.
It's also my first preamp.

jumbodbassman · #2 08-18-2011, 11:55 AM

i haven't used mine in years but a great preamp. Very under rated....

JoshuaTSP · #3 08-18-2011, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumbodbassman

i haven't used mine in years but a great preamp. Very under rated....

What do you use instead?

That's what a lot of people say....love it, but don't use it?

bongomania · #4 08-18-2011, 12:34 PM

I think it's just that newer, fancier gear gets all the attention. Even somebody who loves that preamp may still prefer to gig with an ultralight head, or with a preamp that just has more "freshness" or popularity.

rpsands · #5 08-18-2011, 12:42 PM

When I stopped using the PB1, I got an HBP-1J for 300 bucks on Craigslist :P Couldn't help myself.

But the PB-1 was damned close to as nice sounding, and even cheaper.

The only complaint I have about the PB1 is the damn thing seems to weigh as much as some micro amps. I like the BBE 383 a little less but it's super shallow and weighs 1/5th as much, so that's what I kept after selling off all my other preamps except pedals.

JoshuaTSP · #6 08-18-2011, 12:45 PM

Weigh is definitely a killer with the PB-1..... 10.56lbs alone.

rpsands · #7 08-18-2011, 12:46 PM

yep, nowadays it weighs almost as much (or more) than the power amp :P

JoshuaTSP · #8 08-18-2011, 12:50 PM

I'm not too concerned about weight at this point in my life....so I'm happy with it....as long as it sounds good.

The biggest surprise was how much better it was than the Ashdown. :freak:

rpsands · #9 08-18-2011, 12:51 PM

Wait til you get a real power amp behind it

And when you try an HBP-1

Vanceman · #10 08-18-2011, 01:34 PM

Last weekend's gig, outside block party, I pulled out the PB-1, and ran it: bass --> PB-1 --> active input Mesa WA --> Epifani 410.

It was awesome! I kept the volume on the PB-1 around 9 o'clock, and started with the WA gain the same, but slowly up'ed it to around noon. Nice growl, very vintage sounding, but with a lot of punch. I should have tried it into the effects return. Now, only if it didn't weigh so much...

Kitsapbass · #11 08-21-2011, 06:10 PM

Just pulled mine out of storage to use again...I'm buying a poweramp to use at gigs, and rather than use my non-rackmount ear equipped Trace, I'm going to use my awesome sounding PB-1...

Brad Johnson · #12 08-21-2011, 08:38 PM

My PB-1 is heavier than my Drivecore XLS1000 amp. I've been gigging with it regularly.

HertzWhenIPlay · #13 08-21-2011, 09:30 PM

I would love to try a pb1 with my plx 1804.

JoshuaTSP · #14 08-22-2011, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpsands

Wait til you get a real power amp behind it

And when you try an HBP-1

Used my new Ric 4003 and the PB-1 at rehearsal Saturday (with the Ashdown as a power amp).

Holy cow.

Had the PB-1 set up (T/M/B) 2/10/2......even though I know that isn't exactly flat, but it's what sounded best to me. I also added a little bit of upper mid bite with the parametric EQ.....just for more of an aggressive rock/metal tone.

The PB-1 seemed a little softer in the mids than I'm used to.....since I'm usually boosting the mids and adding fuzz or OD (mids on mids). The Ric with both pickups on is slightly scooped too.

That said, it's probably the best I've sounded, and the best the band sounded as a whole.
I'm not stomping all over the guitar player's tone now.....I was scooped in the right areas to let him cut through, but yet retained a full low end, power and overdriven growl/bite.

I thought I'd hate it, but it fits perfectly. The other guys even commented that it sounded amazing.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Music123 on the Drivecore.

I'm also looking for a nice used QSC amp.

taurus1 · #15 08-22-2011, 12:57 PM

I use to owna Trace Elliot GP11, SVTIIP, and a still own a
n Ashley SC-40. the SVTIIP was pretty actually but poorly made. the PB-1 is a rock solid tank, I'll take solid construction over light weight anyday. sounds great too and has all the features you'd ever need, a real classic. I also picked up a Yamaha B100II bass head which is actually fairly light, the build quality though is really nice and for a 100w ss head it's power amazes me. I love vintage Yamaha gear now.

ric3xrt · #16 08-22-2011, 04:21 PM

since it's a Fender tone stack. .....Really?

JoshuaTSP · #17 09-06-2011, 08:43 AM

The PB-1 really is a great preamp. it sounds SO good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by taurus1

I use to owna Trace Elliot GP11, SVTIIP, and a still own a
n Ashley SC-40. the SVTIIP was pretty actually but poorly made. the PB-1 is a rock solid tank, I'll take solid construction over light weight anyday. sounds great too and has all the features you'd ever need, a real classic. I also picked up a Yamaha B100II bass head which is actually fairly light, the build quality though is really nice and for a 100w ss head it's power amazes me. I love vintage Yamaha gear now.

I happened to order a used SVT-IIP preamp just to give myself some comparison, and out of curiosity.....since I'm not an Ampeg player.....never even tried a SVT.....not sure what to expect.
I read that they sound good, and can give you a vintage SVT type vibe/tone.

I hope I don't have any reliability issues with the IIP.

taurus1 · #18 09-06-2011, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshuaTSP

The PB-1 really is a great preamp. it sounds SO good.

I happened to order a used SVT-IIP preamp just to give myself some comparison, and out of curiosity.....since I'm not an Ampeg player.....never even tried a SVT.....not sure what to expect.
I read that they sound good, and can give you a vintage SVT type vibe/tone.

I hope I don't have any reliability issues with the IIP.

the SVTIIP does sound really good. it's the front end of the SVTII amp so it's the same preamp. it doesn't overdrive and stays clean but the eq is really flexible. I would have kept it if I didn't own a vintage SVT head. the one thing that bugged me about it was that the line outputs on the back were really lacking in output. I couldn't get a strong enough signal out it to use it like a normal preamp. what I would do is use the XLR jack set to 0 (not -20, if memory serves). that way I could get a good strong signal, but I couldn't use the Di, kind of a drag. I put some G.E. tubes in it and it was a pita. they could have made a far better design for changing tubes. the PB-1 is a tank by comparison. the SVTIIP records extrememly well, it's one of the best recording preamps I've owned. it has it's good points and bad I guess.

Pickebass · #19 09-06-2011, 11:26 AM

This is a great preamp at almost any price. Sadly, it has gone to the "backup" stack. I think the weight, the fact that there are more great options available today, makes it not less attractive to many.

Even when this was new it was not a popular unit. At the time, SWR, Trace Elliot and Ampeg were more popular. A great product that never found its niche. Partially because it did not have a fulll line with great interest. I can't remember any particularly great sounding Yamaha bass cabs during that time.

I digress... Great unit, I still use mine on a regular basis

JoshuaTSP · #20 09-06-2011, 11:29 AM

Hmmm....the manual shows 1v RMS max and 3.5v RMS with EQ.
My XTI2000 shows 1.4v for full power at 4 ohms.

Not exactly sure what that all means.....but......it's good to know about the DI out trick if I need it!

I should be able to report back tonight about the SVTIIP, after I pick up the package from UPS.

Do you think it sounds anything like your all tube SVT?