"Best affordable" five-string p/j bass

[jacoby75]

And that about wraps it up! LOL
What a sweet a$$ bass! And its a reverse P, too...
Heaven!

I noticed that too. It didn't strike me as odd at first until someone else pointed it out. I have no technological or mechanical knowledge with which to back this up, but it seems to me like you would want the P pickup configured that way to get a more even response. Like, the bigger, boomier strings should have the pickup lower where the vibrations are more controlled, and vice versa for the high strings. You'd get a warmer tone by having the pickup higher. I've never played a bass with that pickup setup, but I'm intrigued. It's another one with boring color options, though. Though I did find a blue burst one online, but they don't list that one on the Yamaha site, so I don't know if it's an older model or something. Maybe just a discontinued color.

 

[morrisonhendrix]

Possibly not. I have a Squier Deluxe V with such a huge headstock, a broad neck (thanks to the string spacing) and a basswood body. The help is my picking forearm pushing down on the body to keep it all balanced. It has become an unconscious habit and I can let go of the neck any time. Neck dive has become a non-issue.

I used to have a Spector CRFM5 that had bad neck dive. Like you, I modified my technique so that it wasn't an issue. However, nowadays, it puts too much strain on my left elbow.

 

[Thundar]

I noticed that too. It didn't strike me as odd at first until someone else pointed it out. I have no technological or mechanical knowledge with which to back this up, but it seems to me like you would want the P pickup configured that way to get a more even response. Like, the bigger, boomier strings should have the pickup lower where the vibrations are more controlled, and vice versa for the high strings. You'd get a warmer tone by having the pickup higher. I've never played a bass with that pickup setup, but I'm intrigued. It's another one with boring color options, though. Though I did find a blue burst one online, but they don't list that one on the Yamaha site, so I don't know if it's an older model or something. Maybe just a discontinued color.

Well the bass I referenced in the pic was an Ibanez...not a Yamaha. But, Yamaha and Ibanez both have used the rev P & J configuration for years but rarely in a 5 string bass....same with Spector. Love my reverse P/J 4 string Spectors.
But I would rock the pi$$ outta that Ibanez fiver!

 

[jacoby75]

Well the bass I referenced in the pic was an Ibanez...not a Yamaha. But, Yamaha and Ibanez both have used the rev P & J configuration for years but rarely in a 5 string bass....same with Spector. Love my reverse P/J 4 string Spectors.
But I would rock the pi$$ outta that Ibanez fiver!

Right. Sorry. Ibanez.

 

[jacoby75]

Ibanez SR655 - Great pickups, very good pre-amp, light, balanced when sitting and strapped on, strong neck..... Totally gig and recording friendly.

So you have this bass, yes? I'm still considering it. But I have read online that the single-coil jazz suffers from some 60-cycle hum issues, as it's not hum-canceling. If you roll it in at all, even with the P pickup, there is reportedly some concerning hum. Have you had that experience? I can see why it would be an issue. I mean, my passive jazz has the same problem if I slightly favor one of the pickups, which I typically do. But I would imagine if you were getting any hum like in my passive jazz, and then amplified it through an active on-board preamp, it would make the hum that much louder/worse.

 

[stringthrough]

So you have this bass, yes? I'm still considering it. But I have read online that the single-coil jazz suffers from some 60-cycle hum issues, as it's not hum-canceling. If you roll it in at all, even with the P pickup, there is reportedly some concerning hum. Have you had that experience? I can see why it would be an issue. I mean, my passive jazz has the same problem if I slightly favor one of the pickups, which I typically do. But I would imagine if you were getting any hum like in my passive jazz, and then amplified it through an active on-board preamp, it would make the hum that much louder/worse.

It's not a hum cancelling PU. I don't recall it being any better or worse than a standard single coil J PU. I don't know if switching on the pre-amp improves or worsens the hum. Again, I didn't use the pre-amp much. If 60-cycle hum bothers you more than most of us who've chosen the sonic benefits of single coil PU's consider getting a noise suppression pedal.

 

[jacoby75]

It's not a hum cancelling PU. I don't recall it being any better or worse than a standard single coil J PU. I don't know if switching on the pre-amp improves or worsens the hum. Again, I didn't use the pre-amp much. If 60-cycle hum bothers you more than most of us who've chosen the sonic benefits of single coil PU's consider getting a noise suppression pedal.

I would imagine it can't be that terrible, or they wouldn't be able to sell any of the basses. And I doubt Carey Nordstrand would set his pickups up for failure by putting them on a bass that's going to sound lousy and unusable. I just know that I read a couple of reviews online where people complained about the hum, particularly when they engaged the preamp - and made it sound like it made the bass unusable. But . . . people say things.

 

[jacoby75]

One more question, if I may, @stringthrough. If you leave the eq flat, is there a volume spike when you engage the active eq on the Ibanez?

 

[stringthrough]

One more question, if I may, @stringthrough. If you leave the eq flat, is there a volume spike when you engage the active eq on the Ibanez?

Love to answer your question but it's been too long since I owned it and I rarely used the active eq

 

[jacoby75]

Well, after some time agonizing over this decision, I found a heck of a deal on a used BB1025x and decided to pull the trigger. It wound up being cheaper or the same price as any of the other basses I was considering, and I have yet to hear a bad-sounding video of it online. I think it will fit the bill nicely. Vintage sounding yet with some girth and attack. Different enough from the passive P5 and J5 that I currently have to justify buying it and make it more likely that it will find a meaningful spot in the stable. The Sire was tempting, but just too questionable for me. I so rarely buy a new bass, that I have to make the decision count when I do. I have a feeling that the Sire P/J would be a good, solid bass, but it wouldn't be different enough from my current P5 and J5 to make it worth the expenditure. It probably wouldn't get played. The Yammy BB735 sounds very intriguing, but a little more modern than I'd like. But it will remain on my radar for the future. The Ibanez SR655 was also tempting, but a bit too modern sounding. Though if I want a modern sounding P/J, I find the reverse P pickup very intriguing. I would not hesitate to try a BB735 and/or SR655, if I had the disposable income to buy bases more regularly. I've wanted a 1025x for some time now, but never thought it would be attainable price-wise before I found the used one with a recent "price drop." I'll be sure to follow up with some thoughts once I get it. Hopefully it's in good shape. It's coming from Guitar Center, so at the very least I can already guarantee it's going to need a setup and a spit shine. Thanks for the feedback.