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Maybe! That does make more sense.
I ignored E13 because it said it was for country of origin instruments from Korea and China but these are made in Indonesia. Then again, none of the Systems in that PDF specifically refer to Indonesia at all!
I did a reset every 10 years as I counted forward, based on the sample on the first page... which is probably wrong. Your interpretation is probably better.
Taiwan production moved to Indonesia in 2006-2007 so my guess is that they just continued with the E12 system for the instruments built there.
I think I'm done tinkering with this 434. I think it's pretty much settled in. I had to tweak a couple things this afternoon. Just an 1/8 or so of a turn on the truss rod. Lowered the action a bit more. It had been in the hot UPS truck all day yesterday. It's perfect now. This is one hell of a bass. I've been going back and forth between it and my P bass all day. Its different but really killer. I've been trying to find a reason to swap pickups but I'm digging the stockers. It's been really fun to play. The only mod I plan on immediately is just brass saddles. I can't imagine how nice the 734s are. lol
Mine is 9.5lbs, the body is heavier so there’s no neck dive.
You are aiming for BBP34
I think the slippery poly strap I accidentally bought (thinking it was a grippier cotton one) was a major cause. I tried it shirtless and there was no neck dive... but it wasn't naturally balanced up either. I'm looking to get a grippier strap, probably the leather one that @CletusMarley recommended.
I was thinking about how years ago I had improved experiences handling the weight of DSLR camera gear after switching to a wide, spongy, very grippy neoprene strap from Op/Tech so tonight I've been looking for equivalents for basses. I've come came across several 3+in Comfort Strapps and Neotech straps, including this 3.5in Neotech strap for $25 with coupon (though I'm not sure how grippy it is).
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PSA: BBP34 for sale in New York Metro area (Cedar Grove NJ) on FB Marketplace.
No relation/affliation to the seller, but they are asking $1100 (cash, no trades). Figured someone here might be interested. These are such good instruments; I think the one I have is terrific.
No relation/affliation to the seller, but they are asking $1100 (cash, no trades). Figured someone here might be interested. These are such good instruments; I think the one I have is terrific.
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I have both and prefer the comfortt
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These things sound great! Beefy, throaty, detailed - really versatile. So many tones between the P, J, and adjusting the tone knob. Amazing for stock pickups. The pickup covers and how they sit in the body feels a little flimsy on my 434, and the wiring under the plate is a tad unsightly. But those are my only complaints. I guess I wish the J was hum-cancelling, but...still sounds impressive under most circumstances.
Stock Yamaha tuners are heavy! Neck dive is real if you have it - adding a strap is a bandaid.I only had time to unbox it, weigh it, take a pic and email the luthier to see when I can drop it off for a checkup and setup. It's in a gig bag and I'm running errands right now.
Roger @Sadowsky doesn't believe in neck dive when standing, says it's a function of the strap and a clingy strap will usually solve the issue. He includes a 3" cotton strap with his basses. So I picked up a Levy's 3" cotton strap and.... it didn't solve the issue.
Which is why I immediately added Hipshot Ultralite USA Mini Clover tuners to my new BB234. Took almost a pound off the neck. Problem solved.
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@Brian Patterson , did the Ultra Lites drop right in, or did you have to drill new holes, ream larger holes, etc.?
I just put hipshot ultralights on my 435, so I figured I'd chime in. I was happy with the stock tuners, but I needed tuners for a project bass, and figured if I'm buying tuners I might as well get nicer tuners for my beloved 435, and then use the yamaha tuners on the parts bass.
Here are some measurements I took...
Stock 435 tuner: 77 grams
Hipshot USA Ultralight 1/2" Clover, Nickel: 58 grams
Headstock hole size: ~17.6 mm. I used a piece of heatshrink tubing around the hipshot bushings to get a snug fit, it was a little loose otherwise.
With these tuners the weight of my bass is now just under 9 lbs, and the balance is slightly improved. I saved about 0.2 lbs with the new tuners. And while the yamaha tuners performed fine for me, the hipshots are definitely an upgrade.
I also changed the string retainer to the same style as the more expensive models, which I think looks a little nicer! Eventually I may plug the old tuner screw holes, but they're not such a bit deal to me.
Here are some measurements I took...
Stock 435 tuner: 77 grams
Hipshot USA Ultralight 1/2" Clover, Nickel: 58 grams
Headstock hole size: ~17.6 mm. I used a piece of heatshrink tubing around the hipshot bushings to get a snug fit, it was a little loose otherwise.
With these tuners the weight of my bass is now just under 9 lbs, and the balance is slightly improved. I saved about 0.2 lbs with the new tuners. And while the yamaha tuners performed fine for me, the hipshots are definitely an upgrade.
I also changed the string retainer to the same style as the more expensive models, which I think looks a little nicer! Eventually I may plug the old tuner screw holes, but they're not such a bit deal to me.
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Nice work! Thanks for the info, very helpful.
I recommend replacing the foam under the pickups, you can get them feeling much more solid just with more/denser foam.
I am 5’6 and prefers the short version
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Small sample size, but I got a Gruv Gear 4” neoprene strap to mitigate neck dive on my Eastwood Sidejack Bass VI (after also relocating the bottom strap button). It mostly worked. I bought that strap because I couldn’t find my almost-2.5” RightOn! vegan “leather” strap in my rat’s nest of a garage. Sure enough, the “leather” strap turned up today, I tried it, and the grippy inside of that one finally kept that unwieldy instrument right where I wanted it. Maybe other neoprene straps are grippier, but I wouldn’t count on it. I think grip matters more than width when it comes to neck dive. But if you want to try wide and neoprene, I’ll cut you a deal on a basically brand new one
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I wound up buying a Perri's suede 2.5 inch at Guitar Center for like $40 bucks that is really good at keeping things in place. I'm used to the Nylon "seatbelt style" but they tend to let things slide around a bit much (sometimes good, sometimes not.) This one is soft and much easier on the shoulder, too.
It was nice to compare them in the store and be able to pop them on a BB. Not nuts about the color (it's tan and I think it's my first non-black strap) but I was shocked by the quality for the price (especially given where I found it.)
It was nice to compare them in the store and be able to pop them on a BB. Not nuts about the color (it's tan and I think it's my first non-black strap) but I was shocked by the quality for the price (especially given where I found it.)
