Nathan East and his BB3000 (BB5000 Prototype)

[Dr. Cheese]

Yamaha really had some serious players using their stuff in the studios back in the Eighties. Nathan East, Lee Sklar, Abraham Laboriel, even Louis Johnson, we’re using Yamahas back then. Yamaha seemed to have LA on lock back then.

 

[tb-player]

In the early 90s, a BB5000A was my dream bass.

 

[bassclef112]

I came across an '85 BB5000 back in 2009 for a price I couldn't resist (I don't play 5's). It was so impressive though, that I knew I needed a 4, and in 2010 I found a BB3000s.
I consider it one of the finest PJ's ever made, definitely a desert island bass.
I consider myself lucky to have it.

 

[rogerbmiller]

I think he misspoke. That looks like a production BB5000 which essentially was the BB3K with 5 strings (hence the tight string spacing) and a 5 string pup set.

Footloose and the production model BB5000 bass were both introduced in 1984 and what he is playing looks like the first mark (passive bass with V,T and 3 way selector switch).

This wouldn’t be the first time an artist misspoke about a model they played. For example, in interviews, John Taylor has called his flagship Aria pro II SB1000 an SB600, an SB1200 and an SB700.

Anyway, Yamaha makes great stuff. So did Aria. Would be curious to try the new reissues which are finally proper reissues of the Matsumoku era models.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I think he misspoke. That looks like a production BB5000 which essentially was the BB3K with 5 strings (hence the tight string spacing) and a 5 string pup set.

Footloose and the production model BB5000 bass were both introduced in 1984 and what he is playing looks like the first mark (passive bass with V,T and 3 way selector switch).

This wouldn’t be the first time an artist misspoke about a model they played. For example, in interviews, John Taylor has called his flagship Aria pro II SB1000 an SB600, an SB1200 and an SB700.

Anyway, Yamaha makes great stuff. So did Aria. Would be curious to try the new reissues which are finally proper reissues of the Matsumoku era models.

Are you sure Nathan didn't have one of the first prototype BB3000s converted to 5-string that Jimmy Haslip talked about requesting after seeing Jimmy Johnson's Alembic for the first time? Apparently, Jimmy H saw Jimmy J and heard his 5-string Alembic and then went to Yamaha and they threw together a BB3000 with an added B-string to prototype the concept. I'm sure Nathan has misspoken before, and will again, but he was also at the center of the BB5000 development.

 

[songwriter21]

Yamaha really had some serious players using their stuff in the studios back in the Eighties. Nathan East, Lee Sklar, Abraham Laboriel, even Louis Johnson, we’re using Yamahas back then. Yamaha seemed to have LA on lock back then.

Pretty sure that his actual Footloose and go-to studio bass has been his one-off Motion B 5-string.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Pretty sure that his actual Footloose and go-to studio bass has been his one-off Motion B 5-string.

Nathan East said he used a BB multiple times. I think the Motion basses came out a few years later, like 1987-89.

 

[aarono2690]

My man get on the Ozempic?

 

[rogerbmiller]

Are you sure Nathan didn't have one of the first prototype BB3000s converted to 5-string that Jimmy Haslip talked about requesting after seeing Jimmy Johnson's Alembic for the first time? Apparently, Jimmy H saw Jimmy J and heard his 5-string Alembic and then went to Yamaha and they threw together a BB3000 with an added B-string to prototype the concept. I'm sure Nathan has misspoken before, and will again, but he was also at the center of the BB5000 development.

Certainly is possible. If so, I would imagine the custom shop did this modification because it looks exactly as the production model. There doesn’t really seem to be any evidence of a modification after the fact good point.

 

[FRoss6788]

My man get on the Ozempic?

Huh?

 

[scuzzy]

I got to play one of his signature yamahas the day before he did a clinic in Davenport. No idea why the music store owner let me play it, but it was the best playing bass I've ever touched.

There is a reason he gets called for gigs. He is a pro.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Certainly is possible. If so, I would imagine the custom shop did this modification because it looks exactly as the production model. There doesn’t really seem to be any evidence of a modification after the fact good point.

Admittedly, I was only 6yrs old in 1984. As much as I love and respect the history of the BB line of basses and all the players involved, I don't exactly have any first-hand knowledge. Just piecing together the history from those who were working with Yamaha like Jimmy Haslip and Nathan East.

 

[aarono2690]

Huh?

Lol I’m a dummy. I thought Nathan East used to be obese, but I was thinking about Nate Watts.

 

[Dasgre0g]

My second base guitar ever, was a BB5000 in black that I picked up at a pawn shop for $400 back in 1994. I loved the black and gold color combination, and I ended up selling it about 6 years later for 700 bucks. Used it on stage many times before then. I really miss it. I remember distinctly how many people complained about it and it's tight string spacing. I actually had a hard time selling it at that time. The irony of course being that now, all these years later, suddenly people seek them out. It's funny what 20 years will do

 

[MrWalker]

I think he misspoke. That looks like a production BB5000 which essentially was the BB3K with 5 strings (hence the tight string spacing) and a 5 string pup set.

Footloose and the production model BB5000 bass were both introduced in 1984 and what he is playing looks like the first mark (passive bass with V,T and 3 way selector switch).

This wouldn’t be the first time an artist misspoke about a model they played. For example, in interviews, John Taylor has called his flagship Aria pro II SB1000 an SB600, an SB1200 and an SB700.

Anyway, Yamaha makes great stuff. So did Aria. Would be curious to try the new reissues which are finally proper reissues of the Matsumoku era models.

He absolutey didn't misspeak It was a prototype based on an extended 24-fret BB3000. I think this appeared for a few months as the BB1300 bass (neck-through 4-string with 24 frets). It's shown in the video below, and the headstock clearly reads BB3000. But keep in mind, this is not a production line BB3000. It's made in the Yamaha custom shop in LA. Nathan has stated that it was a bit too tight for him, and he had a Yamaha LB-1 made for him, with the classic "beetle headstock" that later appeared on the Motion bass. This was his main recording bass, he says. And it's apparent that the later BB-NE bass is based more on the LB-1 than on the original BB series. The entire BB range went towards the LB/MB range in the late 90s before the BB414/614 was reintroduced in 2005 and brought back the original BB shape. Anyway, this video is interesting with regards to the Yamaha Custom Shop in LA

 

[MrWalker]

I think they are usually referred to as "ladybug" headstock... not "beetle" My bad.
But it's a magic bass, according to Nathan himself.
It's showcased here. And with this magic bass, it's no wonder the Nathan East signature become what it is