Sandberg vs Yamaha

[Gerardcg8]

Hi,
I am going to buy a new bass soon and I thought the Yamaha bb1025x was perfect for me but I've just seen the Sandberg California VM5 and it's just great! I play in a post-hardcore, punk, rock, metal band and I need some aggressive frenetic tones. I will use OD and Fuzz. What would you do? Is it worth the extra money for the Sandberg? I can't test them where I live, but I can get money back if I don't like them. Sorry for my poor English.

 

[eots]

I think the finer qualities of a bass get lost when you start adding effects. If a preamp is designed for a basses features, wood type, construction, and so on, and then you want to distort all that,, just get a cheap bass. Yamaha makes fine instruments. Plenty to choose from that cost less than a grand.

 

[Mola Ram]

I own a BB1025X and I'm in lust/love with it and that has mostly to do with how it feels in my hands, so not really sure that you'd feel the same way about it. And while I haven't handled a Sandberg before there's two things that standout to me as major differences.

1. The Sandberg, in 5 string, is a 35 scale compared to Yamaha's 34. Some people tend to prefer one over the over.

2. The Yamaha is pure passive while the Sandberg has a 2-band, active / passive, passive tone control.

Other than these two options I would say that you won't really be able to tell which one is "for you" until you get them in your hands.

Hell, if you can return them and if you have the cash up front, I say order both and try them out. Keep the one that fits you and return the other.