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west*coast*bass

west*coast*bass

Supporting Member
Dec 6, 2003
6,304
1,485
62
Westlake Village, CA
#1
I just picked this up the other day and I love it. This is one fun bass to play.

It's a Yamaha BB5000AF. Someone slapped a really nice Bartolini humbucker in the bridge position and the tones coming from this bass are awesome.

The one thing that I have noticed is that it's MUCH easier to play an unlined fretless than a lined. I have had 2 lined fretless basses and had not liked either. I relied too much on the lines and was thrown when my intonation was off.

With no lines it seems that my ear is getting more play rather than relying on my fingers for what I assumed was correct placement.

Does anyone else share this revelation that the unlined is an easier beast to tame?

Chime in...

Best to all,

Mark

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#7
IotaNet said:
I've been telling ya'll not to sleep on those Yamaha basses!

That looks like exactly like one that was on the Bay recently. I looked at it but I don't need a fretless these days.

Nice score -- enjoy it!
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It is the one from eBay. The guy was local and I just could not pass up on it. I'm so glad I didn't. I am really happy with this bass.

I have been a fan of the BB series for a long time. I'm happy I waited until this one came along.
 
#8
beav2k2 said:
Someone at the SE GTG had one of those with dual Bart(?) humbuckers with a Music Man style pickguard and it was dead sexy and a great player! I'll see if I can dig up some pix.

edit - here's the pic

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Nice. Mine has a P set in the neck position but I may have to slap a groovy guard on this bass.

Do you have a closeup of the bass?
 
#11
beav2k2 said:
It's lbpark's bass. Try hitting him up and seeing if he has any.
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Yo Scott, it's Larry's bass (lneal), I think that it originally was routed for PJ, most likely how W*C*B's might been originally. The pickguard Larry put on there covers some of the other p/up routes. It is a killer fretless... I can only imagine that W*C*B's sounds as good, if not better.

sound clips?
 
#16
Figjam said:
Sweet. Im not well read on yamaha basses.. but the BB series attracts me. What are the top of the line models in that series?
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I don't have much experience with the newer models. I had a BB series about 20 years ago (yes, I know...) and it was great. I'm not sure of the year on this one but it was well made and in great shape. There is one pretty good size ding that went through the paint on the loer bout, but it gives the bass some character.
 
#17
j-raj said:
Yo Scott, it's Larry's bass (lneal), I think that it originally was routed for PJ, most likely how W*C*B's might been originally. The pickguard Larry put on there covers some of the other p/up routes. It is a killer fretless... I can only imagine that W*C*B's sounds as good, if not better.

sound clips?
Click to expand...

I do have a Yamaha but that one is Larry's. I believe it was routed for EMG's. Mine's routed as well but for one Lane Poor in the sweetspot. That was a great bass.
 
#18
Figjam said:
Sweet. Im not well read on yamaha basses.. but the BB series attracts me. What are the top of the line models in that series?
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Figgy -

There's really no "top of the line" in the BBXXX series. The entire line is moderately priced ($299 - $450.)

They only differ by configuration:

BB414 4-string passive
BB415 5-string passive

BB614 4-string active
BB615 5-string active

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There is the BBXXXX series that are based on the "Nathan East" models but they a have different (narrower) body shape.

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They are however, much more expensive and considered high-end. (The top of THAT line costs well over $2,000)

Based on what I understand, if you want a high end BB that looks like the "Fat bodied" one, your best bet is finding one of the (older and discontinued) neck thrus like the BB3000 or the BB5000.
 

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