Yamaha BBNE2 Bass

[Ruknrole]

Anyone here own or played a Yamaha BBNE2 Nathan East signature bass?
Mr. East calls it his Swiss Army Knife of basses, and I’ve also heard it being referred to as “THE” bass for session players.

I”ve never seen one of these unicorns around my neck of the hood. Looks tempting, looking for opinions.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Anyone here own or play a Yamaha BBNE2 Nathan East Signature bass?
Mr. East calls it his Swiss Army knife of basses, and I’ve also heard it being referred to as “THE” bass for session players.

I”be never seen one of these unicorns around my neck of the hood. Looks tempting, looking for opinions.

View attachment 4095481

I played one for a little bit at Bass Central. It has a pretty involved eq system, and I did not get the hang of it. The spacing is a bit close, about like a Stingray. The build quality is great.

 

[Ruknrole]

Doesn’t seem to be a popular bass.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Doesn’t seem to be a popular bass.

It is expensive and uncommon, but high end Yamahas are usually very good instruments.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Two that are for sale at Bass Central.

 

[Ruknrole]

Thanks for the replies @Dr. Cheese!

 

[Adam Wright]

I have owned 2. Cool basses. Great tone but ultimately sold them and don’t really regret it. A bit too much fall away in the upper register..meaning, and this is probably a poor explanation, the action doesn’t stay consistent from the lower register to the upper register due to the way some builders level the boards in order to avoid fret buzz(huge problem most 24 fret basses have with the exception if a few builders). Most tend to be on the heavier side for me. Hate the gold hardware. Build quality is very very good and I really love the tone. MIJ Yamaha’s are probably the best bang for the buck out there on the used market.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I have owned 2. Cool basses. Great tone but ultimately sold them and don’t really regret it. A bit too much fall away in the upper register..meaning, and this is probably a poor explanation, the action doesn’t stay consistent from the lower register to the upper register due to the way some builders level the boards in order to avoid fret buzz(huge problem most 24 fret basses have with the exception if a few builders). Most tend to be on the heavier side for me. Hate the gold hardware. Build quality is very very good and I really love the tone. MIJ Yamaha’s are probably the best bang for the buck out there on the used market.

That’s good to know.

 

[Ruknrole]

I have owned 2. Cool basses. Great tone but ultimately sold them and don’t really regret it. A bit too much fall away in the upper register..meaning, and this is probably a poor explanation, the action doesn’t stay consistent from the lower register to the upper register due to the way some builders level the boards in order to avoid fret buzz(huge problem most 24 fret basses have with the exception if a few builders). Most tend to be on the heavier side for me. Hate the gold hardware. Build quality is very very good and I really love the tone. MIJ Yamaha’s are probably the best bang for the buck out there on the used market.

Thanks! Good info there.

 

[RSmith]

I had one for a bit on a trade. Great craftsmanship, super playable, 18mm string spacing (same as Fender 5, but the neck felt deeper). I could get some tones but it had that baked in slightly modern tone that I could not dial out. Take that for what it’s worth because Nathan East works it like a charm in so many styles. Fun bass to play for sure.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Here is an extended playing example:

 

[5StringPocket]

Here is a 3-piece jam video where a P bass, J bass, and BBNE2 are played in succession through a Barefaced BB2 cab. The BBNE2 is plugged in at around 7:00 and the difference in tone (for the better) is noticeable. Look at the player's reaction around 7:30 when he gets some good solid lows. I stay away from active basses where your hosed if the battery dies but this might be a worthwhile exception.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Here is a 3-piece jam video where a P bass, J bass, and BBNE2 are played in succession through a Barefaced BB2 cab. The BBNE2 is plugged in at around 7:00 and the difference in tone (for the better) is noticeable. Look at the player's reaction around 7:30 when he gets some good solid lows. I stay away from active basses where your hosed if the battery dies but this might be a worthwhile exception.

In that video, the Yamaha makes me think of a first generation Peavey TL-5. As a serious Peavey fan, that comparison is a strong compliment.

 

[ahbass2500]

I have played them in stores a few times. Echoing others a little... they are well made. Versatile EQ system once you figure out what is going on. Every time I play one I leave impressed.

The problem for me happens when I check the price tag (have played new and used ones)... at that point I usually think of the other basses I could buy for the same money or less and set the bass back down.

Ultimately it is a great bass if it fits you. For me it is a great bass, but not enough to make me buy one at the asking price. Noting that I think the quality justifies the price. The full package just does not justify the price for me.

 

[Ruknrole]

Yes it sounds good. But I agree would one want to spend $2500 on one, or get something else.

 

[bigsnack]

These have that pseudo Wal thing going for them in the midrange, like their little brothers the BB604 / BB605. It's not exactly the same (alnico pups vs. ceramic in the BB60X), but the voicing is still very close.

 

[dlargent]

I love mine! I can plug straight into anything and it sounds great.
If I had to pick my two favorite features of the bass:
1. The contour on the back of the body, which fits against my body perfectly, and
2. The 'magic switch' that engages a tone circuit. It has a sweepable mid cut, but it also makes the sound fit into a recorded track perfectly. It took me quite a while to appreciate what the circuit does, but when I started recording and mixing a bunch of music during Covid, I came to really appreciate it.
I hope that helps!

 

[jasper383]

I had a BB605 for a while, sort of a poor man's BBNE2. Same electronics.

The EQ once I figured it out was great. One of the very best EQs in a mix. Really could easily dial in a great sound in a mix.

Japanese Yamaha's are beautifully made, a BBNE2 that's not too heavy is a wonderful bass.

They are a great deal used.

 

[Quintessence]

Picking up on a thread that has been dormant for a few months - does anyone know how the mid cut eq works? Specifically what the frequency range is that’s covered, and how deep the cut is?

 

[songwriter21]

Anyone here own or played a Yamaha BBNE2 Nathan East signature bass?
Mr. East calls it his Swiss Army Knife of basses, and I’ve also heard it being referred to as “THE” bass for session players.

I”ve never seen one of these unicorns around my neck of the hood. Looks tempting, looking for opinions.

View attachment 4095481

I tried one a few years ago:

Review of the Yamaha BBNE2 (Nathan East signature)