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Yamaha BBNE2 - Nathan East sig. model

DLM

DLM

May 25, 2004
559
56
California
#1
Anyone here have one? What can you tell me about them? Some info. I haven't been able to get from the website is weight, bridge spacing, playability, but more importantly, what's the tone like?

I'm not familiar with Nathan's tone.

Thanks!
 
#2
they are really clean, a very fundamental kinda tone (think a really good jazz bass with a cool 3 band eq), try and play a BBG or BBN from the mid to late 90's as they are all based off the same thing just the slight difference in the build and electrics, the BBNE2 is neck through and has jazz style pickups and a fully contoured body, where as the BBN and BBG are bolt ons with jazz (BBN) and jazz styled soapbars (BBG) with a 2 band EQ (im sure you could get some with a basic 3 band too, but not the nathan east sig one). you could also get them passive too.

i have 2 BBG5a's one is stock and one has a P5 and MM pickups in, both have a similar tone (due to construction) but with different tonal qualitys from the pickups. my stock BBG is my go to bass when i just want a solid tone. as for specs string spcing is smaller than fenders more like an EBMM, as for playability i have actually been documented to fall asleep playing and carry on till the end of the tune spot on, hows that for playability?? i have also fell asleep holding her from just sitting around the house playing till i fall asleep.

from my experience yamahas are nowhere near as shoulder crushing as fenders (my jag and P are way heavier than my BBG5a's) but they are most definatly solid, actually i prefer my yamahas for build quality, actually i just prefer my yamahas full stop. you may want to check out the yamaha club thread im sure one of us has one.

check youtube for some NE stuff, chances are you already know some of his stuff (he is claptons main bass guy, and a MAJOR sesion go to guy)

here is a typical example, he actually uses his bass to the full throughout this clip

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CJ0wupn_kRw
 
#3
Note thet Ritenour is using a Sadowsky guitar in that clip. Here's another clip with the same bass. East rules. I e-mailed him a couple years ago about that bass. I love the color and asked him if Yamaha makes the BBNE2 in that shade. His publicist wrote back, giving me the bad news: No, it's a custom for him, and one of his favorite basses.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_vwXGtjVDwM&mode=related&search=
 
#6
well CYoung, my playing got smoother and more tight when i started playing my yamaha 5's. i put it down to the basses :ninja:

if i had the cash i would probably get a BBNE2005 in white, its the only upgrade to my current BB's available and the white does have a certain resemblance to one of my other fave bassists bass, larry graham.
 
#7
Darth and Munji, thanks for those clips.

Now, I noticed that the bass he's using has two soapbar pickups. The current sig. model sports two jazz-style pickups.

I know that the East sig. model has been around for over 10 yrs. and the earlier ones had the wider soapbars.

So, do you know what the deal is? Are there different versions throughout the years? Do the current versions sound differently?
 
#8
yeah the earlier ones (including all/most BB range, mid 90's) had the soaps, they are according to yamaha designed to replicate a jazz bass tone, which they do quite nicely.one of my BBG5 has soaps (both did, now one set is sat in a drawer) and it has a GREAT tone not unlike the tone on the clips (well they are the same pickups).

as for the newer jazz style ones while not using them i have heard them quite a bit ( i love yamaha basses and play them whenever they are in the shops), and they sound sweet, i wish you could get them after market as i would have them instead of the basslines in my jaguar, they dont sound overly different from the soaps maybe a little bit tigter on the high mids and top.

oh and the newer ones are stacked humbuckers so they obviously dont hum like the soap versions (there were 2 versions of those too bucking and single, but single was the most widely used)

i'm doing a library of my basses on my 4 track, i'll pop up my BB5 sample for comparison, should be a day or so
 
#9
Abraham Laboriel's "Live in Switzerland" CD shows him playing a Yamaha bass. It looks like a BB series with jazz-style pickups.

His tone is terrific, of course, being Abe and all, but I believe the tone he's getting is similar to those Nathan East Youtube videos.

Can anyone confirm if he's playing the Nathan East sig. model or just some other BB model?
 
#10
darthplagis said:
yeah the earlier ones (including all/most BB range, mid 90's) had the soaps, they are according to yamaha designed to replicate a jazz bass tone, which they do quite nicely.

i'm doing a library of my basses on my 4 track, i'll pop up my BB5 sample for comparison, should be a day or so
Click to expand...

Darth, if the BB series is intended to replicate a jazz tone, what is the TRB series supposed to replicate?

Looking forward to those sound clips! Thanks!
 
#12
DLM, there were a few series of BB basses going from the 80's ones (like modern BB) and the ones like mine and the nathan east sig.

now in the range there were variations, a model called the BBN had jazz style pickups, so it could have been a one of those.

as for the replicating bit, i wasnt implying that BBs with soaps actually copy the tone off a jazz, rather that the pickups were designed to get a jazz bass pickup like tone. i can tell a BB bass (more so the non reissue ones) on a recording like people can tell a jazz or P.

here are some pics and a zip file with the mp2's in, all eq was set flat on basses(except the modded one has a little top end rolled off) with no effects or post recording fiddling just bass as stock (sorry about the rapidshare its the easiest way for me). the sparkle blue one is modified with a basslines MM pickup and a wilkinson P5 pickup, im gonna pop a new pre in it soon prob an east u retro.

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acidqueen.jpg


yammi.jpg

yep munji she's almost the same shade turquoise as nathan easts:D
 
#13
darthplagis said:
here are some pics and a zip file with the mp2's in, all eq was set flat on basses(except the modded one has a little top end rolled off) with no effects or post recording fiddling just bass as stock (sorry about the rapidshare its the easiest way for me). the sparkle blue one is modified with a basslines MM pickup and a wilkinson P5 pickup, im gonna pop a new pre in it soon prob an east u retro.
Click to expand...
Darth,

Thanks for the sound clip. It gives me a good indication of fingerstyle and slap with your stock Yammy. Would you say that the tone of that bass would be very similar to the BBNE2?
 
#14
I have a white Nathan East bass. It is a KILLER bass!! It has a LOT of flexibility tonally and is a joy to play and look at. The bass features neck through construction, 24 frets, ebony fingerboard, pearloid tuning keys, gold hardware, active JJ pickups, 3 band equalizer, and the black knob and switch which is the Nathan East parametric equalizer. The switch turns it on or off and the black knob dials in the frequency you want to accent, or remove.
Here are some pictures of mine.
DSC_0216.gif

DSC_0214.gif

DSC_0213.gif

DSC_0212.gif

DSC_0211.gif
 
#17
Christov, that is one killer bass!!

while the basic tone is very similar there are a few fundamental differences, like the neck through and bridge as well as the parametric eq. neck through and individual saddle bridge all work together to make clearer more focused notes with more subtle harmonic overtones (richer tone basically)

but on the whole the entire BB range (well the older ones anyway, the newer reissue ones sound very different, but not bad different) share a common tonal spectrum so if you cant afford a BBNE2 or a BB2005, maybe tracking down a BBG or BBN would be a way to go (i actually got my quilted maple top one from ebay for £150, and there isnt really a mark on her), you could also get the NE pre amp as an outboard unit for that sweet spot type eq.
 
#18
Thank you. I can't think of anything I DON'T like about this bass. I like a bass with active electronics, and LOVE a piano like tone. This bass has it in spades!! The only thing that I find takes me out of the ordinary is the output jack of the bass. It is mounted in an unusual manner. The tone is one that cuts through the mix and with the 3 band equalizer I can get whatever tone I am looking for easily. The neck is very comfortable, it is well balanced and it is a great player. Usually I am not one to buy a white bass period, but this one called out to me.... and I'm glad it did!!
 
#20
Munjibunga said:
Note thet Ritenour is using a Sadowsky guitar in that clip. Here's another clip with the same bass. East rules. I e-mailed him a couple years ago about that bass. I love the color and asked him if Yamaha makes the BBNE2 in that shade. His publicist wrote back, giving me the bad news: No, it's a custom for him, and one of his favorite basses.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_vwXGtjVDwM&mode=related&search=
Click to expand...

Sod the bass in Fourplay, that guitar solo is EPIC! :)

Man, those basses are SOOOO nice. I think I could afford one if I avoided food for a few months. Hmm.... :( *drools lots*
 

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