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Yamaha Samurai?
- Thread starter Tubakid09
- Start date
search this site for "yamaha SBV"...that one is a reissue, looks like a nice deal also (assuming you like it)
Yup, I tested it, about 7 or 8 years ago.
But here in Belgium it wasn't called the Samurai, here it was called the EBV (there was also a guitar version called EGV, like you also have RBX bass and RGX guitar)...
Do a search on Yamaha EBV.
I regret buying it back then, since it was affordable and had a great tone.
I'm not good at describing tone, but I'll give it a shot.
Start from a nominal J-Bass sound...
take away some of the crunch from it,
you'll end up with a slightly rounder tone.
If you play fingerstyle with only the flesh of your fingertips you get a punchy tone. I would say: funk.
So rather funky tone that would also fit in any rock music.
I liked this bass.
The body style had good things and bad things.
I thought it played a lot better sitting down standing up.
I hang my bass very low, not to look cool, but the bass on the tummy or the chest hurts my right forearm muscles after a while. This would be great if you hang your bass high.
Although it is lighter than a common Jazz bass, it has a more neckdive. But for me that was never an issue, neckdive. Some bassist like me never encountered neck dive.
Suprisingly, on the hands it was very comfortable.
I could reach every fret in the high register. (Although my fingers are rather long.
But it played and sounded very nice for the price.
Low end is kinda like a jazz bass.
If I'd see that here locally for sale, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Serious.
For 200$ it's a good deal,.... but it is a rather special bass, you love it or you hate it. Try it out to see if it is your cup of tea.
But here in Belgium it wasn't called the Samurai, here it was called the EBV (there was also a guitar version called EGV, like you also have RBX bass and RGX guitar)...
Do a search on Yamaha EBV.
I regret buying it back then, since it was affordable and had a great tone.
I'm not good at describing tone, but I'll give it a shot.
Start from a nominal J-Bass sound...
take away some of the crunch from it,
you'll end up with a slightly rounder tone.
If you play fingerstyle with only the flesh of your fingertips you get a punchy tone. I would say: funk.
So rather funky tone that would also fit in any rock music.
I liked this bass.
The body style had good things and bad things.
I thought it played a lot better sitting down standing up.
I hang my bass very low, not to look cool, but the bass on the tummy or the chest hurts my right forearm muscles after a while. This would be great if you hang your bass high.
Although it is lighter than a common Jazz bass, it has a more neckdive. But for me that was never an issue, neckdive. Some bassist like me never encountered neck dive.
Suprisingly, on the hands it was very comfortable.
I could reach every fret in the high register. (Although my fingers are rather long.
But it played and sounded very nice for the price.
Low end is kinda like a jazz bass.
If I'd see that here locally for sale, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Serious.
For 200$ it's a good deal,.... but it is a rather special bass, you love it or you hate it. Try it out to see if it is your cup of tea.
That is called SBV here in Japan. It is patterned after the original 1967-1971 model shown below. It has fat, bulky neck like a P-bass. My friend has it and it produces very deep sound with less highs. Its like a P-bass with the pickup located nearer the neck.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I found the neck was smaller than my Squier Affinity P at the time and the C-shape was rounder. Good grip on the neck. But then again it was long ago and I could be wrong.
I felt it was more playable than a P-bass.
I agree with the sound you describe.
