Yamaha BB414

(Originally written by twister95/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
- I own the lefty version... So it's available for lefties, which is already great.

- Very nice rock'n'roll design.

UTILIZATION

- Very pleasant neck.

- Wide neck and bridge that provide a large spacing between strings, very convenient for popping and slapping.

- The first models have only two controls.

- Not too heavy, comfortable, very good value for money.

SOUNDS

- Pretty versatile

- Passive

- This bass is very surprising considering its price. The sound is very versatile with a good amp. I've played lots of bass guitars (e.g. Fender Jazz Bass) and this instrument is very good considering its price.

OVERALL OPINION

Good instrument with good value for money. Quite good sound and high-playing comfort. Of course, you can't compare it with much more expensive instruments.

Made in??
In any case, the violin is neat.
Alder body (in 3 parts on mine)
Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard
21 frets
Entirely passive
A micro bridge position type JB - A micro center position type PB
knob a volume - A knob tone
A 3-position selector
Classic easel type PB and JB

UTILIZATION

Nice handle, dimensions ranging between Precision and Jazz Bass
The frets are well posed. On mine I set the action to be three millimeters between the strings and the twenty-first fret, that I find comfortable setting with a pulling rope light or medium light. No frieze and glides hooked. Body-neck junction is rounded, not square thus facilitating access and play in the treble (where I'll never).
Despite its wide hips and rounded it is not too heavy, I'd say she has a normal weight compared to my other basses (five strings).

SOUNDS

On a proper amp you can easily find a good sound. I plug a head MarkBass Little Mark 2 connected to a HP of the same brand, the 121 H. I have plugged into a Ampeg combo to a buddy or used in a home studio, the sound is quite correct (set fingers or slap)
In short, the micro PB does a good job, he gives warm round bass keeping a good definition, micro JBest him much worse and does not beautiful mediums, which lack a little in the sound track of this bass.
When I play, using the selector, I use either the microphone PB or the mix between the two microphones, micro JB never alone. knob volume way down (normal) and bottom tone or three-quarters, the wear and snapping strings. These simple adjustments that allow for a sound that goes everywhere and support in different styles (mainly blues-rock for me)

OVERALL OPINION

I bought this bass a year ago and a half. No more than playing the five-string, I wanted to return four strings provided that it does not come back to me and not too expensive just to play a few songs.
I found the BB used for 220 euros, very good quality / price ratio.
To put this low, I would say it is well worth the Squier Vintage Modified series that I had the opportunity to try (JB and PB)
Yamaha is very enjoyable to play with a nice look (I think)
I think it is not suitable for metal (though ..) or music that sounds require more specific.
Given the budget I had I think I made a good choice

Made in Japan, it has 21frets, 2micros, 1micro JazzBass 1micro and Precision.
Bridge?
knob volume knob tone, micro 3positions selector (low, mid, treble).
Handle solid alder.

UTILIZATION

The handle is very comfortable, well balanced, the game is easy. Access to acute is easy. The instrument settings are fast and efficient. We pass easily from snoring very funky sound to a more round, stifled, reggae type.

SOUNDS

The sound of this bass are perfect for my favorite style of music: funk, jazz-funk, a snoring sound, warm, 70's.
With a budget of € 500, I could start with this great bass and an amp (chamber) Behringer Thunderbird BX108 (http://www.behringer.com/BX108/index.cfm?lang=FRE). And when I'm in the studio, the amp is around 100 watts and the power of the Yamaha suffers. No need to push the volume knob thoroughly as it has under the foot. Even high level, the finesse is required. Balance low / medium / high.
The sound that I like is Péchu fairly oriented mediums in order to rhythmic snoring and the higher notes are very present. Sound funky greasy like Paul Jackson of the Headhunters, it is adjusted by positioning the selector on the medium, knob tone to 7 / 10 and play on the strings between the bridge and the microphone.
There is no sound that I hate, a bass is a bass, we like it or hate it. The sound that I find interesting, is that the bass too serious and stuffy, with no real soul, played on the mediator, the following letter to the guitar melody. Genre, its use in the rock base bothers me a bit. Let's say I did not find, I like when his snoring, it is malicious, that groove.

OVERALL OPINION

This bass is really excellent. A quality / price ratio unmatched in my opinion so the instrument is great. It's been 6 months I use it daily. What I like most about it is that playing it one feels transported to the 70's, as the grain is snoring and groovy .
Before buying it, I wanted to buy a bass that sounds like Paul Jackson of the Headhunters (medium) or as Jaco Pastorius (acute). The sound of a Fender Jazz Bass. I was naturally directed towards a Squier Jazz Bass, my budget is not very high. After 3 minutes of testing the Squier, the salesman took me out the Yamaha and there was a huge surprise. There is no photo. While the noise level of the ceiling Squier fast enough and there is no real power, the Yamaha was still under the foot. The sound is really warm and passive death. It is lightweight and super comfortable to play, its look is very stylish (mine is colored Red Wine), the mechanical vintage fit well with the body and the head of the bass.

I think it can suit any type of player as its quality is high. Frankly, I'm curious to know what a Bootsy Collins would say this bass.

If it again without hesitation eyes closed. If you are looking for a cheap bass with his warm and groovy, heavy and not very comfortable to play> Yamaha BB 414! Forget the Squier is downright abused compared to Yamaha.
With a set of Elixir strings, the tassel!

Low manufactures I know or (at least it's not in the States, it was on) with 21 frets Finnie not too bad. I find the handle quite comfortable for beginners, there is no contest when compared to some model could be used to propose to beginners (like Storm of crap with a capital D).
The passive pickups (a precision and a single) is for me a weakness of this bass (see below); config with a selector knob and pi 3POS gnral volume and one for the bass / acute.
I found him a look pretty cool (black with dark red DGRAD), but there is still a prs thing that cloth it seems that the bass is too large it's pretty weird.
I think the mcaniques are oil bath and a good quality, I know not my easel so jpeu not tell if it is zero or correct, inall cases he did not pos of problem for time.

Small changes in the 20/10/07:
Finally the bridge is rsolument moldy home if the string is too strongly attack the bridge transmits a kind of grsillement / shake well boring, but the ds amp is played hard enough that his only disagreement. But if you play a low volume it s'avre be particularly Gnant.
The mache is actually not that comfortable as a. .. see later.

UTILIZATION

The handle is quite nice and comfortable there was no problem ptite my lady. Good Access in acute (must admit that the low profile REALLY is not unique, it is inspired by the precision and the Yamaha has relouqu) can do just all prs solos they want it.
I think the set is quite heavy for a four-string bass but compared to some it is nothing. The instrument has an old-fashioned tendency to tilt the DS orizontal you want to play it up for little things like a pump that will live, too bad everything is not just better balance.
To get a good sound just play only with micro precision.

modif of 20/10/07:
The handle, pretty consistent and impressive, is at the opposite ends of the sleeves trs ibanez is even quite the opposite. Moreover, to play fast games he s'avre tiring for the left hand, especially if you play standing up. In addition the quality of the frets on this bass left to desire

SOUNDS

It finally arrives. The microphone is so simple crap (the total: no roundness and serious, the sound remains trs imprcise and is reminiscent of the sounds "chemical" a shitty guitar amp playing with saturated grsillements continuous. In short, a micro cardboard.) that there is no way to play with, even in between. So we play only with the precision, that sounds good (although there is much better now) but has a much more elongated than the precision of a Fender for example, which made it difficult to trs play games in quick fingers (when you put his thumb on the cot of the microphone) the strings are too strong attacks against the acute ... But I think that Yen arrive not too bad (especially standing). He leaves it all sound a rather versatile (just rgler treble / bass) good for slap, jazz, rock ... What bass sound.
To boost the bass I use a 7-band galizeur because I played with a stew beginners (Hartke B 300, if you DSOL May Tiez fan I think this amp is quite crappy ... but not expensive). With its Line6 LowDown of getting better.
IDAL is to change the pickups, I have just changed simply by DeArmond and I am satisfied, even if I play this bass more than now.

OVERALL OPINION

Used for 5 years, although for dbutans but not for those who want more sounds comestibles.J 'had tried a Squier of the same style (I know the name of the MODEL dsl) and the Yamaha sounded 2X hard with the same rglages on the amp. But I would not make this choice today, as I have in stock given a low DeArmond Sarfire too good, cash and half hot. Jpense that Yamaha has a good quality price, shame about the pickups!