Double Bass YAMAHA EUB Megathread

[Phil Smith]

An 88 key keyboard case would work as well without taking off the neck.

 

[kento]

Any chance you, Kento, could give us close-up pictures of the detachment area and the screws and/or bolts? I'd love to get a consensus as to whether the configuration could stand up to multiple disassemblies and re-assemblies.

Sorry for getting you back late. To de-touch the neck, unscrew top 2 bolts on the first photo and the big bolt on 2nd photo. I got chance to travel internationally with SLB300 with me. I might going to take a photo or movie to disassemble the bass.



I purchased the 88-keys hard case but I sold it because it is too too big and I really don’t feel like to carry it around airport or subway. Also, they might refuge getting put it on as a baggage or charge for oversized a lot. 61-keys hard case is not gonna overcharge for my international flight. It is not very compact but not as bothering as 81-keys hardcase.

 

[El Thumpo]

Sorry for getting you back late. To de-touch the neck, unscrew top 2 bolts on the first photo and the big bolt on 2nd photo. I got chance to travel internationally with SLB300 with me. I might going to take a photo or movie to disassemble the bass.



I purchased the 88-keys hard case but I sold it because it is too too big and I really don’t feel like to carry it around airport or subway. Also, they might refuge getting put it on as a baggage or charge for oversized a lot. 61-keys hard case is not gonna overcharge for my international flight. It is not very compact but not as bothering as 81-keys hardcase.

Thanks, Kento, for taking the time to document this. It looks like you wouldn’t want to break it down on a regular basis, but the occasional disassembly should be too much of a problem.

I liked your busking clip, by the way. You should share more of your playing with us.

 

[kento]

Thanks, Kento, for taking the time to document this. It looks like you wouldn’t want to break it down on a regular basis, but the occasional disassembly should be too much of a problem.

I liked your busking clip, by the way. You should share more of your playing with us.

Haha sorry I’m super lazy. I just didn’t want to break it down when it doesn’t need.I attached it broke down. It takes 4 minutes to break down. 7-10 minutes to get it back. I put band on the strings not to come apart from pegs and tailpiece.

You can just put your clothes in the empty part of the case.

And glad you liked my clip! I just didn’t want to take my upright for busking because upright is just fragile. Also drunk people might hit the bass. As a lot of gigs has been cancelled, I’m playing SLB300 more than upright in front of people.

 

[kento]

I don’t take my playing that often but found little clip. It doesn’t feature the bass but hope you get some idea.

 

[Ronny Watson]

Haha sorry I’m super lazy. I just didn’t want to break it down when it doesn’t need.I attached it broke down. It takes 4 minutes to break down. 7-10 minutes to get it back. I put band on the strings not to come apart from pegs and tailpiece.

You can just put your clothes in the empty part of the case.

And glad you liked my clip! I just didn’t want to take my upright for busking because upright is just fragile. Also drunk people might hit the bass. As a lot of gigs has been cancelled, I’m playing SLB300 more than upright in front of people.

I have an SLB300 and the neck is certainly NOT designed to be detachable. I would imagine that you're assuming any warranty and/or repair risk by doing so. The stock case is long enough for the bass and the detachable end pin and everything fits inside. There's even a compartment in the case for a bow. You can see the case in the link below.

Hope this helps...

SLB300 and SLB300PRO Silent Bass - Yamaha USA

 

[Up and Away]

I have an SLB300 and the neck is certainly NOT designed to be detachable. I would imagine that you're assuming any warranty and/or repair risk by doing so. The stock case is long enough for the bass and the detachable end pin and everything fits inside. There's even a compartment in the case for a bow. You can see the case in the link below.

Hope this helps...

SLB300 and SLB300PRO Silent Bass - Yamaha USA

I have an SLB 200 and I agree the neck is not designed to be detached although obviously it can be removed by taking out the screws. It is like saying that bolt/screw on neck on an electric bass is detachable but of course it is not designed to be done except for adjustments or repairs.

 

[sas]

Question to those who have had the whole array of SLBs (100-300) in their hands:
if *silent* arco practice is the top priority, is the 100 still the one to go for, no resonance chamber and all? Thanks.

 

[hensonbass]

Ok guys .... this is all FYI and it's a real thing with this bass ... maybe I'll find an answer/solution here, maybe not, but here goes.

THIS BASS HISSES.

i'm talking you've recorded it, put 2-3 dB of GR on it with an LA3A plugin or something similar, and along with squishing the signal a bit .... there's the HISSSSSSSSSSS. (like 8k and up noise floor hissy hiss - ok when you "EQ it out", well .... now it just sounds like there's a LPF on it, like it's more underwater than it should be, plus i shouldn't have to be EQ'ing out any NOISE ARTIFACTS - neither hiss nor hum - from this brand new $4k instrument to begin with....).

I'm checking cables, using a different interface, checking EVERYTHING in and out of the box (i guarantee you nothing else is hissing here) .... nope, its the BASS. The $4k Yamaha SLB300.

Plug it into my Phil Jones BG400 - yep, it's there.

And now I'm thinking, oh, in addition to having to take it to my luthier for a bridge shave down (the action was stupid high out of the box), now I've got a bit of a lemon with the electronics too.

And then I re-watch Yamaha's OWN video on it, and LO AND BEHOLD!
right there at the TOP of the video .... LISTEN!!!



You can also catch another lovely hiss cameo at 5:20, and basically wherever it's soloed.

I know that i never caught that before on that vid ... I feel like i wrote it off as their specific signal chain, the amp, something to do with YT conversion quality ... just ANYTHING except for the actual $4k BASS!!!!!!

my $150 squier PJ has NO NOISE FLOOR.

Same with my fodera.

My upton with either rev solo or nadine ... nope, all clean recordings, NO HISS.

with this wavemap stuff did Yamaha assimilate the HISS into the "simulation"?!?! ***

^^(this is probably not the case because when I go to 100% piezo mix on the blend knob, the hiss is still present, which leads me to believe this hiss is in the actual friggin electronics like what?!~?!)

now here's the Kicker:

I LOVE THIS BASS.

yep.

since i had the bridge shaved down, love damn near everything about it.

guaranteed no feedback? check.

plays/feels WONDERFUL? check.

take it on vacation? check.

mic sims actually great/better than piezo? check.

it goes on and on ...

but, everywhere I go, I will bring this hiss, this noise floor.

UNACCEPTABLE.

TSK TSK Yamaha!!!!

I will be catapulting myself down this rabbit hole until further notice.

-DUTCH

I have owned my SLB 300 for over two years now. I experienced the hissing preamp issue as well and became dissatisfied with the overall tone that to my ear lacked punch, dynamics and more or less sounded out of phase.

Within the first year I was so disappointed that I was getting ready to sell the instrument because I couldn’t get a response from Yamaha headquarters to fix this issue. Out of curiosity I installed a spare David Gage Realist Lifeline pickup laying around in the bridge adjuster just to see what it would sound like. To my surprise it sounded so much better - I was really shocked. The Realist had way more clarity and punch that the factory pickup. The tone may not be as warm but it really sounded much better in the mix when playing live.

I decided to keep the Yamaha to use for the gigs where I don’t want to use a real upright bass. Ergonomically I love the SLB 300. I admit that the string height is an issue that will need to be addressed if I would like to have a lower action. I opted to switch to solo gauge strings for maximum flexibility and ease of playing. I recommend Thomastik Superflexible solo gauge.

I am curious if anyone else has installed a typical doublebass pickup in this bass?

 

[mooseonbass]

I had a Fishman BP-100 on my 100 for a while. It worked well.

 

[Hasty]

I searched the thread and didn't see a conclusive answer to this one so I thought I'd ask...

Has anyone tried guts on the SLB-200? Since I got the Tyrolean, I just don't play this bass like I used to so I thought it might be an interesting experiment. However if someone's already don't it and absolutely hated it then it could save me some time/frustration/money.

Thanks!

 

[SteveFromBerlin]

I searched the thread and didn't see a conclusive answer to this one so I thought I'd ask...

Has anyone tried guts on the SLB-200? Since I got the Tyrolean, I just don't play this bass like I used to so I thought it might be an interesting experiment. However if someone's already don't it and absolutely hated it then it could save me some time/frustration/money.

Thanks!

Funny you ask, I just put Gut-A-Like Swingmaster on mine yesterday and am in the process of tuning it a hundred times. I‘m really no expert on gut strings but I can provide a little before and after soundfile for you once the thing stays in tune again.

 

[Hasty]

Funny you ask, I just put Gut-A-Like Swingmaster on mine yesterday and am in the process of tuning it a hundred times. I‘m really no expert on gut strings but I can provide a little before and after soundfile for you once the thing stays in tune again.

Cool! Definitely let me know your thoughts. I’ve always wanted to try guys and this seems like the best Risk vs. Reward option out there for me since this isn’t my every day instrument. That would give me time to play with them and see what I think.

I’d love to see a before/after video too!

 

[AGCurry]

Has anyone tried guts on the SLB-200?

I acquired an SLB-100 a few months ago and have strung it with all guts. Whatever is true of guts on an acoustic double bass is true on this instrument. I will admit to preferring a bridge-wing-mounted piezo pickup to the Yamaha's integral pickup, regardless of strings.

 

[Hasty]

I acquired an SLB-100 a few months ago and have strung it with all guts. Whatever is true of guts on an acoustic double bass is true on this instrument. I will admit to preferring a bridge-wing-mounted piezo pickup to the Yamaha's integral pickup, regardless of strings.

I appreciate that info. I think I’ll give it a shot.

 

[SteveFromBerlin]

Hey you all, while reading through all of your shared experiences I find I'm really gassing for a Fishman Full Circle. I think I might give it a shot although I think the onboard sound is quite alright with a little help of EQing. Question: Which version would fit the Yamaha SLB200, the 1/4-20 or the 6X 1mm? I don't want to order the wrong one.

 

[Hasty]

I acquired an SLB-100 a few months ago and have strung it with all guts. Whatever is true of guts on an acoustic double bass is true on this instrument. I will admit to preferring a bridge-wing-mounted piezo pickup to the Yamaha's integral pickup, regardless of strings.

Great... now I'm neck deep into this rabbit hole of gut string videos on YouTube and now I want to put guts on all my basses. sigh... rolling through strings on a DB is not nearly as cost effective as it is on the electric.

 

[AGCurry]

sigh... rolling through strings on a DB is not nearly as cost effective as it is on the electric.

Cost effective? I don't think any of it is cost effective, even on bass guitar! I've never been paid more because of the strings I use...

 

[Hasty]

Cost effective? I don't think any of it is cost effective, even on bass guitar! I've never been paid more because of the strings I use...

Valid... I think I spelled "cheaper to experiment with" incorrectly.

 

[Doublebasstim]

Is $3000.00 a good price for a SLB?