The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: ilan on March 27, 2024, 05:23:06 AM

Title: Samurai, at last
Post by: ilan on March 27, 2024, 05:23:06 AM: Just bought this yesterday from a friend who got it off eBay two months ago (https://www.ebay.com/itm/266636584511), but now has a better use for the money towards a vintage Fender Rhoads. So, meet my new c.1966-68 Yamaha SB-5A "Samurai bass" in pearl white.

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/10gAAOSwR-5ls9kw/s-l1600.jpg)
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Basvarken on March 27, 2024, 06:52:11 AM: Nice score! Congrats
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Pilgrim on March 27, 2024, 09:15:23 AM: Very classy!
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: morrow on March 27, 2024, 10:49:43 AM: You got an original! I have a yellow reissue , they’re 34 instead of 32.

A friend described them to me as being like a Jazz bass on steroids. And they are. I think of them as a Japanese surf bass. I like mine a lot. They’re also kind of shaped like an upside down Ric. But the body is much rounder. Congratulations … they are fun things.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Dave W on March 27, 2024, 04:07:27 PM: Nice! And better than a Fender Rhodes.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: morrow on March 28, 2024, 05:00:55 AM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwoWo4ChYuQ
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: gearHed289 on March 28, 2024, 07:31:42 AM: Nice score! Looks great.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Pilgrim on March 28, 2024, 12:57:52 PM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POAB22PmHbY
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Chris P. on March 28, 2024, 04:12:24 PM: Super cool! I used to have a sunburst one. A small bass!
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: amptech on April 03, 2024, 02:53:58 AM: Soooo nice. And White! Always wanted one, this doesn't help ;D
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: BTL on April 03, 2024, 05:48:39 AM: Congrats, those always looked like fun!
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: morrow on April 25, 2024, 05:22:33 AM: (https://i.postimg.cc/cLvKcLDh/IMG-0263.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

A blue reissue Samurai recently popped up on our local kijiji , initially asking a market price. Nobody moved on it. Yesterday it went to our L&M , the big music retailer in Canada , and a friend there called to say one was in and was set aside in case I wanted it. Very good price.
I couldn’t resist , and am very grateful that I came to mind when it came in. I’ll pick it up this morning.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: ilan on April 25, 2024, 10:38:06 AM: Nice! Any neck dive? Mine is a 1967, medium scale, I wouldn't call it a neck diver but it's not perfectly balanced so I'm using a counterweight at the body end. Yours is a long scale.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: morrow on April 25, 2024, 11:59:52 AM: (https://i.postimg.cc/52SV7p0q/IMG-0271.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

Mine are 34 in scale , the reissue made in Singapore. I just put on a strap and raised both arms above my head , it’s perfectly balanced. I have Thomastik flats on the yellow one , the blue has some older rounds , I’m liking how they sound. The blue one is in surprising shape , one tiny ding on the headstock , and one more by the output jack. I’ve been playing around with the setup. It’s feeling really good.
I’m feeling very thankful that my name came up when it arrived in the shop. It did not make it to the floor. They just set it aside with my name on it.
These are mid weight , slightly on the lighter side. The necks are comfortable , they’re well balanced similar to a Jazz bass , maybe slightly more aggressive. They are fine basses. Fender style bridges , easy and fast to set up. They sound good. I like ‘em despite mostly playing short scale basses these days.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Dave W on April 25, 2024, 10:11:24 PM: Congrats! I love that blue.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: ilan on April 26, 2024, 05:24:42 AM: Quote from: morrow on April 25, 2024, 11:59:52 AM
Mine are 34 in scale [...] it’s perfectly balanced.

I think I figured out how this is possible. The vintage SB-5A (medium scale) has a total length of 115.5 cm, that's 1 cm LONGER than the 114.5 cm SBV500 with its long scale neck. For the new models the moved the bridge back, and the result is a better balanced bass with a 34" scale length. Win-win. That's good design.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: morrow on April 26, 2024, 06:52:11 AM: I find they look similar to an upside down Rickenbacker.

Not such a bad thing in my opinion. I tend to prefer short scale basses these days , but I do play these Samurai. And the Rics.
Title: Re: Samurai, at last
Post by: Pilgrim on April 26, 2024, 12:15:40 PM: Agreed, that blue is lovely. The right shade of blue is a color which has led me to make some interesting and possibly ill-considered purchases.

On a skillet-hot 4th of July about 1995, I spotted an '85 Chevy short box pickup on a used car lot in Austin, TX. It was one of those shades of blue.

Getting it out of town required a new battery, an alternator, and a few miles down the road, a fuel pump. Most things in life are more enjoyable than replacing the fuel pump on a hot Chevy 305 V8 while working in a couple of inches of dust by the side of a Texas road in 100 degree heat.

It wasn't until i drove it a few days that I learned it need a transmission rebuild. The rest was chump change that I did myself, but that one was done by a local shop. That pickup ended up being more expensive than I expected.

But it was blue, beautifully blue. And fortunately it ran great after the tranny was sorted out.