Yamaha has unveiled the Peter Hook Signature BBPH bass. A limited edition four-string, Hooky's new bass takes inspiration from the Joy Division and New Order icon's favourite BB1200S model and his BB734A touring bass.
The BBPH offers a stripped-down format that is built to complement Hooky's distinctive playing style. Instead of the neck-through construction featured on his original BB1200S, the BBPH's five-piece maple/mahogany neck has a six-bolt miter neck join affixing it to a three piece alder/maple/alder sandwich body.
The BB1200S red finish on the body and matching headstock is retained, as is the reverse split-coil pickup format. Here we have a VSP7ns pickup with a switchable active/passive electronics, with a 3-band EQ in active mode and a master tone control for the passive voicing.
On the rear of the headstock, you've got Hook's signature and “Manchester, England!” The colour is taken from his number one BB1200. Elsewhere, you've got a Rosewood fingerboard with a 10" radius and 21 medium frets, a 34" scale, a Vintage Plus bridge and lightweight open-gear tuners.
Hook's relationship with Yamaha dates back to when his Gibson EB-0 got stolen in the US and he needed a replacement. The EB-0 was no great loss; it would never stay in tune.
”I went to Manny’s on 48th Street and the only thing that was any good was their Yamaha BB600,” Hook told MusicRadar last year, when he revealed the BBPH was on its way after his son, the Smashing Pumpkins touring bassist Jack Bates, told Yamaha that Hook had played the same Yamaha basses for 39 years.
”It felt perfect,” said Hooky. ”I traded in for the 1000 and after that the 1200, which had a straight-through neck and two non-active pickups. I’ve tried every other guitar in the world, but they just don’t do anything for me.”
Hook now owns seven BS1200S. But chances are this BBPH is his favourite now.
“It’s such a compliment to be recognized for what you’ve done and to have it come full circle and culminate with my own signature bass – made to my specs and to satisfy my playing – is such an honor, and I’m very happy with it,” he said Hook. “I’m very proud to have worked with Yamaha to develop the BBPH and I think it's one of the best guitars in the world if I do say so myself!”
“Peter Hook is a trailblazer among bassists in rock music,” said Arthur Morin, marketing manager, guitars, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Given Peter’s storied history with the Yamaha BB bass. We believe it’s high time we fashioned a signature model to suit his signature sound.“
Hear, hear! Now, if you want one, you'll need to be quick. Only 14 units are available in the US, priced $2,000, with no word yet on an international release – though don't rule out some making their way to Europe.
See Yamaha for more details.
