Yamaha BB series - talk me through them please!

[Paul S]

As per title. I have never even picked one up, let alone played one, slightly put off by the Killer whale fin top horn. But I saw one being played on stage a couple of nights ago (Tony Hadley band's bassist, who is pretty good) and it sounded awesome.

They get a lot of love on here and are the basses of choice of some big names so, please BB afficionados - what is the deal? What is the difference between the various model numbers? Which are the best - models or years? Are any lightweight with thin necks? Best deals to be had etc?

Ta!

[Lozz196]

I`ve only used/had one Paul, the BB1100s. P/J pickups with active/passive option, actives being bass/mids/treble. Nice playing neck, can`t remember as was a while ago but think was Precision profile but not too deep. Good basses, must have done 500+ gigs on mine with no backup and never let me down despite some pretty amateurish care/handling back then from me.

[tonyxtiger]

I had a 2024x which was the best passive PJ bass I ever owned. Beat all the vintage fenders/gibsons I had owned previously. Bombproof build and great to play. I can highly recommend them.

[Truckstop]

Current range includes the BB424, the BB1024 and the BB2024.

400 range is the cheapest, 1000 range in the middle with a few improvements in hardware and electronics and the 2000 range top dollar and competes with CS Fenders, Sadowsky etc.

'x' suffix denotes pickguard. 5 strings have a '5' at the end instead of a '4'. Modern range all passive.

The best BB's are from the 80's I'd say. Just because everyone knows that vintage basses are better than new ones(!)

They're all just so good! Comfy body shape, excellent build quality, best components and a terrific super-P tone all for less than a Fender. I'd certainly never bother with a Fender again when I know that the definitive P is made by Yamaha!

Truckstop

Edited October 20, 2014 by Truckstop

[stingrayPete1977]

The best bass for build quality I've ever seen was a yamaha BBNE5,the black paint looked almost wet, stunning bass.

[3below]

BB300 - 1980s I guess. P type single pickup, it is comparable with the 1977 P I owned. Way cheaper than that bass is now. Big body, big neck

[Sean]

They're not for everyone.

[Sean]

Depreciation is huge.

[twentyhertz]

I'm a big fan of the BB Jazz Bass style basses. I guess you can trace a kind of lineage from the BB350, to the BBN4 to the BB404, but after that they seemed to vanish.

BB-350 that I very nearly bought off Gumtree a wee while back:



And this wee family album picture shows my BB404 from 2003 (far left, natural finish), and my BBN4-II from sometime before then (second from left, walnut finish).



The BB404 has always been my favourite bass, it's got a really lovely slim neck on it, and the pickups sound great too. Never really found any evidence of Yamaha jazzy basses after the BB404 (with the exception of the Nathan East basses), which is kinda sad, that was round about the time they resurrected the "classic" precision-style BB. Always fancied trying out one of the newer ones, but heard the necks were a bit fat, which I'm not a huge fan of.

[ead]

I've had a couple of BBN5s, nice basses, well put together I think.

[attachment=174345:BBN5 06.JPG] [attachment=174346:Yamaha BBN5 01.JPG]

[attachment=174347:BBN5 07.JPG] [attachment=174348:Yamaha BBN5 02.JPG]

[twentyhertz]

Holy crap. Just found this thing while I was googling various Yamaha BB Basses, I MUST HAVE IT. Arrrrrgggghhhh.

[ead]

I've alway been curious about the BB1500A basses, they seem to tick a lot of boxes in the Super Jazz category.

[jassbass]

I want one

[stu_g]

having sold most of my precisions i can get enough BB's now!heres my 3 BB614 BB424x BB1000S

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1413829189' post='2582511']


The best BB's are from the 80's I'd say. Just because everyone knows that vintage basses are better than new ones(!)


[/quote] how about my 70s one? They any good? ;-)

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='twentyhertz' timestamp='1413840507' post='2582732']
Holy crap. Just found this thing while I was googling various Yamaha BB Basses, I MUST HAVE IT. Arrrrrgggghhhh.


[/quote]

I had one of these. Stunning tones

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I bought a 424X to fill a 'versatile workhorse' role. I was so impressed I bought another one. I'm continually amazed at rehearsal how good these basses sound and play.
I did consider going for the more expensive 1024 option at some point but if I'm honest there's nothing about the 424 that leaves me wanting. And if anything, I find the 424 does a more convincing impression of a P bass than it's posher sisters.

[brensabre79]

Had a 424x, couldn't fault it. Amazing for the money really.
But couldn't love it either. It had no character.

[Paul S]

Thanks for all that. Most interesting. I think it is the P/J ones that appeal most.

Are they heavy, as a rule? The 424X seems to have a slim neck in pictures, but I can't find any specs anywhere. How wide?

[Stylon Pilson]

I've got a BBG4S2 from the late '90s. Similar in appearance to the BB-350 that twentyhertz posted a photo of up above, but with soapbar pickups, active electronics and 4 knobs (volume, pickup blend, bass cut/boost, treble cut/boost). Very light (3.6kg) and a fairly slender neck too.

S.P.

[sykilz]

I have a BB414,the forerunner if you like of the BB424, the neck is about 38mm, but feels a little bit wider than my jazz for some reason,maybe it widens out more, not as deep though. Weight was bang on 4 kg as standard, but was a nit neck heavy, so put some Hipshot ultralites on which saved a bit of weight. Sounds incredible, massive, quite " dark" , hope this helps.

[twentyhertz]

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1413910261' post='2583507']
I've got a BBG4S2 from the late '90s. Similar in appearance to the BB-350 that twentyhertz posted a photo of up above, but with soapbar pickups, active electronics and 4 knobs (volume, pickup blend, bass cut/boost, treble cut/boost). Very light (3.6kg) and a fairly slender neck too.

S.P.
[/quote]

A guy I used to know had a BBG 5 of some sort, had a flame maple top with active electronics and Jazz-style pickups. Pictured here:



There was also the BBN 4 III, which looked like the BBN 4 II with soapbars (not sure about the electronics, but I'd assume active?)



There was also the BB604, which I remember being the "deluxe" version of the BB404, with the same body & neck but with gold hardware and active electronics:

[BanditSid]

I had a BB1100S for quite a few years, played a lot of gigs on it and it was a great bass, wide range of sounds available from it. I sold it due to a "too many basses" comment from the wife, wish I'd kept it now, definitely a collectable now that will be more so in the future.

[uncle psychosis]

I've got a BB414, the neck on it is fantastic. I think the pickup heights on mine need a good tweak (the balance across the two pickups isn't quite right) but I've never bothered because I bought it as a backup bass and so it spends 95% of its time in the wardrobe.

For the £150-ish they cost second hand they are incredible instruments. Would happily gig and record with it. I imagine that the older Japanese ones and the higher end modern ones are even more impressive.

[barkin]

I *think* the 41x's have a different (slightly slimmer) neck to the other current models - 42x/102x/202x

I've recently picked up a 1024, and I love it - a rock monster!