Is this Genuine - Yamaha BB N414

[Grangur]

Hello, I know this is question is normally the preserve of Fender Vs Pretender, but I was in the search of a project and went to look at this last night:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/yamaha-bass-bb-n411-vintage-bass-guitar/1114042338

Yes, I knew it's scuffed and abused, but I was expecting to strip the body, expose the Alder wood and oil it and, hey-presto!, nice bass.

But, what got put into my hands was amazingly light-weight and the body was clearly some sort of MDF body painted with mud-brown paint and an insult to the name "Yamaha" IMHO.

What does the committee here think? Is it the real deal?

Needless to say, it's still up for sale as far as I know.

[AndyTravis]

Yeah, that's genuine.

[ezbass]

To get those contours bang on and the truss rod adjust pocket right, combined with the colour says genuine. But MDF? Yamaha were always advocates of solid wood in their guitar adverts, demonstrating how they didn't even use ply (unlike Squier at the time). I can't say one way or the other; I'm conflicted.

[Grangur]

Looking at the back I could see wood-grain-like lines, through the paint. Yet where the body was scratched and graunched up there was no sign of wood grain whiskers, it was all mush; like scuffed up MDF.

[gary mac]

Think I would have risked it for £60 Rich.

Maybe it's just a lightweight, not very grainy wood, rather than MDF.

I'm guessing, if it wasn't to your liking, you could pretty much get your dosh back if you had to break it and sell the parts.

[AndyTravis]

The bb's were alder in this guise, that brown finish was a thin satin jobbie.

Alder can be very plain.

[LukeFRC]

I had a japanese BB300 at one point. Nice bass but picked it up in a trade deal and sold it on.
The fella who bought it intended to strip the body down and refinish it, and when he did found some kinda butchers block type wood. Not a bad bass at all but not solid wood. (if that matters)

[AndyTravis]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1430680070' post='2763670']
I had a japanese BB300 at one point. Nice bass but picked it up in a trade deal and sold it on.
The fella who bought it intended to strip the body down and refinish it, and when he did found some kinda butchers block type wood. Not a bad bass at all but not solid wood. (if that matters)
[/quote]

The BB300's were much earlier than this. This is about 1997-2000