The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[AndyTravis]

It’s going well. If one arrives, mysteriously...she already knows....

[GreeneKing]

I got mine from Kenny’s Music. One thing, the sandwich alder/maple/alder body construction. Is that normal BB practice? It certainly will add rigidity to the neck/body/bridge structure in lieu of a neck through construction. 
 

[AndyTravis]

9 minutes ago, GreeneKing said:

I got mine from Kenny’s Music. One thing, the sandwich alder/maple/alder body construction. Is that normal BB practice? It certainly will add rigidity to the neck/body/bridge structure in lieu of a neck through construction. 
 

Not that I know of. Might be on the bb1200, but I didn’t think it was. Maybe @hookys6stringbass can help?

Edited December 5, 2020 by AndyTravis

[Lozz196]

There’s an ex-display 735a at Bassdirect for £619, looks pretty decent.

[MM Stingray 62]

Alder/Maple/Alder Body Construction 

The new BB features an Alder/Maple/Alder multi-laminated body construction. The hard maple center increases body stiffness and accentuates midrange to cut through the mix of a band, and allows a more uniform transmission of vibrations between the body and the maple neck for unparalleled resonance and sustain. (BB Pro, BB700 Series)

[LukeFRC]

33 minutes ago, GreeneKing said:

I got mine from Kenny’s Music. One thing, the sandwich alder/maple/alder body construction. Is that normal BB practice? It certainly will add rigidity to the neck/body/bridge structure in lieu of a neck through construction. 
 

The first year of producing BB1200 that I had had a two piece sandwich body - so it was standard Yamaha construction for a while 

[AndyTravis]

17 minutes ago, marleaux62 said:

Alder/Maple/Alder Body Construction 

The new BB features an Alder/Maple/Alder multi-laminated body construction. The hard maple center increases body stiffness and accentuates midrange to cut through the mix of a band, and allows a more uniform transmission of vibrations between the body and the maple neck for unparalleled resonance and sustain. (BB Pro, BB700 Series)

Didn’t realise the new ones were made that way. Looks cool.

[bagsieblue]

3 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

No. It’s staying, it’s a very very lovely thing.

Do we need to talk about a new home for the Spector?!

[AndyTravis]

6 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Do we need to talk about a new home for the Spector?!

No. It’s staying, it’s a very very lovely thing.

[Maude]

4 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

Do we need to talk about a new home for the Sadowsky?!

 

3 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

No. It’s staying, it’s a very very lovely thing.

 

13 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Do we need to talk about a new home for the Spector?!

 

6 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

No. It’s staying, it’s a very very lovely thing.

Do we need to talk about a new home for Hooky BB in six months time? 

[AndyTravis]

2 minutes ago, Maude said:

 

 

 

Do we need to talk about a new home for Hooky BB in six months time? 

No...it’s not here yet...it’s going to be a very very lovely thing.

[LukeFRC]

21 minutes ago, bagsieblue said:

Do we need to talk about a new home for the Spector?!

I think he will be ok with all three, it will be the one after that will prompt the rehoming

[AndyTravis]

4 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

I think he will be ok with all three, it will be the one after that will prompt the rehoming

I’m still here...you don’t have to talk about me like I’ve left the room 🤨😂

[LukeFRC]

1 minute ago, AndyTravis said:

I’m still here...you don’t have to talk about me like I’ve left the room 🤨😂

So what’s next on the GAS list after the BB then? 

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, Maude said:

Do we need to talk about a new home for Hooky BB in six months time? 

Actually, joshing aside, gonna be interesting if these do come for sale used in 6 months or so time. My guess is they won't as the folks buying them seem to be a pretty discerning lot. And if they do come up I suspect they will get snapped up like hot cakes. 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Al Krow

[AndyTravis]

7 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

So what’s next on the GAS list after the BB then? 

A Wal. But that involves lottery wins...

[LukeFRC]

1 minute ago, AndyTravis said:

A Wal. But that involves lottery wins...

Hmm do you like ACG as a slightly more budget friendly alternative? 

[Al Krow]

There were a couple of chaps moaning on fBook Bassplayers' market place that they'd been waiting for a couple of years for a used BB NE2 to turn up, although we've had a few on BC. And I suspect some of the high end out of production basses eg TRB 5Pii and BB5000A are even rarer. 

[AndyTravis]

Just now, LukeFRC said:

Hmm do you like ACG as a slightly more budget friendly alternative? 

I appreciate the stuff they do but I’m in love with mk1 Wal basses

[Al Krow]

Just now, AndyTravis said:

I appreciate the stuff they do but I’m in love with mk1 Wal basses

There's one in the FS right now. 

Are you sure you need both kidneys?

[LukeFRC]

5 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Actually, joshing aside, gonna be interesting if these do come for sale used in 6 months or so time. My guess is they won't as the folks buying them seem to be a pretty discerning lot. And if they do come up I suspect they will get snapped up like hot cakes. 

I think the interesting thing will be how well they do live. The problem I think the BB range have is they are the best instruments at their price point , whatever the price point - hidden behind a indeterminate selection of numbers and sometimes a letter or two. But I don’t know what they do- they sometimes look like essentially a PJ - but you rarely hear them described that way or compared to the myriad of Fender and fender style basses. So if they are not a fender style bass what are they? 
this model though is different - I kinda know how it will sound as I can  Listen to peter hook. And I bet it’s way more versatile than that - mentally I can pigeon hole it’s sound. 
if ppl keep hold of them is a different question that I set off to respond to but ended up typing something else! 

[Al Krow]

Good post Luke. Picking up on a couple of your points:

3 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

The problem I think the BB range have is they are the best instruments at their price point , whatever the price point 

Really like that description! "the best instruments at their price point, whatever the price point" 

Btw I suspect Yammy wouldn't consider that to be a "problem." 😁

[Al Krow]

5 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

... they sometimes look like essentially a PJ  - but you rarely hear them described that way

That just gets a "really?"

[Al Krow]

6 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

rarely hear them described that way or compared to the myriad of Fender and fender style basses. 

Absolutely. They have carved out their own personality and aren't your average Fender clone.

But then neither is Spector nor a Ken Smith nor a Status nor a Rickenbacker, nor an Alembic nor a Wal...

That's a good thing right?

[LukeFRC]

3 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Absolutely. They have carved out their own personality and aren't your average Fender clone.

But then neither is Spector nor a Ken Smith nor a Status nor a Rickenbacker, nor an Alembic nor a Wal...

That's a good thing right?

I dunno. I struggle with how to place them in terms of knowing what “signature sound” I’m supposed to be getting.

I had a 77 or 78 BB1200 once - closest thing I had played like it was an alembic crossed with someone who had seen a sketch of a P bass a year previously.