The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[LukeFRC]

47 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

The only genuine “lawsuit” was Gibson vs Ibanez on a headstock copy. Possibly Tokai too on the fenders...but fender just had that factory make some guitars for them (I think I read somewhere)

The “lawsuit era” is a bit of a misnomer really.

And people shove it on listings to add some sort of magic...

Copying tried and tested designs saved on expensive r&d I guess.

As far as I remember It was The Greco Brand made by Fujigen that became where Fender Japan was made - not Tokai . 

[pete.young]

4 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

There’s a Yamaha bb800 on gumtree , I’ve never seen one of those before, it’s a bit like a Yamaha P bass 

I've got one. Excellent bass with the 'P' pickup in reverse orientation. I got mine second hand in 1979. How much is the one on Gumtree?

My one is black , but there was also a somewhat less desirable brown colour.

[LukeFRC]

But agree with you 100% on everything else - I think sometimes ppl want a predictable fender style instrument - whether Greco, Tokai or Sadowsky - Yamaha are a wee bit different but even then a few pages back someone was saying they had made on of the series more fender like and some have the P pup fender way around...

[Reggaebass]

10 minutes ago, pete.young said:

I've got one. Excellent bass with the 'P' pickup in reverse orientation. I got mine second hand in 1979. How much is the one on Gumtree?

My one is black , but there was also a somewhat less desirable brown colour.

Yeah that’s it pete, I clicked on it because it said it was in East End but I think it’s in Scotland 😁. It won’t paste the link 

[jezzaboy]

The East end of Glasgow, a quaint reservation in the Jewel in the crown, near Celtic park.

That BB800 was on sale for a while, started out about £500 then £400. But it was for sale in Elderslie if I remember right. Either they changed the location to get more views around the Glasgow area or someone bought it and got a surprise 

I would like to know what is under that stupid looking, cheap Jazz cover.

[LukeFRC]

11 minutes ago, jezzaboy said:

I would like to know what is under that stupid looking, cheap Jazz cover.

my thought exactly. 

[krispn]

1 hour ago, jezzaboy said:

The East end of Glasgow, a quaint reservation in the Jewel in the crown, near Celtic park.

That BB800 was on sale for a while, started out about £500 then £400. But it was for sale in Elderslie if I remember right. Either they changed the location to get more views around the Glasgow area or someone bought it and got a surprise 

I would like to know what is under that stupid looking, cheap Jazz cover.

If it’s in good shape it must be worth a punt!

[pete.young]

15 hours ago, jezzaboy said:

The East end of Glasgow, a quaint reservation in the Jewel in the crown, near Celtic park.

That BB800 was on sale for a while, started out about £500 then £400. But it was for sale in Elderslie if I remember right. Either they changed the location to get more views around the Glasgow area or someone bought it and got a surprise 

I would like to know what is under that stupid looking, cheap Jazz cover.

Well it should be a very heavy duty chromed bridge with engraving.

The ad does say 'with all original parts', there would be no reason to change the bridge, its miles more substantial than a typical BBOT Fender from the same period.

You wouldn't get much late '70s Fender for 280 quid, or even Squier JV from a few years later.

Edited January 30, 2021 by pete.young

[krispn]

I’d drive over and have a gander but locked down! It’s just about my yob bass give or take a falsified document or two😀

Edited January 29, 2021 by krispn

[Reggaebass]

3 minutes ago, krispn said:

It’s just about my yob bass give or take a falsified document or two

Me too 😁

Edited January 29, 2021 by Reggaebass

[krispn]

Back off dude I falsified mine first 😀

[ChrisJaxon]

21 hours ago, MDWagstaff said:

I'll be trying this on the TRBX605 Al, sadly I don't have a 734a (yet...) 

I have both 735A and TBRX605 and can confirm that with mids full up and treble and bass down you can get a very pleasing tone, a kind of in-yer-face P sound. I like it, but have never had the chance to use it in a band situation. 

[Al Krow]

@ProfJames "Got a pal looking for a Yamaha BB1100s for the last couple of weeks and there are none available."

Here you go: Yamaha BB1100S - Basses For Sale - Basschat

[Guest]

On 30/01/2021 at 08:19, ChrisJaxon said:

I have both 735A and TBRX605 and can confirm that with mids full up and treble and bass down you can get a very pleasing tone, a kind of in-yer-face P sound. I like it, but have never had the chance to use it in a band situation. 

Now I've found that setting, I'm wondering what it might be like combined with a set of, say, Rotosound Swing Bass

[gobasserk]

11 hours ago, Al Krow said:

@ProfJames "Got a pal looking for a Yamaha BB1100s for the last couple of weeks and there are none available."

Here you go: Yamaha BB1100S - Basses For Sale - Basschat

Somehow this is the most uninteresting BB of all for me. Nothing ist really BB...the shape, no pickup rings...the knobs.... not my choice. It might be a good bass though! 

[ProfJames]

12 hours ago, Al Krow said:

@ProfJames "Got a pal looking for a Yamaha BB1100s for the last couple of weeks and there are none available."

Here you go: Yamaha BB1100S - Basses For Sale - Basschat

Thank you but I found one for him..............

[ChrisJaxon]

20 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Now I've found that setting, I'm wondering what it might be like combined with a set of, say, Rotosound Swing Bass

I use Rotosound 45 nickel roundwounds on both and the result is good. Very workable sound. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ChrisJaxon said:

I use Rotosound 45 nickel roundwounds on both and the result is good. Very workable sound. 

Thanks. Once my G&L arrives and takes over being My Bass With Flats, I'll try those, I think they'll suit that setting better than the Chromes I've on my TRBX atm.

Getting back to BBs, yesterday I was watching Yamaha's own demo video of the 734 on YouTube and thinking what a terrible job it did of making me want one:

 

[LukeFRC]

That flat black isn't the most exciting finish- ten min in photoshop and you can do some nicer things... 

Edited February 1, 2021 by LukeFRC

[LukeFRC]

Edited February 1, 2021 by LukeFRC

[Guest]

[AndyTravis]

 

Ah. The Travis Sig model.

didn’t know they’d released photos yet.

[MDWagstaff]

12 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

All of these are a significant upgrade on the current colour offerings. Loving the shell pink, Aubourgine and the forest green(?) 

[javi_bassist]

I'd get the orange one for preorder please 😜

[Guest]

Please may I order a custom paint job for a 2024x? Cackhanded mid 70s Fender 3 colour stripes please.

Oh, you've one already to hand? Astonishingly prompt service!