The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Maude]

13 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

Man, I've been like 45 minutes looking in this thread with no luck. There was a fellow basschatter who has/had a BB414 in orange and he made a white pickguard. I am looking for the pick, and I cannot find it. The reason is that I've just bought a used one and I want to make it a pickguard. I guess the measures should be similar to the ones the 424x has. Am I right?

 

Sounds like @AndyTravis

 

If it isn't his he'll have owned it at some point. 😁

[AndyTravis]

58 minutes ago, javi_bassist said:

Man, I've been like 45 minutes looking in this thread with no luck. There was a fellow basschatter who has/had a BB414 in orange and he made a white pickguard. I am looking for the pick, and I cannot find it. The reason is that I've just bought a used one and I want to make it a pickguard. I guess the measures should be similar to the ones the 424x has. Am I right?

The 424x guard will fit…

 

and yes…it’s me.

[AndyTravis]

And…it’s still here 

Edited July 30, 2022 by AndyTravis

[javi_bassist]

8 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

And…it’s still here 

 

I also thought it was yours, but I wasn't sure. Thanks!!

[lee650]

2 hours ago, javi_bassist said:

Man, I've been like 45 minutes looking in this thread with no luck. There was a fellow basschatter who has/had a BB414 in orange and he made a white pickguard. I am looking for the pick, and I cannot find it. The reason is that I've just bought a used one and I want to make it a pickguard. I guess the measures should be similar to the ones the 424x has. Am I right?

Earlpilanz on EBay made this for my BB1024. He may still have the dimensions.

 

[Gnermo]

Does anyone here know how to dissasemble the tuners on an old BB1000S?

 

The plastic/rubber O-rings are gone, i've purchased some new ones and am dying to put them on.
But it seems i need a special key to disassemble to the metal part under the tuning key, is this correct? It doesn't simply twist off.

Bass in question ofcourse:

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Gnermo

[PaulThePlug]

Is there a screw in the end of the butterfly / fishtail?

[Al Krow]

@Gnermo - nice bass! Not too many 1000S between us methinks, so great to see one in use!

[Gnermo]

Cheers, I took a picture with it's brother aswell today.
It also doesn't have O-rings , and neither do most of the basses I find online.

Maybe they just didn't have them?

 

[Muzz]

I'd forgotten how different the body on the 3000 is to the older BBs...that's very nice indeed...and now I wish (again) I hadn't sold mine...

[AndyTravis]

@Gnermo-No washers on the BB tuners, they do have an adjustable “cam” but no grommets etc x

[Gnermo]

  

2 hours ago, Muzz said:

I'd forgotten how different the body on the 3000 is to the older BBs...that's very nice indeed...and now I wish (again) I hadn't sold mine...

The 3000A has a more agressive forearm cut, is a little thinner overall and the horns are a lil' different yeah. Headstock is smaller too, although that might be an optical illusion.
The BB1000S beats in in comfort though, for sure.

 

1 hour ago, AndyTravis said:

@Gnermo-No washers on the BB tuners, they do have an adjustable “cam” but no grommets etc x

Cheers , i'll have a look into that then. The washers can stay inside the packaging for another bass!

Edited August 2, 2022 by Gnermo

[javi_bassist]

It's finally here!! My BB414 has arrived. I must say that I am very surprised about the quality. It hadn't been played for some years (according to the seller) so I did a setup, some lemon oil, new string, intonation... Now it's perfect. It's a little bit heavy, but it plays like a dream. And it sounds really really good. I will probably change the bridge and the tuners (one of them is bent a little bit, even though still works) and I will add a pickguard. 

 

 

[Maude]

They look fantastic in orange. 

 

@javi_bassist what colour pickguard are you going for? 

[Shylock]

1 hour ago, Maude said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Maude said:

 

 

2 hours ago, javi_bassist said:

It's finally here!! My BB414 has arrived. I must say that I am very surprised about the quality. It hadn't been played for some years (according to the seller) so I did a setup, some lemon oil, new string, intonation... Now it's perfect. It's a little bit heavy, but it plays like a dream. And it sounds really really good. I will probably change the bridge and the tuners (one of them is bent a little bit, even though still works) and I will add a pickguard. 

 

 

 

I put the usual Gotoh 201 bridge, approx cost £40. on my white BB414 and really improved the tone. Also changed tuners to Hipshot licensed Ultralites, approx £65. They each weigh 40g and saved about 240g overall in weight and now much better balance and no neck dive. Fitted quite well but smaller footprint and can see 'tan' marks

Edited August 3, 2022 by Shylock

[javi_bassist]

9 hours ago, Maude said:

They look fantastic in orange. 

 

@javi_bassist what colour pickguard are you going for? 

 

I am not sure yet. My main option is white pearl (the same as yours) because it looks fantastic. However, yesterday I went to a music store to buy some strings and I saw a Fender Player plus in orange with a tortoise pickguard and it looked amazing. It's true that it's not the same orange, but it may look great on the BB as well. My last option is black, but I think I prefer the other two. 

 

7 hours ago, Shylock said:

 

 

 

I put the usual Gotoh 201 bridge, approx cost £40. on my white BB414 and really improved the tone. Also changed tuners to Hipshot licensed Ultralites, approx £65. They each weigh 40g and saved about 240g overall in weight and now much better balance and no neck dive. Fitted quite well but smaller footprint and can see 'tan' marks

 

The Gotoh bridge is exactly the one I thought. I haven't considered the Hipshot tuners and they might be a great idea to reduce weight too. Thanks for the piece of advice!

 

One question, which pickup height do you guys have in your BB414? I was going for the 3mm "rule" that Yamaha says, but the pickup then it's really low. I think I have it a little bit too high right now. However, it does sound pretty amazing. 

[Shylock]

Holding down the strings on the last fret I am probably 3.5mm between pole and bottom of E string and 3 mm on G string - might try increasing height a shade then on E. Great colour by the way! 

[Horizontalste]

I had a BB614 that I put a 201 bridge on & it was ace, then I owned a 1024 & loved the standard Yamaha bridge so when I bought my 425 I wanted something similar to the Yamaha one, enter the Hipshot Vintage...........

[Muzz]

On 03/08/2022 at 23:16, Shylock said:

 

 

 

I put the usual Gotoh 201 bridge, approx cost £40. on my white BB414 and really improved the tone. Also changed tuners to Hipshot licensed Ultralites, approx £65. They each weigh 40g and saved about 240g overall in weight and now much better balance and no neck dive. Fitted quite well but smaller footprint and can see 'tan' marks

Exactly what I did with mine...a nice upgrade...

[Al Krow]

12 hours ago, Horizontalste said:

.

 

Still the best looking paint job I've yet seen!! 

[Muzz]

Oh, and if you don't mind the Fender branding, their £30-or-so replacement bridge is very nice for the money...

[AndyTravis]

Well…unexpectedly…this comes home tomorrow.

 

Left me about 2 years ago.

[BassApprentice]

9 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Well…unexpectedly…this comes home tomorrow.

 

Left me about 2 years ago.

Always wanted to try one of these as a former Sheehan Fan Boi. The attitude beck is too thick for me and I do like the BB style...maybe one day.

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, BassApprentice said:

Always wanted to try one of these as a former Sheehan Fan Boi. The attitude beck is too thick for me and I do like the BB style...maybe one day.

Black one on reverb…

 

Yamaha BB714BS Billy Sheehan Bass Black, USED
https://reverb.com/item/56177619-yamaha-bb714bs-billy-sheehan-bass-black-used?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=56177619

[Reggaebass]

12 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Black one on reverb…

 

Yamaha BB714BS Billy Sheehan Bass Black, USED
https://reverb.com/item/56177619-yamaha-bb714bs-billy-sheehan-bass-black-used?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=56177619

That was on my reverb watch list and it disappeared a while back, it’s been for sale for quite a while so I’m guessing they would take an offer, if I wasn’t looking for something else I’d have it, that neck pickup looks so good