The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Al Krow]

29 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Found my trusty old Yamaha book...

my BB1100s was made on 17th March 1987.

there are 100’s of serial number systems. Crazy.

The book isn’t that great to be honest, but gives some information.

So when did you first "fall in love" with Yammy's then, Andy? And given everything else you've owned, what's brought you back to them?

[AndyTravis]

11 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

So when did you first "fall in love" with Yammy's then, Andy? And given everything else you've owned, what's brought you back to them?

Christmas 1997, I got a Japanese bb300 in red, £99.99, dad put a £30 deposit down and payed the rest on Christmas Eve that year.

Ive owned loads of Yamaha basses, my brother still regularly gigs an AES500 les Paul type (very 90’s pseudo retro thing).

Ive had many BB’s, a TRB5PII and a BEX4C. 

Ive always had a soft spot for Yamaha basses, and I’ve owned 100’s of basses from £50 to £5000, and I think it’s about knowing what you’re getting when other brands can be hit and miss.

I’ve got a custom shop 64 jazz which won’t be going anywhere and two basses which were made for me and live in a double case I use these to record with a lot.

The bigger BB’s just sit right on me and I think familiarity counts for a lot.

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Ive had many BB’s, a TRB5PII...

That one is definitely on my "would love to get". 

Is it as good as they say?

[AndyTravis]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

That one is definitely on my "would love to get". 

Is it as good as they say?

I didn’t give it a decent enough chance - I’d had loads of work done on my back and I became obsessed with getting a lighter bass. It weighed in at about 10.5/11lbs and I couldn’t get on with it.

it was stunningly well put together and the sounds were all there...just the weight.

they didn’t do the Pii as a 4 string, otherwise I’d own one now.

[Al Krow]

2 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

I didn’t give it a decent enough chance - I’d had loads of work done on my back and I became obsessed with getting a lighter bass. It weighed in at about 10.5/11lbs and I couldn’t get on with it.

it was stunningly well put together and the sounds were all there...just the weight.

they didn’t do the Pii as a 4 string, otherwise I’d own one now.

Ok, thanks, that's helpful / interesting. The weight is definitely going to a big factor for a 2 hour gig; and maybe there won't be much of an "improvement" over the BB NE2 which I do think is a fantastic bass - the only thing for me that it lacks is the option to play passively which would be a nice fall-back if there was ever a battery fail mid song! And given that Yammy is famous for its P/J set up, kinda surprising that there is no P/J version of the BBNE2!

Although the TRB 5Pii has a "P" in its name was the neck pup actually configured as a P? If it was, that would be a key differentiator between it and the NE2.

[AndyTravis]

19 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Ok, thanks, that's helpful / interesting. The weight is definitely going to a big factor for a 2 hour gig; and maybe there won't be much of an "improvement" over the BB NE2 which I do think is a fantastic bass - the only thing for me that it lacks is the option to play passively which would be a nice fall-back if there was ever a battery fail mid song! And given that Yammy is famous for its P/J set up, kinda surprising that there is no P/J version of the BBNE2!

Although the TRB 5Pii has a "P" in its name was the neck pup actually configured as a P? If it was, that would be a key differentiator between it and the NE2.

P was for piezo. Had 5 individual pickups in the saddles.

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

P was for piezo. Had 5 individual pickups in the saddles.

Aha, thanks. Ok well I think you're helping me cross that particular bass of my "must have" list in terms of weight and not being a P/J. How much money have you just saved me? 😄 

[AndyTravis]

4 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Aha, thanks. Ok well I think you're helping me cross that particular bass of my "must have" list in terms of weight and not being a P/J. How much money have you just saved me? 😄 

Think I sold mine for £1400

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Think I sold mine for £1400

Let's call it £1,750 allowing for inflation and we're quits 😂

So I can even take that wanted ad for a TRB 5Pii down then! 2019 is already starting to look less expensive...

 

[AndyTravis]

350f is 7th May 1987

glad I found that book now

[AndyTravis]

The BB200 I’m bidding on is December 1987 

must be fate 😉

[AndyTravis]

On 27/12/2018 at 16:25, dannybuoy said:

Fine by me, they're on their way to you already!

These arrived today, true gent x

[AScheck9]

Black 734a for Christmas- sounds phenomenal. Yet to use it in anger, but I can't wait until the first rehearsal!

 

And just so pretty. 

[CameronJ]

4 minutes ago, AScheck9 said:

Black 734a for Christmas- sounds phenomenal. Yet to use it in anger, but I can't wait until the first rehearsal!

 

And just so pretty. 

Great Christmas present! Welcome to the club!

[roblpm]

8 hours ago, AScheck9 said:

Black 734a for Christmas- sounds phenomenal. Yet to use it in anger, but I can't wait until the first rehearsal!

 

And just so pretty. 

More pics. Review. Thoughts etc would be good....... 

[AndyTravis]

I’m going to hell. 5th bb bought in as many weeks

[Al Krow]

59 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

I’m going to hell. 5th bb bought in as many weeks

Well your "hell" sounds like a good place to spend eternity in, then.

[AndyTravis]

7 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Well your "hell" sounds like a good place to spend eternity in, then.

Haha, well one is provisionally sold on - the bb200 I found was usurped by a bb300 to match the bb350f.

i think I’ll call it there for now - only having a 90’s BB1500A or BB1600 as a step before saving and pursuing a mid 80’s 3000.

[Al Krow]

Now you've persuaded me to put aside my quest for a TRBP5ii, the remaining one I'd be tempted to go for if it came up would be a BB5000A; but I'm kinda hoping that Yammy may bring out a successor to the BB1200/S this / next year and may even have a 5 string version, at which point they've got me hook, line and sinker...

[therealting]

On 14/10/2018 at 10:05, FDC484950 said:

I must say the BB435 I bought a couple of months ago is an astonishingly good bass for the small outlay. The finish, hardware and pickups are all high quality, the neck is dead straight with a nice profile, the fretting is great and it’s one of the only PJ5 basses available that isn’t silly money. The only downside was the incredibly poorly-cut nut that rendered it unplayable. The shop very kindly offered to get the bass picked up, fixed and sent back free of charge but £5 worth of cheap needle files off eBay and 30 minutes’ careful work sorted it, and it’s a lovely bass. It’s a shame about the massive tuners weighing the headstock down, but at the price I’m not complaining.

I’ve joined the club courtesy of @FDC484950, and I am very impressed. The BB435 will certainly hold me over until I eventually get my stolen Dingwall Super J5 back.

 

[thebuckets]

On 02/01/2019 at 13:15, AScheck9 said:

Black 734a for Christmas- sounds phenomenal. Yet to use it in anger, but I can't wait until the first rehearsal!

 

And just so pretty. 

Used my new 734a at its first gig between xmas and new year. Very pleased, great passive sound and the pre amp seems very useable but i held back will i give it a good run through in rehearsals. Very nice weight and comfortable to play

[AndyTravis]

Needs some more fettling...

87 bb350f

84 bb300

both MIT, slightly different neck pocket depths so the neck swap wasn’t as straightforward as first thought.

[AndyTravis]

[hypercarrots]

i noticed that too. heres my bb350 and bb300

[AndyTravis]

6 minutes ago, hypercarrots said:

i noticed that too. heres my bb350 and bb300

Hahahaha!!! No way.

Going to have a luthier shave a few mm out of the neck pocket. And I’ll have to shim the 300 body/350f neck.