The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[soulstar89]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Yup, that's why I bought my BB1200 from Ishibashi - got bored of waiting for the right bass to come along in our own domestic market.

I will have to look into them. I don’t know any Japanese shops for basses. Only dam at bass japan direct tbh. 
 

Back in 2014 i was unsure on what size to get in a pair or japan mizuno football boots. I decided to go on an Asian trip so I would get peace of mind lmao. Came back with four pairs 😂🤣😂🤣

 

covid shut alot of my random ideas down. lol 

Edited February 6, 2024 by soulstar89

[M@23]

I just bought and returned a Fender American Pro 2 P5. 
While not the point I intend to make, the Fender had terrible QC issues. I’ve had many new Fenders that have been great, but, sharp frets, a neck pocket that was horribly cut and finished, 3.3mm action at the 20th fret with bottomed out saddles… it was an awful example. 
 

A P35 has been my bass of choice for a while.
Sound wise, I had chance to play them b2b, through my own amp at my leisure. I love P basses, I’ve had 8, old to new, flats and rounds and they’ve been great. 

But, the BBP35’s approximation of a P bass are as pleasing. It’s more ‘modern’, tighter lows and a clearer, snappier high end. Probably more scooped than the traditional low mid push. But, the BB with the P solo’d is a P bass alright, and the tone knob takes some of that and pulls it back to the more recognised P bass tone. 
I only just roll in the bridge single 20% or so most of the time, but it gives something I missed on the Fender and brings so much to the table to make it a truly versatile instrument, rather than the one (albeit, awesome) trick pony. 

I don’t want to write Fender off on one bad example here, especially as I’ve had some great ones, but Yamahas attention to detail is faultless. The BB is just such a workhorse, it’s not the most thrilling, fancy looking, but is a proper solid gigging bass. 
I’d sold it to a mate, eager to get back to my roots with a P bass and scratch the itch that is comfort induced boredom. Thankfully he agreed to call off the sale. 
 

Turns out the grass wasn’t greener. 

[Muzz]

On 07/02/2024 at 16:34, M@23 said:

The BB is just such a workhorse, it’s not the most thrilling, fancy looking, but is a proper solid gigging bass. 

This is exactly what my (slightly modded; just tuners and bridge) 414 is: it's my most-gigged bass, ahead of half a dozen basses that cost several times as much, and it just does the job. If it were a pound lighter (I'm getting very fussy about weight these days) it'd be perfect...I love the sound of a P, and the 414 does that a treat...

[greenklang]

On 07/02/2024 at 18:34, M@23 said:

I just bought and returned a Fender American Pro 2 P5. 

Funny because I just bought and returned a Fender American Pro II J5. It was actually a decent instrument but after a few years of playing my BB435 the playability of a Fender 5 stringer was quite a bit inferior compared to Yamaha. At least for someone with smallish hands. Also, since I mostly play my BB (like my JB's) soloing the bridge pickup, there wasn't a big discernable difference in the tone. Of course, the price was a big factor as well. If the Fender had been clearly better sounding and better playing instrument, I could've justified the price two-three times that of a BB435.

 

I've always thought of myself as being a Jazz bass guy first and foremost, but this latest experiment has shown me that the Yamaha has really grown on me. I guess I didn't quite realise it before trying out the now returned AM Pro II V'er.

 

On 07/02/2024 at 18:34, M@23 said:

Turns out the grass wasn’t greener. 

Couldn't agree more.

[M@23]

23 hours ago, Muzz said:

This is exactly what my (slightly modded; just tuners and bridge) 414 is: it's my most-gigged bass, ahead of half a dozen basses that cost several times as much, and it just does the job. If it were a pound lighter (I'm getting very fussy about weight these days) it'd be perfect...I love the sound of a P, and the 414 does that a treat...

Funnily enough, I’ve started hunting for a 415! A metallic orange one came up recently for a great price and I debated it, then made (what is now clearly!) the wrong decision!

[M@23]

12 hours ago, greenklang said:

Funny because I just bought and returned a Fender American Pro II J5. It was actually a decent instrument but after a few years of playing my BB435 the playability of a Fender 5 stringer was quite a bit inferior compared to Yamaha. At least for someone with smallish hands. Also, since I mostly play my BB (like my JB's) soloing the bridge pickup, there wasn't a big discernable difference in the tone. Of course, the price was a big factor as well. If the Fender had been clearly better sounding and better playing instrument, I could've justified the price two-three times that of a BB435.

 

I've always thought of myself as being a Jazz bass guy first and foremost, but this latest experiment has shown me that the Yamaha has really grown on me. I guess I didn't quite realise it before trying out the now returned AM Pro II V'er.

 

Couldn't agree more.

Fully agreed on the playability. I’ve always preferred a baseball bat style neck and wider nut… but the Fender didn’t fit well in my hands at all and the A/B comparison showed that. 
 

Incidentally, anyone seen the first 15 mins of this, all about the BB3000:

 

 

[neepheid]

I played my BB1200 at rehearsal last night, and I had a ruddy good time!  Yes, there are fancier BBs, with active electronics, more pickups and sometimes even more frets, but the BB1200 is pure, distilled BB.  You know you've got a good 'un when playing just seems effortless, the bass is doing what you ask without question or grumble and you can focus on other things (like giving the new singer the nods because they're getting up to speed with the cues).

The BB1200 is a cornerstone of bass history IMO - it deserves to stand alongside the P, J, Ray and T-bird in those type of conversations.

[BlueMoon]

22 minutes ago, neepheid said:

The BB1200 is a cornerstone of bass history IMO - it deserves to stand alongside the P, J, Ray and T-bird in those type of conversations.

Agreed. Well said.

[pete.young]

@richardd has a very nice BB800 in the classifieds, just in case you hadn't seen it. I've had mine since 1979 and love it to bits.

[Maude]

It's not a Yamaha BB but it's probably of interest here as the pickup and electrics are based on his BB1200S. 

Eastwood have just released the Hooky Viking Pro, based on his Eccleshall hollow body with the BB electrics. 

 

Pretty pricey when compared to the Jack Casady or similar. 

Definitely interesting though with a reverse P and active electrics. 

 

https://eastwoodguitars.co.uk/products/eastwood-hooky-viking?variant=40381321805909

 

[TRBboy]

Don't know if it's of any interest to anyone here, but I rewired my BBN5 to be VBT last night, details here: 

 

[woolf]

Well, this BB3000 didn’t last long at BassBros! Did anyone here snap it up? 
 

https://bassbros.co.uk/product/1983-yamaha-bb3000/

[soulstar89]

1 hour ago, woolf said:

Well, this BB3000 didn’t last long at BassBros! Did anyone here snap it up? 
 

https://bassbros.co.uk/product/1983-yamaha-bb3000/

it went up right after the podcast. 
 

wasn’t a fan of the colour, wasn’t me who took it. 

[pete.young]

Not me, I'm holding on for a bb3000ma .

[neepheid]

It has been moved to sold basses now, old link no worky

 

https://bassbros.co.uk/sold-basses/1983-yamaha-bb3000/

 

[soulstar89]

Hey bb lovers. 
 

I wanted to get people view on the bb1000. How does the sound differ to a normal p bass. Say a fender or a Yamaha lawsuit copy? 
 

is the pickups hot? Does the reverse pickups make a noticeable sonic difference? 
 

I have a late 70’s Yamaha pulser p bass and have a opportunity to grab a bb1000.

 

thanks in advance 

[soulstar89]

On 14/03/2023 at 21:40, neepheid said:

Go away BB-VIII, you're drunk...

 

 

Ive just went through all the 80's japanese catalogues and didnt see this. I only saw the BBVii. Was this bas a jap only product?

[neepheid]

5 minutes ago, soulstar89 said:

 

Ive just went through all the 80's japanese catalogues and didnt see this. I only saw the BBVii. Was this bas a jap only product?

 

No idea, I just found a pic of it online and the wonky pickups made me laugh

[soulstar89]

2 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

No idea, I just found a pic of it online and the wonky pickups made me laugh

 

lol when i first saw the picture i thought the picture was at a angle.  

 

i never knew Yamaha did a double P. It feels like Yamaha is a rabbit hole. You get a gem then findout about another and then another. The cycle never stops

Edited February 16, 2024 by soulstar89

[MrDinsdale]

Was watching a review of the BB734A last night by Johnny Dimble:

 

 

Gotta say while I love mine I definitely agree on the preamp, I’ve used passive mode exclusively as it sounds better to my ears.

 

I was actually contemplating switching it out for something different like the Lusithand but it’d be a hassle trying to fill in the empty holes. Is the neck pocket identical on the 434 and 734a?

[neepheid]

Ahh, the dibbler.  His video editing style is a bit of an acquired taste, and he does talk crap sometimes, but his heart's in the right place I think.

[BassApprentice]

Appreciate you can just leave the 734 in passive, but at what point do you think you might be better off with the P34 or even the 434 and upgrade the pickups? Appreciate colours and finishes may play a part in this.

[TRBboy]

2 minutes ago, BassApprentice said:

Appreciate you can just leave the 734 in passive, but at what point do you think you might be better off with the P34 or even the 434 and upgrade the pickups? Appreciate colours and finishes may play a part in this.

I had a 435 because I prefer passive basses these days, and personally I thought the pickups were superb and don't need changing at all. A big improvement on the 41x/42x series pickups in my opinion.

[neepheid]

Just now, BassApprentice said:

Appreciate you can just leave the 734 in passive, but at what point do you think you might be better off with the P34 or even the 434 and upgrade the pickups? Appreciate colours and finishes may play a part in this.

 

I thought I'd be better off importing a BB1200 from Japan, so that's what I did.  Got change out of £900.  If you must have a PJ, get a BB2000.  Then you'll have something you can't get right now - an OG neck thru BB.

[MrDinsdale]

It’s incredibly superficial but the fret markers on the 734a are delicious. Coupled with the matte finish on the headstock👌otherwise I’d have gone for the 434.

 

I would love a p34 although I need something that is nice but not too nice that I can still throw it around a bit. A 2nd hand 734a even with tweaks sits right in the sweet spot.

 

I definitely have to be in the right mood for the Dibble videos but can’t not watch a review for something I already have 😂

 

Even while the preamp is a bit underwhelming the rest of the bass is excellent!