The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Al Krow]

£400? 😄 

Sorry I couldn't resist... 

[stewblack]

They lack £400? 

[BassApprentice]

26 minutes ago, stewblack said:

They lack £400? 

Well kind of, yes. 

Like all ranges, it's all down to features. Cheap ones have basic stuff, expensive ones have all the features and processes Yamaha have. But we all agree here that they are worth every penny at their given price range. 

[CameronJ]

@stewblack, they’re honestly great basses at every price point. Speaking only of the current range, if you’re a passive kinda guy the 434/435 are near impossible to beat for the price in terms of build quality and sound. If you’re generally more of an active bassist, the 734/735 build on the existing brilliance of the 434/435 with different finish options and an (in my opinion) excellent preamp.

I can’t speak from experience on the P34/35 series but there are plenty on this thread who can!

[whamni]

35 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

@stewblack, they’re honestly great basses at every price point. Speaking only of the current range, if you’re a passive kinda guy the 434/435 are near impossible to beat for the price in terms of build quality and sound. If you’re generally more of an active bassist, the 734/735 build on the existing brilliance of the 434/435 with different finish options and an (in my opinion) excellent preamp.

I can’t speak from experience on the P34/35 series but there are plenty on this thread who can!

Yea I have the 734 and it's a great bass, but just a pity Yamaha let it go on the market without noise cancelling bridge pickup and the jack socket looks like it was meant for another bass, the plate overlaps the edge of the body !  minor things you may say, but for the price those faults should  have been seen at the start. 

 

[Al Krow]

+1 to Cameron and Bass Apprentice's comments above.

 To make up for my earlier facetious remark, here's a summary of how the BB "3 series" range steps up from the 234/5 to the 734A/5A:

	BB 234/5	BB 434/5	BB 734A/5A
Body	Solid Alder	Solid Alder	Alder/Maple/Alder multi-laminated body construction
Neck	Maple (single piece) 4-bolt	5-ply maple and mahogany laminated 6-bolt	5-ply maple and mahogany laminated 6-bolt
Nut	Plastic	Graphtech	Graphtech
Pickups	YGD V3 P/J (ceramic)	YGD V5 P/J (alnico V)	YGD V7 P/J (alnico V) active
Controls	VVT	VVT	vol, balance, 3 band EQ, active/passive
Machineheads	Lightweight open-gear	Lightweight open-gear	Lightweight open-gear
Bridge	Vintage style	Vintage Plus (steel baseplate/ saddles)	Vintage Plus (steel baseplate/ saddles)
Diagonal body through stringing	No	Yes	Yes
Passive	Yes	Yes	Yes
Active	No	No	Yes

Additional features on 434/5 in red (and also appear on the 734A/5A)

Additional features on 734A/5A in blue

[stewblack]

That's excellent Al thank you. I'm still intrigued by the idea of the £700 bass coming complete with £400. Seems to me a hell of a deal. 

[Al Krow]

2 minutes ago, stewblack said:

That's excellent Al thank you. I'm still intrigued by the idea of the £700 bass coming complete with £400. Seems to me a hell of a deal. 

Haha, well I think you can see that the £400 is clearly there in the construction and components being used as the basses step up across the range. 

[stewblack]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

Haha, well I think you can see that the £400 is clearly there in the construction and components being used as the basses step up across the range. 

I'll keep my eyes open for a suitable 2nd hand 434 I think. 

[crabman]

I might keep an eye out for a 734 to go with the P35. I like the dark coffee sunburst. If I don’t like the active circuit then I’m guessing that a 734 in passive mode is damn close to the 434 in sound. 

[TJ Spicer]

3 hours ago, crabman said:

I might keep an eye out for a 734 to go with the P35. I like the dark coffee sunburst. If I don’t like the active circuit then I’m guessing that a 734 in passive mode is damn close to the 434 in sound. 

The active circuit is REALLY well voiced. In fact I’ve never heard an active EQ that so accurately boosts the frequencies that are giving that bass it’s sonic characteristics. With the exception of the mid cut, it pretty much just gives you the same sound but mightier, depending on how much you want to crank the knobs. I have a YT demo of my 735a coming soon so I’ll pop it up here to show you what I mean - I just need an hour more of editing and it’ll be good to go!

Edited June 2, 2019 by TJ Spicer

[CameronJ]

36 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

The active circuit is REALLY well voiced. In fact I’ve never heard an active EQ that so accurately boosts the frequencies that are giving that bass it’s sonic characteristics. With the exception of the mid cut, it pretty much just gives you the same sound but mightier, depending on how much you want to crank the knobs. I have a YT demo of my 735a coming soon so I’ll pop it up here to show you what I mean - I just need an hour more of editing and it’ll be good to go!

Totally agree - that preamp is the business! They’ve just nailed it. 

[Al Krow]

9 hours ago, crabman said:

I might keep an eye out for a 734 to go with the P35. I like the dark coffee sunburst. If I don’t like the active circuit then I’m guessing that a 734 in passive mode is damn close to the 434 in sound. 

Sounds like a very good choice! I'd actually expect the 734 passive tone to be a little different (preferable?) to the 434 given the step up in pups from the YGD V5 to the YGD V7.

@bassfan and I A/B'd a BB425 and BB1025 today. The 425, as previously mentioned, has some of the punchiest pups I've experienced. However we both agreed that higher end pups in the 1025 gave it a tone we both preferred - a more complex sonic flavour and richness if I can put it in those terms; and this, together with the other refinements in the 1025, explained the price differential between these two very good value "2 series" basses. 

5 hours ago, TJ Spicer said:

The active circuit is REALLY well voiced. In fact I’ve never heard an active EQ that so accurately boosts the frequencies that are giving that bass it’s sonic characteristics. With the exception of the mid cut, it pretty much just gives you the same sound but mightier, depending on how much you want to crank the knobs. I have a YT demo of my 735a coming soon so I’ll pop it up here to show you what I mean - I just need an hour more of editing and it’ll be good to go!

Looking forward to the YT demo! I clearly let that one go too quickly, or more likely simply that a better bass player can always make exactly the same bass sound better in his or her hands! 😀

[TJ Spicer]

5 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Sounds like a very good choice! I'd actually expect the 734 passive tone to be a little different (preferable?) to the 434 given the step up in pups from the YGD V5 to the YGD V7.

@bassfan and I A/B'd a BB425 and BB1025 today. The 425, as previously mentioned, has some of the punchiest pups I've experienced. However we both agreed that higher end pups in the 1025 gave it a tone we both preferred - a more complex sonic flavour and richness if I can put it in those terms; and this, together with the other refinements in the 1025, explained the price differential between these two very good value "2 series" basses. 

Looking forward to the YT demo! I clearly let that one go too quickly, or more likely simply that a better bass player can always make exactly the same bass sound better in his or her hands! 😀

You’re far too kind! It had its first flight, trouble free with me to the Mediterranean this week...!

T

[Al Krow]

On 28/05/2019 at 19:40, bassfan said:

Ok people... I couldn’t resist. I have to say the neck on this 1100s is gorgeous, I can’t believe anyone would sell it.  Just restrung with some roundwounds, nothing special, I’m thinking about some flats. Got some lovely bottom end and nice and bright too when needed. Not bad for a 30 yr old!! 

 

Had the privilege of playing this today. Lovely bass in great condition. Light weight, looks great, and sounds pretty good too!

@bassfan will be getting it properly set up shortly and, following that, I suspect it will be an excellent gigging bass for some of those venues a fully loaded Status probably shouldn't venture into 😀

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, TJ Spicer said:

You’re far too kind! It had its first flight, trouble free with me to the Mediterranean this week...! T

Haha - I bet the poor bass is thinking: "damn I wish I was stuck in the East End now..."  😀

[Al Krow]

Right I've been ridiculously slow on this point, but one benefit from the "3 series" EQ is that you have complete flexibility to blend in as much or as little P or J into the mix as you want. 

With the older "2 series" and earlier models, which have the selector switch, it was a choice of P, J or exactly 50:50 P/J. But given how good pure P or P/J sounded, I guess no one (me included) really gave a rat's tail about it! 

Edited June 3, 2019 by Al Krow

[TJ Spicer]

8 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Right I've been ridiculously slow on this point, but one benefit from the "3 series" EQ is that you have complete flexibility to blend in as much or as little P or J into the mix as you want. 

With the older "2 series" and earlier models which have the selector switches it was a choice of P, J or exactly 50:50 P/J. But given how good pure P or P/J sounded, I guess no one (me included) really gave a rat's tail about it! 

This is one of the things that made me move on my BB5000. I’m a blend man 100%. Set it to the centre detent and nudge it slightly forward to get 5% more P than J. Ah, I’m a fussy chap. 😅

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, TJ Spicer said:

This is one of the things that made me move on my BB5000. I’m a blend man 100%. Set it to the centre detent and nudge it slightly forward to get 5% more P than J. Ah, I’m a fussy chap. 😅

Anyone who pampers his basses by taking them on trips to the Med is entirely justified in being fussy.

Let me know if there's a role going as a bag carrier to your bass going in the near future (no need to post a 'Wanted ad', just pm me)...can't be any worse than being the PA carrier for my bands and could well involve sunnier climes 😁

[CameronJ]

I weirdly much prefer the simplicity of the selector switch of old. It was a simpler time...

[Al Krow]

18 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

I weirdly much prefer the simplicity of the selector switch of old. It was a simpler time...

That's cos you've gone from your beloved BB1025 (which you have always regretted selling, right?!) to the 735A, which has the most complex EQ layout of the "3" series basses, given you've got both active and passive options and a 3 band EQ. 

I'd say the VVT control on the rest of the current purely passive "3" series is just as easy to operate as the 'simple' "2" (and earlier) series with their pup selector switch, but also provides the benefit of fully flexible pup blend. 

[CameronJ]

8 hours ago, Al Krow said:

That's cos you've gone from your beloved BB1025 (which you have always regretted selling, right?!) to the 735A, which has the most complex EQ layout of the "3" series basses, given you've got both active and passive options and a 3 band EQ. 

I'd say the VVT control on the rest of the current purely passive "3" series is just as easy to operate as the 'simple' "2" (and earlier) series with their pup selector switch, but also provides the benefit of fully flexible pup blend. 

Not exactly. I’d actually keep the preamp in my 735 and just swap the blend pot with a selector switch if I could. Come to think of it, I may well get this done at The Gallery at some point!

[Al Krow]

1 minute ago, CameronJ said:

Not exactly. I’d actually keep the preamp in my 735 and just swap the blend pot with a selector switch if I could. Come to think of it, I may well get this done at The Gallery at some point!

Well that would definitely make it unique. You could even get it resprayed red while you're at it. 😁

[whamni]

41 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Well that would definitely make it unique. You could even get it resprayed red while you're at it. 😁

Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor

[Al Krow]

3 minutes ago, whamni said:

Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor

A bold statement 😁 

And full of flavour.