Yamaha BB300 MIJ

[Donnyboy]

Thanks to a hot tip here - http://basschat.co.uk/topic/314757-nice-mij-yamaha-bb300-in-edinburgh/ - I've returned from Embra the owner of a dusty & dinged BB300

I've yet to do anything with it but it seems like a pretty solid bass with a bit of character

I know its made in Japan as that's stamped on the back of the headstock as is the serial number 144278. I've done a bit of googling but can't find anything regarding date of manufacture etc.. it seems to be a bit of a black art!

. The seller said it was 1980's and I'm pretty sure it is but if anyone could illuminate me further it'd be much appreciated

Thanks

[neepheid]

Try wading through this for starters?

http://mycoolguitars.com/mij/yamaha-guitars/yamaha-guitar-serial-numbers-dating-your-guitar/

[Donnyboy]

Thanks - that's interesting & I've had a look .. I think that mine might fall into the following category-

"[color=#333333][font=Georgia,]A lot of people have written in to say, [/font][/color][b]“Hey! My Yamaha serial number looks nothing like this!”[/b][color=#333333][font=Georgia,] To you folks, we offer the following: Several other serial number configurations used by Yamaha over the years. If you still can’t figure it out, please see Yamaha contact info at the bottom of this page."[/font][/color]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia,] [/font][/color][font="Georgia, Bitstream Charter, serif"][color="#333333"]I would've thought that this model wouldn't have been too difficult to track down, but serial numbering generally seems to get a bit random. It does make the search more interesting I suppose [/color][/font]

[color=#333333][font=Georgia,] [/font][/color][font="Georgia, Bitstream Charter, serif"][color="#333333"]​I'll look in a bit more detail later in the company of a cold beer.. maybe worth trying to contact Yamaha - they are bound to know .. right? [/color][/font]

[RandomBass]

Sounds like a good find. The original ad is no longer available, so any pics would be welcome.
Cheers
Geoff

[casapete]

I had on briefly in the 80s, great bass. Mine was metallic red which was the only reason I sold it I think!

[Donnyboy]

This one's  black. I had a go on it tonight at band practice and liked it a lot , it felt right if that makes sense. Here's some pics..

[Bassassin]

Very nice - resisted the temptation to grab this one myself!

I had a fretless BB400S, aside from the obvious it's hard to see what the difference between the 300 & 400 actually is. Mine had a chunkier bridge, I think.

Can't offer anything factual about the serial (mine had a 4-letter prefix & 3 numbers) but I think all the different formats exist because Yamaha contracted several different factories to make the same models. That being the case, it's possible (probable, depending on the factory) your serial might use a standard format.

Many 80s MIJ numbers use the first or second digits to indicate year of manufacture - meaning yours could either be '81 or '84. Pretty sure BB300s would have been around in both years.

[Bigwan]

https://www.yamaha.com/yamahaguitars/ElectricandBassGuitarSerialNumberSystems.pdf

'83/'84 going by that

My Pulser 400 has a '77 BB1200 serial number though so it would seem there was some flexibility...

Edited November 15, 2017 by Bigwan

[Donnyboy]

Thanks for that.. I was surprised that it was about for a while. The seller said he'd originally advertised for £180 and got fed up with being offered £60!

Here's another couple of pics..

 

I've had a brainwave I'm  going try and contact Yamaha to ask if they can provide any more info

[2elliot]

1984. Nice bass

[Donnyboy]

Thank you

 

I did phone Yamaha Uk in Milton Keynes , they took a note and said they'd me back as the person was busy 

 

[maut]

From all Yamaha BBs I like the simple BB300 the most.

I had a few of them, just picked up a 86 Made in Taiwan in black.

The quality is the same as the Made In Japan ones, they are a good and cheap alternative to the classic Precision.

I wish I could find an early BB800, they are about the same but have a nice black pickguard and were made from 1977 on.

Edited November 16, 2017 by maut

[hookys6stringbass]

Great basses... I've had a couple if red 300 one of which I modded with the BB1200s  pups and circuitry...sounded fantastic...

[hooky_lowdown]

On 11/16/2017 at 16:15, maut said:

I wish I could find an early BB800, they are about the same but have a nice black pickguard and were made from 1977 on.

Why not get a custom pickguard made for your BB300 - I guess it would be a lot cheaper than a BB800?

[AndyTravis]

Had a red Japanese one. My first working bass. I wish I’d not mucked about with it like I did. Sold it to a mate after it’d had a mudbucker fitted and sprayed it Ford RS blue.

He still gigs it.

I’m off to eBay to replace it.

[Donnyboy]

Hope you kept the hat though!

 

 I took it to a gig on Saturday but ended up not using it as the output was very low - I'll try it out a few more times & see if some fiddling about is needed.

[Guest MoJo]

On 11/16/2017 at 16:15, maut said:

From all Yamaha BBs I like the simple BB300 the most.

I had a few of them, just picked up a 86 Made in Taiwan in black.

The quality is the same as the Made In Japan ones, they are a good and cheap alternative to the classic Precision.

I wish I could find an early BB800, they are about the same but have a nice black pickguard and were made from 1977 on.

I owned a Japanese and a Taiwanese BB300 at the same time. There was a slight difference in the shape of the horns, but quality-wise, I couldn't tell them apart

[el borracho]

On 11/12/2017 at 08:39, casapete said:

I had on briefly in the 80s, great bass. Mine was metallic red which was the only reason I sold it I think!

Me too. Borrowed one with a view to buying but it was a natural finish. Loved playing it and it sounded great (I even recorded with it) but...it wasn't black...so I didn't buy it and mistakenly bought a 4001 instead. I know, I know!!