Yamaha BBG5a GAS - any love?

[spectoremg]

Saw one at a gig last night and the GAS fired up 

[Maude]

I used a BBG5s exclusively for years. It was my only bass, bought from new from Mansons  in Plymouth, and I didn't feel I needed anything else. Loved it. 

I'm back on four strings again now and it's been in its case for years but I can't bring myself to sell it. Mad really. 

[Maude]

About 20 years ago

[Elfrasho]

I had a white 4 string version. First proper bass! I sanded it down, defretted it and put a trem system on it. Then sold it on ebay for about 60 quid or something!  Would love to try another just to see if it's as good as I remember it! 

 

To this day, I've no idea why I modded it so much! 

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, Elfrasho said:

To this day, I've no idea why I modded it so much! 

Because you could. 

It's the same reason we will end up building killer robots that will wipe us out.

[Elfrasho]

1 minute ago, Al Krow said:

Because you could. 

It's the same reason we will end up building killer robots that will wipe us out.

Very true. 😅 

[Oopsdabassist]

I have a BBG4 dating from about 1987, lovely tone, its a bit battered but its my go to bass a lot of the time.  Currently strung with green neon strings!

 

[alyctes]

The guy who taught me had one (tuned E-C); he used it a lot.  I played it a few times, but I was too inexperienced to really appreciate it.  It was nice though

[Horizontalste]

I'm sure someone here had one with RBX humbuckers in it?

[TheGreek]

I have two....stupidly priced for what you get. Amazing tonal range, great necks, really nice balance - like many Yamahas, a lot of bass for nut many pennies.

[songofthewind]

I have two BBG4's (se my sig pic). They are great, and I have often coveted a fiver, especially with the amber photoflame.

[ebenezer]

Fantastic basses, comfortable, nice string spacing and set up with a low action.....i would go with a plain colour though....the fake quilt top looks a bit tacky...but that's just my opinion! 

[songofthewind]

It is indeed tacky, and that’s why I like it! So last century.

[Happypants]

Frank Itt has a couple.

 

 

I want one. 

[TheGreek]

Here's a great advert for them

 

 

[BassEven]

On 20/10/2021 at 15:02, ebenezer said:

Fantastic basses, comfortable, nice string spacing and set up with a low action.....i would go with a plain colour though....the fake quilt top looks a bit tacky...but that's just my opinion! 

 

[BassEven]

It is NOT a fake quilt top. Pure maple. I have it. I love it

[BassEven]

On 20/10/2021 at 14:53, songofthewind said:

I have two BBG4's (se my sig pic). They are great, and I have often coveted a fiver, especially with the amber photoflame.

It is NOT photo flame, it is real quilted maple.

[King Tut]

I’ve had two BBG5s. Loved em both and regret selling. Would pick one up for sure if one popped up!

[Machines]

4 hours ago, BassEven said:

It is NOT photo flame, it is real quilted maple.

 

If it is, it has no lustre and is under 1mm thick (I had the neck off my old BBG4 to check this).

[TheGreek]

You can see from this photo that the quilted maple is at least 10mm.

[songofthewind]

If you take the neck off, or the pickups, you will see that there is no maple slab top, just a film layer.

[songofthewind]

Here ya go:

[King Tut]

2 hours ago, songofthewind said:

Here ya go:

So is it photoflame or a veneer?

[Machines]

4 hours ago, songofthewind said:

If you take the neck off, or the pickups, you will see that there is no maple slab top, just a film layer.

 

Thanks, saved me digging pics out.

 

It's a super thin veneer, maybe attached via a clever process that allows it to be moulded to contours without cracking?

 

Is it a flame maple veneer or very good photo flame is the question. It has no depth to it under light whereas normal flame would do, even when very thin.

 

EDIT: I'm going with photo flame as the dark/light patches never alter under changing light angles.

Edited March 28, 2024 by Machines