Yamaha BB Series Help!!!

[BASainty]

I love Yamaha basses and im looking to buy a BB series,
I cant decide which one to get so i thought i would ask real peoples opinions.
The ones im looking at is the BB414, BB414X and BB614, i am aware that the BB614 is active.

But could anybody shed some light on the quality between them and playability and all that?

Thanks.

*Edit*
Im also looking at the BB424 aswell.

Edited September 30, 2010 by 4StringFortress

[gary mac]

I know it's not on your list, but I have been thinking about selling my BB1200, the quality is superb. Try a google search and check out some user reviews.

I think most Yamahas are a safe bet, even the budget models.

[BASainty]

[quote name='gary mac' post='972447' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:30 AM']I know it's not on your list, but I have been thinking about selling my BB1200, the quality is superb. Try a google search and check out some user reviews.

I think most Yamahas are a safe bet, even the budget models.[/quote]


Thats a real nice bass!

What are the prices on them?

Coz on google i cant find any sites with prices on.

[markstuk]

Try Harmony central - often has prices on the reviews..

This should keep you busy for a while... [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/brand/Yamaha"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...ss/brand/Yamaha[/url]



[quote name='4StringFortress' post='972455' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:38 AM']Thats a real nice bass!

What are the prices on them?

Coz on google i cant find any sites with prices on.[/quote]

[BASainty]

[quote name='markstuk' post='972460' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:42 AM']Try Harmony central - often has prices on the reviews..

This should keep you busy for a while... [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/brand/Yamaha"]http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...ss/brand/Yamaha[/url][/quote]


Nice one yeh i see what you mean!

Thanks man.

[Bigwan]

I think all the BBx14 series are basically the same bass, but the 'X' has a pickguard and the 614 is active. The x24 seems to have a 5 piece neck but otherwise virtually the same as the x14 series as far as I can see. All good. I wasn't knocked out by the 5 string version and didn't think the active circuita was great either, but the 414 (and therefore presumably the 414X and the newer 424) is a cracking bass for the money. In my experience Yamaha don't make crap basses at all.

[Bobby K]

[quote name='Bigwan' post='972476' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:57 AM']I think all the BBx14 series are basically the same bass, but the 'X' has a pickguard and the 614 is active. The x24 seems to have a 5 piece neck but otherwise virtually the same as the x14 series as far as I can see. All good. I wasn't knocked out by the 5 string version and didn't think the active circuita was great either, but the 414 (and therefore presumably the 414X and the newer 424) is a cracking bass for the money. In my experience Yamaha don't make crap basses at all.[/quote]

noelk27 on here is very knowledgeable about Yamaha BB's...

* @garrymac, what colour is your BB1200, just out of interest?

Edited September 30, 2010 by Bobby K

[BASainty]

[quote name='Bigwan' post='972476' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:57 AM']I think all the BBx14 series are basically the same bass, but the 'X' has a pickguard and the 614 is active. The x24 seems to have a 5 piece neck but otherwise virtually the same as the x14 series as far as I can see. All good. I wasn't knocked out by the 5 string version and didn't think the active circuita was great either, but the 414 (and therefore presumably the 414X and the newer 424) is a cracking bass for the money. In my experience Yamaha don't make crap basses at all.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice i will look into it =]

[stingrayfan]

The older BB614 and BB414s are giggable basses. The passive 414s are generally considered better as the pre-amp in the active 614 isn't that amazing. Through a good amp, my BB614 sounds cool, otherwise it can sound a bit 'vanilla'. Nice bass to play though and to my eye, a great design.

Edited September 30, 2010 by stingrayfan

[BASainty]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='972508' date='Sep 30 2010, 11:29 AM']The older BB614 and BB414s are giggable basses. The passive 414s are generally considered better as the pre-amp in the active 614 isn't that amazing. Through a good amp, my BB614 sounds cool, otherwise it can sound a bit 'vanilla'. Nice bass to play though and to my eye, a great design.

[/quote]

Yeh i love the look of the BB basses

So whats the different between the 414 and the 424? i know the 424 has a 5 piece neck but what else is different?

[gary mac]

[quote name='Bobby K' post='972496' date='Sep 30 2010, 11:15 AM']noelk27 on here is very knowledgeable about Yamaha BB's...

* @garrymac, what colour is your BB1200, just out of interest?[/quote]

A pic for you
[attachment=60255:028__2_.JPG][attachment=60256:036__2_.JPG]

[fillerbunny]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='972518' date='Sep 30 2010, 01:40 PM']So whats the different between the 414 and the 424? i know the 424 has a 5 piece neck but what else is different?[/quote]

The BB424 and 425, aside from the neck, borrow the new strings-thru-body-at-45-degree-angle bridge from the new handmade BB2024/BB2025 and production BB1024/BB1025 basses. Aside from the neck and the bridge there doesn't seem to be a difference. Great basses, never heard a bad thing about them.

[Sean]

There's a BB424 for sale [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=98388&hl=yamaha"]HERE[/url] at a very good price from one of our own forum members.

The 424 necks will be much more resonant than the 414 ones and that thru-stringing will make a big difference on the 5-string versions.

[BASainty]

Thanks for the help guys im gona be looking at a BB424 =] i wish they would release one soon with a pick guard since i like the BB414X.

[chrisba]

[quote name='4StringFortress' post='972518' date='Sep 30 2010, 11:40 AM']Yeh i love the look of the BB basses

So whats the different between the 414 and the 424? i know the 424 has a 5 piece neck but what else is different?[/quote]

I don't think the 424 has the matching headstock, which is sad. I tried a BB614 in Sunburst, it was a thing of great beauty, lovely to play, but I wasn't over impressed by the sound. Too "active" , if you know what I mean.

[El Bajo]

Stop talking about these basses!!!!! I want one so bad but I just can't afford it

[Oggy]

[quote name='El Bajo' post='972685' date='Sep 30 2010, 01:55 PM']Stop talking about these basses!!!!! I want one so bad but I just can't afford it[/quote]

Hi El Bajo,

There are at least two BB414 Basses for sale in the 'Basses For Sale' section - at not bad prices. Just type 'Yamaha BB414' in the Search Box of Basses for Sale section.

Not forgetting that I've also got a BB414 in Basses For Sale, only one month old, it's up for a ‘Swap or P/X’.

Best of luck

Oggy

[iconic]

I've had the 614 and 414 which is a keeper for sure,

...the active Raspberry 614 was a great bass (real slap machine) and I now wished I hadn't sold her now so quickly, but at the time I thought it had too many controls for me, and yes the pre-amp can make this bass sing high treble and super deep bass notes, but with it flat it's goes a little quiet....I gota say though the 414 is a super bass, red hot pups too, fast neck and sublime finish, can't go wrong


sometimes some new old stock ones appear on Fleabay from a compnau called whybuynew...worth checking them out

[BASainty]

Yeh iv heard alot of very good reviews about the BB414 infact i havnt seen one bad review about it.

Is there any different between the BB414 and the BB414x?

Because i love the look of the 414x and if there is no difference apart from the scratch plate then ill be looking at buying one.

[Brave Sir Robin]

x means scratch plate. All the way up to the BB2024/X.

[BASainty]

Ahh cool thanks for that =]

[The Admiral]

+ 1 on the "you can't go far wrong with a Yamaha" comments.

I have one of these : a BBG4AII - which you don't see many of in the UK. This one (link) is for sale in Hungary I think, but it's the same colour as mine and I'm not at home to use my own pics!

[url="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.njuskalo.hr/image-w450/bas-gitare/yamaha-bbg4aii-slika-1854441.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.njuskalo.hr/bas-gitare/yamaha-bbg4aii-oglas-774469&usg=__DEcL8jP_G70Hidw7IYgbc3yZqMY=&h=664&w=450&sz=53&hl=en&start=4&zoom=1&tbnid=YknC6d6eEE9vcM:&tbnh=138&tbnw=94&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbbg4aII%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1"]http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http...um=1&itbs=1[/url]

I ordered it through Sound Control in Wilmslow, and it's fantastic for the money (about £350 I think in 2001). They come up occasionally on eBay for about £100 - £150, which to my mind is 'bite your hands off' money. Very Fender like, but a bit different too - if that makes sense!

Have you checked out BC'er Oggy's BB414 in the For Sale thread? - It looks a cracking bass from the pic's.

Cheers

A

[BASainty]

[quote name='The Admiral' post='973055' date='Sep 30 2010, 06:53 PM']+ 1 on the "you can't go far wrong with a Yamaha" comments.

I have one of these : a BBG4AII - which you don't see many of in the UK. This one (link) is for sale in Hungary I think, but it's the same colour as mine and I'm not at home to use my own pics!

[url="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.njuskalo.hr/image-w450/bas-gitare/yamaha-bbg4aii-slika-1854441.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.njuskalo.hr/bas-gitare/yamaha-bbg4aii-oglas-774469&usg=__DEcL8jP_G70Hidw7IYgbc3yZqMY=&h=664&w=450&sz=53&hl=en&start=4&zoom=1&tbnid=YknC6d6eEE9vcM:&tbnh=138&tbnw=94&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbbg4aII%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1"]http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http...um=1&itbs=1[/url]

I ordered it through Sound Control in Wilmslow, and it's fantastic for the money (about £350 I think in 2001). They come up occasionally on eBay for about £100 - £150, which to my mind is 'bite your hands off' money. Very Fender like, but a bit different too - if that makes sense!

Have you checked out BC'er Oggy's BB414 in the For Sale thread? - It looks a cracking bass from the pic's.

Cheers

A[/quote]

Oh wow that is a pretty nice bass, how does it play and how does it feel?
Im gona deff look out for one on ebay for the price too it looks really good =]

[noelk27]

[quote name='Sean' post='972600' date='Sep 30 2010, 12:46 PM']There's a BB424 for sale [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=98388&hl=yamaha"]HERE[/url] at a very good price ...[/quote]

300 notes for OTPJ's 424 is a steal. For sure I'd stick with the passive models, unless you have the money for the high-end active models, as the circuit in the entry level models is a bit bland.

[Lozz196]

I had the BB 1100s in the late 80s. Must have done 500+ gigs with it, in the days before I either considered taking along replacement batteries (didn`t think of it at the time), or a backup (couldn`t afford one). Never had a single problem with it. I even hit someone with the headstock once whilst on stage (on purpose, he was spitting at us) and it stayed perfectly in tune. Very hard-wearing, and sound pretty good too.