Greggo Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Been toying with the idea of selling on my 5 string Vintage EST96 and perhaps getting another Yamaha BB because I do love the BB414 I got in a trade last year. Been looking at the different models over the years and I'm really drawn to some of the (low end?) models from the 80s which I believe are Japanese made. I particularly like the BB300 with its single P pickup but also the BB450 with the P/J. Anyone have any experience of these and how hard are they to get on the second hand market and what kind of price these go for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Great basses, not too uncommon and often available at extremely reasonable prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Yes, they're very good. The BB400 has a 3-piece alder body, the BB300 doesn't, I can't work out what it is but the body is made of lots of pieces glued up. The necks are very good but differ in profile between the models, teh BB300 has quite a wide shallow profile whereas the BB400 is more like a P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1396194199' post='2410806'] Yes, they're very good. The BB400 has a 3-piece alder body, the BB300 doesn't, I can't work out what it is but the body is made of lots of pieces glued up. The necks are very good but differ in profile between the models, teh BB300 has quite a wide shallow profile whereas the BB400 is more like a P. [/quote] Are any of these like a 414? This is slimmer than P but thicker than jazz neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1396212409' post='2411093'] Are any of these like a 414? This is slimmer than P but thicker than jazz neck. [/quote] They're very different to the 414. Different hardware, different pickups, different profile necks. The BB300 neck is quite wide but shallow and probably has a similar amount of meat to the J neck but just a different shape. They were mass produced, mass appeal basses at the time and therefore are very accessible. Edited March 30, 2014 by Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 [quote name='Sean' timestamp='1396213524' post='2411103'] They're very different to the 414. Different hardware, different pickups, different profile necks. The BB300 neck is quite wide but shallow and probably has a similar amount of meat to the J neck but just a different shape. They were mass produced, mass appeal basses at the time and therefore are very accessible. [/quote] Thanks for info. They sound ideal as an interesting alternative to a Squier Precision and I am a fan of the looks of a BB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 [quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1396213727' post='2411106'] Thanks for info. They sound ideal as an interesting alternative to a Squier Precision and I am a fan of the looks of a BB. [/quote] Interesting alternative to a Fender P. Any factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 (edited) I've had a BB614, a BB300 and I have today a BB350F and a BB450. My current two are both mid 80s (BB450 is 1985 and BB350F is 1986) and both were made in Taiwan. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you a Japanese one, I suspect you're going to have to aim earlier than that. All I can say about the ones I've had is that I've had no worries gigging any of them (apart from the fretless, and that's my fault, not the bass's ). My BB450 is my least expensive bass (and a rescue job at that - it had been parted out, truss rod maxed out, no nut - got it all back together and fixed all the issues) but I'm happy to pick it up and play it any time. I find the neck has a nice inbetweeny profile - not as fat as a P, not as skinny as a J. Me and my BB450 at Belladrum (Tartan Heart) Festival last year: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bs4gJsM660[/media] Edited March 31, 2014 by neepheid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 [quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1396258553' post='2411372'] I've had a BB614, a BB300 and I have today a BB350F and a BB450. My current two are both mid 80s (BB450 is 1985 and BB350F is 1986) and both were made in Taiwan. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if you a Japanese one, I suspect you're going to have to aim earlier than that. All I can say about the ones I've had is that I've had no worries gigging any of them (apart from the fretless, and that's my fault, not the bass's ). My BB450 is my least expensive bass (and a rescue job at that - it had been parted out, truss rod maxed out, no nut - got it all back together and fixed all the issues) but I'm happy to pick it up and play it any time. I find the neck has a nice inbetweeny profile - not as fat as a P, not as skinny as a J. Me and my BB450 at Belladrum (Tartan Heart) Festival last year: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bs4gJsM660[/media] [/quote] Bit difficult to concentrate solely on the bass in that video But very nice and good sound too! I believe the BB450 did the orange sparkle colour too which the 41x series adopted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I had a 300, it was ace. Used it for reggae with dead strings and foam down by the bridge. So much thump. It was a 92 I think, made in Taiwan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Another one I look like the look of is the BB1000s as well which seems to have the matching headstock which I like. Were these higher end at that time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 BB1000s is a much better quality instrument. It has a through neck and I think was made in Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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