Al Krow 3,029 Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) WELCOME TO THE YAMAHA BB MEGA-THREAD! Originally started when the new Yamaha 3 series were announced in early 2017, this has turned into a bit of a 'hub' thread for discussions on all matters related to Yammy BB and there have been a LOT of really helpful contributions and discussions on these much loved basses (as well as plenty of banter and banality) along the way. Given that we are now over 3,000 posts I thought it might be useful to add some sort of index in case you had a particular query, which had already been discussed. INDEX [To follow] WHICH YAMAHA 3 SERIES BASS IS FOR YOU? Dating your Yamaha BB bass More recent Yamaha BBs seem to use a YY-M format with the first 3 letters providing the date, but using the following code: H=1, I=2, J=3, K=4, L=5, M=6, N=7, O=8, P=9, Q=0, X=10, Y=11, Z=12 => HMI = 16-2 i.e. Feb 2016 The Yamaha BB Series 2 (BB424/5, 1024/5 and 2024/5) were released in 2010, followed by the Series 3 in 2017 Original Post (March 2017) Paid a visit to the Yamaha store in London on Monday to check out the BB1025 which came highly recommended by BCs (see thread "Best 5 string you've ever owned"). Lovely low action and really good solid build, but not too heavy (important consideration for two hour gigs!). The big news is that it was about to be replaced by a new, slightly thinner, BB1035 model** which are currently being shipped to the UK. As a result Yamaha were willing to knock 17.5% off the normal selling price of this much loved bass and include a gig bag, set up, 12 month service and free shipping (they even managed to locate possibly the final Yamaha store copy of the Tobacco Brown Sunburst finish I'd got my eye on, in Germany!). It was hard to refuse such a good sales pitch! So if any of you are after a BB1025, now is as good a time as any to pick up one at a very good price! (And I see that Gear4Music have discounted a BB1025 Black to just £599, over £200 off their normal selling price!). **Postscript: as we all now know they never did release a BB1035 (!) Edited December 29, 2019 by Al Krow 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannybuoy 1,028 Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) Interesting! I wonder if there will be a 434/435/2034/2035? I've always gassed for a 2025X as an upgrade to my 1025X, here's hoping a discounted one might appear somewhere... Edited March 22, 2017 by dannybuoy 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannybuoy 1,028 Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) From the BB club thread on TB: "They are discontinuing the current BB lineup. The next ones are already fully designed and functional models are all up and ready. Probably be in stores very very soon. Sadly they wont be a minor update but a totally different version from what I heard today. 1000 series equivalent will be active. 400 and 2000 will be passive." Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BassApprentice 177 Posted March 22, 2017 (edited) Oh great, just when I had gotten over my BB gas Excited to see and hear them...(and maybe buy one ) Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookys6stringbass 25 Posted March 22, 2017 I'm intrigued.... Looking forward to seeing the new basses...dare I hope for reversed pick ups.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bassix 22 Posted March 22, 2017 Ooooooooooh, I'm excited! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CameronJ 1,200 Posted March 23, 2017 WHAT. Now to trawl google image search for pics... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookys6stringbass 25 Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) WHAT. Now to trawl google image search for pics... You won't find any....ive looked 😞 Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CameronJ 1,200 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Disaster. My search was indeed a dead end Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MacDaddy 2,768 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Paid a visit to the Yamaha store in London on Monday to check out the BB1025 which came highly recommended by BCs (see thread "Best 5 string you've ever owned"). Lovely low action and really good solid build, but not too heavy (important consideration for two hour gigs!). The big news is that it was about to be replaced by a new, slightly thinner, BB1035 model which are currently being shipped to the UK. As a result Yamaha were willing to knock 17.5% off the normal selling price of this much loved bass and include a gig bag, set up, 12 month service and free shipping (they even managed to locate possibly the final Yamaha store copy of the Tobacco Brown Sunburst finish I'd got my eye on, in Germany!). It was hard to refuse such a good sales pitch! So if any of you are after a BB1025, now is as good a time as any to pick up one at a very good price! (And I see that Gear4Music have discounted a BB1025 Black to just £599, over £200 off their normal selling price!). Where is the Yamaha store, in London? Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisgriff 11 Posted March 24, 2017 It's on Wardour Street in Soho (guitars and basses are downstairs) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jay-syncro 199 Posted March 24, 2017 I walked past the Yamaha Store in Soho recently on my lunch break. I popped in and ended up trying the BB2024x. Nice bass but the pickup hum was atrocious with the bridge pickup soloed. I Also tried the 5 string which was much the same. Are they all like that? Seems a bit of an oversight considering they're nearly £3k.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MacDaddy 2,768 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) It's on Wardour Street in Soho (guitars and basses are downstairs) Ta. Will have to pop in some time. Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jezzaboy 348 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) I walked past the Yamaha Store in Soho recently on my lunch break. I popped in and ended up trying the BB2024x. Nice bass but the pickup hum was atrocious with the bridge pickup soloed. I Also tried the 5 string which was much the same. Are they all like that? Seems a bit of an oversight considering they're nearly £3k.. Ed Frieland mentioned this in his review a few years ago. Shocking on a bass that costs so much. Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannybuoy 1,028 Posted March 24, 2017 I don't notice much noise with mine in the middle position at least (I never use the bridge pup soloed) and I have a dimmer switch in my room that makes most things buzz. I don't think it's shocking on a bass that costs a lot... it's only the standard amount of hum you'd get from a single coil pickup. There are plenty of basses more expensive than this with single coils that also hum. You could solve it by putting a humbucker at the bridge but that would change the tone of the pickup; you could also do something funky with dummy coils, but I can't recall one single production or boutique bass that uses that method. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MDWagstaff 16 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/el_basses/bb_2017/index.html I'll just leave this here... Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sean 29 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) https://uk.yamaha.co...2017/index.html I'll just leave this here... That's next year's bonus taken care of, then! A JJ config could be very interesting for me. Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Al Krow 3,029 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Oooh, thanks for sharing MDW - does look good! I see that one of the models has a third volume / tone / [??] control? Am I going to quickly regret parting cash for an end of line (and really good value) BB 1025? BB = Bunny Brunel (designer) right? Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jezzaboy 348 Posted March 24, 2017 I think BB stands for Broad Bass? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Truckstop 5 Posted March 24, 2017 Um, not exactly enamoured with the new pick guard shapes. Would need to see in the flesh, I think. Rather like a Citroen C6. Not very photogenic, but outstandingly beautiful in person! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannybuoy 1,028 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannybuoy 1,028 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannybuoy 1,028 Posted March 24, 2017 (edited) Edited July 30, 2019 by Dad3353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
