The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, gobasserk said:

Now that the 1000MA's are ready and  set in the band this guy is left kind of unemployed. It is a 424 with matching headstock by the way. 

 

Is it cream or yellow?

[gobasserk]

It is a Fender colour - it's a creamy yellow 😁  I think Fender calls it Yellowhite

[AndyTravis]

45 minutes ago, gobasserk said:

It is a Fender colour - it's a creamy yellow 😁  I think Fender calls it Yellowhite

Ah ok. They did a deluxe Mexican jazz in it. We called it “custard” 😆

[AndyTravis]

Looks great though @gobasserk I want to do a a 424x in Shelby Blue like my AES800b guitar

[MrDinsdale]

20 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Looks great though @gobasserk I want to do a a 424x in Shelby Blue like my AES800b guitar

That would be great, I really want mine in a sea foam green. The burst finish is the only thing I dislike about my 1024x.

[MrDinsdale]

PS I love the 1024x, its my new go-to bass for sure. Really loving the p/j configuration.

 

 

[AndyTravis]

56 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

That would be great, I really want mine in a sea foam green. The burst finish is the only thing I dislike about my 1024x.

I’d get it to Dave Wilson in Hexham.

 

he did a miller jazz for me - I went OTT on pickups and a Pre in it - should’ve kept it stock apart from the paint

[Chadu25]

BB435 into this board is 🔥

[Aidan63]

How different are the pickups in the BB434 and the BBP34 ?

Other than the pickups and country of manufacture and the IRA treatment they are pretty similar aren't they ?

[funkypenguin]

On 24/05/2025 at 08:14, TheGhostofJaco said:

I get confused with all the models but I love Jon Maron and his tone so much. Pretty sure he plays a 3000 that may be passive.  Also know those are hard to find now so I was curious what other models I should look at for that thick pj bb tone? 

I don't blame you, I've become a real fan of Jonathan's playing over the last couple of years and think he's a real hidden gem of the bass world! Jonathan's BBs are indeed passive  he has a pair of BB3000S (V-V-T control layout instead of the V-T-Pickup selector) and he strings one with flats, the other with rounds. I've been looking for one for a while but people that have them are keeping hold of them, and the one example I did find was both the wrong side of the Atlantic and out of my price range. 

 

One option I'm exploring as an alternative is the BBX, these were apparently Japan only basses but they have the same overall spec and control layout, the big difference being that they are bolt on rather than thru-neck. 

Edited Sunday at 20:34 by funkypenguin

[soulstar89]

43 minutes ago, funkypenguin said:

I don't blame you, I've become a real fan of Jonathan's playing over the last couple of years and think he's a real hidden gem of the bass world! Jonathan's BBs are indeed passive  he has a pair of BB3000S (V-V-T control layout instead of the V-T-Pickup selector) and he strings one with flats, the other with rounds. I've been looking for one for a while but people that have them are keeping hold of them, and the one example I did find was both the wrong side of the Atlantic and out of my price range. 

 

One option I'm exploring as an alternative is the BBX, these were apparently Japan only basses but they have the same overall spec and control layout, the big difference being that they are bolt on rather than thru-neck. 

I am a fan of johnathan maron also. You can source the bb3000 in Japan. Bassjapandirect has a service where he finds basses you are after. 
 

Danny may still have a red one up for sale. One in video is gone now I think. I follow him on YouTube. His helped me identify some basses. 
 

 

I would love a bb3000 or a p/j with a reverse p pickup. 

[Maude]

56 minutes ago, soulstar89 said:

I would love a bb3000 or a p/j with a reverse p pickup. 

 

The little known BB424xrp 😉

 

[soulstar89]

2 minutes ago, Maude said:

 

The little known BB424xrp 😉

 

oh.. when did these come out. I will have to see what the spec difference are. 

 

Off the the internet rabbit hole 🕳️ 🏃🏾‍♂️

[Maude]

24 minutes ago, soulstar89 said:

oh.. when did these come out. I will have to see what the spec difference are. 

 

Off the the internet rabbit hole 🕳️ 🏃🏾‍♂️

My apologies, but you won't find one. 

I like to confuse people with this picture. 

I did the conversion myself in a bid to convince myself I didn't need a Peter Hook BB (BBPH), then ended up with a BBPH a few months later. 

[LowB_FTW]

3 hours ago, Aidan63 said:

and the IRA treatment

I'm sorry, the what now?!? 😳

 

Mark

[Aidan63]

9 hours ago, LowB_FTW said:

I'm sorry, the what now?!? 😳

 

Mark

Initial Response Acceleration (I.R.A.) treatment 

 

basically they vibrate it to give it better 'vibe', like some do with acoustics, put a speaker on it and play the instrument different frequencies to simulate the effect of hours of play

 

as with tone wood its a thing or hookum depending on your point of view

[Paddy777]

10 minutes ago, Aidan63 said:

Initial Response Acceleration (I.R.A.) treatment 

 

basically they vibrate it to give it better 'vibe', like some do with acoustics, put a speaker on it and play the instrument different frequencies to simulate the effect of hours of play

 

as with tone wood its a thing or hookum depending on your point of view

Yeh when I read about IRA treatment I sort of rolled my eyes and thought it was marketing bs, but almost everyone who plays the BBP basses that I’ve spoke to or listened to (or at least everyone who’s opinion I value) has said that it does actually make a difference - people like Ian King absolutely sing the praises of the BBP’s without any sort of sponsorship. Not sure if it is the IRA treatment or not, but the BBP’s definitely seem to be very highly thought of. I also really rate Japanese workmanship (and Japanese Yamaha especially) so I, personally don’t think they would do it if it didn’t have a definite positive effect on the finished product. 

[W1_Pro]

I have a BBP34. Its a magnificent bass. I love it. Great sound, top notch components and build. Furthermore, as far as I can see, everything that Yamaha make, from mixing consoles to motorbikes are  well thought out and supremely workmanlike devices. They do what it says on the tin very very well for a very very long time. All that being said- and I hate to sound cynical- what the IRA treatment boils down to; They take the bass, shake it for a bit (albeit at various specific and pre planned frequencies), and that is meant to make it sound better? I mean, who am I to judge.....?

[BassApprentice]

I feel these I.R.A, PLEK and aging treatments may not necessarily sound "better" but give the bass that worn or played feel (a bit of given for ageing)

 

Yes, a new bass feels and plays nicely - but I've found a bass feels better the longer you keep it and get used to it. This processes take the shiny new age off it and make it feel a bit more broken in.

 

As with everything, some like it, some don't and some don't notice.

 

 

[Lozz196]

4 minutes ago, BassApprentice said:

I feel these I.R.A, PLEK and aging treatments may not necessarily sound "better" but give the bass that worn or played feel (a bit of given for ageing)

 

Yes, a new bass feels and plays nicely - but I've found a bass feels better the longer you keep it and get used to it. This processes take the shiny new age off it and make it feel a bit more broken in.

 

As with everything, some like it, some don't and some don't notice.

 

 

Agree, I’ve only had my fave Precision for 10 years but because I’ve played it so much it just feels “right” in my hands, and different to the other Precisions that I have, all of which are the same range and strung with the same strings. The more I play my fave the better it feels, I get much more enjoyment playing that bass than any other.

[tom.android]

15 minutes ago, BassApprentice said:

I feel these I.R.A, PLEK and aging treatments may not necessarily sound "better" but give the bass that worn or played feel (a bit of given for ageing)

 

Yes, a new bass feels and plays nicely - but I've found a bass feels better the longer you keep it and get used to it. This processes take the shiny new age off it and make it feel a bit more broken in.

 

As with everything, some like it, some don't and some don't notice.

 

 

PLEK is more like a computer-assisted fret levelling and nut cutting tool. 
 

I’d really like to play a BB434, 734 and P34 back to back to directly compare. I think the main difference is going to be in playing feel rather than sound. I’ve done this with 434 & 734 quite a few times and in a lot of ways I prefer the 434.

[Muzz]

On 24/05/2025 at 09:08, gobasserk said:

In my opinion the 1000MA is a very overlooked and underrated bass. It is a bit lighter than all the 414/424 basses, it features a better bridge and I like reverse pickup configuration. 

The red inlays are a matter of taste but the overall body shaping looks so great... a very handy bass with a really good tone. I love them. 

Now this caught my eye...I love a BB (had several, still got one), but these days they're too heavy for my busy gigging schedule and glass back...when you say 'a bit lighter', how light is it?

[gobasserk]

Well, it is not half the waight but even the smaller body does it's work. I can tell better tomorrow... 

[andy67]

It appears after a wee bit research the original bb1000 was 4.5kg and the bb1000ma is 8.5lbs or just under 4kgs. 

[gobasserk]

That's right, I think I remember 3,9kg.