The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[Dean Vincent]

On 01/08/2023 at 14:36, mikeycrikey said:

Just bought the orange 5 string from Curly Music. It's not in great condition. Barrel jack is faulty (as usual). G-string had been replaced with  a D string. Needs a really good clean up, new strings, new barrel jack and it should be good to go. 

Curly Music gave me a pretty good discount off the price to reflect its current condition. 

It's surprisingly light for a 5 string but most importantly it's metallic orange.

My Yamaha collection is on the rise again after I had previously sold my 5  Yamaha BB's as I fell out of love with shape of them and bought a few Fenders instead. Now have the

BB 414, 424 and now 415.

The 414 gets used for every gig.

Are you getting another 734A or sticking with the 400s this time? 

[mikeycrikey]

6 hours ago, Dean Vincent said:

Are you getting another 734A or sticking with the 400s this time? 

Think I will be sticking with the 400s. Love the neck on the 414. Also the simplicity of the passive instrument is better for me. 

With the 734a I was constantly fiddling with the tone controls in between  songs. With the 414 I can just play the the thing and not be tempted to tweak anything mid song

[ped]

I guess you guys have seen this BB3000 with Jaydee electronics?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256167928925?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=DZLcTZKpS6a&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=om7uGMI4RRi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Tjhooker]

That's a lot of knobs ☝️

Edited August 4, 2023 by Tjhooker

[ped]

Yeah! It's tricky to tell from the photo but it looks like they're black plastic ones sprayed gold. They'd be coming straight off!

[AndyTravis]

That’s up for sale, a lot…

 

think that’s the third or fourth time in the last two years.

 

I think Jaydee basses are ace. And the BB3000 is recitals one of the all time greatest passive basses (the 3000a obviously different) 

 

it’s like beer being nice and Coca Cola being lovely…but you wouldn’t mix them.

 

 

[LukeFRC]

20 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

That’s up for sale, a lot…

 

think that’s the third or fourth time in the last two years.

 

I think Jaydee basses are ace. And the BB3000 is recitals one of the all time greatest passive basses (the 3000a obviously different) 

 

it’s like beer being nice and Coca Cola being lovely…but you wouldn’t mix them.

 

 

they do in Germany

[Woodinblack]

31 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

its like beer being nice and Coca Cola being lovely…but you wouldn’t mix them.

 

if you like cheese, and you like peas...

[AndyTravis]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

if you like cheese, and you like peas...

NEW SQUEEZY CHEESY PEAS!

[Maude]

BRILLIANT!! 

[AndyTravis]

2 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

they do in Germany

Oh yeah. Yeah they do 🤢

[2elliot]

On 04/08/2023 at 10:24, LukeFRC said:

they do in Germany

Krefelder

[woolf]

So there’s been some BB action at Woolf HQ recently…. Regretfully sold my BB3000 in 2019. Got a 414 recently that reignited my BB passion. Then I caved and bought the BB1300 I’d been eyeing up at BassBros for months. And I’ve turned the 414 into a 3000

tribute 😎

 

I’m still after the proper knobs for the 414…

[javi_bassist]

11 hours ago, woolf said:

So there’s been some BB action at Woolf HQ recently…. Regretfully sold my BB3000 in 2019. Got a 414 recently that reignited my BB passion. Then I caved and bought the BB1300 I’d been eyeing up at BassBros for months. And I’ve turned the 414 into a 3000

tribute 😎

 

I’m still after the proper knobs for the 414…

 

They both look amazing. Man, I just love Yamaha basses... I want them all xD.

 

 

[javi_bassist]

I have been watching some people playing BB605s because I was thinking about selling it. I really like the feel but I am not really happy with the sound. My fault because I changed the stock pickups for Delanos. So, I watched two musicians in Instagram who uploaded some covers and the sound was just pretty amazing. One of them told me that the bass was 100% stock. The other one told me that he changed the pickups for Sadowsky pickups. The latter sounded like a pretty amazing jazz bass, so I pulled the trigger and I bought the Sadowsky pickups. I will be selling the Delanos. Nothing wrong with them really (I have Delanos in my BB735) but I wanted a more classic jazz bass sound. If I don't like them, the stock picukps will come back haha.

Edited August 19, 2023 by javi_bassist

[javi_bassist]

I've been playing my BB414 lately and I am liking it more. It just feels good. And it sounds amazing. I have used it in a couple of recordings and people loved it. Anyway, I am posting a pick because it's orange and it can be seen from the distance and I find it funny. Sounds cool, plays awesome and it's sexy.

 

 

[Rusty Spanner]

Morning all.

 

Recently traded my Cort Artisan B4 for a brand new BB734a at the delightful Promenade Music in Morecambe. Lovely people to deal with. 

 

Love the instrument, tried pretty much every 4 string they had in, but the Yam felt the nicest by far. 

 

It weighs 10.47lbs. Not an issue as it balances so well and is very comfy, but wondering how this compares to other recent BB's?

 

Traded the Cort because I couldn't stand the looks, especially the fretboard,  which appeared to have been made from compressed Ryvita and dog toffee!

Shallow, me?

🙂

 

[Vanheusen77]

The recent BB’s are somewhat in the middle weight wise in my experience. About the same as new Fender jazz basses. Not very heavy but definitely heavier than my Sandberg or Stingray special. 

[Misdee]

My BB P34 weighed 9.5 pounds. I've seen them a little bit lighter and a bit heavier than that. If I saw a Vintage White  P34 around 9 pounds I would buy it.

Edited September 1, 2023 by Misdee

[Rusty Spanner]

Cheers folks, much appreciated.

[Gramski]

22 hours ago, Misdee said:

My BB P34 weighed 9.5 pounds. I've seen them a little bit lighter and a bit heavier than that. If I saw a Vintage White  P34 around 9 pounds I would buy it.

 

How about 9lb 3oz? Yamaha BB Series | BBP34 - Vintage Sunburst - Peach Guitars .. thankfully for your wallet this is sunburst.

 

The vintage white is 9lb 10 oz - Yamaha BB Series | BBP34 - Vintage White - Peach Guitars. Looks stunning.  And in the right hands, it also sounds stunning - Sandberg TT vs. Yamaha BBP34 (Video) - Bass Guitars - Basschat

[Misdee]

42 minutes ago, Gramski said:

 

How about 9lb 3oz? Yamaha BB Series | BBP34 - Vintage Sunburst - Peach Guitars .. thankfully for your wallet this is sunburst.

 

The vintage white is 9lb 10 oz - Yamaha BB Series | BBP34 - Vintage White - Peach Guitars. Looks stunning.  And in the right hands, it also sounds stunning - Sandberg TT vs. Yamaha BBP34 (Video) - Bass Guitars - Basschat

Yes thanks, I was looking at the white one in Peach Guitars just the other day. It's just that bit too heavy.  I'm holding out for a good example at the right weight. I think I will be lucky to find one, though.

 

 Nowadays 9.5 pounds is my cut-off point for the weight of any bass. I know from experience if it weighs more than that I just won't want to get it out and play it. I'm getting to an age where I've got enough aches and pains without uneccessarily giving myself anymore.

[Raslee]

Always typically late to the party but i got a mid 80's BB1100 at the weekend in a part trade. This is my first venture into the world of vintage BB1100's and am really impressed so far, weight's not too bad either at 8.5lbs - i was expecting it to weigh more for some reason. Took it do a 'Dad rock' rehearsal yesterday and it played really well, more so on the P pickup in passive, cut through really nicely - think this may make a great work horse until i get bored.

 

A few Q's - i'm assuming it's a Taiwan model but how do you tell if it's Jap or Taiwan? i can't see any serial numbers externally, Also mine has a schaller 3d bridge and tuners - assuming these must be upgrades?  although can't see any extra holes and they do look quite old - functions great. Looks a like a BT1 Hipshop d-tuner as the tuners do look very similar to that of past MM Stingrays that i've owned - anyone ever fitted a D-tuner to theirs? .

 

 

 

[Maude]

@Raslee I saw that one for sale and very nearly bought it, bargain price.

Funnily enough it was the tuners that put me off because, being extremely shallow, I love the look of the originals. 

I'd say that's a Japenese one as the pickups are the earlier type, but I'll admit I don't know that the pickups changed when the place of manufacture did. 

A lovely bass wherever it was built. 

[jezzaboy]

19 minutes ago, Raslee said:

Always typically late to the party but i got a mid 80's BB1100 at the weekend in a part trade. This is my first venture into the world of vintage BB1100's and am really impressed so far, weight's not too bad either at 8.5lbs - i was expecting it to weigh more for some reason. Took it do a 'Dad rock' rehearsal yesterday and it played really well, more so on the P pickup in passive, cut through really nicely - think this may make a great work horse until i get bored.

 

A few Q's - i'm assuming it's a Taiwan model but how do you tell if it's Jap or Taiwan? i can't see any serial numbers externally, Also mine has a schaller 3d bridge and tuners - assuming these must be upgrades?  although can't see any extra holes and they do look quite old - functions great. Looks a like a BT1 Hipshop d-tuner as the tuners do look very similar to that of past MM Stingrays that i've owned - anyone ever fitted a D-tuner to theirs? .

 

 

 

The serial number and made in.. are on the back of the headstock below the tuners. On the one`s I have owned, it`s stamped into the wood and can be difficult to see. The bridge and tuners are replacements but as Maude says the pickups are the the original type. Cracking bass.