BassAdder60 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 What’s people’s opinion of the BB734A bass ? Better than a Fender MIM PBass ? How is the preamp and build quality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassApprentice Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 You'll get an answer soon enough I'm sure - but might be worth posting here too: Over 350 pages of Yamaha BB content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I had one for a bit, my summary: Matt finish shines very easily, won't look as 'new' as a Fender would over time. Preamp OK, but I preferred it passive Awesome P sound available, blends well with the J, but J on it's own sounded too thin (preamp can help this) Looked really cool, very well made Is it better than a MIM P bass ? Yes and no depending on your needs. Build quality wise, i'd say they're both good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH89 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I bought mine new over a year ago . Fit and finish are superb . Strung it with Labella original 54s and it sounds killer . 60/40 towards the P pickup and treble rolled off . It instantly became my no1 bass and gets more play time than all the others put together . It is the only bass I have ever had that has stayed as it left the factory . Says it all really . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 It's been said a million times - you can't go wrong with a Yamaha... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Facetiousness aside, I don't think any bass has a divine right to be better than any other based solely upon who made it and where. I simply ignore any of these kind of comments, get an example of the bass I'm interested in and let my ears, hands and eyes decide. Whatever you like, you're not wrong - you don't need your hand held while you decide. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassApprentice Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 As @neepheid says, trying before you buy is always best. Only think I find about Yamaha stock in stores is it's a bit patchy. They'll have loads of the 234/5 then a maybe a 714 and some TRBX. Sometimes hard to see the model you're looking for without checking first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Just now, BassApprentice said: As @neepheid says, trying before you buy is always best. With respect, I didn't say that, and I don't subscribe to that school of thought at all - I regularly buy basses at distance sight unseen. When I said "get an example of the bass I'm interested in" I generally mean "buy it". #justsayin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 (edited) I'll say I'm a Yamaha fanboi now so I could be biased, but I've always said that at any given price point I feel that you get more bass from Yamaha than Fender/Squier. QC seems far more consistent with Yamaha than Fender/Squier. How many times have you seem people trying any number of 'identical' Fenders to find 'a good one'? Pick up any Yamaha of the model you're looking for and it will be pretty much the same as all the others, making distance buying easier. On the 734a, I find the necks the absolutely perfect size, and rock solid body joint with the six bolt mitre fixing. It's true, as with any satin or matt, that the finish will polish up under use but I personally much prefer the gloss dark coffee burst anyway. In the flesh it I something else, absolutely gorgeous. People have mentioned the pickups sounding slightly bland but I think that's comparing to the previous series of BBs which had their own distinct sound. The 734a is slightly more generic sounding but that just means it will fit in anywhere. I can't see mine leaving me for a very long time. Edit: Our guitarist bought me a mini BB for my birthday and this was the picture I sent him. How can you not love that finish? Edited January 14 by Maude 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanheusen77 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I’ve had a lot of passive BB’s. If you are after a Fender then nothing else will satisfy that itch. Personally, I like the Yamahas as much or more. I sometimes think the BB’s get unfairly criticised for not sounding enough like a jazz or P. They have their own great sound and feel! I never felt I needed the active preamp on my passive BB’s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 I’ve got a pair of BB604 basses which are incredible considering the two together cost only £500. Do they sound great? Absolutely. Do they give me a really good P bass sound? No. That’s what I use my P bass (or my Mustang) for. So depending on what you want, it might suit you better than a P, but if you’re after specifically a P bass sound, you should look at a P bass really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 At the risk of stirring the pot, I think you can go wrong with a Yamaha too. I had one very dull Yamaha bass some years ago, and a Yamaha acoustic whose neck decided to go awol and turn corkscrew shaped. Rare, but not unheard of. But in general yeah they’re pretty cool bits of kit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisisswanbon Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Of all the basses I've had and moved on my BB734A is one of 2 that I regret... Fantastic bass with a fantastic plethora of sounds available. Slightly heavy, but that translated to the tone. Comments about the matt finish are valid, it will gloss quickly. If I could buy mine back, I'd do it in a heart beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisisswanbon Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 12 hours ago, bassbiscuits said: I’ve got a pair of BB604 basses which are incredible considering the two together cost only £500. Do they sound great? Absolutely. Do they give me a really good P bass sound? No. That’s what I use my P bass (or my Mustang) for. So depending on what you want, it might suit you better than a P, but if you’re after specifically a P bass sound, you should look at a P bass really. Those BB604 basses are great! I bought one new back in 2005, it was actually more playable than a euro spector they had in. I always thought the neck felt REALLY long on it though, ended up selling for buttons years later 😔 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 On 14/01/2024 at 07:50, BassAdder60 said: What’s people’s opinion of the BB734A bass ? Better than a Fender MIM PBass ? How is the preamp and build quality? Excellent bass, I gigged mine for years and recorded our last album with it. Great quality, pickups and preamp sounded awesome. I only sold it fund a BBPH which is also great but doesn't have the same snarl... only bass I've previously owed that I'd buy again without a concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfrasho Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 I love mine. Can't comment on how it compares though but there's nothing poor about the yamaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAdder60 Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 I did try the BB434 last week and it was nice but I didn’t care for the neck I assume the 734 has the same neck ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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