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BB435 or 735? Help me choose

M

mapadofu

Mar 19, 2013
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1,483
#1
I need to get my first 5 string. I’m waffling about which Yamaha bass to order on line. I can afford the 735, but it seems like the main upgrade is the active electronics. I’ve only really played passive before, so I figure I’m liable to just use it in passive mode. I know the “buy the best bass you can afford” idea, but I’m not sure if the extra features on the 735 make it better than the 425.

How likely is it that I’ll end up using the active electronics, when I mostly play rock?

Are there other good reasons for a (hobbyist) player to pay for the 735 over the 435?
 
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#3
BB435 (passive only) vs. BB735 (active/passive)... This is the question I was just asking myself last night. ;)

As a happy owner of Yamaha TRBX505 (active/passive) for the last four years, I've enjoyed playing it both in active and passive, although I find myself playing it more often in passive than active lately. I don't necessarily consider the active option an absolute must, but I figure it's better to have it and not need it all the time than to need it and not have it.

If I were to get myself one of the BB's, I would probably go for the 735 as having extra tonal options is always nice.
 
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#4
mapadofu said:
I need to get my first 5 string. I’m waffling about which Yamaha bass to order on line. I can afford the 735, but it seems like the main upgrade is the active electronics. I’ve only really played passive before, so I figure I’m liable to just use it in passive mode. I know the “buy the best bass you can afford” idea, but I’m not sure if the extra features on the 735 make it better than the 425.

How likely is it that I’ll end up using the active electronics, when I mostly play rock?

Are there other good reasons for a (hobbyist) player to pay for the 735 over the 435?
Click to expand...
Personally I am a fan of active basses, and more general, a fan of options. I like knobs and switches and dials and pagan summoning circles on my basses because I like options. In my opinion, if you can afford it without breaking the bank, the active electronics would be worth it even if you think you may not use them because I bet you would use them...or at least enjoy playing around with them and experimenting with the wider array of tones available to you. I don't care for when people talk about what one "needs" but in this case I don't think you "need" active electronics because you could always go with a pedal preamp if you decide you want to play music that necessitates a preamp. Again, my vote is for the active bass but really you can't go wrong with either option. Super helpful opinion, I know ;)
 
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#10
On the 7-, you pickup the three band EQ with the active/passive switch, so between the two options you could dial up two entirely different tones, or at least go passive without surgery under the hood. It also adds the layered alder/maple/alder body, and the string-up or string-through option with a better bridge.

IF the cost difference is no deal-breaker, it's a no-brainer for me: BB735A, one of the most highly-regarded five-strings as you read the various threads here on TB.

If you think you may be in the high-risk group to catch the dreaded 'White-Knuckled Fear of an Itty-Bitty Battery' illness, put a brand new Duracell in it when you get it home, and change them every New Years' and Fourth of July, and keep a spare or two in your gig bag. Won't even need a booster . . . . .

FWIW, I played active basses on stage for years, and got caught out only one time when I foolishly took a used bass I'd bought earlier that day to a gig WITHOUT putting a new battery in it, and . . . yep, it bit me in the ass. Otherwise, I never had a problem, ever.
 
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#11
I've been very happy with my 735. I wasn't expecting to want to use the preamp (I almost bought the 435 for this reason, the 735 just happened to be in stock in my local shop the day I had money burning a hole in my pocket) but it turns out that I really like it. I'm also pleasantly surprised that I like the way the bridge pickup sounds when blended in with the P pickup - it nicely tightens up the low B. The preamp helps even more this this.

It's nice to know I can flick a switch and turn off the preamp if I don't want it, but it has really grown on me. If you can afford the 735, and if you can find one, you won't regret the upgrade.
 
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#14
JW56789 said:
On the 7-, you pickup the three band EQ with the active/passive switch, so between the two options you could dial up two entirely different tones, or at least go passive without surgery under the hood. It also adds the layered alder/maple/alder body, and the string-up or string-through option with a better bridge.

IF the cost difference is no deal-breaker, it's a no-brainer for me: BB735A, one of the most highly-regarded five-strings as you read the various threads here on TB.

If you think you may be in the high-risk group to catch the dreaded 'White-Knuckled Fear of an Itty-Bitty Battery' illness, put a brand new Duracell in it when you get it home, and change them every New Years' and Fourth of July, and keep a spare or two in your gig bag. Won't even need a booster . . . . .

FWIW, I played active basses on stage for years, and got caught out only one time when I foolishly took a used bass I'd bought earlier that day to a gig WITHOUT putting a new battery in it, and . . . yep, it bit me in the ass. Otherwise, I never had a problem, ever.
Click to expand...
You and I have disagreed on this before and probably will in the future—but Yamaha thought of that and put in a low battery warning LED in the BB735A :cool:
 
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#16
Altitude said:
Theory: most people buy the 735 but play the 435 because they leave the tone controls flat or off.

Save your money, buy the 435. Buy an outboard preamp if you want to experiment with tone, there are dozens.
Click to expand...
That’s what I exactly did. I had the 434 and a few external preamps (Aguilar, EBS, etc) I can say, this bass is a great value. I have American Jazz Basses, Precisions, Stingrays and more. The Yamaha is my go to bass…
The 7 is probably as good as the 4 but I can’t see the necessity yet.
 
#17
You can actually explore the technical differences between the 735 and 435 (or any of the BB models) here on Yamaha's website. See screenshot of just the two below, the main difference is indeed the preamp, but there are a few other small features the 735 has that the 435 doesn't:

- Different hardware (a lot of folks seem to dislike the string tree on the 43x and 23x basses, though you can obtain and install a replacement). Brass vs steel saddles on the bridge and the 735's bridge overall looks a bit better and more solid to me.

- 3 ply body with a piece of maple in between two bits of alder, though with that we're starting to get into tone wood discussion territory and I ain't touching that one today.

- V7 pickups on the 735 vs V5 on the 435, though the difference in tone is apparently slight.

- 735 comes with a gig bag, it's padded and pretty nice.

- Different color options, and the back of the 735's neck is stained black. I wish it weren't, but that's just me.

Altogether, these are fairly minor differences, it's up to you whether the extra cash is worth it.

BB comp.png
 
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#19
Maybe you can help yourself answer the question by looking at related behaviors. Are you always messing with tone controls on the amp, or are you a "set it and forget it" guy? Do you mess around with a lot of pedals? If you like playing around with tones, go with the 735.

It would be a no-brainer for me. I like simplicity and saving money. In any case, you will love the bass. I have the BBP 34 myself (bought used to save money).
 
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