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Is there a Yamaha BB club? There is now!

#11,001
RestlessBoom said:
Howdy all! I just pulled the trigger on a 434 from Sweetwater (open box deal, almost $200 off!).
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Congrats! Another TBer recently got a deal on an open box red BB434 if I remember correctly.

Sweetwater seems to have taken stock of a number of open box type Yamaha 434s of late. Through their Gearnuts subsidiary on Reverb they’ve put up and sold a few BB434s, most recently a Tobacco Burst with "a couple of contaminations on the bass side of the neck near the fretboard binding of the 14th fret. There are also fine scratches on various parts of the instrument“
 
#11,002
ProbablyTooLoud said:
... difference between shutting the door on a 70s Mercedes 240 versus shutting the door on a 79 Ford Escort, if you can relate to that analogy.

Im looking for that quality/feel in a slightly narrower neck.

Does that make sense?
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Ah, understand.

Yes in that vein, the Pedulla and Carivn I mentioned fit that bill, for me at least. Those and my BBP34 are my "best" basses but only the Pedulla has a narrower nut width than the BBP; 1.5" vs 40 mm (1.57 ish "); my Icon has a 1.6" nut. Current Kiesel Icons have a 1.53" nut (39mm), so that might be a good option.

I am sure there are other premium builders out there that would fit the bill too (Sadowsky, Dingwall, Alembic, Fodera, etc), but I just don't have experience with them. All of those, though, will be significantly more expensive than a BBP34. BBPs, at $1799 USD, have always felt like a steal for the quality of what you get for that price.

There is a used Carvin Icon on Sweetwater's site, but it is a 2013/1.6" nut version: https://www.sweetwater.com/used/listings/324753-used-carvin-icon-ic-4-money-so-they-say-2013-natural
 
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#11,003
CTBassGuy said:
Ah, understand.

Yes in that vein, the Pedulla and Carivn I mentioned fit that bill, for me at least. Those and my BBP34 are my "best" basses but only the Pedulla has a narrower nut width than the BBP; 1.5" vs 40 mm (1.57 ish "); my Icon has a 1.6" nut. Current Kiesel Icons have a 1.53" nut (39mm), so that might be a good option.

I am sure there are other premium builders out there that would fit the bill too (Sadowsky, Dingwall, Alembic, Fodera, etc), but I just don't have experience with them. All of those, though, will be significantly more expensive than a BBP34. BBPs, at $1799 USD, have always felt like a steal for the quality of what you get for that price.

There is a used Carvin Icon on Sweetwater's site, but it is a 2013/1.6" nut version: https://www.sweetwater.com/used/listings/324753-used-carvin-icon-ic-4-money-so-they-say-2013-natural
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Thanks, that's the kind of info I was looking for. This Carvin looks nice, thanks for the link - and the new Kiesel Icons look very cool.
 
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#11,004
ProbablyTooLoud said:
Thanks, that's the kind of info I was looking for. This Carvin looks nice, thanks for the link - and the new Kiesel Icons look very cool.
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Personally, I give the Icon a slight edge over the BBP (feel, sound, quality, versatility, etc.).

For what it's worth, I just recorded a bass line for an original song from guitar player/singer I know, and he preferred the sound of the Icon sound to the BBP.
 
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#11,009
ProbablyTooLoud said:
That makes sense.
How does the Icon sound passive?
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A bit less punchy, but clear and articulate; not as mid-forward as the BBP. I really like both the passive and active tones from it, but I also have been a Carvin Double-Humbucker player/fan for a long time (I've had the bass in my avatar since new in 1988), so my views are somewhat biased.

My BBP gets a lot of use in my classic rock band (2 guitars, bass, and drums); it just sits in the mix perfectly. For my "lighter" band (acoustic guitar, keys, and bass), the Icon gets the nod. It fills out the sonic space better in that mix.
 
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#11,010
ToddB1963 said:
I own a BB2000 ('82) and a BB3000 ('84).

The BB3000 is slightly smaller, lighter, and with a more streamlined/slimmer neck than the BB2000, but the tone is nowhere near as good IMHO. If I could only keep one, then no contest - BB2000. FWIW, I've owned / played a lot of basses incl. vintage Fender, Musicman, Yamaha, Ibanez etc... and I've only ever played two that have sounded as good, if not better than the BB2000 - a '92 Yamaha TRB6P and an '83 Steinberger L2.
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Thanks Todd for the reply. I haven't had the chance to actually play the bass, and certainly not compare it to for example a BB2000. I was watching this () video and got my mind set. I was weighing in the fact the 3000 is lighter and has a slimmer neck. Does the video I share show the difference in sound you're mentioning?
 
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#11,011
jeroen boov said:
Thanks Todd for the reply. I haven't had the chance to actually play the bass, and certainly not compare it to for example a BB2000. I was watching this () video and got my mind set. I was weighing in the fact the 3000 is lighter and has a slimmer neck. Does the video I share show the difference in sound you're mentioning?
Click to expand...

Danny seems to prefer the BB3000 and while they both sound good in the video, the difference in tone really isn't that apparent. Where the tonal difference really shines through, is when both are played side by side.

The rear pickup on both sounds identical - same blade pickup. The P pickup on the BB3000 sounds a lot like your typical Precision, though mid frequency is in a slightly different slot. However, with both pickups balanced, the BB3000 exhibits the same nasal tone that most trad PJs have because D and G pole pieces are so close to the bridge pickup and comb filtering of certain frequencies occurs as a result. This is not a tone I enjoy, especially when string popping, though it is less noticeable when playing fingerstyle. The reverse P on the BB2000 IMO sounds much more growly/throatier and warmer than the P on the BB3000, but where the BB2000 really shines though, is with both pickups balanced. The tone is much sweeter, and this immediately becomes apparent in the mix. Also, the slap tone on the BB2000 is without peer IMHO (even better than a Musicman stingray).

I bought my BB3000 on the pretext that being the next iteration of BB, it must therefore have been an improvement over the BB2000. Well, it's a little more ergonomic and a bit lighter, but for me, that's about it, whereas the neck on the BB2000 is perfect, and the tone is superb. Yes, it's a little larger and heavier than the BB3000, but those are minor issues. If ergonomics/slim neck width are your #1 criterion, then get a BB3000. If it's tone, get a BB2000. Tonally the BB3000 is really just like a better P bass with a bridge pickup, but the BB2000 is much more its own thing. Like a very smooth, yet very ballsy, souped-up jazz bass.
 
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#11,012
Hey everyone. I have a Yamaha BB404 that I love. I wanted to refinish it from its natural finish. I was originally going to do a blue stain with a white wash over the top but since I started dreaming up the project Ive bought two blue basses. If I get a third my daughter will have words with me! Looking for ideas. If you have done yours I would love to see it. I was also thinking maybe a Mary Kahe finish. Idk. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
#11,013
Jon Draffan said:
Finished the 434 update… pickups, bridge, pots, jack, knobs. I’m happy with the stock tuners. With sub-$500 bases, I like to use a little WD40 on the gears before a string change, big difference.

The whole upgrade came to about $450, and now this thing punches waaaay above its weight
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Hi Jon, would you be willing to list the brand/parts of your upgrade?
I've been keeping my eye on some AG 4P/J-HC pickups but the post & dollar difference to Aus is crazy.
 
#11,014
I put first 4PJ-HCs into my 234, they sounded great, but got moved over into my Player Plus. The 234 has Dimarzio Sixties PJ now, they're as good or better.

IMG_0915.jpg
 
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#11,017
ToddB1963 said:
Danny seems to prefer the BB3000 and while they both sound good in the video, the difference in tone really isn't that apparent. Where the tonal difference really shines through, is when both are played side by side.

The rear pickup on both sounds identical - same blade pickup. The P pickup on the BB3000 sounds a lot like your typical Precision, though mid frequency is in a slightly different slot. However, with both pickups balanced, the BB3000 exhibits the same nasal tone that most trad PJs have because D and G pole pieces are so close to the bridge pickup and comb filtering of certain frequencies occurs as a result. This is not a tone I enjoy, especially when string popping, though it is less noticeable when playing fingerstyle. The reverse P on the BB2000 IMO sounds much more growly/throatier and warmer than the P on the BB3000, but where the BB2000 really shines though, is with both pickups balanced. The tone is much sweeter, and this immediately becomes apparent in the mix. Also, the slap tone on the BB2000 is without peer IMHO (even better than a Musicman stingray).

I bought my BB3000 on the pretext that being the next iteration of BB, it must therefore have been an improvement over the BB2000. Well, it's a little more ergonomic and a bit lighter, but for me, that's about it, whereas the neck on the BB2000 is perfect, and the tone is superb. Yes, it's a little larger and heavier than the BB3000, but those are minor issues. If ergonomics/slim neck width are your #1 criterion, then get a BB3000. If it's tone, get a BB2000. Tonally the BB3000 is really just like a better P bass with a bridge pickup, but the BB2000 is much more its own thing. Like a very smooth, yet very ballsy, souped-up jazz bass.
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Amen!
 
#11,018
I want to upgrade from the dinky truss rod tool that came with my BB434. According to Yamaha's FAQ and TrussRodWrench.com current-gen Yamaha basses use a 5mm Allen Key wrench. Assuming that's right can anyone recommend a decent tool?

I don't want to spend $34 for a Stewmac wrench, but are there any decently sized tools around you can recommend? I see that MusicNomad has one for $10 that's highly rated...
1754450807933.png
 
#11,019
FretRiff said:
I want to upgrade from the dinky truss rod tool that came with my BB434. According to Yamaha's FAQ and TrussRodWrench.com current-gen Yamaha basses use a 5mm Allen Key wrench. Assuming that's right can anyone recommend a decent tool?

I don't want to spend $34 for a Stewmac wrench, but are there any decently sized tools around you can recommend? I see that MusicNomad has one for $10 that's highly rated...
View attachment 7292819
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Err, I don't think any of those are gonna fit. First, I think it's 4mm, not 5mm, but more importantly, it's gotta slip into the slot at the neck heel, and anything long like that won't work.
 
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