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NBD: Yamaha BB2025x (Extremely Rare Black and Maple Prototype)
- Thread starter stingray69
- Start date
And just when I thought that bass couldn't look any better, you go and post those two new pics...
...I mentioned in an earlier post that I hate you, right?
I believe you did, yes. Lol
Oh good.I believe you did, yes. Lol
Seriously, this bass checks off so many things for me:
Maple board. Yes...I have a few basses with pau ferro, one with ebony...but three of my basses have maple boards...from an aesthetic perspective if nothing else, I just love maple...
The awesome black n' maple combo! Is there anyone who doesn't like this?
It's a Yamaha. Can't say enough good things about this company, they just make top-notch stuff, and not even just basses: stereo gear, snowmobiles, outboards, generators...
Its a BB series. Definitely nostalgic for me, as my very first bass was a BB300, so if I could get my hands on a 'roided out model like this...
Oh good.
Seriously, this bass checks off so many things for me:
Maple board. Yes...I have a few basses with pau ferro, one with ebony...but three of my basses have maple boards...from an aesthetic perspective if nothing else, I just love maple...
The awesome black n' maple combo! Is there anyone who doesn't like this?
It's a Yamaha. Can't say enough good things about this company, they just make top-notch stuff, and not even just basses: stereo gear, snowmobiles, outboards, generators...
Its a BB series. Definitely nostalgic for me, as my very first bass was a BB300, so if I could get my hands on a 'roided out model like this...
Totally agreed!
My very first really high end instrument was a John Patitucci Signature Series 6 string like this one - only mine was back in the day. Somewhere along the line I sold it - like an idiot. But it appears I've circled back around to owning another high end Yamaha again, after all these years.
But to be honest, the BB series is a WAY better fit for me and my tastes these days (passive, vintage tone, etc) than that Patitucci model was, so I guess I don't regret it all that much. But I'm super thrilled to call a BB2025x my main instrument. This time around, I won't be so stupid as to let this one go.
It may as well be playing itself - it's the one doing all the work and making this amateur hack sound good. I'll take all the help I can get.
That's exactly the way I feel about my '73 jazz bass. Granted, I'm no good, but out of all the herd, i still say it's the only bass I have that can still outplay me. LOL!
I seriously love this instrument!! I haven't been this floored by an instrument in years & years.
It literally plays itself and makes me sound way better than I am, lol.
Updated test recordings:
Slap
Finger Style
Pick Style
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I can see why you are so happy!!
That bass sounds wonderful.
You hit a home run with this one.
Thank you for the kind words. I really feel extremely fortunate. I'm gonna be forever grateful for the luck I had obtaining this instrument. Talk about feeling like you won a lottery!
Totally agreed!
My very first really high end instrument was a John Patitucci Signature Series 6 string like this one - only mine was back in the day. Somewhere along the line I sold it - like an idiot. But it appears I've circled back around to owning another high end Yamaha again, after all these years.
But to be honest, the BB series is a WAY better fit for me and my tastes these days (passive, vintage tone, etc) than that Patitucci model was, so I guess I don't regret it all that much. But I'm super thrilled to call a BB2025x my main instrument. This time around, I won't be so stupid as to let this one go.
Changing tastes is a sign you are growing as a musician. Enjoy that awesome Yamaha!
Changing tastes is a sign you are growing as a musician. Enjoy that awesome Yamaha!
Very true, and this BB2025X is one incredible passive bass! Talk about finely crafted, whew! The best passive instrument I've ever owned, and likely ever will.
My Yamaha BB family.
Red BB425x
Black BB2025x
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Red BB425x
Black BB2025x
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hmm maybe it's an illusion but it looks like to different types of headstock patterns. The one on the left has mmore of a hook in the cutout.My Yamaha BB family.
Red BB425x
Black BB2025x
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I think that's just a play of the outdoor light and my cellphone camera. The headstocks are pretty much identical. But I have noticed some little differences in the body - mostly in the arm cut/rest area. The 425x has a very common, well defined 45-degree angle at the arm rest. Whereas the BB2025x arm rest area is also angled back, but the entire angle is also rounded starting at the bridge and rounding up to nearly the top of the P pickup. It's more like a soft rounded curve rather than a hard line cutting across the top of the body.
Also, the 425x uses smaller knobs that have set screws and the 2025x uses taller knobs without set screws - they are push-on style knobs. But this 2025x is also 10yo, so I don't know if Yamaha still uses these type of push on knobs for all 2025x instruments, or just some of the older ones. I'll have to do some picture A/B'ing around TB and the internet to find out. And of course, the bridges and string trees are different.
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My Yamaha BB family.
Red BB425x
Black BB2025x
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I love the picture. I know the BB2025x I much more expensive, but that read 425x is quite a looker. I am tempted to organize a GTG so I can play your 2025x.
I love the picture. I know the BB2025x I much more expensive, but that read 425x is quite a looker. I am tempted to organize a GTG so I can play your 2025x.
Thanks Doc! I still have every intention on playing the 425X but definitely the 2025x is now my main for obvious reasons - it's just awesome. The 425x is no slouch either - Yamaha BB series are just insanely good at all price points. I do wish I hadn't gotten rid of my Vintage White one though - that was a classy looking color scheme, looked great on stage too.
I'd definitely be down for a GTG - I'd absolutely bring the BB's along.
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Thanks Doc! I still have every intention on playing the 425X but definitely the 2025x is now my main for obvious reasons - it's just awesome. The 425x is no slouch either - Yamaha BB series are just insanely good at all price points. I do wish I hadn't got rid of my Vintage White one though - that was a classy looking color scheme, looked great on stage too.
I'd definitely be down for a GTG - I'd absolutely bring the BB's along.
It's too bad you don't live in the Vancouver, BC area, and/or that the seller doesn't have this posted here on TB or elsewhere online (besides Kijiji):
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I'm not sure exactly which iteration of the BB it is, but man...$300 Canadian...if it's in good working/playing order, it almost has to be a steal...
Beautiful bass and for a steal! Congratz man
I'll try to be as brief as possible but this bass is apparently a very rare Yamaha BB2025MX model and I am extremely fortunate to have quite literally stumbled upon it.
Back story:
I'm a huge fan of the Yamaha BB "X" series basses. The hierarchy of the 5-string, X Series is BB425x, BB1025x & BB2025x (the 2025x model being the handcrafted in Japan, flagship model).
I've owned several Yamaha BB425x instruments, but I've heard so many good reviews about the 1025x (step up model from the 425x series) that I thought I would sell off a couple of lesser-used basses from my collection and use those funds towards a used Vintage White BB1025x that I had my eye on - on a website other than Guitar Center. Because I had originally check GC's website for both BB425x and BB1025x, but they had neither. So my plan was to just take in a couple of basses, get some cash and buy elsewhere.
So last Sunday I took a couple of instruments down to my local Guitar Center - they actually gave me a great price for both of them. As the sales guy is crunching all the numbers, I'm standing there and I started fiddling with my phone out of boredom, and I realized I hadn't searched GC's Used Gear section for the phrase "BB2025x". I thought with a smirk, yeah right - fat chance of that happening, lol. I typed it in and got 1 result - a BB2025x for an amazing price ($1,249 w/Yamaha hardshell case). My eyes bugged out of my head and I scoured the page thinking surely, this is an old listing or something I'm looking at - but no, it was just sitting there waiting to be bought!!!
I asked the salesguy to confirm it, and he said yes - it's currently in the Used Gear section for purchase. I almost fainted, lol. Something else that I couldn't understand about it was the Maple fingerboard - I'd NEVER heard of, nor seen, a Maple fretboard on a BB2025x. But no time for that - I ordered it on the spot immediately after receiving my trade in money.
So I ordered it and went back home and I started Googling things, trying to find out all I could about this rare maple fretboard version and to my knowledge there is only 1 website on the entire net that even makes mention of this Maple neck BB2025X. A place called Centaur Guitars - they called it a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and maybe it is - but whatever it is, it is extremely rare. The sticker on the back of the headstock says BB2025MX. I'm assuming M = Maple of course. So I've been staring at those pics on the web for the last few days, hoping mine would look as good as that when it arrives.
The funny thing is, it turns out the pictures on the Centaur Guitars website ARE MY EXACT Bass. The reason I can tell is that there is a very odd, tiny little red mark on the fretboard near the Nickel-Silver nut. Today when I picked up my bass from GC and opened the case at the store, I noticed this tiny little red mark on the fretboard and immediately recognized it from this Centaur Guitar's website that I had been staring at for the past week. So apparently this instrument was at one time sitting in Centaur Guitars in Oregon, was sold, and eventually landed in a Jacksonville, FL Guitar Center until I stumbled across it by EXTREME luck.
Condition:
The instrument was in very good condition - although there was a LOT of crusty, dried-on grime on almost all the chrome parts, except the tuners - hated to see that on such an amazing high quality instrument. Fortunately, some Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish, TLC and elbow grease did the trick. It cleaned up REAL nice!
There is some minor beltbuckle rash on the back but it's so light, I'm not sure if it will show up on pics. I'll probably give it a light coat of Meguiar's Scratch & Swirl remover just on the back side and all will be good. I don't mind a tiny amount of mojo on the back for this amazing beauty of an instrument.
Anyway, enough of the boring backstory - here are a boatload of pics:
Before cleaning:
After cleaning pics:
It's too bad you don't live in the Vancouver, BC area, and/or that the seller doesn't have this posted here on TB or elsewhere online (besides Kijiji):
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I'm not sure exactly which iteration of the BB it is, but man...$300 Canadian...if it's in good working/playing order, it almost has to be a steal...
I'm thinking that might be a BB414 - great find & great price too!
I still have an eye out for a BB425x in Vintage White.
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