• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

NBD! Yamaha BB734a

#41
Congrats on the new bass! The only part I would consider upgrading is the J pickup -- it's quieter than the P. The setup guy said it's just a quieter pickup -- he can't get the strings closer. I've already added a Hipshot Xtender -- direct drop-in replacement, which was nice. Nothing to drill.

I've been playing with the balance about 3/4 towards the P. Question for people here -- on a regular J with two volume knobs, you can have both pickups at full volume. This one has a single volume knob and a balance knob. How does the balance control work on a bass? Does it keep the (say) neck pickup on full until the halfway point, and then start to bring it down? Or, does it start cutting the neck pickup as it's bringing in the bridge?
 
#42
You look one of these over closely, the angled bridge connects, the angled through-body string cinches (or string through bridge, your choice), that expertly rounded heel and the deep cutaway and just overall, the engineering tweaks on these make most other FSO's look like high school shop projects. @agedhorse always describes Yamaha as first an engineering company, and products like this prove it.

And although I miss the visual BB trademark of the metal pickup surrounds, I suppose it's far more practical to go to the standard size pickup routs (God knows I've seen way too many 80's BB's hacked up to fit other pickups . . . ). And anyone who thinks they DON'T like a PJ bass never says that again after they try or buy a BB. Yamaha figured it out back in the 80's, that blend, and all BB's have always had that slightly insistent growl in the low mids that are their sonic trademark.

Congrats, great deal.
 
Last edited:
#43
Absolutely Beautiful bass. I may have to dive deeper into the higher end BB’s here one day. I bought a trbx174 a couple of weeks ago because it just sounded so good and it was inexpensive. Last night I found a bb415 in excellent condition and couldn’t pass it up. I just set the action on it and it’s great.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9775.jpeg
    IMG_9775.jpeg
    943.8 KB · Views: 10
  • IMG_9774.jpeg
    IMG_9774.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 12
  • IMG_9773.jpeg
    IMG_9773.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 16
  • Love
Reactions: Marihino
#46
RBC64 said:
Absolutely Beautiful bass. I may have to dive deeper into the higher end BB’s here one day. I bought a trbx174 a couple of weeks ago because it just sounded so good and it was inexpensive. Last night I found a bb415 in excellent condition and couldn’t pass it up. I just set the action on it and it’s great.
Click to expand...

I used to own a BB415 just like yours, the colour was called Raspberry Red and was rather rare. Bought mine from Tony Williams of Stealers Wheel ("Stuck in the Middle With You"). One if the basses I regret moving on.
 
#48
Marihino said:
I used to own a BB415 just like yours, the colour was called Raspberry Red and was rather rare. Bought mine from Tony Williams of Stealers Wheel ("Stuck in the Middle With You"). One if the basses I regret moving on.
Click to expand...
Oh wow, I absolutely remember that song, very cool story and I’m sure you wish you could get it back. GC is on my route to and from work, which may be a bad thing. I stopped in Thursday and saw it and played it and they held it for me to pick up yesterday. For 300 I had to have it.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back