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Absolutely not true. Billy and Yamaha released the Attitude series in 1990. While Billy used a modified BB3000 before then, at the time that this was released he hadn't used that bass for years to my knowledge. However, I know people had been asking for a version of the BB done this way for a while. This was made to satisfy those people.
Thanks for the correction. I honestly believed that he started using this model and then progressed to the Attitude. Thank you for clarifying that!
Billy didn't developed the BB serie but if I remember (don't bet your paycheck on my memory) he was the man behind the neck pickup (the "woofer" as shown in the picture), and he had a BB model before the Attitude.
But anyway I love my TRBX505 (too bad they have such limited finishes available or I would have 2-3 more) and my Attitude Custom.
He was, most definitely the inspiration behind this bass. He's had a neck pickup on his basses since I became aware of him (1985), back when he used his "wife" (the P bass he's had for ages). What I'm saying is that this wasn't a BS design - that was the Attitude series. This is Yamaha's cleaned up version of the BB3000 he used (no bridge pickup rout that he left open, using a pickup that they made vs using Dimarzio Will Series pickups, etc.). I'm glad they made it, mind you lol. Much better sounding than the one I did back in 91 lol. I just wish they'd do a less expensive version of the Attitude vs this one.
No, the 714BS came out sometime in 2000s, well over a decade after Billy Sheehan started playing Attitudes. It was marketed as a budget-friendly way of getting that pickup config.
I've recently purchased a used BB605 which I am using as the platform for a project. I've stripped the entire bass and am rebuilding it. All the gold hardware has been polished and gold flushmount straplocks fitted. The frets had some divets (previous owner must have done a lot of bending) so I levelled, recrowned and polished the frets and oiled the fingerboard. While on the neck I sanded back the semigloss on the back. It feels much faster now. The electronics I've replaced with an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp with active/passive switch and Delano hum-cancelling pickups. Just waiting on a set of Fodera strings to arrive and it will be all systems go. Yamaha build quality is as good as any Musicman, Pedulla, US Fender etc I've owned in the past, so with good pickups and preamp I'm expecting it to be a killer.
Hey, so is there a standard weight range the newest Yamaha BB basses fall into? Do they do like most companies and decrease the weight of the more expensive ones? Danged if looking at these new models doesn't make me want to go all Team Yamaha and get a BB 4-string of some sort, but nowadays I need to limit the weight to around 8 lbs, maybe 8 1/2 if I have to, and I'd like less than 8 lbs if possible. I saw on a thread about them that someone got a BB734 that weighed slightly over 9 lbs, which is certain to tear my shoulder up again. Is that the usual ballpark for them or do they vary?
I’ve been tracking the weights of BB734a that come up on sweetwater or other online listings for the last year or so. Of the 15 I’ve recorded, all of them are over 9lbs. The two I own are 9lb 2oz and 9lb 3oz.
The lightest Yamaha BB bass I’ve owned was 8lb 11.5oz and it was the least exciting sounding out of the 12 I own/ed. I don’t think the top of the line BBP34 will be any lighter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a 8.5lb BB bass though I don’t keep track of all the weights I see. They just don’t tend to be light basses.
Well that's a bummer for me. The other basses they have are cool but not really my thang like the BB series. OTOH, I think I have about all the basses I'll need till I croak
Thx for your excellent detective work, though!
Fender precisions can get pretty light. I see a lot under 8.5lbs. Yamaha BB’s P pickup, whether it be reversed or regular orientation are placed about half an inch closer to the neck than fenders. What is it about the new BB series that’s getting your attention? There’s probably a way to incorporate those features into a lighter weight bass.Well that's a bummer for me. The other basses they have are cool but not really my thang like the BB series. OTOH, I think I have about all the basses I'll need till I croak
Yamaha basses are just amazing. I never tried any of their basses (even the entry level ones) that aren't good. I also never read/heard people complaint about Yamaha basses.
But yes for some reasons they are not more popular and do seems very hard to resell，unless you really price it very desperately。
But yes for some reasons they are not more popular and do seems very hard to resell，unless you really price it very desperately。
I for one am kind of glad Yamaha has been a competent but quiet player in the bass market.
Fender = name recognition= way over-priced!
I would LOVE to get my hands on an old BB3000 (natural) preferably; but I'd take one in Black as well
Well I've always dug Yamaha stuff and I dig the BB series. And Yamaha bought Ampeg and I'm an endorser
i use ampeg myselfWell I've always dug Yamaha stuff and I dig the BB series. And Yamaha bought Ampeg and I'm an endorser
if you don't mind jazz pickups, you could try the RBX4 A2. It's very lightweight and very yamaha.
i guess lightweight BB are out there. i see some 8lb weights advertised after a quick internet search. unfortunately i haven't run across them personally. Yamaha sort of advertised lighter weight and smaller bodies with the recent BB234,434,734a,P34 series but from what i've seen, it's only about half a pound or so, bringing a 9-10lb bass down to 8.5-9.5lb range. i guess there are some that are a little lighter due to the wood density.
you probably know this, but the 734a and P34 have an interesting alder/maple sandwich construction. how that affects weight and would be affected by chambering would be interesting to know.
