It does my heart good to see so much enthusiasm for Yamaha BB basses, and if it wasn't for the fact that I already own a BB3000, I'd be all over a BBP34.
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Which Yamaha BB for the money?
- Thread starter Greenman72
- Start date
I'm about to pull the trigger on a new BB734 Burst
Construction seems similar to the BBP34
Manufacturing detail, finish, and QC are probably probably better in Japan
I love onboard preamps
And Indonesian build quality is typically excellent.
Hard to justify the price diff
Plus I'll eventually drop in a Split Fralin Jazz pup.
Thoughts?
Construction seems similar to the BBP34
Manufacturing detail, finish, and QC are probably probably better in Japan
I love onboard preamps
And Indonesian build quality is typically excellent.
Hard to justify the price diff
Plus I'll eventually drop in a Split Fralin Jazz pup.
Thoughts?
I believe the MIJ BBP34 gets a vibration treatment to make it act as though it’s been broken in.
Hey Zoot!!
I just went through this dilemma. I wanted to stay under a $1000, and after much research, went for the 734A. I have no bass envy!! I LOVE Fralin pickups!! Have one in my US Lakland. And had the same thoughts as you. But… the Yamaha pickups sound really dang good!! Haven’t played on a stage yet, but the single coil is surprisingly quiet so far. Give em a chance first, is all I’m saying. I’m very satisfied!!!!
I just went through this dilemma. I wanted to stay under a $1000, and after much research, went for the 734A. I have no bass envy!! I LOVE Fralin pickups!! Have one in my US Lakland. And had the same thoughts as you. But… the Yamaha pickups sound really dang good!! Haven’t played on a stage yet, but the single coil is surprisingly quiet so far. Give em a chance first, is all I’m saying. I’m very satisfied!!!!
The BBP34 is made in Japan. The others are Indonesian. Japanese quality is typically better, so I suspect you'll get a finely crafted instrument. Extra attention to detail, better woods, better hardware, fit n finish, fretwork and I believe they use a process that vibrates the instrument so that it feels as if it's been played for years yet no play wear.
The Japanese people take pride in workmanship. If you want a Fender get a Japanese made one because the USA ones are hit and miss.
I think you'll be very happy with it. I have a 735, and I had a chance to play P35 once. There is a difference but not one that I'd be willing to spend that much extra for. And if you like a preamp, that makes the choice even more obvious.
I keep a 234 at my job as my work bass.
Needed something to leave at work to jam on during my lunch.
I feel for $300 it was a steel!
Amazing bass for something so inexpensive.
Would buy a 434 or BBP in a heartbeat……..if thy changed the darn colors.
Eyeballing a maple 434 lately.
Needed something to leave at work to jam on during my lunch.
I feel for $300 it was a steel!
Amazing bass for something so inexpensive.
Would buy a 434 or BBP in a heartbeat……..if thy changed the darn colors.
Eyeballing a maple 434 lately.
I bought the BBP35 and it is here to stay.
Yo tengo un bb735 y puedo decirte que es un instrumento genial, versátil y se siente muy muy bien construido. No se como serán el resto de opciones.
Tengo otros tantos bajos, la mayoría musicman y puedo asegurarme que se sienten bastante cercanos en cuanto a calidad. El mástil del yamaha me parece de los mejores que he tocado
Tengo otros tantos bajos, la mayoría musicman y puedo asegurarme que se sienten bastante cercanos en cuanto a calidad. El mástil del yamaha me parece de los mejores que he tocado
those BB3000s are sweet.
i think i saw Scott from SBL in a video with one recently.
Yamaha getting more visibility these days it seems,'
i'd love a BB3000 or the BBP334
but i'm a sucker for great affordable instruments.
my 4 Squiers were fun to overhaul/mod/upgrade and are some of the best instruments i've owned.
i have a feeling i won't be modding the BB734a.
bb300is a wish, i have the bb434 and it is a very nice one.
Yes, they're a very versatile, very good-sounding bass.
I purchased mine for two reasons: 1) to complement my BB2000 and 2) being the next iteration of Yamaha BB, I thought it might be somehow superior to the BB2000...
Well, the BB3000 is slightly smaller and lighter, and a touch more ergonomic overall, but as good as it sounds, IMO it falls short of the BB2000 in the tone dept. If you want the best sounding Yamaha PJ, the BB2000 is *it*. That reverse P pickup is the key.
I like the bridge design on the 2000 better as well. The only thing that annoys me is the sharp edges on the neck pickup's enclosure and the rounded edges on the bridge pickup's. But I think that's a minor issue I could learn to live with (or remedy with some careful use of a dremel)
Having a bit of experience with BB's (and bass obsession in general), I'd add this observation:
Sure, the current BB lineup offers a lot of 'rationality': bang for the buck, versatility, public acclaim (all, or almost all of it, justified). But, I think, one needs more to 'gel' with an instrument. Do you, personally, like the 'feel', the 'tone'? Cliche, but this is hard to answer for a fellow player.
For me (N=1), the BB734A lacked a bit of... err... difficult... difficult... well... personality (but it played very nicely, even though I'd liked it to be a touch less weighty; plus that the active electronics didn't do that much to what I was hoping to hear). She has left the building. The older one, a BB414, is staying, because the current market doesn't appreciate her kind enough.
Sure, the current BB lineup offers a lot of 'rationality': bang for the buck, versatility, public acclaim (all, or almost all of it, justified). But, I think, one needs more to 'gel' with an instrument. Do you, personally, like the 'feel', the 'tone'? Cliche, but this is hard to answer for a fellow player.
For me (N=1), the BB734A lacked a bit of... err... difficult... difficult... well... personality (but it played very nicely, even though I'd liked it to be a touch less weighty; plus that the active electronics didn't do that much to what I was hoping to hear). She has left the building. The older one, a BB414, is staying, because the current market doesn't appreciate her kind enough.
Absolutely agreed. The best instrument is the one that not only plays well and sounds good, but makes you want to pick it up. And everyone's tastes are going to be different. If you ask 20 random people on TalkBass whether they like USA made Stingray basses, you'll probably get at minimum 18 responses saying that they're great instruments. And they are! But I've never gelled with them. I love the way they sound when someone else plays them, but whenever I play them they just feel wrong.
Yamaha basses are no different. The people (including me) who sing their praises aren't wrong. The people who don't jive with them aren't wrong either. No bass is going to be right for everyone, and no one should feel ashamed for their tastes going against mainstream opinion.
Yamaha fan here. I've had a BB414, BB605, BB735 and BBP34. I currently have the 735 and the P34. I regret selling the 414. If I have the chance to get another one, I will for sure. IT was a little bit heavy though, but it had something.
However, I must say that being mostly a 5 string player, the BB735 has no rival. I have two other 5 string that I love: a Fender American Ultra jazz bass V and an American Deluxe Dimension V. The BB wins. But, I must say that I changed the pickups to Delano. And people ask me to take the BB with me instead of the other two. I just love it because it feels like home.
But if I can play a 4 string, the BBP34 stands out for me. I am into P-bass sound lately and the BBP34 it's just like the best P I've ever played. But... it is more like a P-bass than it was the 414, which was kinda similar, but it's own thing. So I completely understand what you are saying.
EDIT: I haven't said anything about the BB605. I also changed the pickups to Delano (the ones with big poles). That bass sounded amazing. And it had such a good B string... Better than the BB735 and the Fender. I sold it because I had too many basses already... But it was just amazing.
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Ooo boy...where to start? Perhaps just cut to the chase. I have 8 BB basses personally and have played several more models. My two personal favourites are as follows, with a runner-up:
(i) BB1600: MIJ, the bolt-on version of the BB3000, same as BB-X. Wonderful tone, snap, and growl to the pickups, plays like a dream.
(ii) BB1025X: Indonesian, basically a BB2025X without the ageing process—but really superb workmanship all around. Solidly and beautifully built, extremely stable and roadworthy, great tone and presence in any mix. Although I think my BBP35 is a terrific instrument, the pickups lack a bit of character to my ears compared to the dual bar pickups in the BB1025X.
(iii) BB1500A: Active J-bass with a beautiful neck and tone to die for. A bit Rik-ish in character, and really satisfying. Slightly quirky like some of the other Yamaha stuff coming out of Korea at the time. Doesn't get the public attention it deserves.
(i) BB1600: MIJ, the bolt-on version of the BB3000, same as BB-X. Wonderful tone, snap, and growl to the pickups, plays like a dream.
(ii) BB1025X: Indonesian, basically a BB2025X without the ageing process—but really superb workmanship all around. Solidly and beautifully built, extremely stable and roadworthy, great tone and presence in any mix. Although I think my BBP35 is a terrific instrument, the pickups lack a bit of character to my ears compared to the dual bar pickups in the BB1025X.
(iii) BB1500A: Active J-bass with a beautiful neck and tone to die for. A bit Rik-ish in character, and really satisfying. Slightly quirky like some of the other Yamaha stuff coming out of Korea at the time. Doesn't get the public attention it deserves.
