Yamaha BB235 review

[sharkansas]

As someone who regularly plays several basses having 18mm and 19mm spacing, the only advice I can offer is - the more you play it, the more you'll get used to it. Play it enough and your muscle memory will kick in every time you switch back and forth.

I agree with this advice, I just need to grin and bear it if I’m going to get there.

Sorry @dcgriggs79 didn't mean to hijack your thread. Yamaha BB series are excellent basses!

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

I agree with this advice, I just need to grin and bear it if I’m going to get there.

Sorry @dcgriggs79 didn't mean to hijack your thread. Yamaha BB series are excellent basses!

 

[Herrick]

Cool to hear you are liking your new BB. Hope you can find a good setup for you gigs very soon! And if not, at least you still have that very nice 5-string Jazz Bass

 

[willddd]

It's worth giving the split (with the clanky mids intact) a go. I find the split P not the nicest to listen to when you're playing by yourself, but it generally sits in the mix like a dream. Dialling in the J won't get rid of the boom, only some of the mids.

 

[willddd]

Boom can be addressed a bit by lowering pickup height on the split, but it might just be the room, sometimes you just need your amp out of the corner etc. Having said that, I've found the Yamahas to have pretty strong bottom end.

 

[Clark Westfield]

I picked up a BB435 last year and had it set up with labella flats, it is a killer bass. I love everything about it except that it has 18mm string spacing. It’s my first 5 string and I didn’t expect that to matter so much. Trying to not to make it a deal breaker.

View attachment 4635739

I had that exact same bass and had issues with the spacing as well.

Quality and feel was great, but my large mitts didn’t agree with that spacing

May one day get a BB434 because it was a great instrument.

 

[Bass Man Dan]

I had one exactly like the OPs. Only two "faults" I could find were it was a bit heavy and the styling wasn't exactly my taste. Otherwise, it was an absolutely great playing 5 string that did the p bass sound fantastically.

 

[dcgriggs79]

Boosting the mids helped but @willddd suggestion to lower the split pups is what I'm going to try next. They came set very close to strings. I suspect this will be enough to make it work for me. Overall very happy with it!

 

[Basistent]

Boosting the mids helped but @willddd suggestion to lower the split pups is what I'm going to try next. They came set very close to strings. I suspect this will be enough to make it work for me. Overall very happy with it!View attachment 4637884

Looks like a Yamaha to me...

 

[Basistent]

I'm a Fender guy. Always have been. Current weapon of choice is a Fender American Professional II Jazz V with 4th gen. Noiseless pickups.

Something caught my eye with the Yamaha BB235 but I resisted it for months. My thinking was, what would some entry level import do that my 5x more expensive JB can't do. Finally pulled the trigger in a moment of weakness.

I AM BLOWN AWAY BY THIS YAMAHA.

• Incredibly resonant (maybe because it's the natural finish with no clear coat?), so much so that the woody, sonic subtleties actually come through the amp.
• Articulation is fantastic. Maybe that's related to the resonance, but it seems to respond much more to nuanced differences in playing. I'm no slapper but the slap tone is fantastic, even on the neck pickup.
• The most comfortable neck I've every played. I didn't realize it was narrower than the JB through the entire length of the neck, but it is..by like 4mm. Also flatter and thinner (thin D) shape compared to my JB's C-to-D taper. They both have satin finishes, so that's a wash. But overall it feels fast and comfortable and precise.
• The tuners, bridge, and knob all seem to be of great quality.
• Great fit and finish overall
• I detected no 60 hum in the bridge pickup
• Only telltale sign that this isn't a more expensive bass are the pickup covers look and feel cheap up close. They seem a little loose in their cavities. Doesn't seem to affect tone.

For the first time in my life I'm going to be gigging tonight with a non-Fender.

View attachment 4634542

Broad? Wonder if Yamaha mean the body or the neck/ string spacing.
I like more narrow spacing, 17 ish is the way to go. So much more playable, easier to mute strings and so. Had to file new grooves on the saddles of my Yam Trbx 305. Now it is a super bass. Growly and punchy. Has ceramic pickups. It should have cost at least the double price, according to the quality.

I'm a Fender guy. Always have been. Current weapon of choice is a Fender American Professional II Jazz V with 4th gen. Noiseless pickups.

Something caught my eye with the Yamaha BB235 but I resisted it for months. My thinking was, what would some entry level import do that my 5x more expensive JB can't do. Finally pulled the trigger in a moment of weakness.

I AM BLOWN AWAY BY THIS YAMAHA.

• Incredibly resonant (maybe because it's the natural finish with no clear coat?), so much so that the woody, sonic subtleties actually come through the amp.
• Articulation is fantastic. Maybe that's related to the resonance, but it seems to respond much more to nuanced differences in playing. I'm no slapper but the slap tone is fantastic, even on the neck pickup.
• The most comfortable neck I've every played. I didn't realize it was narrower than the JB through the entire length of the neck, but it is..by like 4mm. Also flatter and thinner (thin D) shape compared to my JB's C-to-D taper. They both have satin finishes, so that's a wash. But overall it feels fast and comfortable and precise.
• The tuners, bridge, and knob all seem to be of great quality.
• Great fit and finish overall
• I detected no 60 hum in the bridge pickup
• Only telltale sign that this isn't a more expensive bass are the pickup covers look and feel cheap up close. They seem a little loose in their cavities. Doesn't seem to affect tone.

For the first time in my life I'm going to be gigging tonight with a non-Fender.

View attachment 4634542