Yamaha BB300

[russjm]

So I have two Yamaha BB300s, fantastic basses, I can't recommend them highly enough. I've had Sadowskys, Musicman, Roscoes, etc etc, and ok.... they're not boutique quality, but they ARE superbly comfortable, playable, and both sound fantastic.

I bought them both as 80s models, but if you look closely at the shape, control positions etc they're slightly different. I wonder how you tell if one is 80s and one 90s?? They're both made in Taiwan. The serial numbers go in ten year cycles, so it's almost impossible to know which decade they're from. Anyone know?

 

[cavscout19d]

I played a BB300 at a music store a while back and I was amazed. The neck was so comfortable and it was light and resonant with great tone. It was black with a black 3 ply pickguard and was MIJ. I wanted it bad but they were asking $600!!!! I went back to the store three different times to play it. What a sweet bass. Just couldn't pay 6 bills for it though.

 

[Slough Feg Bass]

i had one of those once, nice basses, indeed!

 

[milkman-27]

I have a Yamaha BB414 that I got on a trade. I own a Fender American P bass and I gig with the Yamaha. I absolutely love that bass. I have been thinking about selling the Fender and trying to buy a couple of more BBs

 

[wideload]

BB300s are nice basses. No frills, of course. I killed mine by replacing the neck with a fretless one. Why killed? Because I THREW AWAY the original neck, because I would never want that bass fretted when I have others, would I? Not too bright...

 

[maxschrek]

Great basses! The one on the left has the period correct tuners for an 80's bass, the other is either a later specimen, I'd say, prolly early to mid 90's or has had the tuners changed. This from my experience, of course.

 

[russjm]

Yeah the one on the right has replacement Fender tuners, no idea why. I have actually bought a set of original 80s Yamaha tuners for it, like the ones on the left, I just haven't gotten around to changing them yet.

 

[russjm]

I wanted it bad but they were asking $600!!!!

600 bucks for a BB300?? Sheesh!

 

[AndyPanda]

Hey ... I also have two BB300 basses and the same two different shapes as your two basses.

The one on the left is the older one I believe - it has shorter upper horn so it has neck dive (the first one I got was like that - it had neck dive, I replaced the tuners with super light gotoh tuners and no more neck dive, removed nearly 3/4 lb from the headstock by changing the tuners). The second one I got is shaped like the one on the right in your photo with the longer upper horn - and no neck dive.

 

[russjm]

Interesting, I assumed the one on the right was older, don't know why. Either way, they're both VERY similar in the way they play, BUT the one on the right, the newer one you think, actually has a lower output, it doesn't have quite as much punch as the one on the left in the picture.

As far as neck dive, I don't seem to have any with either one, but the right hand bass is soon to have some original BB tuners fitted. The Fender style ones on there are crap. SO.... we'll see if the neck dive appears when I put the Yamaha tuners on, they feel pretty heavy actually.

I really love them both. Great to play, I feel like I've had them for years rather than months or even weeks.

 

[twocargar]

I love my BB300! It's an '86, I believe. I've been on the lookout for a spare for parts.

 

[russjm]

Cool.... I'd wondered about putting a jazz pup into one or both of them.

 

[AndyPanda]

Well both of them have the crossed tuning fork logo ... most of the BB300 you see (the newer ones) don't have that. So my wild guess is that the one on the left is about 1983 or 84 and the one on the right is 1985-86. I'm basing that guess on the upper horn length - thinking about 85 is when they changed that.

 

[russjm]

Oh cool, thanks for that.

 

[boristhespider7]

So I have two Yamaha BB300s, fantastic basses

Russjm, i notice your from Macclesfield. Don't know if you're a Hooky fan but wondering if the 300 would get me a tone similar to the old BB1200's ie. Hooky's old bass. Big Hooky fan here and would be interested to know if this would get me in the same sonic territory. Any thoughts?

 

[russjm]

Honestly mate? Only Peter Hook will sound like Peter Hook, regardless of which bass he's playing. I've seen him used semi hollow basses, BBs, Ricks, and he always sounds like him.

That said, sure, it would get you somewhere near, with the right setup.

 

[russjm]

By the way, we recorded our last EP using some of New Orders' studio kit. I was pretty happy with the bass tone in the end, even though I was DI'd.

 

[boristhespider7]

Honestly mate? Only Peter Hook will sound like Peter Hook, regardless of which bass he's playing. I've seen him used semi hollow basses, BBs, Ricks, and he always sounds like him.

so true! I'm sure you're right...particularly how he plays, the mahoosive string gauges he uses and the vintage clone theory play a huge part. Was pondering grabbing a BB300 as the old 1200's don't come up v often on the bay. BTW, v cool claim to fame with new order. Be great if the remainder of New Order and Hooky could patch up their differences...

 

[AndyPanda]

I believe Hook played the active BB1200S with 3 band tone control ... the BB1200 is passive I think McCartney played the passive BB1200.

I've got a BB1200S but it doesn't have the original 3 band tone control, instead has an EMG tone circuit which is much quieter and better sounding (but "better" is subjective - it'd be worth more with the original, noisy Yamaha tone circuit).

 

[boristhespider7]

I believe Hook played the active BB1200S with 3 band tone control ... the BB1200 is passive I think McCartney played the passive BB1200.

I think Hooky plays the active version most of the time but has also owned and played the passive version: most well known time being on the Love will tear us apart video. My guess is the active EQ is more responsible for his tone, as he removed the EQ from one of his 1200's and had it put into the hollow body bass he's usually seen with.