After owning many high-end basses (Foderas, EBMM bfr’s, American Fenders, Mayones), I have become happily content with the Yamaha BBNE2. It is the best all around bass I have ever played! I too perform in pit orchestras and this bass is perfect! Nathan East has performed in just about every style imaginable, and he’s got this bass dialed in to do essentially everything! I call it “my precious” because it’s the one bass to rule them all (LOTR)!
Nathan east plays Yamaha, Billy Sheehan plays Yamaha, and M.r John Patitucci plays Yamaha. That Yamaha Patitucci Trb6 series is a helluva monster bass dude. If you wanna have a real pro 6 string, this is your bass. For a third of the money... you got it
I think a lot of the lack of interest among general guitar and bass players for Yamaha stuff is simply because people haven't experienced their higher end bass/guitar gear. I know among 6 string bassists, their TRB6P, TRB6, TRBJP, models and their revisions (TRB6PII, 6II and JP2) are super highly regarded. My main bass for the past 10 years has been a Yamaha TRB6, the Japanese made bolt on 6 string in a transparent orange finish. Since I've bought it, I've owned a lot of other basses, some from even really high end brands like Status, Sago, Atelier Z, a couple of small custom shop one offs, and a lot of cheap ones like Brice, SX and Squier, and some other mid market brands like Ibanez and Fernandes. The TRB6 has been the only constant the entire time. Nothing compares to it for me, and I got it for 800$ used. Its not trying to copy a P bass or Jazz bass so it doesn't look weird. It's a forward thinking design with a lot of care put into it. The controls are far enough away that they don't get in your way when you do double thumb and slap (A big reason why i sold several other basses), the upper fret access is better than just about any other bass I've owned. Which arguably isn't a big deal for bassists, but i spend more time up there than most people, and this bass is the easiest to play up there. It came with darker sounding bartolini pickups in it that the previous owner installed but ive since replaced the pickups with ones that are similar to the OEM Yamaha pickups, which are bright and snappy, and I've been happy with the sound since. I also own a Yamaha TRB6PII but I've got so much emotional investment in my original TRB6, i play that 90% of the time. I didnt intend to write a love letter to my TRB but here we are LOL
Hey I have a 1991 BB1100S. It's quirky, the split coil has far hotter output than the bridge single coil, and the actives are quite extreme. I love it dearly having owned it from new. It plays very well.
Thanks! I appreciate it. Honestly my straight-up music videos don’t seem to get the algorithm’s attention the way instrument videos do so I’m taking a stealth approach.
I have been enjoying the BB735 (the next step up after this model) and had a similar issue with the pickups feeling wobbly. The height foam that comes stock on these is small and thin, but it was a piece of cake to replace that when i had the strings off. I didn't care for the looks at first either but it's grown on me over time. Fun Yamaha history fact - that logo is meant to be three overlapping tuning forks. Makes sense for the musical instrument division, maybe less so for the motor vehicle side.
Thanks for the tip… I may end up swapping the pickups but if I don't, I definitely could put some sturdier foam in there. I do like the looks a lot better now that I've swapped on a black pickguard.
@@room34 yeah mine came with a black pick guard, I don't care for cream color either though! Older BB models had proprietary pickups that were much more challenging to swap out, but this new iteration of the BB line has Fender standard sized pickups. You've got TONS of options. If you find the tone knob too dark you can also swap the capacitor for something with a lower value, I assume that the stock one is 0.047uF as that's pretty standard for a bass guitar but you can find 0.033uF or even 0.022uF for maybe $2 tops at a hobby electronics shop. Lower value = less dark when rolled down all the way.
I've got a four string version of this bass, whilst it's not in the same league (or price to be fair) as my Fender Player Plus PJ, it definitely offers a lot of quality for it's price. It's very comfortable to sit with for a long time and just all round nice to play, which has made it a keeper for me despite the fact I have better sounding basses 👌
Hey, thanks for checking it out. I've been enjoying your videos for a while! Yeah, I do think this is a pretty great instrument for the price. Not sure I conveyed that fully, based on some of the other responses I've gotten here.
Great video Scott, I have the BB734 since it came out and the two things I changed are the bridge pup to a Dimarzio 123b and I use LaBella Flats long scale for through body bridges. I never use it active. The neck is a lot better than my Stingray !
my BB734A is a great bass, perfect baòanced, zero neck diving, top ergonomics and great sounding. Agree with you for bridge pickup... and few days from now I will test the Labellas Deep Talkin Bass on my lovely bass :))) Yamaha are the real deal in bass industry.
i have bb435, you need to understand it's not a ready to gig bass instead it's a good platform to start with. I always feel its original pickup doesn't have enough bottom end for my taste, i swapped the pick up with aguilar and put flatwound and it's turns into awesome bass
Yeah, I'm not totally satisfied with the pickups, but for me it's almost too much low end. Or more accurately, almost no high end. I usually roll my tone off anyway, but this isn't really giving me a choice!
I have been contemplating putting flats on my new'ish American Pro II p-bass. I had no idea there was a restriction about through body mounting!! Is that something I should be worried about? You're a champ for giving some advice here. Maybe a string recommendation between DR Legends and say D'Addario Chromes? :) I still have a 1998'ish RBX775 that came in *_flawless_* in a box for what that's worth ($470, IIRC)
Well, you _can_ string flats through-body, but the extreme angle at the saddle can create a weak point in the string. It depends a little on the brand of string and the way they're constructed. Honestly I haven't ever strung flats through-body to see if there's any difference in sound or how easily it damages the strings… I just read on the string packages that you shouldn't do it! This is only the second bass I've ever owned with a through-body option.
I like the sound. I just prefer the 1.5 inch nut jazz bass neck. very frustrating how many companies do "p bass = chunky neck" and its harder to find P bass guitars with the slim neck!
Well… this is a 5-string with a nut width the same as a 4-string P Bass, so that’s about as narrow as I think one could hope for. The neck is also a thinner profile like a Jazz.
The extension on the B string is not about tension. It's to do with intonation and the real world physics of non-zero thickness strings. It's as if strings don't really vibrate perfectly at the point of contact, but instead vibrate just a bit shorter, so you need to correct by making the string longer than over-simplified theories would say it should be. The thicker the string relative to its length, the worse the problem. The divergence from good tuning is worst for heavy bass strings played up high, and regular scale length B strings are clearly out of tune at the 12 fret and even lower for many listeners and players. It also impacts the tuning of the harmonics, the fundamental ends up out of tune with even the lower harmonics, and the notes up there sound dead or weirdly never in tune. You've got two options: play with lighter gauge strings or make the thicker strings longer. The BB bridge allows the B string to be longer and better in tune when played in its upper frets, while allowing saddle positions and sharing the fret placement that work for the thinner strings. (Sometimes bass manufacturers will make 5 string basses with a longer scale length to solve the problem, 35" vs 34" is fairly common.)
I don’t think this bass needing a set up out of the box is a bad thing. Many more expensive basses I w ordered come with terrible setups. If it were bad fret work causing the issue that’s different. Otherwise, not big enough a deal to include in a video.
Great review and nice sound demo. Agree on the weird looking thing. Still, I am considering one of these basses. And FWIW the lack of focus works on the keys. The neck is definitely finished, just a satin matte finish (Satin Polyurethane according to Yamaha) that isn't noticeable . Very few necks truly have no finish. And Sweetwater say they check intonation as part of their 55 point inspection. Like you I have found that is not always the case. I personally plan on a fret touchup, complete setup (intonation, neck relief, saddle height, electronics tidy, pickup height and nut adjustment) on any basses I buy.
Have you played one of these? I'm pretty sure there's no finish. I have a few basses with varying levels of satin finish and this really just feels like raw wood. I'm sure the higher-end models have the satin finish but this one doesn't… or if it does, its thickness could be measured in individual molecules.
Dingwall 5 string was very nice and I have short fingers, so far it's the only bass would consider. I did consider buying a Yamaha 4 string and found them too heavy.
I haven't played it in an electrically noisy environment yet, so I can't say for sure, but it seems like a fairly typical P/J experience… the split-coil pickup is silent but there's a little bit of buzz if you solo the single-coil bridge pickup.
![What's all the fuss about?! | Yamaha BB735A [Review/Demo]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hg9GY6kDHtQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I have the 435 and have had GHS flatwounds on it for about two years now and it sounds and feels amazing 😊
After owning many high-end basses (Foderas, EBMM bfr’s, American Fenders, Mayones), I have become happily content with the Yamaha BBNE2. It is the best all around bass I have ever played! I too perform in pit orchestras and this bass is perfect! Nathan East has performed in just about every style imaginable, and he’s got this bass dialed in to do essentially everything! I call it “my precious” because it’s the one bass to rule them all (LOTR)!
Nathan east plays Yamaha, Billy Sheehan plays Yamaha, and M.r John Patitucci plays Yamaha. That Yamaha Patitucci Trb6 series is a helluva monster bass dude. If you wanna have a real pro 6 string, this is your bass. For a third of the money... you got it
Vincen Garcia,one of the best bass players on earth plays Yamaha.
Loved the song. You’re a fine musician Sir!
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!
nathan east’s signature yamaha is the best bass guitar of all time, yamaha makes awesome basses
Totally agree!
I think a lot of the lack of interest among general guitar and bass players for Yamaha stuff is simply because people haven't experienced their higher end bass/guitar gear. I know among 6 string bassists, their TRB6P, TRB6, TRBJP, models and their revisions (TRB6PII, 6II and JP2) are super highly regarded. My main bass for the past 10 years has been a Yamaha TRB6, the Japanese made bolt on 6 string in a transparent orange finish. Since I've bought it, I've owned a lot of other basses, some from even really high end brands like Status, Sago, Atelier Z, a couple of small custom shop one offs, and a lot of cheap ones like Brice, SX and Squier, and some other mid market brands like Ibanez and Fernandes. The TRB6 has been the only constant the entire time. Nothing compares to it for me, and I got it for 800$ used. Its not trying to copy a P bass or Jazz bass so it doesn't look weird. It's a forward thinking design with a lot of care put into it. The controls are far enough away that they don't get in your way when you do double thumb and slap (A big reason why i sold several other basses), the upper fret access is better than just about any other bass I've owned. Which arguably isn't a big deal for bassists, but i spend more time up there than most people, and this bass is the easiest to play up there. It came with darker sounding bartolini pickups in it that the previous owner installed but ive since replaced the pickups with ones that are similar to the OEM Yamaha pickups, which are bright and snappy, and I've been happy with the sound since. I also own a Yamaha TRB6PII but I've got so much emotional investment in my original TRB6, i play that 90% of the time.
I didnt intend to write a love letter to my TRB but here we are LOL
Hey I have a 1991 BB1100S. It's quirky, the split coil has far hotter output than the bridge single coil, and the actives are quite extreme. I love it dearly having owned it from new. It plays very well.
Instrument aside wow so cool you can compose and play so many instruments, to me that’s way more impressive than any instrument 👏
Thanks! I appreciate it. Honestly my straight-up music videos don’t seem to get the algorithm’s attention the way instrument videos do so I’m taking a stealth approach.
I have been enjoying the BB735 (the next step up after this model) and had a similar issue with the pickups feeling wobbly. The height foam that comes stock on these is small and thin, but it was a piece of cake to replace that when i had the strings off.
I didn't care for the looks at first either but it's grown on me over time.
Fun Yamaha history fact - that logo is meant to be three overlapping tuning forks. Makes sense for the musical instrument division, maybe less so for the motor vehicle side.
Thanks for the tip… I may end up swapping the pickups but if I don't, I definitely could put some sturdier foam in there. I do like the looks a lot better now that I've swapped on a black pickguard.
@@room34 yeah mine came with a black pick guard, I don't care for cream color either though!
Older BB models had proprietary pickups that were much more challenging to swap out, but this new iteration of the BB line has Fender standard sized pickups. You've got TONS of options.
If you find the tone knob too dark you can also swap the capacitor for something with a lower value, I assume that the stock one is 0.047uF as that's pretty standard for a bass guitar but you can find 0.033uF or even 0.022uF for maybe $2 tops at a hobby electronics shop. Lower value = less dark when rolled down all the way.
I've got a four string version of this bass, whilst it's not in the same league (or price to be fair) as my Fender Player Plus PJ, it definitely offers a lot of quality for it's price. It's very comfortable to sit with for a long time and just all round nice to play, which has made it a keeper for me despite the fact I have better sounding basses 👌
You made a good choice. Loving my BB434. Simply the best PJ bass in the market that Fender can't beat!
Hey, thanks for checking it out. I've been enjoying your videos for a while! Yeah, I do think this is a pretty great instrument for the price. Not sure I conveyed that fully, based on some of the other responses I've gotten here.
I own and played a Yamaha RGX and I got it 11 years ago ang it still sounded great (still stock pick-ups)
I still use my RGX :)
Yamaha instruments are produced by Yamaha Indonesia's own factory. I'm not really sure but I guess the facilites has been running before Cort's.
I should have researched this before making the video. Thanks for the info.
Great video Scott, I have the BB734 since it came out and the two things I changed are the bridge pup to a Dimarzio 123b and I use LaBella Flats long scale for through body bridges.
I never use it active.
The neck is a lot better than my Stingray !
my BB734A is a great bass, perfect baòanced, zero neck diving, top ergonomics and great sounding. Agree with you for bridge pickup... and few days from now I will test the Labellas Deep Talkin Bass on my lovely bass :))) Yamaha are the real deal in bass industry.
i have bb435, you need to understand it's not a ready to gig bass instead it's a good platform to start with. I always feel its original pickup doesn't have enough bottom end for my taste, i swapped the pick up with aguilar and put flatwound and it's turns into awesome bass
Yeah, I'm not totally satisfied with the pickups, but for me it's almost too much low end. Or more accurately, almost no high end. I usually roll my tone off anyway, but this isn't really giving me a choice!
I have been contemplating putting flats on my new'ish American Pro II p-bass. I had no idea there was a restriction about through body mounting!! Is that something I should be worried about? You're a champ for giving some advice here. Maybe a string recommendation between DR Legends and say D'Addario Chromes? :)
I still have a 1998'ish RBX775 that came in *_flawless_* in a box for what that's worth ($470, IIRC)
Well, you _can_ string flats through-body, but the extreme angle at the saddle can create a weak point in the string. It depends a little on the brand of string and the way they're constructed. Honestly I haven't ever strung flats through-body to see if there's any difference in sound or how easily it damages the strings… I just read on the string packages that you shouldn't do it! This is only the second bass I've ever owned with a through-body option.
Respect...
I have heard Yamaha has its' own factory in Indo and that it is not made by cort... not sure
I like the sound. I just prefer the 1.5 inch nut jazz bass neck. very frustrating how many companies do "p bass = chunky neck" and its harder to find P bass guitars with the slim neck!
Well… this is a 5-string with a nut width the same as a 4-string P Bass, so that’s about as narrow as I think one could hope for. The neck is also a thinner profile like a Jazz.
The extension on the B string is not about tension. It's to do with intonation and the real world physics of non-zero thickness strings. It's as if strings don't really vibrate perfectly at the point of contact, but instead vibrate just a bit shorter, so you need to correct by making the string longer than over-simplified theories would say it should be. The thicker the string relative to its length, the worse the problem. The divergence from good tuning is worst for heavy bass strings played up high, and regular scale length B strings are clearly out of tune at the 12 fret and even lower for many listeners and players. It also impacts the tuning of the harmonics, the fundamental ends up out of tune with even the lower harmonics, and the notes up there sound dead or weirdly never in tune. You've got two options: play with lighter gauge strings or make the thicker strings longer. The BB bridge allows the B string to be longer and better in tune when played in its upper frets, while allowing saddle positions and sharing the fret placement that work for the thinner strings. (Sometimes bass manufacturers will make 5 string basses with a longer scale length to solve the problem, 35" vs 34" is fairly common.)
But why is this only an issue with the 435? The 735 and P35 do not have the 435's bridge extension...
I have seen Peter Hook play a 734
Damn those flat wounds sound great on tyhe bridge pickup........ I wonder what ground wounds will sound like
I don’t think this bass needing a set up out of the box is a bad thing. Many more expensive basses I w ordered come with terrible setups. If it were bad fret work causing the issue that’s different. Otherwise, not big enough a deal to include in a video.
Great review and nice sound demo. Agree on the weird looking thing. Still, I am considering one of these basses. And FWIW the lack of focus works on the keys.
The neck is definitely finished, just a satin matte finish (Satin Polyurethane according to Yamaha) that isn't noticeable . Very few necks truly have no finish. And Sweetwater say they check intonation as part of their 55 point inspection. Like you I have found that is not always the case. I personally plan on a fret touchup, complete setup (intonation, neck relief, saddle height, electronics tidy, pickup height and nut adjustment) on any basses I buy.
Have you played one of these? I'm pretty sure there's no finish. I have a few basses with varying levels of satin finish and this really just feels like raw wood. I'm sure the higher-end models have the satin finish but this one doesn't… or if it does, its thickness could be measured in individual molecules.
Dingwall 5 string was very nice and I have short fingers, so far it's the only bass would consider. I did consider buying a Yamaha 4 string and found them too heavy.
Hello, does it hum?
I haven't played it in an electrically noisy environment yet, so I can't say for sure, but it seems like a fairly typical P/J experience… the split-coil pickup is silent but there's a little bit of buzz if you solo the single-coil bridge pickup.
You could do a lot worse for a $600 bass.