Yamaha BB434 Bass Guitar (Black)

Cool vintage looks, solid construction, love the neck profile. After minimal adjustment to the setup it plays very well and sounds great through my current rig. Good features for the price, pickup routing could be closer but I can live with that. Overall, very happy with it.

Amazing!

I can't belive how this bass is way way way underated!... I've play a lot of basses, and this is way better than my Fender US made, the grade on this yamahas is like a profesional level fender, this is the way to go, starting with the finish, this thing is super nice finished (mine is teal blue) then the headstock is amazing, tunners stay in tune and super smooth, the frets are rounded and no sharp edges, the PJ pickup configuration is amazing, lots of tones, the 6 bolts on thr neck are amazing, the 2 bolts that are angled ! man they help a lot to the sustain!!! it sustains for days! plus the strings thru body angled is a great feature, it helps too to the tone and sustaing, plus you can do the bridge configurarion, its been my battle axe for the last 3 years and I ... MoreI can't belive how this bass is way way way underated!... I've play a lot of basses, and this is way better than my Fender US made, the grade on this yamahas is like a profesional level fender, this is the way to go, starting with the finish, this thing is super nice finished (mine is teal blue) then the headstock is amazing, tunners stay in tune and super smooth, the frets are rounded and no sharp edges, the PJ pickup configuration is amazing, lots of tones, the 6 bolts on thr neck are amazing, the 2 bolts that are angled ! man they help a lot to the sustain!!! it sustains for days! plus the strings thru body angled is a great feature, it helps too to the tone and sustaing, plus you can do the bridge configurarion, its been my battle axe for the last 3 years and I think is the only bass I will ever use, the last one, its gonna be my equivalent to Boby Vega's "Shark" ... Can't say enought good things about this bass.. Thanks Yamaha... is a bass worth 1000 + at 400 dlls... UNDERATED! ...

Excellent Craftsmanship and Hot Pups!

Top-notch features include the string-through design, 6 miter bolt neck joint, and the beautifully layered neck.The electronics controls are simple, V V T, which is enough for my needs and the p/j style pups have great tone and output. I play punk, hardcore, and screamo, so the p/j setup is perfect for cutting through the noise with the bite of the jazz bridge while maintaining a tight low end with the precision split coil. Sounds amazing clean and even better dirty. Be sure to check intonation and string height after restringing and changing string guages!

Fantastic Bass!

Totally blown away by this bass. I saw all the great reviews but was still a little hesitant to buy. Boy oh Boy am I glad I did. Plays Way beyond it's price point and was well set up out of the box. The only, and I mean ONLY, thing I didn't like was the pick guard. The blue one is absolutely beautiful in person but with a black headstock I don't know why they didn't put the black pick guard on it but that's okay...I have a beautiful new custom one being cut by an independent pick guard maker and I also changed it's shape slightly. I have several other basses including a '73 P and a PRS and I'll say that this Yamaha plays as good as any I own.

Great bass

This is the second Yamaha bass I’ve had (after a TRbX504) and I’m really impressed by it. Sounds great and the quality of manufacturing is excellent. It arrived within 2 days from PMT too which is good customer service. Happy all round 👍

Quality bass. Very playable!

I was looking for a relatively affordable bass with a classic look and vintage tone. I originally ordered a Squier Vintage Modified and could not have been more disappointed. Clanky. Even after a set up, the fret noise was unbearable. Sure, a full fret dress would likely fix the problem, but I wasn't interested in sinking another $100 without assurance that this would clean it up.I then began researching and stumbled on the BB434. This seemed perfect. Classic shape and look. Passive electronics (they do make an active version). Video reviews were complimentary. But, no music store around me had any in stock. With GC's return policy I ordered one up. Right out of the box it was totally playable with great action. Minimal fret noise which should we Ben get better ... MoreI was looking for a relatively affordable bass with a classic look and vintage tone. I originally ordered a Squier Vintage Modified and could not have been more disappointed. Clanky. Even after a set up, the fret noise was unbearable. Sure, a full fret dress would likely fix the problem, but I wasn't interested in sinking another $100 without assurance that this would clean it up.I then began researching and stumbled on the BB434. This seemed perfect. Classic shape and look. Passive electronics (they do make an active version). Video reviews were complimentary. But, no music store around me had any in stock. With GC's return policy I ordered one up. Right out of the box it was totally playable with great action. Minimal fret noise which should we Ben get better once strings are broken in. The weight is very manageable, even light weight. The materials seem quality, not boutique but not cut rate either.The p pickup, turned up by itself, is very vintage. Sounds like a classic P bass. Nice, froggy mids. The jazz pick-up can dial in some sparkly accents. I turn the p all the way up and j to about 7 with the tone up about 85%. You can play anything from Motown to rock. Very versatile.The neck has a flatter profile and is very comfortable. The satin finish is smooth and fast. The 6 bolt neck exudes solidity and a depth of engineering. I like the black front head stock. The shape is simple and the raised medallion is a nice touch. Looks like mine was shipped with daddarios, which is my string of choice.I have spent a lot more on bass and not been as satisfied.A bass a pro could play and appreciate.

Solid bass

I am a beginner bassist that started playing bass about maybe 5 or 4 months ago. I originally had an ibanez gsr 200 to start which was a solid bass. But the Yamaha I a step up in every way when it comes to quality and tone and how much fun you have with the instrument. I can't say much about the electronics as I haven't had much time with the bass to notice anything but all and all they have held up just fine. I highly recommended this bass to people of all skill levels.

This Bass is a Groove Machine

This is a great Bass. The sound is incredible, equipped with alnico pickups, the blend and range is impressive and the tone shaping will blow you away. The neck is flawless, the miter neck joint produces sustain that is epic. I love to jam out to dropped tuning material (Kings X) and the neck and bridge handles it perfectly. Yamaha continues to raise the bar for affordable, quality guitars. You have to test this bass out before purchasing anything else, it's an awesome instrument. 10 out of 10....5 stars.

Yamaha BB434

First, I'm a recording guitar player who was looking for a big, punchy bass sound for my new recordings. I didn't want to spend 1k+ on a Fender P-Bass so I started a search. I first looked at the Ibanez Mezzo basses. At $299 street, the price was right but I was concerned about it not being "professional" grade. And watching their YT promo vid, I decided against it. Yes, the promo makes it look like a toy for beginners especially aimed at teenagers.Then, I found this Yamaha B-Bass. Its got a P/J pick-up configuration so the best of both worlds. Did some research on it and reviews are 4-5 star everywhere you look. And it uses an Alnico-V (YGD Custom V5 Pickups). Its part of the same family of BB basses (like the BB3000 Michael Anthony). Billy Sheehan is also a ... MoreFirst, I'm a recording guitar player who was looking for a big, punchy bass sound for my new recordings. I didn't want to spend 1k+ on a Fender P-Bass so I started a search. I first looked at the Ibanez Mezzo basses. At $299 street, the price was right but I was concerned about it not being "professional" grade. And watching their YT promo vid, I decided against it. Yes, the promo makes it look like a toy for beginners especially aimed at teenagers.Then, I found this Yamaha B-Bass. Its got a P/J pick-up configuration so the best of both worlds. Did some research on it and reviews are 4-5 star everywhere you look. And it uses an Alnico-V (YGD Custom V5 Pickups). Its part of the same family of BB basses (like the BB3000 Michael Anthony). Billy Sheehan is also a Yamaha guy with his Yamaha Attitude. If you don't have the money for either of these, the BB434 is a great alternative. My worry was will it have enough power/output. Well, it does for recording. I would assume it would for gigging. It plays nice, plays great, sounds great.I saw this on the Sam Ash site, brand new (store demo) and picked it up for $393! Street on these are $499. Yes, its made in Indonesia but the quality control is there. Its got the same 6-bolt miter neck joint that the Billy Sheehan and Michael Anthony sigs have. And the workmanship is excellent. This is a solid, punchy, great playing bass guitar and for the money, even at $499, is a great price.

Yamaha BB434 Pro-Grade

Yamaha BB434 is a Pro-Grade bass at an affordable price. I needed a bass for studio work ( I' a guitarist) but wanted something with punch and fullness like a P-bass. This bass delivers. Plays real nice too. Its got the P/J pick-up configuration which is awesome for dialing in just the right tones. Love it!