Yamaha BB734 AFRD Fire Red

I've been playing bass for a year on a cheap Harley Benton and decided it was time for an upgrade and invest in a bass that could last me a lifetime. Naturally prone to consider a Rickenbacker for it's reputation in disco and rock music, but unlikely to buy because of it's price tag. Looking at a bass with character that made it's reputation in the 80's many musicians in this genre speak highly about the BB line of Yamaha. Since then it's undergone a number of makeovers but kept it's character and versatility.

First of all, the bass has got the looks - straight out of the box the colour would make you think it's a Gibson SG, and it definitely has that sexyness. With the black hardware and the satin finish on the neck it plays like a charm.

Secondly, one massive consideration was the versatility of the instrument. The bridge has multiple options to setup your strings, either through body or through the bridge itself - you can even flip the saddles from round to angled for a different tone. Besides that there is the passive/active switch which lends itself perfectly to achieve the extra punch, even though passive the bass sounds impressive enough with a little low characteristic growl. The options to mix the bass, mids and treble and configure the pickup blend allow me to make the sound like I want for the music I'm playing at that moment. "One bass to rule them all".

Lastly, the PJ configuration gives a bassist (almost) all he can ask for. The J pickup is not silent and will produce a buzz. But besides that this bass gives me so much joy and allows me to jump from nailing the tone on Sabbath covers as well as Earth Wind and Fire. And the controls to switch feel so smooth.

Also, did I mention it looks amazing? It sounds even better.

With this bass you're getting two basses for the price of one and it's built like a house. And it has the some of the personality of a ricky, but add the versatility and the looks of an SG that is a P bass. This bass for me is 10/10 and would definitely recommend. Only down sides are that it doesn't come with the battery and out of the box the pickups were installed very high.

Pour mon travail en home-studio, je cherchais un son pur et puissant mais aussi un haut potentiel adaptatif, je l’ai trouvé.

Commandée à distance et sans pouvoir la tester au préalable, cette basse est résolument bien conçue et de belle facture, plutôt bien fini ; c’est un bel instrument comme Yamaha sait les produire (à condition toutefois de ne pas tomber sur un exemplaire mal fini passé entre les mailles du contrôle qualité et que l’on tenterait de vous refourguer… Je ne citerai pas de nom…).
J’ai remplacé le jeu de cordes d’origine par un tirant plus fort Power Slinky en 55-110 déjà bien rodé depuis 5 ans et ça pulse comme il faut ! Elle compense aisément la médiocrité ou la petitesse d’un ampli aussi bien pour un auditoire que pour des enregistrements studio. La versatilité permise par les différents réglages (qui sont fins et précis) vous transporte où vous voulez et même au delà, que vous exploriez le registre de l’intime, de l’aventure ou du trépidant énervé !

In fine, un passionnant choix de raison !