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yamaha bass owner unite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


kingofthestring

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I'm not called bb5000 for nothing: I own three of them.

 

I have the original, passive 5000. Then the first 5000A, and then the second model, the 5000AII, all in that 'Vintage White'.

 

The first two are essentially 4-string BB2000's modified for five strings, so they are narrow spacing. Yamaha added a five-string bridge and nut, but designed a FIVE-string P pickup (3+2), very rarely seen today, much less in the mid-80's. The AII has the W I D E fingerboard typical of current Yamaha fives, a modified body shape, electronics and pickups that were grafted into the first gen TRB's, and the massive Gotoh five-way bridge.

 

Over the years (back in my four-string days) I've owned several BB1200's, a 1600, a 2000, and finally a 3000, but they've all gone as I only play fives.

 

I'm planning on getting a 415 in that UofTexas Orange pretty soon, though I'm not fond of bolt-necks. I'd hoped Yamaha would include some neckthrus in this wave of BB reissues (they still sell the 3000 in Japan), but no luck so far.

 

The RBX's and TRB's just aren't my cup of tea, I'm afraid.

 

The BB's were actually designed in California by John Carruthers, the famous LA guitar tech, and the prototypes were given their shakedown by some of the LA session bass guys, notably Lee Sklar among them.

 

The BB's (Broad Bass) were part of the 'Japanes Bass Explosion' in the 80's, including

 

----the Ibanez Musicians

----the Aria SB's (the 'H Noble' named as the designer on the peghead sticker is Nobyashi-san, the resident genius behind Atlansia, his own company

----the Daion Power Mk20's

----the Tune 'Bass Maniac', co-opted by Ibanez for the Soundgear design

----the Yamaha BB's

 

Of course these days, Japanese guitars are RARELY made in Japan, save for the very top line axes (like the Nathan East Sig): As Japan's economy shot to the moon, their labor/cost of materials reached EU like levels, so now production is spread through the Far East, depending exactly what price point / quality level you want.

 

Interestingly, one of the few Japanese basses available in this country are the Godlykes. These are actually Bacchus (one of the HIGH quality Japanese home-market brands rarely seen on this side of the Pacific), and are TERRIFIC axes.

 

After my Alembics, I just LOVE Yamahas.

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