Yamaha BB404

Everything as stated before. I can only add, that there are two fretted BB404 models: the 404 and the 404N. The 404 (Taiwan) has 2 J-style pu's, the N version (Korea) has two humbuckers. My bass is a BB404, but I also used to have a BB404N, which I returned after about 1 week because it turned out, that the bass had a "S" shaped neck. My new 404 is great. It's not a full ten only because the guitar lacks any kind of shielding, which can cause noise when your amp is not grounded.

Very punchy, strong sound, especially in the higher register. The pickups are great. I use this bass with a Landmark 300 with 4X10 speaker. I run it through a Boss GEB7 (cutting off 800Hz and boosting the lows a little bit) and a BBE Sonic Stomp. The result is just great. I don't hear any kind of groundnoise through my system as long as everything is grounded, even if the pu's are not in balance. But if your system is not grounded it can be very very noisy....I use only one sound when I'm playing this one: both volume pots at full and the tone pot cut around 10%. I don't like any other sound of this bass, but the described one is really THE one for me....Output is slightly lower than that of my active basses, but with my stage setup I don't have any volume issues, so it's not important for me.

It was in perfect condition, ready to be played right out of the box.

The matt finish is not durable. Unfortunately I already have many major scratches and dents all over the body (3 months of careful use). Probably I will have it finished in a short time. I changed the ridiculous pot knobs, the strap buttons and the tuners. With new metal knobs, strap locks and the Gotoh GB7 set the bass works and looks better. The bridge is very good. Connections in the control cavity are very clean, typical for yamaha. The neck is absolutely solid, no question. Minus 3 points because of the body finish.

No idea.

For a ridiculous 300 Euros you can't get anything better than this. This thing is better than any Fender JB I ever owned. If you are lucky enough to find one, don't miss it, this model is dicontinued! I would like to add, that the pure acoustic sound of the BB404 is louder and (IMO) better than that of my TRB6PII....Great instrument, unbelievable price, I would've gladly paid 4X much. Since I bought this my TRB and my Cort Masterpiece are staying home when I go to work, it's my main bass these days....I love it!

4 strings, 24 frets. Two jazz pickups. Passive controls: a volume control for each pickup, and a control for moving between the two pickups. Transparent satin finish, alder body.

The sound's where it's at on this one! This guitar's so hot it broke my bass amp. I like to play high up the neck, and this baby's got that Lewis Handley tone in spades! Kicks ass like Beyonce Knowles. Bootilicious!

Well fit!

I've been playing it for 96 years, most of that without an amp, and I've never even had to change a string! More durable than durex.

Never needed it

If someone stole this bass, I'd find the guy that did it, take the bass off him, and literally beat him to death with it - even if it was a woman. While we're on that subject, women really love this bass. For that reason, I'll give it a ten.

Mostly your basics but it's tone makes up for any it may be lacking.

Sound is perfect... I've owned a few Customized Fender Jazz Basses, but this blows them all away in my opinion! Perfect Jazz bass sound. Sounds best with a good set of flatwounds.

Action and setup are nearly identical to the Fender Jazz Bass

Really rock solid construction... The bridge is really something to behold

Haven't had any problems.

Really my faveorite jazz bass I've ever owned or played.

Bought new, so I'd guess it's a 2005. 4-string, 24 frets (Yamahas are so good to us upper-neck dwellers), solid alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, kipper-key tuners (as opposed to the Fender/Ernie Ball elephant ears). 2 Jazz pickups that, when taken together, are hum-canceling. Standard passive J-bass controls: bridge volume, neck volume, tone. Vaguely Jazz bass in looks, but a little squarer, with a contoured lower horn cutout to make it that much easier to get to the high frets (bonus!). It's a little smaller and lighter than the traditional Fender Jazz as well. All in all a very utilitarian, very useable instrument, aesthetically pleasing to the more conservative crowds (worship/praise bands, blues/jazz combos).

I play mostly fingerstyle, with a bit of slap. Haven't used a pick in ages. Currently running it clean through a Peavey 2x10 combo amp. The combination is very clean, responsive and punchy. I was expecting a lighter tone considering the reduced weight, but this bass delivers on the low end. Slap is very punchy, but when the amp EQ is flat it's a bit nasal. Knock down the 600-650 Hz slider on your EQ a notch and you've solved your problem. I don't know what strings the bass came strung with, but they sound a bit nickel-plated. I prefer the brighter all-stainless sound, but the bass uses these strings well. There is some hum, like any Jazz that lacks true humbucking pickups, when the volume knobs aren't roughly at the same level. I just might grab a pair of Quarter Pounders and see if the bottom gets any fatter, but the low end is very good as-is.

Neck came a little too curved for my liking. The setup tech gave the truss rod a half-turn and the universe was back in harmony again. The bridge saddles ended up at the perfect height for me once the neck was straightened a bit. The side of the fretboard has some bumps where it looks like fretwire was forced in when it was just a bit too long. They're on the top, so it doesn't bother me much, especially for what I paid, but they probably could have done better.

The bass ought to stand up to most gigs. Scratches and gouges will tend to show, as it's an unlacquered finish that's darker than the wood underneath, even though it's technically a natural finish. You can't use it as a golf club and expect it to be unscathed. The bridge is really solid, along the lines of a Stingray's and a far cry from the stamped metal one of a Mexi Jazz or Yamaha's own RBXs.

Never dealt with Yamaha's customer support people, but their website was helpful. I got the instruction manual off the site with relative ease.

I've been doing this for about 5 years and I must say this bass is probably the best value I've ever stumbled across. It retailed for $280, they had it marked down 25% and then they took another 40% off that price, so I ended up walking out with it for $160 plus strap, straplocks and cable. Very easy neck to play (I have long fingers, so a Jazz neck can be a bit narrow for my tastes at times), and very responsive. I couldn't be happier with the value I got.

Bought new in 2003. Passive humbuckers with separate volume controls and a blend knob. Gotoh style tuners, heavy bridge. Nathan East body style. Alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Satin blue metallic. Thin jazz style neck.

Great low end, a little bit less mid, and good highs. Very versatile for a lower end instrument. Pickups are noisy when used alone.

Couldn't be better. Finish was perfect on body and painted headstock. Chrome hardware is great quality. Bass is balanced very well. Factory set up was good. No buzzing and very easy playability. I have very small hands but the bass plays like a breeze. Intonation has always been very, very close but not perfect.

Never a problem.

I have been playing in local bands for about 5 years. I have previously played a cheaper Ibanez Soundgear, Fender Musicmaster, and a Modulus Genesis. With the exception of the $1500 Modulus this bass has proved itself to be heads and tails above other basses in its price range and even higher. I also use it in my worship band at church and it cuts really well hooked through a direct box to the board.

bought this used for $200 bucks in perfect condition(with tuner, gig bag and strap)..btw, the new line of Yamaha basses is coming out next month...they use the BB404 body on them (it looks like)...

the BB404 is now for sale on the discount retailers for $350...which is a steal of deal for this bass...

simple controls...jazz pickups...nice tuners...it's all good...Yamaha outperforms the competition in the same price category...

very versatile bass...

"warm sound"....has a rumble to it...

this bass is a "general practictioner"...

playing thru a Trace Elliot Boxer 65 and an Ampeg SVT Pro 3 with a GK 4/10 or the Aguliar GS12

okay set up...

no flaws...

outstanding value....

midnight wine is an awesome color

the good news is that there is NO BATTERY...

trust this bass 100%...

it is trouble free...

never had to deal with them...Yamaha is a great company

most likely going to buy one of the new Yamaha's when they come out...

it's between Yamaha and the Fender Marcus Miller....

Bought new in Aug 2003. The features on this bass seem to be minimal (which is not necessarily a bad thing!) but I'm a guitar player so it's hard for me to really compare... I just wanted an inexpensive, simple, solid bass to fool with and this fits the bill just fine. Passive humbuckers w/ volume controls, shared tone. Best features are comfortable Alder body (I'm an Alder fan) and humbuckers. I'm impressed by the quality of most of Yamaha's inexpensive guitar stuff - so I may have been biased towards this bass even before trying a bunch of them out. It seemed full w/out being overly agressive sounding (like Ibanez or OLP models I compared). That's really all I had to go on... Oh, and the fact that it was a cool blue and my 3 year old son who can't say his "L"s wanted "the byue one"! Nothing extraordinary for features, just what it needs.

I like to play rock/blues/jazz - I currently play with a group at my church and believe it or not we do play our share of rock/blues/jazz. Took the bass w/ me today only so I could pick up a gig bag for it after church (wanted to make sure it would fit) and wound up actually playing it on a blues-funk style tune we did. I have only a couple hours of practice bass playing time under my belt and wound up playing live a day after becoming a bass owner! Sounded quiet and did what I wanted it to. Actually has a cool slap/pop sound to it (isn't that what you bass guys call it?). I can dial in some brighter and more mellow sounds, all tasteful, not extreme. Seems that how I play this guitar is more important that fooling with the tone controls. I would guess that if I play bass on a semi-reg basis I'll grow tired of the sound and pop in some Duncans (that's what has happened on all my guitars). By the way, I don't have a bass amp to use. Just went through my Yamaha DG stomp (actually for guitars) to the PA. Not ideal I'm sure, but it worked!

Workmanship seems great. Set up seems fine. I do get a little fret buzz but I haven't tried to make any adjustments. I think my playing technique is probably the source of most of the buzzing. Not exactly simple to go from guitar to bass, but it sure is fun!

I can't see what would go wrong with this bass. Seems solid enough. I'm not exactly tough on my equipment though... I would guess the tuners may not be top notch but they aren't chinsy either.

Wouldn't know.

Been playing guitar for 17 years. Been playing bass for 36 hours. I'm a big fan of inexpensive gear that can be made to work. I get tired of players talking up big dollar gear when inexpensive stuff works almost just as well. Sure, there is some advantage to having high quality stuff but it's mostly marketing. I love it because I had fun with it today - that's what its all about, eh? I love that it's solid and tasteful which makes it easy to use for me. I suppose active pickups would be fun but they're just one more thing to hassle with. Great value - get one!

It was made in 2003 dont know where (like it matters)
has 24 frets
34" scale bolt-on neck
humbucking j-type pickups, passive electronics
alder body and maple+rosewood fingerboard
natural finish (i was lucky with woodgrain!)
it has die cast tuners with adjustable tightness, so called Ibanez-style
comes with manual, a cable, and two allen wrenches (for saddles and for truss rod)

I own an RBX 170. Its a decent bass, but the sound is really muddy, and i didnt like it anymore. I wanted something better. I didnt want to get the Yamaha (wanted something REALLY new), but then I quickly realized, that theres isnt anything in this price category that matches the Yamaha, once i came to the store. It sounds awesome! Im not sure, but ill say that it has alnico magnets in its pickups, because the sound is warm, yet crisp and punchy. I play mainly jazz/funk and this was perfect for me. It goes anywhere in the sound spectrum (as opposed to my RBX 170 that "liked" to ignore the mids) , and i love it. I didnt even boost anything on an amp, just to see how clean it'd sound. Also, as opposed to other basses in this price category, it has an overweight and oversized bridge that will help the sustain and the transfer of tonality (a factor oftenly ignored) Its awesome.

Yamaha quality = minor setups from the user. Out of the box, neck was straight (i hate truss rod adjustments). It had minor intonation adjustments made to it (because i also had to change the action), and that was it. The body is really comfortable, just like Fender J bass, yet lighter (easier on shoulders). Finish is awesome, the neck is butter smooth, and is just pleasant to hold, yet alone play. The balance is really comfortable too.

Like i said before, it has an outstanding, sturdy bridge. This will last long, if not forever. The tuners - i dont really like the fact that they're made of metallized plastic (of course the mains are metal), but in an VERY, VERY unlikely event of breakage, they're asy to find in almost any guitar store for 8 dollars each. Also, i like the fact that they have tension adjustment screw - which when properly adjusted is the next best thing to locking tuners. I like that the pickups are covered. I have scraped the scin of my fingers quite oftenly on my RBX ith exposed magnets, and it was really painful during long gigs. Will not happen with this bass. Other than that - its a yamaha, and i will depend on it, its a good solid instrument. And of course ill take it without a backup (i care for my instruments)

Yamaha e-mail support replied the next day. Whatever question i had regarding their instrument, they rplied promptly, and vere quite helpful.

This is the absolutely best bass for money! I cant believe i almost bouhght a Squier J! Its versatile, good quality instrument that needs no replacements, (as opposed to std fenders or squiers) to get the sound you want. Awesome value

Made in Taiwan (I think), 24 fret, very nice transparent wine red finish with colour-matched headstock, rosewood fingerboard. Passive J-type pickups.

For a passive bass the pickups are very loud and clear and there's a reasonable amount of versatility in the sound. At the moment I'm playing through a guitar amp, so I won't be getting the full feel of it, by it's good nonetheless if rather 'toppy' (which I suppose you'll either like or dislike). Pickup selection is through turning one of the knobs rather than a switch. This can be a bit fiddly to get the hang of. It's supposed to allow you to get a smooth transition between the pickups for a broader range of sounds, but if you're like me you'll probably find yourself turning to either one pickup or the other full on, as this is where the strongest sounds lie.

Mine was set up in the shop for free, so I can't really comment on it's out of the factory state. The action was still too high for me, although that is easily sorted out. I had a look around the body but couldn't see any noticeable flaws. The laquer was a tiny bit thin around the pickup cavities, but to be honest you'd only notice this with a magnifying glass!

I'm not a gigging musician at the moment, but this beast certainly feels as if it would withstand the rigours of touring, but I'll give it a provisional 8 here, just in case a couple of months down the line it doesn't prove to be as durable as I thought!

I haven't had to deal directly with Yamaha (so far!) so can't comment. The shop I bought it from were very helpful though.

I'm mostly a guitarist, but needed a bass for recording duties. I've been playing for 6-7 years, these days mostly progressive rock ala Rush, Marillion, IQ etc. I also own a Tanglewood Odyssey acoustic, a custom-built Les Paul-alike, and a beat-up old Washburn B-10 bass.

Japan... Natural blond alder bodied double cut-away in the Nathan East design. It sports a solid maple neck, cast machines, rosewood fretboard, nickel silver frets (24 of them).

There are two Humbucker bass pickups in a Fender Jazz style arrangement and three knobs to sculpt the sound you want.

Yamaha picked a great pickup set for this bass guitar. You can get everything from crisp, clear highs to low, growls, and virtually everything in between. There are two volume controls, one for each pickup, and another knob that controls which pickup gets the most action. It is hard to describe, but, imagine turning a dial that points to the front pickup in one direction and the rear in another. You can control which one has the most influence over your sound by dialing front to back. Not only that, you can also make each pickup as fiery hot as you'd like with the volume controls. In combination, you can get muted, mellow tones for music as fluid as "Bread" or as hard as "Rush."

I am impressed!

Straight from the box, I was expecting a lot of the usual effort in setting intonation and making minor adjustments to the truce rod. Thus far, I have not had to touch it. The body of this guitar is picture perfect. I've seen more picturesque woodgrain, but, the fit and finish are first rate. Frets are dressed well and the headstock and placement of machines seems to have been done with the uttmost care.

This bass should last a long time for someone who treats it right. The alder body is much stronger than basswood on many bass guitars in the low to middle price-range these days. The electronics are very good for the price and they are durable. It is clear that the materials were carefully selected for this production model with trouble-free maintenance in mind. There are no flimsy switches to go bad.

Yamaha always provides the best support. I know of a case where the Vice President of Yamaha's musical instrument division flew to the USA and hand delivered two new tubas to a "middle school" with a letter of apology for the fact that two tubas they bought had chips in their gold electro-plate finishes. With that sort of customer care and personal integrity, it is hard to go wrong with Yamaha.

I have played guitar for over 30 years and own several fine instruments. My favorite instruments are my Martin acoustic, my Fender DG20ce, a "Bow Psaltery" from "Unicorn Strings," an OU-2 Oscar Schmidt ukulele, my Epiphone Dot (335 body). I have also owned a Strat, a Mustang, a Tele, a Gibson Les Paul "Firebrand" with burned headstock, not the decal (first year the guitar was introduced), Washburn "Ivory Eagle," and several Ovation acoustic/electrics.