Yamaha BB415

Made in Indonesia 2007 or 2008. Passive 5-string with Yamaha ceramic P/J style pickups. The bridge is what keeps this from rating higher, could have been sturdier (but then the pricing would be different I guess).

This is a really cool bass, there are??nt that many passive 5-strings out there, and if you find one, it??ll read Warwick or Fender on the headstock meaning the price will be way higher. It has a sound all its own, do??nt be fooled by the passive pickups, they are super-hot! The bridge pickup has a slight hum when soloed, otherwise this is a very quiet passive instrument. The neck pickup has a nice thump, but due to ceramic magnets being used it is??nt quite a "vintage P-bass" sound. I play mostly classig hardrock/metal and I grew up with pictures of Jimmy Bain (DIO) with a BB in hand, and this bass delivers strong tone.

This is where Yamaha destroys all competition! I have owned one Yamaha bass before the BB415, and it had perfect build-quality and setup as well.

This bass has yet to be tested in front of an audience, but it??s taken serious pounding during hours of rehearsal. I have no doubt that it will stand up to live playing, I never gig without a backup, and wo??nt with the BB415 either.

I??ve contacted Yamahas offices in Sweden several times, and they are always very helpful. The cool thing about Yamaha is that you never have to deal with national agents, since Yamaha always represent themselves.

I have played bass 15+ years and owned a lot of different basses in different price categoreies including a USA built Peaveys, Japanese built Ibanez Soundgear etc. The Yamahas are so well built it??s ridiculous, considering the price you pay for them. I??m considering a Badass V replacement bridge, but this a hefty bass as it is, so I might not.

If it were stolen I might get a used TRB1005 or another BB415.

This review is a second review from me as I've done quite a bit of tech work on the BB415 and now find it to be a completely different animal than that which I reviewed previously.

Features: (see yamaha website)
21 frets, 34" scale, rosewood board, alder body, passive electronics, Precision(3+2) and Jazz pickup layout, 3-way pickup selector, volume knob and tone knob.

Again, this review is a second review from me as I've done quite a bit of tech work on the BB415 and now find it to be a completely different animal than that which I reviewed previously.

Having bought this bass used, I knew from the outset that the previous owner or someone they employed had been tinkering with the wiring. Before buying this bass I researched it thoroughly. Referencing a review, I think in Bass Player, from a few years ago, there was mention that the 3 way switch was wired backwards from the factory. So I was testing the bass based on this premise. Turns out that the previous owner had the switch re-wired to standard operation.

I mentioned in my previous review, and I'll mention again here, that this instrument is VERY, VERY sensitive to changes. Pickup adjustment can make massive changes in sound quality, balance and tone. Adjusting the bridge saddle height, raising or lowering the pickups, etc make very sweeping changes to the sound of this instrument. More so than in any other instrument I've owned. In short, tinker with it until you get the sound you like. It can be done.

The difference in string sets make a huge difference on this instrument as well. So far I've tried D'Addario Pro Steels, Ernie Ball Power Slinkys and Ernie Ball flats. Obviously the flats were the most obvious difference. The flats were a really nice change to the tone. I tried these based on several reccomendations from the various poster on the talkbass.com forum. With flats, combined with the vintage style frets on this bass, you can get a near fretless bass sound, complete with some of the "mwah" sound that fretless basses generate. The D'Addario ProSteels and Ernie Ball Power Slinkys are both really bright sounding and they are both great all around. They seem to help the harmonics jump out of the instrument.

Currently I still have the EB Slinkys on it and I'm really happy with what I'm getting out of it. Using the P pickup solo I can get a really nice, fat P tone with a little extra high end snap on it. Think of Steve Harris' tone, but with a bit more mid. Can also get close to Rocco Prestia's tone, albeit with more high end (with flats on the BB this tone is easily achieved). With the J pickup solo, Jaco type tones are easily obtained as are Geddy's tones to varying degrees.

As mentioned in my previous review, build quality is good. Very solid. In my opinion, easily as solid as most japanese and US built fenders.

The tuners as previously mentioned are a bit cheap. They don't have the smoothness of turning that, say hipshots, would have. That being said, the tuners are SOLID. Once you get them where you went them, they'll hold for weeks at a time.

My particular bass had a replacement bridge added by the original owner. The stock model was replaced by a hipshot A-style. Compared to the standard bridge, this one brings out much more brightness and upper harmonics. Not as much as a Badass-II, but better than the stock unit.

The pickups are easily adjustable, and I have done alot of it. The problem is that these pickups are not easily replaced should you want to do so. The P pickup is a 3+2 style and the screw pattern is not standard P-style. The J pickup is mounted via a screw on each end, as opposed to the standard 4 screw jazz pickup arrangement.

The action and playability are much better now than it was for my previous review. It's still a bit loose in my opinion, but it's something I have and am adjusting to.

Will it withstand live playing? Certainly.

Does the hardware seem like it will last? Sure.

Is the finish good enough to last? Finish seems to be durable.

Are the strap buttons solid? So much so I haven't put straplocks on it.

Can you depend on it? How often does the truss need to be adjusted. Absolutely. Set the truss and forget it unless you're carrying it through extreme weather.

I think this bass could survive a war, and certainly any average gig. It definitely reminds me of an old P bass in this regard.

N/A

Since getting the bass set up the way I like it I just can't put it down. It can do the vintage stuff easily and it can be more modern if you want it to. However, it doesn't reside firmly in either camp. You could probably play a gig for any music genre with this bass and do well.

Would I buy another? Absolutely.

The key to this instrument is to invest some time in it at the outset. Get to know it.

I compared this to many basses before I bought it. What won me over ultimately was the price vs value of the BB. I compared it to several Ibanez, Fender, Schecter and ESP/LTD models. Sure several of them sounded somewhat better, some of them seemed more solid, some had more features. However, ALL OF THEM cost near to of more than twice what I paid for this bass. That being said this bass, in my opinion, is a great value.

I think the Bass Player review of the BB series summed it up well. We all know the (capitol G) Great basses, but the BBs are some of the (lower case g) great basses.

Great solid instrument, for modest money.

Not sure of the year of manufacture, bought it used. 21 frets, 34" scale, rosewood board, alder body, passive electronics, Precision(3+2) and Jazz pickup layout, 3-way pickup selector, volume knob and tone knob.

Sound is more or less what you'd expect from an alder bodied bass with Precision and Jazz pickups. Pretty much a vintage sound.

That said, the P pickup on mine (again, bought used) has significantly less output than the J pickup. I've gone as far as lowering the J pickup almost completely into the body of the guitar and the output level is still nearly enough to require padded inputs. The P pickup even raised nearly to the strings doesn't have the output to balance out against the J. The tone of both pickups is good, individually and in combination. There is slight hum, but nothing major.

The bass and it's pickups are VERY sensitive to playing style and positioning. Minor changes can create drastic changes in tone, attack and sound.

I am playing this BB415 through a Bass PODxt (preamp) into a Crown XLS402 and an Avatar Neo212. Have noticed that the bass sounds really good in the SVT, Eden and 800RB settings, but less so through other patches. Some of the patches, such as the 'tube preamp' setting are nearly useless whereas they aren't with other basses.

All of this said, the BB415 sounds pretty decent, but nothing to write home about. My $200 OLP Stingray knock-off is more bright, has a better overall attack and has better dynamics.

Can't speak to set up from the factory. Bought this bass used via Ebay.

The bass has a very solid build quality. On par with Fender US models. I particularly like the truss rod adjustment pocket near the pickups as opposed to it being on the headstock. Nice touch.

My particular bass had a replacement bridge added by the original owner. The stock model was replaced by a hipshot A-style. Compared to the standard bridge, this one brings out much more brightness and upper harmonics. Not as much as a Badass-II, but better than the stock unit.

The tuners are kinda cheap, but they are really solid. Similar to the "vintage" tuners you'll find out the overseas and Mexican made fender reissues.

The pickups are easily adjustable, and I have done alot of it. The problem is that these pickups are not easily replaced should you want to do so. The P pickup is a 3+2 style and the screw pattern is not standard P-style. The J pickup is mounted via a screw on each end, as opposed to the standard 4 screw jazz pickup arrangement. Have considered having the pickups rewound. Anyone with suggestions on this matter, feel free to contact me.

Action is not something I'm pleased with. The strings are very floppy. My OLP stingray knock-off has tighter action than this BB. Going to take it to an actual tech soon to try to get that rectified.

Durable? You bet it is. This thing could probably make it through WWIII and still be in tune.

N/A

I've been playing for 3-4 years, not professional, but I'm not "unskilled" either, having been a guitarist since 1988.

Would I buy it again? Maybe, maybe not... I don't think that the new BBs compare to the BBs of old. Just not the same quality level.

34" scale, one-piece Maple neck. Easy access truss rod adjustment at heel. The bridge is a Fender-style bend aluminum deal with an extended B string brace (unnecessary, since it intonates just fine without using the extra bridge room). Hi-output Alnico P and J pickups. Vol/Tone/3-way switch. Not a lot of dazzling features, but that's why I got it, for a simple passive 5-string.

The P pickup is incredibly boomy and loud, and can't lower enough into the body to make up for this. It picks up the B poorly. The J however, sounds GREAT. It's loud, growly, and has major balls. With both of em on, the bass sounds pretty good. I recommend using a lot of compression if you're going to use the P as it will muddy the tone up a lot. With the tone all the way open, there's a lot of clankiness, which some people like. I wanted a warm-sounding bass - this is not it. Still, with some EQ and compression, it can sound very good.

Factory setup was a joke. The neck was really bowed, bridge was not intonated and the pickups were almost touching the strings. Luckily for me the truss rod turns nice and smooth, and the tool they give you for it works great. The neck straightened quite well. The frets are all great. The finish is spectacular, it looks incredible. I got the Metallic Orange and there's not a flaw on it. Very well built, just not set up from the factory.

The tuners are pretty good, but the B and G strings on mine tend to slip. I would gig with this bass without a second thought. It's built very well. I've set up the bass once so far, and it has not needed neck adjustment since then.

NA

I wish I had played it, as the sound was not what I expected. I plan to mod it heavily with a Badass V bridge and a custom wiring harness from HAS-Sound. This should bring the tone into some sort of control.

Basic BB415 features. I opted for the wine red finish. Nice!! This is my first bass guitar and i nearly got the BB615 but then i wanted simplicity. For this price the features are just nice. I especially like the tone/volume knobs.

Since this is my first bass guitar, I don't have a bass amp to play with it. I do have a PodXT for my guitar. I've recorded a few songs using the BB415 through the PodXT and it sounded descent enough. I even did a song using slap/pop technique and manage to pull through nicely. The 2 pickups gives so much versatility in the sounds and i especially like the sound with both PUs are switched on. The only thing that bugs me is when i do slap and the string hits the PU and it gives out this annoying 'crack' sound... but then again my technique could be wrong.

When i brought the guitar home i was puzzled to find that the tone knob doesn't do anything. So i opened the backplate and found one of the capacitor's leg came off from it's soldering point. Once i soldered it back... it worked!!
No complaints on the action. I did choose this bass over another BB415 that was first given to me at the store since the first one had a warped neck... so better check the guitar before buying it.

Still working just fine up to right now but i only use this for home recording so I wouldn't know how it would stand being on stage.

Haven't needed their service yet.

I've just upgraded my PodXT with the Bass Expansion Pack and it sounds much better now. I would highly recommend this to new bass players like myself.
I've been playing guitar and drums extensively for 10 years and now i'm seriously thinking on concentrating on bass playing. If I lose this guitar i'd surely buy another... if i don't have much cash.

Made in Japan, 2006. 21 frets. Volume, Tone & selector switch. P neck pickup and J bridge pickup. All passive. Body is 2 piece alder and the neck is maple with a rosewood board. Finish is a stunning wine red burst. Bodystyle is the old Yammy BB series (similar to a P bass crossed with a Stingray 5 string body). Standard foreign made tuners that seem fine. 34" scale neck, 5 strings. Cable and small allen wrench for bridge adjustments included. No allen wrench for truss rod adjustments. I'm giving it a 5 not because I don't like it but because it's a minimalist bass with hardly any bells and whistles. I find this to be a good thing.

This totally fits my style being punk and hard rock (fingerstyle playing only). I play through a big Mesa Bass 400+ tube head and a Peavey Pro 410 and Steelsound 210. The bass isn't noisy unless you solo the bridge pickup. The tone with the selector in the middle position is a typical P bass tone but with the added clarity of a J bass. Definitely deeper than a J and clearer than a P. Soloed the neck pickup nails the old P tone. The bridge pickup nails the Jazz bridge pickup tone. Together...they sound amazing. This bass is equally at home in the studio or on stage. No dislikes.

Factory set up was truly horrendous. Pickup adjustment sucked just as bad. Had some finish flaws....not finish but many tiny surface scratches (i.e. a rough cloth) on the front of the body of the bass. You can't see these from very far away and you have to be under the right light angle to see them. None of these complaints really bother that much because as a bassist you should always expect to have to do your own set-up on ANY bass you get. I've never received a bass (even high end basses) that I didn't have to set up once I got it. Once set up?....awesome playability. Low action, taught B string.

Very durable...a little weighty....similar to my old MIA Jazz Bass Deluxe V. Hardware seems durable enough. Finish seems thick enough to last. I replaced the strap buttons with Dunlops as soon as I got the bass. I do use this bass without a backup and feel totally confident.

NA

Been playing since 1990. I've owned MANY low end and high end basses. Once set up properly I'll put this bass up there with my 2004 MIA Jazz Bass Deluxe V as far as playability and tone. If it were lost I'd get another. I love the body style and finish color...very classy looking. The tone screams fingerstyle/pickstyle rock. It's definitely the best Foreign made bass I've owned. The only thing I wish it had (for asthetic purposes only) is a Maple fretboard.

See previous decription.

I bought the Yamaha because it was the first 5-string bass I felt comfortable playing. I never plugged it into an amp at Music 6000 in Lacey, WA (Shameless Plug) before I took it home. I wanted a 5-string I would play first off. Amplification would just confuse the playability issue if it did sound great..

And it does :-)

I play in a cover band. I looked at a 5-String out of neccesity. I was using an old Gibson bass tuned B E A D, but that mean clumping all the tunes that need the low B in one part of one set..

The BB415 allows me, and the band, to spread out the low tuning songs.

It's also let me explore fills in the lower register as well ;-)

I've not played a 2 pickup Bass in a long time, and I have to say, I like it! there is an added versatility there.

Now that the Bass is being played, the neck is bowing a bit, but that's me playing hard, and an easy adjustment.

I've been rockin' a '62 Fender PBass re-iss and a '53 PBass re-iss mostly.. and when I grab the Yamaha, our guy singer looks back and has this look on his face.. I'm guessing it's the THUMP!

It felt good to me!

The Yamaha BB series has a long history. I'm sorry I didn't get one in the 80's after playing the BB415, but I was in my Rick 4001 phase when the BB's were first introduced.

I do need to tweak the truss rod, but I expect that with any new Bass. I've adjusted my '62 Re-iss so many times I used a Dremel Tool to cut out a slot for easy access to the truss rod. With the BB415 I just have to grind down an allen wrench. The slot is already there ;-)

I would use it all night, and have.

The finish.. great, but will likely be altered in some way or another before too long.

No Comment. I like the bass.

I have been playing a long time.. over 30 years.

I needed a 5-String. I did like the Fairlane Bass, but the Yamaha did it for me. I picked up 4 or 5 more, played a few notes, and didn't like them. The Yamaha was eaisy to play, and the controls were easy to grasp. What it lacks in growl, it makes up in thump!

2005 model 5 string, passive J-style PU at the bridge, passive
P-style at the neck, one volume, one tone, alder body, fast and rather thin maple bolt-on neck, vintage style tuners and vintage style top strung bridge(brands?), three position pickup selector toggle switch. The fifth string bridge saddle is set back farther to help provide extra string tension, 21 medium-high jumbo frets, rose wood finger board. I have not weighed it but it feels light to me, approx. 9 pounds. Feels solid in the hands and seems to balance well on your lap or strap. Came with a really cheap cable, bridge allen wrench, missing the truss rod allen wrench, and a pretty good, although short, setup manual. I rate it a seven for lack of individual volume controls; even considering the modest price, not being able to control the individual volume of two distinctly different pickups is a design flaw.

I've owned it for 2 weeks and have played it extensively. I run it through Hartke or Behringer heads into Avatar 2X10 and/or 1X15 cabs, a Keely compressor on the front end and a BBE Sonic Maximizer in the loop, all powered by a Furman conditioner. What first hit me about the sound is it's clarity. Notes ring clearly and distinctly with a moderate underlying fundamental, and a crisp top. It's fairly expressive and will respond to different pick/finger style techniques. I bought it online after reading a review in Bass Player magazine, specifically to play 80s Pop dance music, not knowing what I would get. Luckily it works well. I think you'd have a little trouble mastering a good Slap tone with this bass. However; I'm still using the very coarse, inexpensive Nickel round wounds that came on it, and I admit that my amps, while great for the money, are far from high end. Different strings could be a big help for dialing in a particular sound. I don't detect excess noise and have not recorded with it. I like the clear tone and responsiveness the best.

Cool looking bass with great vintage-traditional vibe and beautiful, flawless Wine Red finish; you can sense the history behind the BB model from this bass. It came with low action and easy playibility but way too much string buzz. I made neck and bridge saddle adjustments to get it ringing clear. Fret work looks great and the neck is very comfortable. Playable all the way up the neck (follow the instructions in the manual for tuning if you like to reach high on the neck). The input jack emits a definitive click when the guitar cord is fully seated but it doesn't feel that strong to me, like one of these days it won't connect properly and leave me hanging. I have not tuned it down a half step yet, but will, and I expect the strings to become a little floppy. The volume control, and to a lesser extent the tone control, lacks sensitivity. Going from 4 up to 7 offers very little change, then BAM, I'm parting our singers hair. This seems typical of modest priced instruments. I'm going to rate this an 9 for the finish, look, playibility, and quality feel and overlook the insensitive controls and buzzy setup.

As I said before, the input jack doesn't feel that strong to me, but I could very well be wrong. Everything seems as reliable as it can be in this price range. My gut feeling: don't gig without a backup to this bass. I hope I'm wrong about that. Based on what I do know and my gut feeling, this get's a 7.

I have no idea.

I've played guitar and bass off and on for 33 years, with the last 3 years exclusively on bass. My other basses are a 70s Fender Jazz and an old MIJ hollow body. Reading the Bass Player magazine review was a huge help. Would I buy it again? Possibly, but I'd check out all my options first, and frankly, the Scratch and Dent pricing played heavily into my buying decision. I love the look, feel, playabiliy, and vibe. The clear tone is my favoite feature. I considered Tribute and Ibanez basses, and chose this one for it's history and price. But I wish the volume and tone controls were more sensitive and I that it had two volume knobs. Overall I give it a 9 for quality, feel, vibe, and tone.