NBD Yamaha BB435

[laklandplayer]

I've been wanting a good 5 string P bass for a long time. The USA Fender at $1600.00 was out of the question and unfortunately, they quit making the Squire P5 version some time ago. I started shopping around and found this BB435 as a scratch and dent at Sweetwater, the scratch came off immediately with some car polish when I waxed it. I paid $450.00 for it, which was a steal. It's a comfortable bass with a very Fender-ish feeling, thin profile, C shaped neck with no dead spots anywhere.
Fortunately, its not too heavy, around 8- 9 lbs. The bass sings and sustains like crazy using DR Stainless High Beams. I did make some modifications... Yamaha isn't using proprietary pickups on the current BB's and I replaced the single coil Yamaha J with a Duncan noiseless Apollo 74 pickup. I installed Richter solder-less Volume, Blend and Tone pots using shielded cable and, installed a Hipshot 3 string retainer on the head stock to get a little more pressure behind the nut on the E,A and D strings.
The Yamaha P5 pickup sounds better than any that I've ever heard and the Apollo J is the perfect match for it, both have similar output and Alnico 5 magnets.
For a passive bass, the tonal range of this bass has is amazing. The stock J pickup sounds really good too but for the work that I do, I just can't have the noise and hum of a traditional single coil. The BB435 has some unique features like a 6 bolt neck with 2 of the bolts forming a miter joint connection pulling the neck into the pocket. Also, the bass strings thru the body from the side at a 45 degree angle instead from the back at a sharp 90 degree angle. I do think the neck joint and 45 degree angle make a big difference, the bass feels totally alive in my hands when I play it.
Yamaha has always made great basses, and knowing that didn't scare me away from buying one without playing it first. I'm glad I took the leap, I couldn't be happier.
If you are looking for a really good 5, the BB435 is equal to or better than basses costing 2 to 3 times as much.

 

[garp]

Congrats!

I'm the proud owner a BB415, which predates your bass by two generations, but even so, it does the P/J thing amazingly well. If I were in the market today for a good 5-string, the BB435 would easily rank high on my list.

Of course, please feel free to join the Yamaha BB Club when you're able.

 

[laklandplayer]

Congrats!

I'm the proud owner a BB415, which predates your bass by two generations, but even so, it does the P/J thing amazingly well. If I were in the market today for a good 5-string, the BB435 would easily rank high on my list.

Of course, please feel free to join the Yamaha BB Club when you're able.

I also had a cherry red BB415 that really I liked but I gave it to a deserving kid who needed a bass that her family couldn't afford to buy. I gave her free lessons too and she's turned out to be a really good player, it was a good investment on my part and I never regretted it.

 

[garp]

I also had a cherry red BB415 that really I liked but I gave it to a deserving kid who needed a bass that her family couldn't afford to buy. I gave her free lessons too and she's turned out to be a really good player, it was a good investment on my part and I never regretted it.

A great investment. Kudos to you for paying it forward.

 

[hrodbert696]

I love my BB415. She's heavy, though. The new generation seems to generally be lighter, and I've thought about getting one, but not ready to pull the trigger yet. Just don't need it that badly so far.

 

[laklandplayer]

I love my BB415. She's heavy, though. The new generation seems to generally be lighter, and I've thought about getting one, but not ready to pull the trigger yet. Just don't need it that badly so far.

The 435 is somewhat lighter than the 415 (the body is thinner but the shape is the same) and the modifications they've made to the bass really work. The 435 also has a 5 ply maple/mahogany neck that is very stable. Mine has a satin finish and is loaded with beautiful flamed maple, it is really nice looking. I prefer a pickup blend pot rather than a 3 way switch and the 415 had this big hole where the switch was. I could never find a way to fill it to install a blend pot. I'm glad that Yamaha has moved to using standard pickup sizes and they've lost that big selector switch. But, 415's are still highly coveted in the used market, great basses.

 

[thumpbass1]

Congrats on your BB 435! I bought one back in December of last year, and it's become one of my favorite workhorse 5 strings, let alone just a general workhorse bass after I tweaked and setup things to my liking. I may change the stock tuners out for some Hipshot HB1's as some other current BB 400 and 700 series owners have done, and I might visit the stock electronics later to refine it further. Mine clocks in at 8.8 pounds weight on a digital scale, and it's been delivering well above it's price point as far as overall performance and quality is concerned. I'm happy with mine!

 

[laklandplayer]

Congrats on your BB 435! I bought one back in December of last year, and it's become one of my favorite workhorse 5 strings, let alone just a general workhorse bass after I tweaked and setup things to my liking. I may change the stock tuners out for some Hipshot HB1's as some other current BB 400 and 700 series owners have done, and I might visit the stock electronics later to refine it further. Mine clocks in at 8.8 pounds weight on a digital scale, and it's been delivering well above it's price point as far as overall performance and quality is concerned. I'm happy with mine!

The more I play the 435, the more I love it. The Apollo jazz pickup was a good choice for the bass. I’ve used it on several gigs and it sounds incredible, sits perfectly in the mix.

 

[Madjon1973]

I bought one secondhand and a bit beaten up! Loved it in the shop and initially at home / with the band, but it's been a little of a love hate love thing going on with it and more recently love!
The cause of the hate has been predominantly the fretwork, although it looked ok and seemed to play fine in the shop I could just not get a happy set up, fortunately I've learned in recent years how to level and recrown the frets, several frets were very high, the result is a completely different experience of bass it now plays superbly with quite a low action.

I typically have played rounds 40-125, but I think this bass just feels and sounds so much better with 45-130 nickel rounds, particularly as they age a little as the top strings on the bass can be a bit harsh with their brightness when fresh.

Right now with the strings / bass in a mutually agreeable zone it's superb and I can't put it down.

The p pickup sounds great, the bridge pickup just gives you some more flavours, my favourite tones are probably with the tone rolled back to about 50% p pickup 100% j pickup about 85% that's a delightful tight precision sound, or if you have the j pickup full and roll off the p pickup to 85% you get something a bit musicman like.

It's the subtle use of the controls on this passive bass that make you smile in a live / band situation I'd call it simple flexibility.

It's not the lightest by a long shot but not terrible either, it is comfortable to play, nice slim neck.

It's a great workhorse.

I also play a sire V8, 5 string which comparatively is heavy and complicated with an ott preamp, the finish is better than the bb435, beautiful in fact, but I find myself reaching for the bb435 probably as it's understated simple, no bells and whistles just a solid good bass .... At least it is now that ive done a bit of work on it!