Yamaha BBP34 BB-Series Bass Guitar, Vintage Sunburst

This is my third MIJ Yamaha guitar/bass, and I have to say that I think the MIJ Yamahas are the best value for the money in guitars and basses, bar none. All three of mine have absolutely impeccable craftsmanship, the fit and finish is perfect, and the instruments play and sound amazing. There's no compromise here between this bass and a Fender P-Bass, a PJ, or anything else that's in that vintage mold. This is above the Fender American Standard (Professional, whatever they are calling it lately) level of quality. It's level with any top of the line production Fender easily. You won't find any poorly cut nuts, tooling marks, or finish issues from the factory on these. The best features of the BBP34 over competitors like high end Fenders is, IMO, the overall higher level of build quality, and the really full low and midrange tone. It sits really really well in a band mix. These differ from Fenders in that the body is Alder/Maple/Alder and traditionally that's what gives them the power the BB series has always been known for. I think the pickups are great and are voiced exceptionally well for vintage type bass tones, but they are standard size and shape in case you want to drop in something else. One last note - Amazon ships these in their factory shipping box, but I had no issues. The hardshell case the bass came packaged in was fine, unblemished and totally safe when it arrived at my door. I would recommend this over any comparably priced bass, and to anyone who wants a passive, vintage-style bass that does the classic P-Bass thing exceedingly well but offers more than any other manufacturer can offer at the price. This is a lifetime type instrument for me, I believe. Like so many are still playing BB's from decades ago because they are so functional and versatile, I think this is going to be an old friend for me one day too.

I started writing this review but realized I could be playing my BB734A Yamaha bass *instead* so I did. Lots more fun. But here is a short review. I got this instrument as my entry into playing electric bass (prior experience guitar) and I'm so happy I did. If you want to read one-star reviews about shipping damage this ain't it. I received this bass in perfect shape in the advertised time window and with an excellent gig bag thrown in. It needed no setup, just tuned it and started playing. In addition to sounding great I have positives on the look (coffee burst), weight, balance, tuning pegs, bridge, satin neck finish (no sanding needed), and tonal range across the two pickups. On the latter I can go to the mid detent and they cancel hum even. Accessories: I have found super helpful the following: A wide padded comfortable shoulder strap, a stand, a fret wrap, a set of flat wound strings, some cheap Amazon 9V batteries, a clip-on tuner, couple good cables, solid music stand and a reverb pedal. And an amplifier, goes without saying. In order the reverb and shoulder strap are most important. The active electronics work great -- 3 knob EQ only when the toggle is on -- but I keep forgetting to toggle it off when I finish playing so to avoid draining more 9V batteries I just play it with passive pickups and keep the battery out on the desk; it goes in in a matter of a seconds. Finally a shout out to YouTubers who put great learning content up for bass. You haven't lived until you've spent four hours running scale patterns with Adam Neely, seriously. It can be overwhelming so also NTS don't get overwhelmed. Mostly I should say this bass does a great job of getting out of way so the experience of playing it is about the music. It sounds *really* good.

Yamaha builds good stuff. I have 4 of their guitars and 3 of their basses. This model compares well to anything in it’s price range. I like 34 inch basses and put flat wounds on it. Yamaha consistently makes good quality gear. You don’t need to worry about getting a lemon.

Note: Bass is pictured with aftermarket knobs I purchased on Amazon. This Yamaha BB234 is a very good bass. It came set up right out of the box and ready to play. Action was good, the neck is very comfortable and sounds good. The only issue with the bass is that the J pickup is a bit noisy, but if you roll it down 1/4, the noise goes away. Other than that, I'm very satisfied with the bass. I had a very small issue with the shipping that the seller, GearTree, was very quick to resolve to my satisfaction. Superb customer service. I would definitely buy another Yamaha BB234 and would buy it from GearTree without secont thoughts!

Extremely high-quality bass guitar, but you can’t go wrong with Yamaha. Beautiful tone, easy to play, very fast neck. Highly recommended!

Excellent quality! All Yamaha instruments are built very well. This bass balances well on your shoulders. The pickups and active circuit are powerful with very clear voice tone and distinguishable equalizer. FYI...the neck is a good, thick neck with well rounded fretting. It is easy to play, so dont expect the toothpick neck like on the Fender Geddy Lee basses or the newer designed basses that the tight 6-stringers favor.

Great quality, had to set up saddles, intonation and pickup height which is typical of any new guitar or bass. Sounds great and I can hear the pickup upgrade versus 234 model which I have owned for a couple years. I had no issue with tuners mentioned by some other reviewers. Great value for money! 234 model better for beginners.

comparing to bass guitars for over $2-3K ,this is a great bass! top notch design, subtle details to be found when looking it over, from the "through rear string holes", to the tuning gears, and beautiful neck. the craftsmanship is very solid. Yamaha nailed it! a very nice case too! Compared with similar styles from G&L, Fender, MusicMan, Ibanez and for me this one came out on top! I never gave something a 5 star rating before.

Showed up early, well wrapped, excellent condition. Exactly what I was looking for. No complaints at all.

Love it! I went with a 5 string so I could get the color I wanted. I decided to order another. The price now is more than double what I paid, and double what music stores charge. Average price for a 234 is $429 and a 235 is $499.

Bought for adult son and he raves about it.