Classic Yamaha BB300

[RickyBubba]

Well, some won't think of it being a real classic, as it was their "starter" model in the early '80s…but I'll say they are.

My first one was my 1st bass, and I didn't fully appreciate how nice they are until the past few years. The fit and finish is outstanding, even though mine was a Taiwan version. Just as nice as the early Japan versions.

They came stock as a P set up, but I had a local shop add a SD J pickup so it is now P-J with a 3-way switch. Thankfully I took pretty good care of it, using just the original "pleather" gig bag. Glad I did now!
Played it pretty hard for a few years in a band and it sounded really good. Really never saw the need to swap out the original pickups.

Then as life goes I put it mostly aside for a long time and hardly played. Got married, and my wife has a good friend that is an excellent luthier…so one evening after dinner she asked if she could check out my bass.
Sure…go dig it out, and she was amazed how nice the finish and next wood are. She tweaked the intonation a tad (and at the time I was like…WTF is that?). Duh…

Not long after I started making the effort to get it out and dink around some, which has thankfully continued, although I haven't really been playing with anybody…shame on me.

Now that I've gotten older and maybe a little smarter, I have been around much "nicer" basses, and to be honest, the fit and finish on this "entry" level bass still rivals the best…even Rics!

So earlier this year I rescued a needy BB300 off Ebay, and the neck was pretty warped up. Had my doubts, but the prices was VERY right. Thankfully it has survived to live another day, and I'm about to finally bless it healthy enough for new strings. This one might actually see some pickup swap action just to have fun, but aside from going active, I doubt it would be that big of a change.

So if you see one in a local shop, take a 2nd look. Even if you just pick it up as a "starter" bass for somebody else, you can't go wrong unless it has been totally trashed.

[woodyng]

My guitarist has one,among the 7 basses he has,i think it's the best....
Candy apple red,too!

[RickyBubba]

He has great taste! My original is the candy apple red, and the rescued one is black.

I still have the original catalog I picked up at the shop as I was shopping and saving my bucks.

[cheyenne]

I had 2 BB2000's, 1 BB3000, and a BB5000 back in the day. The Yamaha BB series from back then, early eighties? were some of the best playing and sounding basses I've owned.

[RickyBubba]

The same shop had a drop dead new BB3000 in cream white with the gold hardware. After I had some lessons under my belt I got brave enough to noodle on it some. Wow…

Love to have that one in my hands these days.

[iamthebassman]

I've got a lefty 300 in red.

[RickyBubba]

Finally feel like the neck is stable enough for new strings, so have some Rotosounds on the way! I'm sure that will wake it up a tad.

[RickyBubba]

Put the Rotosound Swing bass strings on and haven't been terribly impressed. Huge difference ofcouse from the dead strings that were on it, but not what I was looking for.

Probably pull these strings off and put them on something else.

Still very happy with the bass. Need to post some pictures, it sure has a great finish on it.

[woodyng]

I've been wanting to throw a set of tapewounds on my friend's bb for some time,but it actually sounds great with the ancient dead rw's on it.

[maxschrek]

I have a BB450F, which is just like the BB300 except it's a PJ configuration with volume/tone and 3 way toggle.
The F is because it's the fretless model. Also, in metallic red, great solidly built instrument. I dig it.

[RickyBubba]

I finally got off my lazy duff and did some coper tape shielding on this bass. Had a consistent annoying buzz, much more than the single coil humm. Found the ground connection at the bridge to be less than adequate too. Shielding just the control cavity did very little. The key was shielding under the pickups, and running a ground to the control cavity. No surprise as that is the correct way to do it, but being my 1st DIY job, that was where 99% of the noise was. The stock pickups on these early basses are very good in my opinion though!

[woodyng]

Funny that this thread should pop up again at this time.
I've been looking over a few Fenders available locally,and was really interested in a mexican p-bass. I took it to band practice,played one song with it (sounded good,but felt heavy and cheap),so i returned it. The same guy had a 2013 American Standard Fender J bass that really feels quite nice,but i ended up buying a Ken Smith bass from him instead.
Anyhoo,my bud with the CAR yamaha Bb300 asked me to check on his house while he was out of town,and i took the opportunity to nab his bass,and take it home. omg! It's more of a pbass than any pbass i've ever played. I am amazed at how good this thing plays and sounds.i will admit it is a bit heavy,(actually lighter than the mexi-p),but the neck is perfect for me,and this thing has a clarity/thump that is just lovely. It also has what looks like '70's-era rotosounds on it,which sound fab. All this from a taiwan made cheapy? Wow.
I have also had some previous good experience with a cheapy Yamaha fretless p-type bass,so this is very interesting.

[RickyBubba]

Does this BB300 have a high gloss on the back of neck or satin finish? The late ones were Satin, and I think the build quality was down by then.

Both of mine are Taiwan with the high gloss finish on the necks. I had a J pickup added to my original one with a 3-way switch. That one is Candy red.

How quiet is his?

[woodyng]

This one has a thick glossy finish on the neck--i'm very tempted to take some steel wool to it....but it actually plays fine.
The pickup is very loud and clear,and even opened up completely i didn't find it nearly as noisy as my 74 4000.
I may have to find a way to talk my buddy out of this bass....

[RickyBubba]

You should!