A bass guitar creates the fundamentals of any song with every other band member following it. This requires practice and obviously a good bass guitar. Beginners might choose to start with an inexpensive option, but it could end up as an expensive one if the guitar you bought is not of the quality you want. When Yamaha introduced its first bass guitar in the 70s, it caught the eye of people in no time. High-caliber yet diverse players used these instruments making the Yamaha more popular in bass guitars. In 2017, Yamaha reintroduced its well-known BB series of bass guitars that includes guitars from entry-level to the premium line. Today we will have a look at one of the basses from the BB series, Yamaha BB234. Yamaha manufacture guitars based on different suggestions from different people. Thus, the BB234 is a complete package as it is manufactured considering the needs of bassists.
Yamaha BB234 is a low priced 4-string bass guitar from the BB series that offers quality at a considerably low price. This allows beginners and people on a budget to experience a bass of excellent qualities. BB234 offers solid playability that brings performance and quality features that aims for the new players. It is featured with considerable additions that make it a decent instrument for professionals too. Playing this bass brings pleasure as it appeals to the crowd with its brilliant sound abilities. It is surely a demonstration of Yamaha’s commitment to music. Read on and get to know more about it!
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Yamaha BB234 Review
Build and Construction
Yamaha is always keen to improve its guitars to make sure their players experience enhanced playability, comfort, and tone. The BB234 is featured with a solid alder body with a double-cutaway shape but it is smaller in size than the previous one for more comfort. It has a solid body that is finished in a urethane gloss that is presented in several colors so that you can choose whatever you like. This bass has a thinner profile bolted-on 34’’ scale maple neck that features a rosewood fingerboard with 21 medium frets and dotted inlays. There is 19mm string spacing that makes this bass guitar an easy to play instrument. It feels really nice in the hands and is surely an improvement of an already good playable bass.
The hardware has been upgraded to provide a more reliable experience with a bigger and better tone. The BB234 sports two passive Custom V3 ceramic pickups, a split-coil at the neck, and a single-coil at the bridge. There is a single master volume knob as well as an individual tone pot for each pickup. The controls are easy that ensures to give the sound desired by the player. To ensure the balance of the headstock, it features Yamaha’s new light-weight open-gear chrome tuners that are solid enough to compliment the small body of the BB234.
The Yamaha BB234 is a light-weight instrument that does not feel uncomfortable to play whether you play it while standing or sitting. With its outstanding features such as the gloss-finished alter body, a modern ‘C’ profile fretboard, custom-wound J and P style pickups, and 4 saddle adjustable bridge, the BB234 is a bass that is an excellent choice for beginners as well as the professionals.
Sound Quality
The BB series is known to offer basses with great thundering tones and the Yamaha BB234 is no special case. You can control the sound in terms of bass, treble, and volume. This makes this bass excellent for rock, as well as jazz and blues. The overall tonal control lets you make your overall sound darker and brighter depending on your taste. The combination of Custom V3 pickups gives a focused and clear tone, with blooming lows. They are proficient enough to provide you versatility in tones so that you can enjoy playing almost every genre of music on the Yamaha BB234.
The BB234 is best at what it does as it offers bright tones with the active preamp. The sound it offers is clear and sustained that the crowd can easily identify the bass in their favorite songs. Regardless if you are just getting a bass as an addition to your guitar family or to play it on concerts and events, this bass is capable of providing you sounds just like you want them. High output pickups and tonal control options offer you sounds of different variations according to your choice.
Pros & Cons Of Yamaha BB234:
Pros
- Its lightweight construction and design make it easy to carry.
- The neck joint delivers vibrations and sustains as per the demands.
- It provides a full variety of tones.
- The bridge is adjustable.
Cons
- It doesn’t have any switch for interchanging the pickups.
Final Words
What makes Yamaha stand out against the other 4 stringers is the comfort and familiar contours they provide. The BB234 has an identifiable character that melts into your body while you play. The thinner profile is an addition to modern style guitars that creates a distinctive image with an aesthetic look. This provides better balance so that you do not have to worry about your demographics if you are a BB234 player. It is a modern styled vintage guitar that has qualities to meet the demands of every bassist out there.
Yamaha bass guitars have always delivered players the tones they crave with all the feel and character of their own. The BB234 is a traditional electric bass guitar that has all the legendary attributes of the original that is featured in a straightforward submissive style that is inspiring yet affordable. Some might say that this bass is for the beginners, however, whether you are a beginner or a professional player, you will love the BB234 in every aspect because of its versatile tones and vintage looks. The BB234 is the first of the BB series and it is inevitable to consider it a marvelous introduction. The low price tag and the qualities this bass offers, it is a really good call as it does not cost any more than it should. So get your hands on the Yamaha BB234 now!