Shop Keyboard Deals, Financing, and More

Similar Best Sellers

Yamaha BB734A Bass Guitar - Dark Coffee Sunburst

4-string Electric Bass Guitar with 3-pc Alder and Maple Body, 5-pc Maple and Mahogany Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, 2 Single-coil Pickups, and Active Preamp - Dark Coffee Sunburst
Limited-time Offer! - Last Day
Lowest price in 90 days
$70.00 Off!
Purchase this item at Sweetwater, and get $70.00 off! The price shown reflects your savings. Effective now through 4/30/24.
Details
$749.99
Instant Savings: $70.00 Was: $819.99

Earn $38 back in Bonus Bucks OR pay $32/month with 24 month financing*

Backordered - More On The Way!

We expect more from Yamaha in just a few weeks. Order today to reserve yours now, risk-free.

Notify me when in stock
Add to Cart
Notify me about deals

Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

What is a Sales Engineer?
Sweetwater Gear Exchange

Have one to sell?
Check out Sweetwater's Gear Exchange!
Learn More

Most Popular Accessories & Related Items

Certified Fit Cases

No more guesswork! These cases are hand-tested and guaranteed to fit your guitar. See how we do it

Certified Fit Cases

Yamaha BB734A Bass Guitar - Dark Coffee Sunburst
Backordered - More On The Way! Notify me
$749.99
Add to Cart
Add to list
Back to navigation

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

Classic Yamaha BB Bass with a Modern Soul

This BB734A 4-string electric bass guitar takes the BB bass platform into the future with a flexible active design that is will find its voice in any musical situation. Additional updates include a thinner neck profile that is crowned with new light-weight tuning machines. And the the bass' 3-piece alder/maple/alder body sings with a balance of attack and warmth. Add the sustain-enhancing 6-bolt miter neck joint and convertible bridge for harmonically rich sustain and the BB734A 4-string is your BB of choice.

The BB bass legacy

When the first Yamaha BB basses rolled off the line in the late '70s, the bass world quickly took notice. A diverse array of high-caliber players took to these unique instruments, such as Van Halen's Michael Anthony, No Doubt's Tony Kanal, and legendary session ace Abraham Laboriel Sr. Their comfortably contoured bodies, clear-as-a-bell electronics, and immediately identifiable look keep these basses at the forefront of many different genres. The Yamaha BB734A is among the latest additions to this storied line of lauded instruments.

Familiar construction with modern twists

What truly sets Yamaha's BB basses apart from other basses are their comfortable and familiar contours. Carefully crafted from a carefully tuned combination of alder and maple, the BB734A 4-string's body boasts that same identifiable character. Its rounded edges and forearm and belly cuts seem to melt into your body while performing. The bass's 5-piece maple and mahogany bolt-on neck sings with a new level of punch and sustain, thanks for its 6-bolt miter design. And its slightly thinner profile is a welcome addition for more modern styles of players.

Flexible and powerful electronics

Whether you're a session player or a specialist, you know the benefits of a P/J pickup combination. The pickups in this BB734A are Yamaha's present-sounding YGD Custom V7 Alnico V single-coil design. Use the bass's active 3-band EQ and blend to dial in more of the neck pickup for that all-important P-style growl. And nail punchy fingerstyle tones with the bridge pickup — a favorite for many Sweetwater bassists. The BB734A's active/passive switch offers two different characters while also being a lifesaver if you find yourself without a battery.

Yamaha BB734A Active Bass Guitar Features:

  • Powerful, active version of a classic bass
  • Modern appointments such as lightweight tuners for better balance
  • 3-piece alder/maple/alder body offers a clear tone with plenty of punch
  • YGD Custom V7 Alnico V P/J pickup setup is versatile and intuitive
  • Active preamp with 3-band EQ will nail any tone you need
  • Onboard active/passive switch instantly selects between 2 tonal characters
  • 5-piece maple and mahogany bolt-on neck is incredibly stable
  • The neck's 6-bolt miter neck joint ensures the bass sings with clarity and sustain
  • Thinner neck profile for a more modern feel

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

See how Sweetwater goes to great lengths to give you the very best online guitar buying experience. From our online Guitar Gallery that allows you to see and select the exact instrument you want to our 55-point Inspection process and our in-house guitar techs, we take the guesswork out of buying your next guitar online.

Additional Media

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

  • Save money with FREE parts and labor
  • Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
  • Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department
Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage

Free 2-year Warranty

Sweetwater's 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ Warranty gives you extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage
Tools Icon

Save money with free parts & labor!

Fast Icon

Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time.

Award Icon

Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department.

Back to navigation

Tech Specs

  • Number of Strings: 4
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: Yamaha BB Doublecut
  • Body Material: 3-piece Alder/Maple/Alder
  • Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
  • Color: Dark Coffee Sunburst
  • Neck Material: 5-piece Maple/Mahogany
  • Neck Shape: Slim BB profile
  • Radius: 10"
  • Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
  • Fingerboard Inlay: Bars
  • Number of Frets: 21, Medium
  • Scale Length: 34"
  • Nut Width: 1.57"
  • Nut Material: GraphTech Tusq
  • Bridge/Tailpiece: Vintage Plus String-thru Bridge with Convertible Brass Saddles, Steel Plate
  • Tuners: Lightweight Open-gear
  • Neck Pickup: VSP7n Alnico V Split-coil
  • Bridge Pickup: VSC7b Alnico V Single-coil
  • Controls: 1 x master volume, 1 x pickup balance, 3-band Active EQ, Active/Passive switch
  • Strings: D'Addario EXL, .045-.100
  • Case Included: Gig Bag
  • Manufacturer Part Number: BB734A DCS

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

Back to navigation

Customer Reviews

Write your review
Rated 4.5/5

Shouldn't have waited to buy...

Finally bought this bass after about a year of considering my options. Was considering a G&L and went with yamaha and don't regret it. Im sure a G&L tribute would have been great, but Yamaha's are so underrated and after playing a trbx504 this model seemed like a great choice. The build quality and feel are solid and comfortable. The pups are punchy and responsive. Yet to play in active but as a passive fan I will try it when the need comes.... Surely it will sound as good as my trbx504. Fan of seeing natural wood on guitars but the stained or painted neck doesn't bother a bit due to how comfortable and fast it is. Blows any fender mim/player series out of the water. Love my 96 MIM Pbass, but Yamaha has surpassed the player in many ways. Look forward to playing this bass for years to come. Don't give a Yamaha a pass until you A/B with another "top" brand... The Yams where it's at!
Music background: Bar bands, songwriter, home studio
Rated 5/5

Best bass for the money

Yamaha has always made great basses especially within the BB range and this bass is no exceotion. The craftsman ship is excellent as is the tone. The neck's finish couldn't be any better, satin smooth. The rosewood fret board puts Fender's USA models to shame. Tighest rosewood I have seen in a long time. Neck nut is slightly wider than a jazz bass. Alnico pickups.
This is a bass everyone should own. Trust me, if you play this bass you will buy one, it's that kind of instrument.
Preamp can be turned off and bass played passively. Alder body with six screw neck joint.
I owned a trb1005, 35 inch scale, that I sold and I regret selling it.
If you are looking for a bass that covers all the basses, this is it.
I'm 71 and been playing bass since I was a kid and I can honestly say this bass is as good as it gets!
Rated 5/5

Absolute must have bass

This bass is comfortable, plays extremely well, and has tons of tone shaping on hand. The neck is very reminiscent of a Fender Jazz and is super comfortable in the hand. The frets are just right with no sharp ends. I have been very surprised at how good the pickups are, especially the neck pickup. The 3 band EQ is quite powerful and gives you plenty of tone shaping capability. The passive mode sounds really great as well even with one tone knob. Yamaha really nailed it with this bass giving you classic and contemporary options in one instrument.
Rated 5/5

Some Little Details Review

This is the bass review I would write for my earlier self. I prefer to buy gear that inspires me to play music; so that is really what brought me to this purchase in the dark times of February 2020.

Hey you! This is the correct first bass to buy. The finish on the wood is really pleasant to look at (after 2 years still love it). The frets are really well finished, never a sharp edge. The BB734A is super solid with the six-bolt neck to body. Neck is very slim, satin finish makes it a pleasure to play. So that's the starting point: The instrument is fun and it is inspiring.

The canonical bass guitar 'fender lineage' archetypes are P (Precision) and J (Jazz); and the pickups on BB734A are configured as a sort of hybrid of these two. Ok that's great; but really the big deal is the P bass; and this bass does P bass great. You will tend to set the bass down forgetting to turn off the active selector switch. So: You eventually give up on going through 9V batteries and just stay on the passive circuit. The active is great, don't get me wrong; this is to point out the passive setting is just fine for practice.

Accessories: Get a clip-on snark tuner and a D'Addario auto lock strap (the expensive one). Don't get a case; the one that comes with the bass is amazingly good. Get some flatwounds. Don't think about upgrading components: This bass is across the board superb quality. Get a stand so you can leave the bass in 'ready to play at a moment's notice' configuration. Finally: Eat your broccoli and finish your homework so you can maximize your playing time; and play play play.
Rated 5/5

A Bass for all Seasons

Waited awhile before reviewing this bass, to get past the 'new acquisition' enthusiasm. It played great day one, and went into immediate service at our studio. There is an occasional need to track bass bits that must match up with the original track; this includes a variety of basses from passive Fenders & Rickenbackers to active ESP. Having this on hand in house saves time and hauling instruments about. It is a pleasure to play, and delivers a surprising selection of excellent tones. Seems rock solid... time will tell; but has already proved itself to be a great asset. Recommend to any working musician who needs to deliver the goods.
Music background: Studio Engineer/Musician/Composer - Mondo Jelly Kings
Close Close $2,000 Pick Your PRS Giveaway -- input your email address below to enter or click here to learn more.

See giveaway details & rules or check out our past winners!

Success!

Your email, has been entered to win this giveaway. Good Luck!