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Yamaha BB735A Bass Guitar - Dark Coffee Sunburst

5-string Electric Bass with Alder/Maple Body, 5-piece Maple/Mahogany Neck, Rosewood Fretboard, and 2 Single-coil Pickups - Dark Coffee Sunburst
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Yamaha BB735A Bass Guitar - Dark Coffee Sunburst
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True Innovation Any Bassist Can Appreciate

At first glance, the Yamaha BB735A 5-string bass is a workhorse instrument capable of a wide range of bass tones. Look a bit closer, and you'll find a slew of innovations that make it a truly unique bass. Its 6-bolt miter neck joint transmits more string vibration to the body for impressive sustain, as does its Vintage Plus bridge with diagonal body-through stringing. The BB735A's switchable active/passive circuits deliver impressive sonic versatility, with automatic level matching for both circuits. Factor in stainless steel hardware to resist corrosion over the years, and the Yamaha BB735A is truly a bass to treasure for a lifetime.

Impressive sonic control and active/passive operation

With its specially tuned active/passive circuit, the Yamaha BB735A boasts a sonic range that has impressed bassists at Sweetwater. The switchable active/passive circuit features a level-matched output, which means you won't have to adjust your output volume when changing circuits. In active mode, you have comprehensive sound-shaping potential with the 3-band EQ. In passive mode, the treble control becomes a master tone control. And instead of a selector switch, a blend control allows you to find the perfect balance for its YGD Custom V7 pickups.

Innovating basic concepts

When it comes to building a better bass, Yamaha took nothing for granted with the BB735A. For example, the bolt-on neck is joined to the body with six bolts, two of them mitered (joined at a 45-degree angle). Yamaha's engineers determined that this offers more efficient transfer of vibration, leading to improved sustain and resonance. The innovation continues with the Vintage Plus bridge with diagonal body-through stringing, where strings pass through the body to the bridge at a 45-degree angle. This reduces stress on the string and also contributes to better vibrational transfer.

Convertible saddles offer two distinct voicings

The Vintage Plus bridge actually offers multiple stringing options — you can pass the strings through the body at a 45-degree angle or pass them through the tail end of the bridge. And whichever you choose, you can further dial in your tone via the convertible saddles. Each saddle has a rounder side for a slightly softer sound and a more angled side for a slightly tighter tone. And with the ability to convert each string's saddle individually, you can fine-tune your bass tone on a per-string basis with this bridge.

Yamaha BB735A 5-string Electric Bass Guitar Features:

  • Alder/maple/alder multi-lam body construction for maximum tonal impact
  • 6-bolt miter neck joint for improved vibrational transfer from strings to body
  • YGD Custom V7 pickups with alnico magnets for an organic, well-defined sound
  • Active/passive tone circuit with volume matching for consistent output
  • 3-band EQ in active mode, treble control becomes your master tone control in passive mode
  • Pickup blend knob for dialing in your ideal pickup combination
  • Vintage Plus bridge with diagonal body-through stringing for better vibrational transfer
  • Convertible saddles offer 2 distinct voicings that you can set per string
  • Brass saddles for deep low end, steel bridge plate for added brightness
  • All screws and springs are stainless steel to resist corrosion
  • Lightweight tuning machines for improved balance

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

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Tech Specs

  • Number of Strings: 5
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: BB Series Doublecut
  • Body Material: Alder/Maple/Alder
  • Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
  • Color: Dark Coffee Sunburst
  • Neck Material: 5-piece Maple/Mahogany
  • Neck Shape: C
  • Radius: 23.625"
  • Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
  • Fingerboard Inlay: Bars
  • Number of Frets: 21, Medium
  • Scale Length: 34"
  • Nut Width: 1.692"
  • 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 balancer, 3-band Active EQ, Active/Passive switch
  • Strings: D'Addario EXL, .045-.130
  • Case Included: Gig Bag
  • Manufacturer Part Number: BB735A DCS

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Shout out to Chris Eades!!!

This bass is awesome. Quit staring at it and purchase. I'm one who never completes reviews, but after spending over 10K in guitars and accessories with Chris being my sales engineer, I must say that Sweetwater is by far the best place to purchase your music needs. I live over 4 thousand miles in the beautiful state of Hawaii, but every order that I place, I know that I will receive the item in perfect condition. These folks can seriously pack an egg and it will arrive without a mark on it. Sorry Guitar Center in Pearl Highlands, but you will never see my face again.
Music background: Bass, guitar, keyboard, drums
Rated 5/5

Yup, It’s the One

I want to preface this by saying I do not write reviews for anything ever. This bass brought me out of that comfort zone and I needed to sing its praises. I snagged one of these recently to take advantage of the PJ set up on a 5 string without breaking the bank. This thing far and away exceeded my expectations and has, so far, completely replaced my P bass. The inlays are a nice touch, the string through is creative, and the bridge is chonky. The sustain on this thing is silly. I am able to get a myriad of classic tones out of this bad Larry with the added option of flicking into active and taking advantage of the onboard EQ. The neck is very comfortable and well constructed. I disagree with another reviewer and love the dark finish on the neck which matches the body and I can't wait to see how it wears over time. I honestly am a full on Yamaha convert at this point after years of playing Fender instruments. If you get a chance to give this one a shot, I would highly recommend it.
Music background: Touring, International Session Work, Actively Gigging
Rated 5/5

Excellent Tribute

I bought this sight unseen after spending years regretting the sale of my old BB2000. Did not disappoint. I had it fitted with a higher C instead of a lower B and Sweetwater fixed it up right, even hand making and replacing the nut. The tone is awesome and so is the sustain. It gets a lot of questions during set breaks. I have zero complaints about this and is now my go-to instrument.
Rated 5/5

Amazing bass!

I loved the looks of this bass and heard a lot of good things about Yamaha, so I decided to take a chance... Very glad I did. This is an amazing, versatile bass. Played great iut of the box and the finish is absolutely beautiful...
Music background: Gigging bassist
Rated 5/5

AWESOME BASS!

This bass is an excellent buy. I can"t say enough good things about this bass. I have been wanting for a while now a 5-string P/J bass and I believe I have found the one. I bought a sire p7 earlier this year and thought it played great but I had a hard time finding the right tones and I spent more time messing with the knobs than enjoying playing it. I sold it because I have other basses that I like more and thought I would give up on the 5-string P/J bass for a while. Then I saw this Yamaha bb735a and thought I would give it a go and I am so glad did. I had never played a Yamaha bass before but I figured that because of their reputation and the high-level players that endorse them that it will be worth the try. Right out of the box I could tell that this is a quality instrument and it was already set up to play. It was in pretty good tune, the action was about right, and the neck was straight. The playability is great, the mids, lows, and highs are all awesome, and the bass is not very heavy. The thing I like the most is that the passive tone is great and it does not have a significant volume cut when you switch it from active. The p-bass sound is nice and low and can give you old school tones or more modern tones. The jazz pickup adds a nice high end for enhancing slap tones, jazz, or funk. This bass is a keeper and I look forward to playing it for many years to come. I never thought I would be a Yamaha guy but know I can say that I am.
Music background: Bass player
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