A Workhorse Five-String That Means Business — Even at a B-Stock Price
The Yamaha BB735A has a reputation that precedes it: serious build quality, real tonal flexibility, and a playing feel that punches well above its price point. The BB series has been a working bassist's go-to for decades, and this five-string 700-series model carries that tradition forward with a few genuinely clever engineering choices that make a difference once you're actually playing it.
At its core, the BB735A is a PJ-configured bass — a split-coil neck pickup paired with a single-coil bridge pickup, both running through Yamaha's YGD Custom V7 system with Alnico V magnets. Add a switchable active/passive 3-band EQ into the mix, and you get a bass that can dial in a thumpy, vintage-P vibe one minute and a growling, mid-forward modern tone the next — without reaching for a different instrument.
Whether you're rounding out the low end on a recording session or holding down the groove every night on tour, the BB735A is built to keep up. This B-Stock unit is your chance to get into a near-new example of this highly regarded bass at a reduced price.
This item is a B-Stock guitar sourced directly from the manufacturer. It is new and has never been previously owned. The photos shown are of the exact instrument you will receive. Before shipment, our licensed technician will inspect and professionally set up the guitar to ensure it is playing its best. During our inspection, we noticed SCRATCH ON TOP BACK OF HEADSTOCK, MINOR DENT ON HEADSTOCK, DENT ON HEEL EDGE, PAINT BLEMISH BEHIND BRIDGE PICKUP, MINOR DENT NEAR BACK COVER PLATE EDGE, CHIPS IN EDGE OF BACK TWO NECK SCREW INSETS. (see pictures) Please note, these may not be the only cosmetic imperfections. As a B-Stock instrument, there may be additional minor blemishes that are small in nature and do not affect playability or performance.
A Body Built to Transfer Every Vibration
The BB735A's body is a three-piece alder/maple/alder sandwich construction — alder on the front and back, with a hard maple center that stiffens the body and pushes the midrange response forward. It's a different approach than most production basses, and Yamaha's reasoning is straightforward: more uniform vibration transfer from neck to body means better sustain and more defined note clarity.
Complementing that is the 6-bolt miter neck joint, which anchors the 5-piece maple/mahogany neck more firmly than a standard 4-bolt bolt-on. The result is a neck-to-body connection that behaves more like a set neck in terms of sustain, while still being fully serviceable. The Vintage Plus bridge takes things a step further with diagonal body-through stringing at a 45° angle, reducing string stress while improving vibration transfer all the way through.
Neck, Fretboard, and Feel
The 5-piece maple/mahogany neck has a C/D profile that sits comfortable in the hand — not too thick, not too thin. It carries a rosewood fretboard with 21 medium frets across a 34" standard scale, with a fretboard radius of 23.625" (600mm) that flattens out the playing surface just enough to keep chord voicings comfortable without losing the familiar feel of a round fretboard. The nut is GraphTech at 1.692" (43mm) width — appropriately spread for five strings without feeling unwieldy.
The neck finish is satin polyurethane, keeping the back of the neck smooth under the hand without the sticky drag you sometimes get from a glossed neck. It's the kind of detail that matters after an hour of playing.
Electronics: Active When You Want It, Passive When You Don't
The 700-series circuit is the heart of what makes this bass versatile. In active mode, you get a full 3-band EQ (bass, mid, treble) plus a continuous pickup blend control — so you're not locked into discrete pickup positions but can blend the split-coil and single-coil to taste. Flip the switch to passive, and the treble control converts to a master tone control, with Yamaha designing the circuit for level-matched output between modes. No volume jump when you switch — just a tonal character change.
A battery alert LED on the back panel lets you know when the 9V is running low, so you're not caught by surprise mid-set. Gold-plated contacts at key signal chain points round out the electronics package for added conductivity and reliability over time.
Product Features:
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Body: 3-piece Alder/Maple/Alder solid body construction
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Neck: 5-piece Maple/Mahogany, C/D profile, satin polyurethane finish
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Fretboard: Rosewood, 23.625" (600mm) radius, 21 medium frets
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Scale Length: 34" standard scale
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Nut: GraphTech, 1.692" (43mm) width
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Pickups: VSP7n Split Single-Coil (neck) + VSC7n Single-Coil (bridge), both Alnico V — YGD Custom V7
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Electronics: 3-band active EQ, switchable active/passive circuit, level-matched output, continuous pickup blender, battery alert LED
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Bridge: Vintage Plus with diagonal body-through stringing and convertible saddle (brass saddle, steel plate)
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Tuners: Lightweight open-gear
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Neck Joint: 6-bolt miter bolt-on
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Finish: Gloss Polyurethane, Fired Red
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String Count: 5-string
Brand: Yamaha
Model: BB735A
SKU: BB735A FRD-3RD|IKO053191
Condition: B-Stock
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