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‘87 Yamaha Motion Bass MB-II w/OHSC - $550 (Berthoud)
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The Disclosures ….
Starting at the top, the matching headstock has a couple of paint chips, a couple of which were touched up with paint and harder to see. There is a ding on the treble side of the bottom edge. There is a fair amount of “buckle rash” on the back consisting of faint scratches and slight bit of “worming” in the middle. When viewed at the right light and angle, the mid section of the back appears “hazy” due the superficial scratches. The frets do show some wear with light dimpling, but the playability of this bass is not hindered. The clear finish is chipped a little around the 2nd or 3rd fret on the treble side. It’s contained to the edge of the fretboard and does not extend into the red paint.
There might be other slight finish blemishes but those mentioned were the most noticeable. The Gold finish, on the tuners particularly, has began to wear off.
This bass plays great and sounds fantastic. It features a pair of Humbuckers, although some accounts refer to them as “soap bar” pickups.
Key features of the 1987 MB-II electronics include:
HH Passive Pickups: Equipped with two powerful B HEARTII Alnico humbuckers, noted for producing a "massive" bass tone, according to what I found on the internet.
Coil-Tap Capability: The pickups can be switched to single coils, allowing for tones ranging from Musicman-style to Jazz Bass-style, as described in some online forums.
Control Layout: The standard configuration features two volume controls and one tone control, often referred to as a V/V/T setup, according to what is available on the web.
Also worthy of noting is the AFB-1G bridge with micro-tuners. You can really dial this one in compared to most guitars with only headstock machine tuners.
This beautiful bass comes with its factory issued, Yamaha branded hardshell case. The interior of the case is in excellent condition. The exterior displays less than usual bumps, scrapes and bruises than you would expect on a near 40 year old case. All of the hinges and latches work as they should. The pleather wrap around the handle is coming off and should be replaced if you will be transporting the bass frequently. The original owners brochure is also present.
SN: NK02126
The Details …
Body
Material: Basswood
Body Shape: Small, contoured, double-cutaway "Motion" shape
Colors (1987): Pearl White, Candy Apple Red, Black
Finish: Gloss
Neck
Material: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius: 12”
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo
Scale Length: 32.25" (Medium Scale)
Nut Width: 1.5" (38mm)
Neck Profile: Slim C-shape
Inlays: White Dots
Headstock: Small "Motion" style with matching headstock and hardware
Electronics
Pickups: 2x B-Heart-II Passive Humbuckers (Alnico V magnets)
Configuration: HH (Double Coil)
Controls: 2 Volume, 1 Master Tone (often with Push-Push "Bi-Sound" coil-split/tap)
Circuitry: Passive
Hardware
Bridge: AFB-1G with fine-tuner function
Tuners: Yamaha-stamped Rotomatic tuners
Hardware Color: Gold
Dimensions & Weight
Weight: Approximately 7.2–7.8 lbs (approx. 3.5–3.7 kg)
String Spacing: 19mm
Key Characteristics
Medium Scale: The 32.25" scale is smaller than standard 34" basses, making it very comfortable for players with smaller hands.
Tonal Versatility: The dual humbuckers can produce high-output, fat tones, or be split into single coils via a push-pull pot for sharper, Jazz-like tones.
Production Location: Primarily Japan’s Nippon Gakki plant, though some later/alternate models were made in Taiwan.
Truss Rod Access: Easily accessible at the body end, aka heel adjustment.