Performer Series YPB (Precision Bass)

The Performer Series YPB (P-Bass) comes in three models 450, 500, and 700. The 1978 Yamaki Price List calls the YPB-700 a “Pro Model.”

Colors

• YPB-450 - (YS) Yellow Sunburst, (W) White, (I) Ivory, (B) Black

• YPB-500 - (N) Narural, (YS) Yellow Sunburst, (B) Black

• YPB-700 - (N) Narural, (YS) Yellow Sunburst

Construction

The Yamaki Performer color Catalog lists a “solid white Ash” body for the 700 and 500, and a “white ash” body for the 450. As far as necks, the 450 lists a layered “maple fingerboard and neck” versus a solid-maple neck on the 500 and 700. The color catalogs lists the 700 and 500 as having “best quality” machine heads and the 450 “quality” machine heads. The black and white specs below state slightly different information, saying only the YPB-700 has “best quality” machine heads. The YPB-700 had Mighty Mite 1500 pickups installed while the 500 and 450 used Yamaki pickups. All models have a solid one piece bolt-on maple neck.

Options

A “turtle shell pattern” pickguard was an option on the YPB-700 while the white-black-white pickguard was standard across the model range. You could have the YPB in a gloss or Matte (M) finish. A Rosewood Neck (/RN) was available on all models, and the YPB-700 and 500 could be ordered fretless (/FL)

Exceptions

A black finish is not shown as an option for the YLP-500 in the Yamaki full color catalog, however, the Yamaki Price List does show (B) Black as an option.

The JooDee bass pictured below in (YS) Yellow Sunburst has the gold and black “Performer” head stock logo as seen on other Performer instruments, but does not have the E.R.S. (Epochal Rod System) truss rod. Perhaps it’s a transition model from the JooDee Artist Series? This particular JooDee did not have a model number printed under the pickup, but simply had “Y/S” written in the neck pocket denoting the color. Having the same tuners/machine heads as the other 500 basses in the gallery below, we’ve called it a 500.

Period pricing in Japan was ¥45,000 for the YPB-450, ¥50,000 for the YPB-500, and ¥70,000 for the YPB-700.