# Gwen Stefani's Dad Discount Led Tony Kanal to Yamaha Bass

> Tony Kanal bought his first bass with a Yamaha discount from Gwen Stefani's dad, borrowing $350 for a BB1600.
- Title: Gwen Stefani's Dad Discount Led Tony Kanal to Yamaha Bass
- Summary: Tony Kanal bought his first bass with a Yamaha discount from Gwen Stefani's dad, borrowing $350 for a BB1600. Tony Kanal used a Yamaha employee discount from…
- Keywords: tony kanal, gwen steffani, yamaha, bb1600, no doubt, bass, 1987, 1995, rock steady album, sly and robbie, Gwen, Stefani's
- Source: Guitar World — https://guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/how-a-yamaha-employee-discount-set-tony-kanal-on-the-road-to-bass-stardom-with-no-doubt
- Published: 2026-10-08T15:21:56+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tony kanal, gwen steffani, yamaha, bb1600, no doubt, bass, 1987, 1995, rock steady album, sly and robbie
## Tony Kanal's Early Bass Journey
Tony Kanal started playing bass at 16 with a school Rickenbacker but needed a new guitar.
## Gwen Stefani's Dad Got Discount
Gwen Stefani's dad worked at Yamaha's WaveRunner division, giving Tony Kanal an employee discount.
## Borrowed $350 for BB1600
Tony Kanal borrowed $350 from his dad to buy a Yamaha BB1600 bass in 1987.
## Played BB1600 Until 1995
Tony Kanal played the BB1600 bass from 1987 until No Doubt traveled to Japan in 1995.
## Found BB3000 in Store
Tony Kanal found a BB3000 bass in a store and started playing it after 1995.
## Yamaha Collaboration Begins
Yamaha contacted Tony Kanal after he found a BB3000, starting a long-term collaboration.
## Yamaha Restores Vintage Basses
Yamaha strips vintage 1980s models, updates electronics, and repaints them for Tony Kanal's style.
## Long-Term Yamaha Partnership
Tony Kanal has used Yamaha basses since 1987, with ongoing collaboration through the 2020s.
## Key takeaway

Tony Kanal used a Yamaha employee discount from Gwen Stefani's dad to buy a BB1600 bass in 1987, which he played until 1995.