Bass of the Week: Rick Turner Guitars Model 1 Bass

Rick Turner Guitars Model 1 Bass

This week we’re checking out the Model 1 Bass from the legendary luthier Rick Turner. The instrument is a take on the Alembic co-founder’s Model 1 guitar and features a medium 32-inch scale.

Described as “incredibly acoustic and detailed with a modern full-bodied tonal range,” the deluxe version of the bass is built with a mahogany body, 5-piece laminated maple and purpleheart neck, and a bound rosewood fingerboard. Its body is decorated with either black, ivoroid, or tortoise binding, as well.

The bass’s cool shape and retro archtop-style bridge give tons of vibe, but it centers around what gave Turner his start in the business: its pickup. The Model 1 Bass is fitted with the “Hot Humbucker” with an optional piezo pickup.

“In a word, the Model 1 is all about versatility,” the Rick Turner Guitars website explains. “Whether you’re playing the passive model (“A” electronics package) running straight out with volume and tone control (push-pull coil cut) or the high-headroom 18-volt D-TAR Eclipse preamp with Turner Parametric EQ, both options allow for blending of a piezo or second magnetic pickup.”

Rick Turner Guitars Model 1 Bass Deluxe Features:

Scale:32″
Body:Mahogany
Body Binding:Fully bound black, ivoroid or tortoise
Body Finish:Gloss Catalyzed Poly
Finish Colors:Burgundy, Dark Burgundy, Aged, Red & Natural
Neck:5-Piece Laminated Maple/Purpleheart
Fingerboard:Bound Rosewood
Back-Strap Overlay:Multi-Layered
Pickups:Turner Hot Humbucker, Optional Piezo
Electronics:Passive or 18-volt D-TAR Eclipse Preamp with Turner Parametric EQ
Peghead Binding:Bound Hardwood Veneered
Tuners:Gotoh Delta 510 or Schaller M-6A

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