4-string Bass Archives - Page 36

Devo was known for outlandish instruments, and Eastwood Guitars has a knack for bringing retro oddities back to life. That’s why they’re planning on remaking Jerry Casale’s “Be Stiff” bass from the Freedom of Choice tour in 1979 and 1980. The original bass was concocted around a Gibson EB-3 neck and parts Casale had around. “Neither Bob [Casale] nor Jerry...

Luthier Michael Gillett has launched a new range of basses called the Gillett Contour Electro-Acoustic Bass. Introduced at the London Bass Guitar Show, the aptly-named hollowbody basses feature unique contouring for an ergonomic experience. “Our basses have been a long time in the design and creation phase starting out over ten years ago when I was working as a peri...

This week we’re checking out the Tom Clement Basses Angel bass, an instrument that the luthier describes as borrowing ideas from the Gibson Thunderbird to combine retro vibe with custom features. The bass was designed alongside long-time customer Jon-Inge Paulsen. “The name Angel reflects on the people we love, the people who mean the world to us, the people we...

Fodera has always been known for their gorgeous boutique instruments, but now they’re stepping things up with the Masterbuilt Series. Limited to four instruments per year, Fodera calls the series the pinnacle of what their shop can produce. “More specifically, these instruments are all theme instruments and draw inspiration from companies, artists, and craftsmen outside of the world of guitars,”...

Ernie Ball Music Man has unveiled their first fully passive basses with the Caprice and Cutlass models. The basses, which were debuted at the NAMM Show this year, feature brand new body styles that are influenced by old school design with modern playability. Even with new body styles, players will be familiar with the necks as the Cutlass borrows the...

Sire Guitars has teamed up with Marcus Miller once again to introduce the Sire Marcus Miller M7 Series. The dual humbucker design, which has been in the works for some time, is now open for pre-order and will be shipping on April 30th. Available in four and five-string versions, the M7 has a modern body shape made of either alder...

Jackson Guitars is now shipping the CBXNT IV Concert and CBXNT V Concert basses. Four and five-string models, respectively, the company describes the basses as perfect for metal or other styles that demand low, punchy bass. Jackson says the heart of the bass is in their electronics. “The heart of this beast is a pair of Jackson High Output Humbucking...

Hot Wire Basses took a page out of the old school with their Blues Bass. Modeled after the early fifties Kay Electric Bass, the Blues Bass is a vintage-style hollowbody, which the company notes was often played by four-stringers backing up Blues legends like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. While the design imitates an old Kay, Hot Wire made some...

Ernie Ball Music Man’s 40th Anniversary “Old Smoothie” StingRay Bass is now available for pre-order. Unveiled at the 2016 Winter NAMM Show, the bass is named after a prototype from 1976 that was designed by Leo Fender and gifted to Sterling Ball. Central to its design is a 10-pole piece pickup that gives it a smoother tone. “We recently revisited...

ESP unveiled the LTD AP-204 at this year’s NAMM Show, calling it a “modernized update of a classic shape for contemporary music styles.” The bass, which comes in Charcoal Metallic and Burgundy Burst finishes, is fitted with a set of ESP-designed P/J pickups. The bass is built with bolt-on construction featuring a mahogany body, maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard. The...

B&G Handmade Guitars has unveiled the Big Sister, a bass to support their Little Sister guitar model. The semi-hollow bass, which comes in fretted or fretless, was designed for old school flair. “This Big Sister idea was born with the release of the Little Sister guitar,” B&G writes. “We wanted to apply the same traditional materials & techniques, unique chambered...

ESP has unveiled a new signature bass for Dead Daisies bassist Marco Mendoza. The Marco Mendoza LTD MM-4FM Bass is modeled after the ESP Vintage-4 with a set of EMG X-series P/J pickups. The bass is built with an alder body topped with flamed maple finished with a Dark See-Thru Green Sunburst. Mendoza opted for a five-piece neck and maple...