4-string Bass Archives - Page 49

Luthier Brad Lowe launched his custom instrument business in 2009 in order to combine his lifelong interests of the musical, visual, and industrial arts. His flagship bass model called the Chromasonic is proof that he’s on the right track. Available in 4- and 5-string versions, the bass is designed with a unique body shape that includes his “forearm facet” to...

OZZtosh unveiled their latest creation, the LUMA Bass, at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee last week. The bass follows suit with the rest of their LUMA series and is CNC machined from a 6061 solid aluminum billet. The instrument is then hand polished and assembled in the U.S. Weighing in at 8.7 pounds, the LUMA is P-style bass...

Luthier Rick Turner has teamed up with Michael Kelly Guitars to release a licensed line of his Renaissance instruments, including the Renaissance Bass. Turner, who co-founded Alembic in 1970, has been making the series by hand up until now. The Michael Kelly MKB4SB Renaissance Bass is a chambered acoustic 4-string bass built with an okumé body, mahogany neck, and rosewood...

Ella Basses has introduced a new singlecut model called the Isaac. Named after luthier Jeff Power’s son, the bass is handmade and can be ordered to suit. The Isaac has been made in 4- and 5-string versions with standard features including set-neck construction, Bartolini pickups and electronics, and Hipshot hardware. The first 4-string Isaac is built with a stunning spalted...

This week we check out the Custom AG by Belgian luthier Paul Belgrado. Finished in a root beer color nitrocellulose finish, the bass gives an air of classic ideas with a modern approach. The AG is built with an alder body, maple neck, and madagascar rosewood fingerboard. It gets its meaty sound from a pair of Lindy Fralin double coil,...

We love innovative basses, so when Jonathan Dauphinais announced the Keybass 3.0, we were pumped. The instrument is a bass guitar with a keyboard synthesizer mounted to its lower half so that each can be played simultaneously. Dauphinais first started experimenting in 2007. This is the third model of his concept, which was completely custom made. “I did major modifications...

PRS Guitars has introduced the first bass models of their SE line: the SE Kingfisher and the SE Kestrel. The basses, which are designed in Maryland and built overseas, are both described as traditional character with modern upgrades. SE Kingfisher Bass The SE Kingfisher is a neck-thru design built with a swamp ash body, a 24-fret maple/walnut neck, and a...

Fender is adding a Jaguar model to their American Standard bass lineup, which will be the first U.S.-made Jaguar bass. Built in their Corona, California plant, the American Standard Jaguar Bass will be built with an alder body finished in 3-color Sunburst, Olympic White, Black, or Mystic Red. Each bass will be loaded with a P/J pickup configuration consisting of...

I love instruments that get stylistically creative, and Tony Cochran has a knack for making them. Cochran, who is also the syndicated cartoonist of the comic strip Agnes, has a habit of taking neglected guitars and basses and giving them a new life. “I [find] them on Craigslist, at garage sales, and hidden in closets. The guitars remain fully functional....

Following up on their recent PB series, Carvin has announced the JB4 four-string and JB5 five-string Classic Bolt-Neck Jazz Basses. The new models blend classic styling with the company’s more contemporary features including a locking bass bridge, a smooth contoured neck heel with a 5-bolt neck plate, and a 22-fret neck with dual carbon fiber reinforcement rods. Another key aspect...

Available in 4- and 5-string versions, the Godin Shifter bass is an interesting take on old school aesthetic. Its neck, headstock, and body will look familiar to many, but its pickup system is the real magic. The Shifter has three soapbar, passive single coil alnico pickups with extra large magnets. Each pickup can be selected individually or used in combination...

Sandberg has added the new M-4 model to the Electra series of basses. This latest addition joins the previous models to round out the three most common classic bass styles with a single humbucker with a 2-band EQ. Sandberg says this configuration gives it a modern rock tone. Similar to the rest of the line, the bass is designed, assembled...