Bass of the Week: Elegee’s Maharlika Datu Bass Honors Filipino History With Handwoven Pis Siyabit Top
We’re closing out our Bass of the Week column for 2025 with a very special instrument. The Elegee “Maharlika” is a special edition of their Datu bass model that pays homage to a piece of Filipino history with culture literally built into it.
“A Datu Bass Tribute to Tawi-Tawi’s 50th Kamahardikaan Anniversary which symbolizes wealth and abundance,” the company writes on Facebook. “This bass has pis siyabit handwoven cloth used as a decorative top that originates from Sulu. The emblem (Kris and Elegee logo) is made of silver embellished with real diamonds.”
Elegee crafted the bass with an alder body, five-piece maple and padauk neck, and a Bocote fretboard. Other features include their own Supremo pickups, a KLKT preamp, and gold Gotoh hardward.
Hear the bass in action with this demo by Choi Encarnacion:
Elegee Custom Guitars Datu Bass Maharlika Photos:
Elegee Custom Guitars Datu Bass Maharlika Specs:
| Body: | Alder |
| Top: | Pis siyabit |
| Neck: | 5-piece Maple with Padauk |
| Fingerboard: | Bocote |
| Frets: | 24 |
| Inlays: | Block |
| Pickups: | Elegee Supremo |
| Electronics: | KLKT Preamp |
| Bridge: | Gotoh |
| Tuners: | Gotoh |
| Finish: | Natural |
| Other: | Silver and Diamond Headstock Logo |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
