Bass of the Week: Aural II by Meridian Guitars

Based in Avezzano, Italy, the luthiers at Meridian Guitars know a thing or two about style. That’s evidenced in their Aural II bass, and though each one is built to order, this particular Aural II really struck me.

The pickups include a pair of Meridian’s magnetic pickups as well as a Roland GK-3 MIDI controller. The control layout, which looks like it was built by NASA, is comprehensive, to say the least. Both pickups and the GK-3 have a volume control, and two buttons serve as up and down controls to change the MIDI sound banks directly from the bass. Meridian also included their preamp that has a 3-band EQ with switches to adjust the frequency for each equalization pot. Check out this demo to hear some of the Aural II’s sounds:

While the controls are attention-grabbing, the bass itself is a thing of beauty. The body wood is white korina with a poplar burl top, and the neck is made from a 25-year old piece of American maple. The fretboard is ebony. Meridian supplies their own bridge, which has wooden saddles and strings through the end of the body.

As mentioned, Meridian does custom work so the Aural II can be ordered with different woods, electronics, and hardware to suit you. For more, check out the Meridian Guitars website.

Meridian Guitars Aural II Bass Photo Gallery:

Meridian Guitars Aural II Bass Specs:

• Body: White Korina
• Top: Poplar Burl
• Neck: American Maple
• Fretboard: Ebony
• Tuners: Schaller
• Bridge: Meridian
• Pickups: Meridian; Roland GK-3 MIDI Controller
• Controls: Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, GK-3 Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Bass Switch (40Hz-80Hz), Mid Switch (250Hz-800Hz), Treble Switch (1kHz-3kHz), MIDI Up/Down Buttons