Bass of the Week: Alpher Instruments Mako Elite MBL 5
Chris from Alpher Instruments sent us a few shots of their latest creation, a Mako Elite MBL 5, and we were stunned. The sheer beauty of the deluxe walnut top in the company’s curvy Mako shape makes for one gorgeous instrument.
Alpher makes their instruments by hand in their Yorkshire, England shop. This particular bass was commissioned by the Manchester Bass Lounge and is built with a one-piece swamp ash body and wenge veneer under the figured English walnut. It’s wenge neck is also a one-piece that’s topped with an ebony fingerboard.
The bass is fitted with custom wound Wizard pickups in a JJ/J configuration. A switch in the bass’s controls toggles between series, parallel, and coil tap modes. Its preamp is a John East 2-band EQ with Volume, Blend, Bass and Treble knobs. The volume knob is a push/pull to switch the bass into active or passive operation. Alpher rounded the bass out with Hipshot hardware and straplocks.
Alpher Instruments Mako Elite MBL 5 Photos:
Alpher Instruments Mako Elite MBL 5 Specs:
| Body: | 1-piece Swamp Ash |
| Veneer: | Wenge |
| Top: | “Specialist” Grade English Walnut Top |
| Neck: | 1-piece Wenge |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Pickups: | Wizard JJ/J |
| Electronics: | John East 2-Band Preamp |
| Controls: | Volume (push/pull for active/passive), Pickup Blend, Bass, Treble, Parallel/Series/Coil Tap Switch |
| Bridge: | Solid Brass Hipshot A Style Bridge |
| Tuners: | Hipshot Ultralites |
For more, check out the Alpher Instruments website.
Wher in Yorkshire?
They are based in Saltaire
Good work guys. :)