Bass of the Week: Tony Cochran Mercy Bass

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. The volume works. The tone knobs tone. The pick-ups pick up. If any part was damaged, I repaired it to work as it was designed I did not alter the ergonomics and I never sacrificed playability for looks.”

This week we check out the Mercy Bass, which Cochran says began began life as a ’60s Japanese bass. He gutted the bass and fitted it with an industrial style complete with grills and plates. The pickup was found at a swap meet, and has no markings to identify it.

It’s just proof that with some imagination, any bass can be made into a piece of art.

Tony Cochran Mercy Bass Photos:

For more, check out Cochran’s website.