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.
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.
I don’t know why I want this bass. But I do
Be A U Ti Fulll
What’s up with the uneven string spacing?
i would have to replace the tuning gears, probably the bridge as well, but i would rock it in a heart beat, it’s cool
Looks coll, but how’s it sound