Bass of the Week: Dolan Custom Guitars Proteus Legacy 5-String Active Bass

This week we’re checking out a bass from builder Adam Dolan of Dolan Custom Guitars. The UK-based luthier has been crafting his instruments for around three years, but his Proteus Legacy makes it look like he’s been at it for much longer.

“As a bass player myself, I decided I wanted to create a bass that I wanted to play with features that I would like to have in a bass. My bass design is a labor of love that has been developed over a number of years and features a shape that is familiar yet new. It features an ergonomic shape with easy access contours, which allows for better access to the upper frets and most importantly is comfortable to play,” Dolan writes. “All of my instruments are completely handmade in my workshop located in Manchester, UK and are created with the player in mind using the highest quality of woods that have been personally selected by me.”

This particular bass is crafted with a swamp ash body topped with a gorgeous slab of walnut. The contrast of light and dark woods continues with its five-piece ovangkol and maple neck and birdseye maple fingerboard. Dolan tied it together even further by utilizing walnut for the control cover and swamp ash for the control knobs.

The bass is fitted with a pair of Nordstrand Big Split pickups matched to a Glockenklang 3-band preamp that toggles between active and passive modes via the push/pull volume knob. Hardware includes Hipshot Ultralite tuners and a UK-made Grainger Guitars string-through bridge.

Dolan Custom Guitars Proteus Legacy 5-String Active Bass Specs: