Bass of the Week: Nico Dayet Quintessence

Yves Carbonne has a unique playing style that warrants some unique instruments. A few years ago we featured his two-string bass, and now we’re taking a look at his new Quintessence, which is a six-string fretless acoustic built by luthier Nico Dayet. Carbonne first saw a prototype of the instrument back in 2015.

“I was very intrigued by this instrument because to me it has the proportions an acoustic bass should have,” the bassist explains. “Nico invented some new concepts that make his acoustic basses really efficient. The internal conception of the neck heel, the sound holes on the sides and the bottom, the fact that they can be played horizontally or vertically, make them very unique. We are talking about real acoustic basses, with a true acoustic volume, that can be compared to the best upright basses!”

The Quintessence has an extra-long 35.4″ scale. Dayet built it with elm and mahogany for the back and sides with Alaska Sitka spruce for the top. Its neck is Jura maple while the fingerboard is Gabon ebony. Additionally, the tone block is ash and he used Madagascar rosewood for the bridge. It has another secret weapon: phiTon resonators by Corrado Faccioni. “Harmonic content of frequencies can be misaligned (not in time phase) with fundamentals,” Faccioni explains. “PhiTon technology allows you to bring the harmonic content back in time… Harmonics in Time!”

Carbonne says he notices the difference. “The result is that each note seems to be in the right place. The instrument is easy to play, everything is warm and clear. I started to play bass in 1980, and now in 2020, this is the first time I play a real acoustic bass guitar!”

Finally, the bass is rounded out with Hipshot ultralight tuners and an Ehrlund acoustic pickup. Check out Carbonne testing the bass out on an F blues.

Nico Dayet Quintessence Bass Specs: