Bass of the Week: Neal Heppleston Solo Model
This week we’re checking out a gorgeous new double bass from Neal Heppleston called the Solo Model. Based in West Yorkshire, the luthier created the specs to benefit solo bass playing, hence the name.
“This double bass was designed specifically for solo playing and would also make a fantastic jazz bass,” he writes. “It is smaller than a ¾, and it is very easy to play. It has a poplar back and ribs, so it is lightweight.”
As is typical for double basses, the bass is completed with a spruce top, maple fingerboard, and ebony fingerboard.
Neal Heppleston Solo Model Bass Specs:
| Top: | Spruce |
| Back and Ribs: | Poplar |
| Neck: | Maple |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Nut: | Ebony |
| Saddle: | Ebony |
| Tailpiece: | Ebony |
| Bridge: | Maple |
| Tuning Machines: | Baker Style |
| Varnish: | Oil |
| String Length: | 102.5cm |
| Back Length: | 108cm |
| Back Style: | Arched Back |
| Neck: | D Stop |
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.
