Bass of the Week: Gildaxe Juniper
Two years ago, we checked out a Gildaxe bass that combined a vintage Ovation neck with a custom body to make something brand new. Now designer Geo Kitta has shared the Gildaxe Juniper, a 32-inch scale bass that is all custom designed and built. The bass oozes with vintage vibes as it takes its cues from the ’60s Italian Meazzi Hollywood Jupiter.
“The body is of a single slab sliced in two of Honduran mahogany which was extensively chambered, coupled to a flamed torrified maple neck with an ebony fingerboard with 22 frets, which was Plek’d. The neck was built to my specs by master luthier Dan Ransom/SF. I fabricated and polished the aluminum pick-guard/control plates/pu surrounds and scored securing an actual ’63 Jupiter string-stop/cover.”
Kitta fit the bass with two “Vox”-like single coil pickups with a custom ebony five-way selector switch. The settings offer the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, both pickups, series/parallel mode, and a kill switch.
“The tone control is a Stellartone ToneStyler Bass Six offering great tonal options,” Kitta adds. “The outstanding finish was executed by master finisher Pat Wilkins/SoCal. As a real bonus – I acquired a rare ’60s Meazzi [hard shell case] in mint condition that this bass fits like a glove.”
Gildaxe Juniper Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 32″ |
| Construction: | Bolt-on |
| Body: | Honduran Mahogany |
| Neck: | Torrified Maple |
| Fingerboard: | Ebony |
| Frets: | 22 |
| Pickups: | Single Coil |
| Controls: | 5-position Pickup Selector, Stellartone ToneStyler, Volume |
| Pickguard: | Aluminum |
| Hardware: | ’63 Jupiter String-stop |
| Case: | ’60s Meazzi Hard Shell Case |
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.
It’s interesting. I’m getting an old Silvertone or EKO vibe. Ok if you dig that el cheapo esthetic. I’m sure it plays and sounds great, just not my style.
The headstock badge says Juniper, not Jupiter.
Yes, NT listed it incorrectly – the ’60s Meazzi is the Jupiter – I named mine the Juniper as a wordplay on Jupiter, but actually like the name Juniper.
Kevin at NT corrected it – thanks again NT!
What’s that on the top that looks like a dial?
As stated in the description – the settings offer the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, both pickups, series/parallel mode, and a kill switch.