Bass of the Week: CUTEbass 532 Prototype

Last year we shared Atticus Lazenby’s Concept 001, a highly modern and ergonomic bass that captivated readers. Now he has shared another prototype of a production model for his latest project called CUTEbass, with CUTE being an acronym for Comfort, Utility, Tone, Ergonomics.

The 532 model is a five-string bass sporting a 32-inch scale and all of the adjectives from its moniker.

“After finishing my last build, Concept 001, I wanted to focus on honing a more repeatable and adaptable design that could accommodate a range of player requirements while retaining essential characteristics,” Lazenby tells us. “I’ve been playing a proto-prototype of the 532 that I built for myself in early 2023, so I tweaked and altered the design based on things I had already noted that I would want to change for myself and that would make it easier to build, assemble, and maintain down the road. As with the Concept, I wanted to prioritize balance and comfort while playing seated or standing. The body shape allows for multiple seated playing positions, and balances beautifully with and without a strap. This version is pretty close to what I imagine the final range of instruments will look like and sound like. The body shape will ultimately be slightly more compact near the bridge, and the pickguard shapes will vary based on scale length and standard- vs multi-scale.”

Lazenby built the 532 Prototype with a poplar body, roasted maple neck, and a roasted maple compound-radius fretboard. The luthier’s plan is to exclusively use North American hardwoods like walnut, poplar, alder, ash, and maple as well as Richlite in his basses.

This bass is fitted with Delano JSBC HE pickups with a 3-way pickup selector switch and passive electronics. Lazenby also utilized Nova Guitar Parts headless hardware. All told, the bass weighs in at 7.25 pounds.

See the bass in action in the capable hands of Kurt Shelby:

CUTEbass 532 Prototype Bass Photos:

CUTEbass 532 Prototype Bass Specs: