Bass of the Week: Simpson SBIII-FT Merges Archtop Vibe With Solid Body Power

This week, we’re checking out the super interesting SBIII-FT from Simpson Bass. The bass is a semi-electric design they call a “modern hybrid between an archtop and a solid body bass.”

“It features true archtop construction with high-altitude Alpine red spruce top and American maple back,” Simpson writes. “There are no central blocks or supports in the body hampering vibration. This promotes the player’s sensation of integration with the instrument.”

The carved body is matched with an American maple neck and Indian rosewood fingerboard. Simpson situates a Dreamsongs handmade humbucker at the end of the fingerboard, which feeds into a Noll Active three-band EQ complete with a push-pull bypass. Other features include Grover tuners, an in-house built piezo bridge with Warwick 3D saddles, and a twin-component hard polyurethane natural matte finish.

While we’ve been checking out the four-string fretted version, it can also be made with five strings or in fretless versions. Hear each style in the hands of Jacopo Ferrazza:

Simpson Bass SBIII-FT Specs: