“A Working Man’s Bass With Traditional Heart and Soul”: Chris Seldon’s Scout 434 with Burst Finish and Gordo Pickup

by Kevin Johnson Monday, September 1st, 2025

Chris Seldon Guitars SCOUT 434 Burst Featured Image

Chris Seldon shared his latest Scout 434 on Facebook, and it immediately cured my doomscrolling. The gorgeous bass features a double-bound alder body in a stunning Vintage Sunburst Lacquer finish. Add a huge Turner “Gordo Duo” pickup in a Vintage Cream shell and you’ve got a piece of real eye candy with real firepower.

Turner describes the Gordo as a cross between a Darkstar and a Rickenbacker 4001/3 bridge pickup. “This is just about the biggest single coil you’ll come across,” they write. “It’s a wide, short coil that produces a dynamic tone. From a clear, bell-like tone when played softly, to an aggressive grind when digging in.”

It’s the perfect fit for a bass that Seldon calls the “sideman special, a working man’s bass with traditional heart and soul.”

Other features include a roasted curly maple neck, a 5-way rotary selector, and Hipshot hardware. All in, the bass weighs just 8.5 pounds.

Chris Seldon Guitars Scout 434 Burst Specs:

Construction:	Bolt-on
Scale:	34″
Body:	Alder, Double Bound
Neck:	Roasted Curly Maple
Fingerboard:	Roasted Curly Maple
Fingerboard Radius:	9.5″
Frets:	22 Jumbo
Inlays:	Dot
Pickups:	Turner Gordo Duo
Controls:	Master Volume, 5-way Rotary Selector, Master Tone
Bridge:	Hipshot
Tuners:	Hipshot
Finish:	Vintage Sunburst Lacquer

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.