3KJ Studio’s Malevich Bass Blurs the Line Between Instrument and Sculpture

I’ve seen a ton of basses in my time, but I can safely say that 3KJ Studio makes some of the most memorable. The designs, built by luthier Kamran Jithendran, are described as “abstract form electric instruments” and feature striking shapes and colors.

“An instrument has certain obligations. It must balance. It must hold together. It must play comfortably. It must sound alive. Between the nut and the bridge, there is little room for fantasy; the work has to be precise,” Jithendran states on his website. “But beyond those requirements, the instrument becomes a place where material, colour, and form can take on a life of their own.”

Our Bass of the Week is the 3KJ Studio Malevich, named after Russian avant-garde artist Kazimir Malevich, whose Suprematism style of geometric art focused on basic shapes and colors. Jithendran reflects on the bass on his website.

“This build introduced the exposed maple/wenge center block as a defining feature of the series,” he said. “Revealing the structure improved control during construction and made the center block part of the composition rather than something concealed. Color draws from Afrocentric palettes while the silhouette stays rooted in Malevich and the Memphis era.”

Aside from the maple/wenge center block, the Malevich is built with an alder body, three-piece maple neck, and a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. It’s fitted with a pair of 3KJ’s own Single A5 pickups and Riviera Headless hardware. It weighs in at 7.5 pounds.

Ultimately, it’s a playable piece of art.

“Lightweight, perfectly balanced, and effortless up to the 24th fret,” Jithendran says. “It has everything you’d expect from a performance instrument, but it fills a room the way a dynamic sculpture does.”

3KJ Studio Malevich Bass Photos:

3KJ Studio Malevich Bass Specs: