5-string Bass Archives - Page 34

As part of Wahlbrink’s Art Line of basses, the Kronos is a distinct instrument. The bass’s unique body shape with its distinct bouts add form to its function while its visual aesthetic is upped by exotic woods and attention to detail. A great example of the model is the company’s Black Ax, a one-off creation with a dark theme. The...

Fender has upgraded its Modern Player series of instruments including updates to the Jazz Basses in the line and the introduction of a new model called the Dimension Bass. The new instruments keep in step with the rest of the series, which offers unique designs at entry-level pricing. The new Modern Player Jazz Bass and Jazz Bass V feature a...

Gibson is building upon their recently relaunched EB Bass series with a 5-string version. As with its 4-string accomplice, the new Five-String EB Bass takes its body shape from the original EB’s SG-inspired body and gives it an offset-double-cutaway design. The bass is built with a Grade-A ash body, a Grade-A maple neck featuring a rounded ’50s profile, and a...

New for summer 2013, Carvin has added to their bolt-on basses with the PB4 and PB5 Classic Bolt-Neck Basses. The new designs take cues from a classic design while adding a few of Carvin’s own touches, like Carvin’s locking bass bridge, a sculpted neck heel, and newly designed pickup. Specifically, the passive SCP split coil P-type humbucking pickup utilizes a...

This week, we’re checking out the Calypso from Odyssey Basses, a bass that’s handmade in Greece by luthier Iannis Ioannides. The slick design comes in 4-, 5-, and 6-string configurations with options for lefties, as well. The Calypso comes standard with a lightweight swamp ash body, an American maple neck, and an Indian Rosewood fingerboard, though several upgrade options are...

Overwater’s Scott Devine Signature series has a new model with the announcement of the SDS Lite. Modeled after Devine’s fretless bass, the Lite version is a slightly lighter weight instrument that the company says has a “smoother, more neutral voicing.” The SDS Lite keeps with Devine’s shorter 33? scale preference and is available in 4 or 5-string versions. Its 3-piece...

Artisan Bass Works looks at things from a different angle. The Ohio-based company licenses ANSIR Technology, which is a patented neck design that puts the fretboard into a more natural playing position. ABW puts the design to use on their Classic Series to add their own touch to common bass styles. The Artisan Bass Works Classic basses are available in...

Freddy Utrera is a Venezuelan luthier who has been producing some gorgeous basses, including his Ellegance singlecut. Available in 4-, 5- and 6-string versions, the bass is evidence of the luthier’s love of natural finishes and often ships that way, just to display the gorgeous cuts of wood he utilizes. The Ellegance comes in two flavors: standard and custom. The...

In 2009, Music Man introduced a bass version of their Albert Lee Signature guitar called the Big Al. Its angular body and unique pickups caught the community’s attention, and the next year the company announced a 5-string version. The Big Al and Big Al 5 are built with African mahogany bodies, maple necks, and maple or rosewood fingerboards with a...

Bajos Colmenares of Venezuela has some pretty beautiful designs, including their model #22. The 5-string bass features neck-through construction with a slender body of cedar and apamate. The fingerboard and headstock cap are ebony. The #22 is fitted with a Nordstrand NJ5 pickup in the neck position and a MM5.2 pickup in the bridge position. Each pickup has separate volume...

This week we take a look at the Fclef Custom Series II Bass. Introduced as part of their 10th anniversary, the Custom Series II model builds upon their Custom Series and is handcrafted in the United States. The company also boasts that each member of the crew is a bass player, which gets a big thumbs up in our book....

This week we check out the Ursa from KR Guitars, a striking multi-scale bass that’s handmade by luthier Kevin Robertson in Vallejo, California. While the bass can be built with whatever woods are requested, this particular bass caught our eye with its 5A California Claro Walnut top and 5A flame maple back. The rest of the bass’s body is The...