6-string Bass Archives - Page 6

Mitchell Electric Guitars has debuted a new line of electric guitars and basses, including four bass models over three series: the FB Series, the TB Series, and the MB Series. The company calls the FB line their flagship model while the TB and MB basses are configured more traditionally. The FB700 is available in four-, five-, and six-string versions, each...

Just like with music, great bass designs often come from the inspiration of other basses. That’s the case with our featured bass this week: the Nichols Guitar Company’s Seas of Cheese Bass. As the name suggests, the model is inspired by the famous Carl Thompson basses used by Primus’s Les Claypool. “The design was inspired by Les Claypool and some...

Humans of New York’s phenomenal Facebook page often catches my attention with intimate photos and insightful stories, but this portrait stopped me in my tracks: The bassist’s spirit and determination also called to LedBelli Basses luthier Cleve Johnson. “In January of 2015 I was surfing the Humans of New York website and came across the photo,” he said. “I was...

This week we’re checking out the Tom Clement Basses Angel bass, an instrument that the luthier describes as borrowing ideas from the Gibson Thunderbird to combine retro vibe with custom features. The bass was designed alongside long-time customer Jon-Inge Paulsen. “The name Angel reflects on the people we love, the people who mean the world to us, the people we...

Pete Skjold has been wowing bassists with his incredible instruments for nearly two decades. Last year he introduced a trio of new models based on his most popular body shapes, and this week we’re checking out the singlecut Drakkar bass. “The Drakkar is the modern version of the classic Whaleback,” Skjold explains on his website. “A focus on ergonomics took...

After launching the Adam Nitti Signature series last year, Ibanez introduced the ANB306 model. The bass is a production model of the ANB1006, carrying many of the same features at a lower price point. “In terms of concept, you’re looking at somewhere from 80 to 90% of the specs from his custom shop bass to this bass,” says Ibanez’s Ken...

Luthier Scott Surine was showing his basses at the NAMM Show this year including a brand new model called the Lunara NTVII. The bass, which is Surine’s second single-cut design, features neck-through construction with a seven-piece Rock Maple and Walnut neck. The Lunara NTVII’s swamp ash body core is sandwiched between a Redwood burl top and back with black Sycamore...

Ibanez is stepping up their SR300 series with the SR300E basses, featuring upgraded pickups and electronics. The models, which come in four-, five-, and six-string versions, aim to bring a high quality of tone and control to a lower price point. The lineup centers around Ibanez’s new Powerspan dual coil pickups that have stainless steel poles to improve output, clarity,...

This week we’re checking out an exquisite Original I by Prat Basses. This particular six-string, built by luthier Oscar Prat, will get Buckeye Burl lovers going with its prime top and matching headstock. The bolt-on bass has a 34-inch scale with a curly maple and walnut neck attached to its one-piece swamp ash body. Its bright birdseye maple fingerboard is...

Nineteen years after it debuted, Peavey reintroduced the Cirrus bass to their instrument lineup at the 2016 Winter NAMM Show. The neck-thru design will once again be available in four-, five-, and six-string models featuring a 35-inch scale maple and mahogany neck. Its alder body wings will be topped by either red oak or walnut. Similar to the previous versions,...

This week we’re checking out a six-string Glade model from Mana Basso custom basses. The gorgeous singlecut bass features a Padouk, Wenge and Swamp Ash body matched to a Wenge, Padouk and Flamed Maple neck for a rich textural palette. Its Birdseye maple fretboard leads your eye to the bass’s carved headstock, which is made as part of the neck...

Kiesel Guitars has introduced a bass version of their Vader Series of instruments. Available in four, five, and six-string versions, the basses feature a headless design with a compact, beveled body for ergonomics. Each version has 24 frets and a 34-inch scale, though the option of a 30-inch short scale is available. Standard features include an alder body, a carbon...