The old adage is true: so many basses, so little time. That’s why we’re bringing you the “Bass of the Week,” a column featuring low-end instruments ranging from beautiful to bizarre. Have a bass you think we should feature? Drop us a note at [email protected]
Bass of the Week - Page 32
Bass of the Week: Roberto Franceschini Double Bass
This week we’re checking out a cool double bass made by Italian luthier Roberto Franceschini. The instrument features a slimmed down body that makes it more portable while retaining the acoustic sound of a double bass. “Various luthiers around the world have been trying for years to find solutions for building less bulky double basses without giving up any bit...
Bass of the Week: Manne Guitars Moab
This week we’re checking out the Manne Guitars Moab, which they describe as their flagship luxury bass model. The bass comes in four, five, and six-string versions with a korina body topped by walnut, Italian Yew, or poplar. Its multi-laminated neck is fitted with a thin “F resin” fretboard, which Manne says allows for precise attack without dead notes. Its...
Bass of the Week: Lawalin Guitars Chamele Bass
This week we’re checking out a bass that went viral on Facebook. If you didn’t see this video of the Lawalin Chamele yet, watch it, and you’ll understand why it was so popular: Besides the incredible light show, the Chamele is not your typical bass. It features a hollow fiberglass body that’s fitted with programmable LEDs as well as a...
Bass of the Week: Stradi Symphony Stone Bass
A lot of times, basses with exotic burl tops look like they are made out of marble. The Stradi Symphony Stone Bass is a step in that direction. In addition to its unique singlecut body shape, this particular bass is built with a cedar body topped with a thin layer of natural stone. The result is stunning. The bass’s five-piece...
Bass of the Week: Serek Basses Midwestern
Jake Serek of Serek Basses has a unique way of blending old school and new school to create a fresh looking bass that remains rooted in the instrument’s history. This week we’re checking out the Midwestern, which blends aspects of Fender and Gibson basses. “The Midwestern is a short-scale powerhouse that is compact in size, but does not lack in...
Bass of the Week: Kanzian & Traunsteiner Viennese Five-String Bass
As a double bass player, I love seeing old basses and wondering what stories they could tell. But I also love seeing the creation of new masterpieces, including this Kanzian & Traunsteiner five-string bass. Alex Kanzian and Fabian Traunsteiner are luthiers based in Vienna, Austria that opened their own shop about five years ago. “We are both classically educated violin...
Bass of the Week: BNJ Guitars Hex 4
This week we’re taking a look at the Hex 4 by BNJ Guitars. The sleek, blacked-out, semi-hollow bass is built with a lime and mahogany body finished in a matte black and matched with an ebony fingerboard. It’s fitted with red strings that really pop against the black background. BNJ fits the Hex 4 with an MM/J pickup configuration by...
Bass of the Week: The Painted Player Yellow Submarine Bass
The Painted Player Guitar Company makes some fantastic finishes for their instruments, but they really went all out on this bass tribute to the Beatles. Their “Yellow Submarine” bass is a heavily modded Fender Mexican Precision that was crafted to resemble the psychedelic boat. “[The bass was created] in the UK using a stunning Fender Mexican Precision Bass as a...
Bass of the Week: Yamaha Billy Sheehan Acrylic Attitude LTD3
This week we’re checking out a cool one-off that Yamaha built for bass shredder Billy Sheehan. Based on his signature Attitude LTD3 model, the bass brings together some interesting elements tied around Sheehan’s band The Winery Dogs. “Before The Winery Dogs’ touring cycle in support of their second album Hot Streak, Billy asked us to build him an Attitude LTD3...
Bass of the Week: KD Basses Picasso
Andy Irvine of The Daily Funk Club shared some pictures of this bass on Facebook and it made me stop scrolling. The Picasso by KD Basses is a colorful, artistic take on the instrument made in Bulgaria. The bass’s body is built with an Elm core, but luthier Kostadin Dimitrov covered it with an irregularly-shaped piece of maple burl in...
Bass of the Week: Scopel P-Board Bass
I love it when luthiers think outside the box with the woods they use for their instruments. A recent trend has been to recycle old skateboards to create instant mojo, and Brazilian bass builder Antonio Cesar Scopel nailed it with his P-Board bass. Inspired by the Fender Precisions from 1951 to 1957, the P-Board’s body is made entirely from used...
Bass of the Week: Zon Guitars Zemi Acoustik Bass
Meshuggah’s Dick Lovgren has gotten a crazy new bass from Zon Guitars, and it’s our bass of the week. The one-of-a-kind Zemi Acoustik is based on Zon’s Sonus body style but has a thicker, hollow mahogany body with a stunning flame maple top. Its set neck is made of a composite, while the phenowood fingerboard holds 24 frets. The pickups...