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 41
Bass of the Week: Anaconda Basses Tribute J5E – Elite
This week we’re taking a look at a beautiful model by the UK’s Anaconda Basses. This particular Anaconda Tribute J5E Elite was built for Joe Sam, a pro bass player from London, with a special twist. “He’s an avid Prince fan and wanted a bass which had certain design cues to pay tribute to the master,” builder Andrew Taylor-Cummings explains....
Bass of the Week: LowDown Bass Guitars Special Custom Series 4F Fretless
Wandering around the halls at the NAMM Show is great for finding unique instruments. While browsing Hall E this year I saw this killer four-string fretless built by Tim Seisser of LowDown Bass Guitars. With all the interesting body work and the stunning fingerboard, I had to find out more. “This bass started as an effort to use some really...
Bass of the Week: Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 4 HH
This week we’re checking out the Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo 4 HH, a bass they describe as “well balanced, comfortable, resonant and expressive with effortless playability.” The Bongo was introduced in 2003 with a modern double cutaway body design that complements the flagship StingRay model. It’s built with a basswood body in six color options: Black, Tangerine Pearl, Sky...
Bass of the Week: Blasius Guitars Kata 4 Headless
The Kata 4 Headless from Blasius Guitars features a pretty unique body shape with the tone to match. A take on the company’s flagship Kata model, this headless bass is built with three-layer body wings consisting of a bubinga back, maple core, and flamed maple top. Its five-piece neck is a sandwich of maple, padouk, and walnut while the ebony...
Bass of the Week: Lorita Basses Century Series II
This week we’re checking out a cool new bass from Lorita Basses. The Century Series II carries the same singlecut body shape as the Century model, but with a solid body construction and a bolt-on neck. This particular bass has a headless setup and is constructed with a swamp ash body, burl elm top, hard ash and hard maple neck,...
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...