Bass of the Week - Page 44

This week we check out the AVB1 from AV Basses, a versatile custom bass that comes in 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-string versions. Made in the Czech Republic by luthier Aleš Vychodil, the AVB1 comes with tons of options ranging from bolt-on or neck-thru construction to choice of woods to choice of pickups. While the bass can be made in...

Sébastien Aquilina of Aquilina Basses is making some beautiful instruments. Case in point: the Aquilina DB, a suave singlecut design with French aesthetic. The neck-through bass is built around a sycamore and ash neck with carbon reinforcements, topped with a sycamore fingerboard. The body wings are mahogany with a stunning flamed sycamore that continues the theme. It’s fitted with a...

This week we take a look at the Electrical Guitar Company Series One Bass, an instrument built around a hollow “C” shaped anodized aluminum neck. The neck assembly is completely isolated from the body for maximum sustain. “All aluminum rings out in a very unique way,” EGC writes. “It almost has a natural chorus to it. For as many highs...

Featuring a 30-inch scale, Mensinger describes their Cazpar bass as designed with players with smaller hands in mind. It also works nicely in both piccolo and standard tuning for versatility. Available in 4-, 5-, and 6-string versions, the Cazpar is built with a body consisting of an alder or mahogany core sandwiched between two pieces of maple as well as...

If you happen to follow Esperanza Spalding’s Facebook page, you might have seen from photos of her Radio Music Society summer tours that she’s wielding a slick new 5-string fretless. The bass is a South Paw, created by NYC luthier Simon Propert, and it’s one of a kind. “Each bass is custom and a little different, so there is no...

No Treble columnist Ryan Madora covered Summer NAMM for us this year, and one of the most striking pictures she took was at the Ella Basses booth. This week we check out company’s #0015 bass, which centers around a beautiful blend of exotic woods. The front of the bass is adorned with an interesting selection of cocobolo on its body...

In 2010, extreme flooding left a trail of destruction across much of Tennessee including the area surrounding Nashville. Many musicians from all walks of life were affected by the natural disaster. Wooten Woods, Victor Wooten’s home base and teaching haven located near the Duck River, was temporarily overrun by water and had to be evacuated. Thankfully it was restored with...

The Lipe Guitars Lupara bass is handmade in California by veteran luthier Mike Lipe. Based on his guitar models, the Lupara comes in 4- and 5-string versions with a choice of P/J, J/J, and humbucker pickup configurations. The bass comes standard with an alder body that’s contoured for comfort. Several choices for exotic tops are available including mango, quilted maple,...

This week we check out the Kayenta bass from the Italian bass builders at Manne Guitars. Designed around an offset body, the bass’s shape puts it in a more upward angled position when playing that the company says is suited well for players that wear their instrument higher. Its korina body is also multi-chambered to add a more complex midrange...

In July, we posted a cool video of Bart Soeters displaying a wide variety of basses, and one of his instruments really stood out to me: the Toby Chennell Arco Acoustic Bass Guitar. The electric bass and upright bass share several qualities, but overall they’re really different instruments. UK-based luthier Toby Chennell set out to bring more of their elements...

Hold on to your hats. Periphery’s Adam “Nolly” Getgood shared the details of his newest axe from G-Spot Basses called the Temptress, and the name fits the bill. The handmade six-string bass was built by luthier Steve Gammon out of Hollywood, Florida and recently got its debut at one of Periphery’s concerts. Based around a swamp ash body, the Temptress...

This week we check out an innovative design out of Germany by C. Eller Design. The UT2’s striking body shape was ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in both standing and sitting position, while the lower cutaway allows for access all the way up to the bass’s 24th fret. The UT2 is built around a single piece of European Walnut that...