Bass of the Week - Page 49

Our friend Greg B. emailed me with a few shots of his bass, and I couldn’t wait to share it. Greg’s axe was built by Finnish luthier Sampo Leppävuori of Amfisound, who based it after their Kuru model. The six-stringer – dubbed the “Hellbass” – has two personalities. The first is a gorgeous, bright red 4-string bass with a 32?...

This week we check out the CallowHill Guitars’ flagship bass, the MDM. The MDM was born out of three separate instrument models, and eventually evolved into a single model with several options. The MDM is offered in 5- and 6-string versions with standard features including lightweight swamp ash bodies, Nordstrand pickups and a fully passive wiring stage with a modified...

The F Bass BNF is a fretless version of their BN model that the company says offers a “traditional fretless tone.” Available in 4-, 5- and 6-string versions, the BNF features a sleek Gabon ebony fingerboard, a 3-piece quartersawn maple neck, and a body constructed of a maple center block and ash wings. Its pickups are a pair of stacked,...

This week we take a look at the Line 6 Variax Bass 700, an interesting bass that was produced during the 2000’s. It included special modeling software to reproduce tons of classic bass sounds, ranging from a ’61 Jazz Bass to a ’03 Thumb to bass synths. The Variax used piezo bridge saddles to capture each string’s vibrations, then signals...

While perusing Facebook, I stumbled upon this uber-sleek, uber-unique instrument: The Stash Stainless Bass Guitar. Designed and built by Stanislaw Potyrala in Mississauga, Ontario, the bass is made entirely of stainless steel, which the company says improves stiffness, mechanical and environmental stability, sound quality and tunability. “The only disadvantage is that rock stars will not be able to destroy this...

Known best for their use of the Novax fanned-fret system, Dingwall decided to capture classic tones with their Z-series. The Z1 set out to “capture the best qualities of the classic swamp ash tone” by placing their Super-Fatty pickups in the same relative positions as traditional designs. The Z2 then put the pickups closer together towards the bridge to get...

As 3D printing becomes a more accessible means of creation, it seems that imagination is our only limit. ODD Guitars realized this and put the technology to use in instruments. “3D printing allows designs to be manufactured that could not be manufactured through traditional means,” the company writes on their website. “The 3D Printing technology used in ODD guitars is...

In 2009, Carvin teamed up with Sekou Bunch to create the SB4000, a bass the company says was designed with “vintage vibe.” The U.S.-made bass is a 4-string, though a 5-string SB5000 is available with many of the same specs. Standard features on the SB4000 include an alder body, eastern hard rock maple neck, and rosewood fingerboard, though they only...

This week we look at the Ibanez BTB776PB, a six-string bass featuring a hot poplar burl top. Ibanez created the BTB line to create a boutique feel by implementing the same concepts without the boutique price. The line, including the BTB776PB, features a 35? scale, select body materials, neck-thru construction, and deep cutaways. The BTB is built around a 5-piece...

The Emerald Guitars Flow Bass is quite a unique instrument. The body is built with a singular exoskeleton made of carbon fiber that’s then filled with the company’s “acoustic tone compound,” which they say can be tailored to create different fundamental tones just like different tone woods. “Our specially developed compound contains tiny air pockets which reduces the density,” they...

Anyone who has traveled with an upright bass knows that it can be a real hassle. While electric upright basses are easier to get around, they don’t give the same feel and response as their acoustic brethren. Renowned luthier David Gage reacted to the issue by designing the Czech-Ease: a full scale double bass that features an abbreviated body for...

The Warwick Thumb NT is one of their flagship models that packs in features the company is best known, such as the choice of exotic woods. NT stands for Neck Through construction, but the design is a little more intricate than most since the top is solid. Warwick employs exotic woods for the Thumb including Bubinga Pommele for the body,...