Basses - Page 57

Mike Lull introduced a new short-scale version of his P-style bass called the P430 at the Winter NAMM Show this year. The P430 will carry the same features of the full-size P4 – such as an alder, swamp ash, or mahogany body – but it will have a short 30-inch scale. That’s something Lull was not interested in doing until...

Warwick expanded their Rockbass Corvette series with an eight-string version of the Corvette Basic. The eight strings are set in four courses tuned E-A-D-G against a wenge fretted fingerboard. Its built with an alder body and three-piece maple neck with ekanga veneer stripes. The body is fitted with a pair of active MEC jazz pickups matched to a 2-band EQ....

ESP Guitars added the AP-4 and AP-5 basses to their LTD Series at this year’s Winter NAMM Show. The four and five-string models are traditionally-based designs with ESP’s own twist. Both models are built with an alder body, bolt-on maple neck, and an ebony fretboard. They are fitted with a set of EMG pickups in a P/J configuration with volume,...

Kiesel Guitars teamed up with TesseracT bassist Amos Williams to create the Vader AW5 Signature headless bass. The new model is based on the Vader bass with several differences including a 34-inch scale 23-fret fingerboard, and a single high output HB series humbucker. As with all Kiesel and Carvin instruments, the AW5 is available with a number of options. Standard...

Ibanez shocked many bassists again this year by introducing a new Ashula bass. The SRAS7 is a seven-string model that has a unique hybrid fretted/fretless design with three strings over a fretless purpleheart fingerboard and four strings over a fretted rosewood fretboard. The fretted portion is tuned to a standard E-A-D-G, while the fretless section is tuned A-D-G. Each section...

Spector is celebrating 40 years of bass building with the Euro4LE 1977 Limited Edition bass. Based on the company’s original bass from 1977, it’s built with neck-through construction with a fully carved body with solid American walnut body wings and a 3-piece maple neck. Spector went so far as to measure the dot inlays that adorn the 24-fret rosewood fingerboard...

Wing Instruments expanded their product lineup at the NAMM show this year with the Wing Bass NT and Wing Bass 30. The company describes the new models as representing an evolution in their philosophy that “life is short scale.” Similar to the original Wing Bass, the NT measures up at just 21 inches and plays like the top range of...

J Ferro Basses was showing their full lineup at the NAMM Show this year including the brand new Kilian Duarte KD-5ES bass. Based on their Escalon model, it features a mahogany body with a solid flame maple top, a five-piece maple and mahogany neck, and a maple fingerboard with black pearl inlays. Electronics include custom wound J Ferro pickups matched...

Schecter announced the CV Series of basses at the Winter NAMM Show this year. Available in four and five-string versions, the model centers around its electronics with a new set of the company’s Diamond J-Bucker pickups. The pickups, which visually resemble guitar humbuckers, can be switched between series, split, and parallel operation. Instead of a typical blend knob, the pickups...

Taylor expanded their GS Mini series with a new compact bass model called the GS Mini-e Bass. The instrument has a small 23.5-inch scale, which the company explains is about 10 inches shorter than a standard bass guitar. Even with the reduced scale, the bass’s setup creates deep tones. “Part of the magic is the custom nylon-core strings (with phosphor...

After introducing the American Professional line in December, Fender has unveiled the Limited Edition Exotic Collection. The series includes the 2017 Limited Edition American Professional Jazz Bass FMT, which combines the features of the Professional model with a figured maple top. The bass is built with an alder body, quartersawn maple neck, and rosewood fretboard. The neck has a slim...

Bass legend Mike Watt has teamed up with Reverend Guitars for a special signature bass called the Wattplower. The short-scale bass also features a smaller body and is reminiscent of vintage basses that Watt gravitated towards. “He was always modifying the vintage basses,” Reverend writes, “so Joe Naylor built the Wattplower with all of his favorite mods on board, some...