009

• $1800

• Body: Chambered Ash with Flame Maple top and black accent layer. Turquoise Flame Maple Pickguard

• Neck: 34” scale 24 fret with zero fret. Red Oak with Flame Maple fretboard. Matching Binding.

• Electronics: EMG JV 52 set in 70’s jazz pickup spacing (passive). Vol/Vol/Tone

• Hardware: Hipshot Ultralight tuners. B style bridge 19mm spacing

• Finish: Satin Oil

• Notes: This is my idealized version of a 70’s jazz bass. The body design is smaller, and places the upper strap button closer to the neck and headstock, improving positioning and balance, especially for smaller players. The Red Oak neck is very dense and makes for a slightly more compressed sound. This bass works very well for slapping and modern techniques with the controls at full, but can still be mellowed out and made to sound more traditional with the passive controls. This bass is currently strung with Dunlop SuperBright strings 45-105

008

• $2000

• Body: Alder with Flame Maple top and black accent layer

• Neck: 34” scale 24 frets with zero fret. Maple with Indian rosewood Fretboard. Extra small stainless steel frets. Truss rod wheel

• Electronics: Two Nordstrand Audio Dual coils with Three band Nordstrand preamp.

  • Controls: Metal knobs are vol/blend/passive tone. Pull vol for master mute

  • Black knobs are treble, mid, bass. Mid pull for 250k/800k

  • Switches series/singlecoil/parallel for each pickup. Preamp on and off

• Hardware: Gotoh Tuners and a simple low mass bridge, 16mm spacing Ernie Ball Straplocks

• Finish: Stain under Oil

• Notes: I designed this bass around the electronics. I had an idea to try what is essentially a blend pot jazz bass layout, with the added versatility of a three band preamp. I chose to make everything separate knobs, to make it as intuitive and easy to understand as possible, while still providing a vast array of tones. I stuck to a very traditional tone wood package to allow the versatility of the electronics to shine. This bass can cover a wide range from traditional passive tones, to modern active sounds. The body was designed to allow full access to all 24 frets while simultaneously bringing the nut closer to the player. This bass works equally well in a traditional band setting, as well as a solo instrument. I also decided to try a blue burst stain with a more glossy oil finish this time.

010

• $1600

• Body: Torrified Alder

• Neck: 34” scale 20 stainless steel frets with zero fret and truss rod wheel. Flatsawn Maple and Indian rosewood with blue Luminaly

• Electronics: EMG GZR P bass pickup

• Hardware: Vintage aged (Hardware and electronics gig’d for years by me!)

• Notes: This is my first vintage flavoured effort. I wanted to build a classic P style bass with all the feel and mojo of the old pre-CBS Fender instruments. However, I did opt for a modern truss rod adjustment, Luminlays, and a zero fret, as well as stainless steel fretwire. This makes this instrument an even more solid workhorse that requires very little effort to keep adjusted. I experimented with finish again, using a stain under oil, brought up to a semi gloss. I would like to spray nitrocellulose in the future but don’t yet have the means. This bass is currently strung with LaBella 1954 flatwound strings for the most authentic vintage sound and feel. I weighed this one on the shipping scale at work and it comes in at only 8.6 LBS! A lightweight daily player that will only get better with age!

005

• $1600 (This instrument has been played by me a lot over the last year)

• Body: Chambered walnut with an aspen top and back with walnut and maple veneer

• Neck: 33” scale 24 frets Walnut with maple strips, maple fretboard with green Luminaly

• Electronics: Dual EMG P bass soapbars under a maple ramp. Vol/Blend/Tone.

• Hardware: Hipshot headless bass with 16.5 mm spacing (adjustable). Flush mount Dunlop straplocks

• Notes: I designed and built this bass to be a super compact travel instrument that could fit in a guitar gig bag and carried-on for flights. The scale length is one inch shorter than standard, making it very easy to play, as well as making for a warmer sounding high c string. The neck is attached with two bolts in threaded inserts, so the neck can be quickly removed for even more compact travel (pack in your luggage). The dual active P pickups provide a wide, modern sound, they balance quite well with the shorter scale and chambered body to create a balanced tone that is not too bright or edgy, but rather clear and open. The rubber bumper on the bottom protect the hardware and also allow the instrument to lean safely when not being played.