The feature bass this week is a custom build for a player that wanted a does-it-all 5-string.
Owner Eric Fortaleza writes:
I sold all my five strings and decided to get one built by one of the best Australian Luthiers. The purpose of the bass was cover all my 5 string needs and cover pretty much music & gigs that require me to play with a more modern/active sound. In terms of inspiration for the look of the bass, I constantly told Jeff Mallia that I love the look of fresh chocolate milk (milo) being mixed for the first time, where some of the chocolate powder still hasn’t melted off. (Haha, weird I know, but that’s what I wanted).
I am an Aguilar Artist Endorsee, so I wanted to stay loyal to Aguilar and got Jeff to install Aguilar electronics & pickups for the bass.
One of the greatest features about this bass (from a player’s perspective) is the low B string. This is the most even & balanced B string I have ever played. I first noticed this in Jeff’s Demo Basses. His B String wasn’t weak like most 5 string Basses.
Mallia.com Desicription:
This is an Expression Single Cut model bass which has been custom specified for Sydney musician Eric Riel Fortaleza. It features an Oregon walnut burl top showing the English walnut graft line. English walnut trees are grafted onto North American walnut root stock to allow them to grow in North American soil. As the tree grows, so does the ‘V’ graft line producing an unusual mix of the two species in one piece of wood. Materials and construction method were maximised to deliver on weight without compromising the basses sonic qualities – attack, clarity and sustain. Unique to this bass is its customised playing ramp. To allow pickup covers and ramp to be cut from the actual top for continuous grain, the ramp was made to be adjustable from level with the body to as high as the pickups.
Specifications
Neck: Figured Maple/Wenge with proprietary carbon internal beams and titanium light weight truss rod option.
Scale Length: 34 in/863.6mm
Fretboard: Madagascar Rosewood with Red Abalone dot inlays
Body: Oregon Walnut w/graft front & rear cap/Old Growth Australian Cedar body core with front cap bent over arm bend.
Head Veneers/Truss Rod Cover: Bookmatched matching Oregon Walnut
Head Rear Inlay: Custom ‘ERF’ Monogram inlay in Mother of Pearl
Pickup Covers and Ramp: Continuous cover option cut from top cap on Figured Australian Yarron base
Rear Control Cover: Continuous cover option cut from back cap
Control Knobs: Hand made Figured Australian Yarron/matching Oregon Walnut cap with matching Red Abalone position inlays.
Electronics: Aguilar OBP3 3 band active preamp
Pickups: Aguilar DCB Ceramic Dual Coil/Formvar.
Hardware: Hipshot Ultralite tuners and Style A Bridge.
Total Weight: 3.89kgs (8.57lb)
Video
Well done!
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I would have loved to HEAR the bass!!
You can. See video above.
Nice I enjoyed it. The bass is awesome! A beautiful piece of work.
Fantastic craftsmanship
From one bass builder to another, very beautiful work
You give that beautiful creation of a bass justice! And, I don’t even care too much for any basses with more than four strings! WOW! Nice build work & nice playing too!
Really nice build! I love the shape and the wood selections. Congrats on the sound also. Best of luck with it.
That bass is absolutely gorgeous! If it plays as well as it looks and sounds (and I’m sure it does) it’s a gem.
Hello,
My name is MALLIA…same you, i am a french session bass player in Paris,
its possible to by your bass (5 strings)?
excuse my english…you speack french?
Merci for your response
It is beautiful!