See Jon’s business listing here
The feature bass this week is a fretless from a small shop in England.
Builder Jon Simnett from Simnett Guitars writes:
Simnett Guitars is a one man operation. I build only a handful of instruments each year from my small home workshop in Staffordshire, England. I predominantly build fretless basses, which typically feature piezo bridge saddles, sometimes in combination with but often completely without magnetic pickups.
I’ve recently finished building this 33″ scale (tuned E-C) ‘piezo-only’ fretless. It features a chambered Black Limba body, and a spalted Hornbeam top. There’s matching Hornbeam headstock veneers on the bolt-on neck, which is made from Maple and White Limba, with an Ebony fingerboard and nut. The Hipshot bridge is fitted with GraphTech piezo saddles, which are connected to a GraphTech “Acousti-Phonic” preamp, with a single volume control and a mini toggle EQ switch.
I’m afraid I don’t currently have any audio or video clips, but I have included a link to a video which shows me shaping the neck for this particular bass, in case that’s of any interest.
Build video
Well done!
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Nice looking. If you can come up with some audio that would be awesome.
That is among the short list of exceptionally beautiful instruments. Eligent in uncluttered simplicity and exquisite in tasteful appointments and quality of craftmenship. This a No-Pretense, serious application of hand and mind in the service of artistic expression. If this instrument plays anything like it’s design and appearance suggest… It will be fabulous!
Dying to hear how it sounds amplified
love it! beautiful design and wood selection
Great attention to detail..simply a beautiful clean looking bass…would love to hear a sound demo :-)..cheers John!
Great looking bass. I love the “S” shaped f hole. Really nice design.
I like how clean it looks without massive pickups. I made two fretless 4 and one fretless 6 over the last year. All of mine have been neck thru as I really like the extra sustain. I think the next build I will copy your idea for pickups and minimal controls. Very nice work.
Beautiful instrument. love your choice of woods. Good luck and keep building!
very nice instrument , sound nice ?
WOW you should consider building one for Percy Jones. That bass sure looks awesome.
Superb uncluttered simplicity. Like a previous comment, if it sounds as good as it looks I don’t know how it could be any better.