See the business listing for this bass builder here
This week’s BotW that arrived in the featureme@bestbassgear.com is definitely what you would characterize as a “minimalist design”, but it works very nicely. The more you look at it, the more you want to play it. Do you agree?
Robin writes:
This is my personal custom ebony necked five string bass. Conceived many years ago I finally acquired all the components I needed to bring this to life. It has a fully quartered solid ebony neck through a quartered Padauk body. Equipped with Graphtech piezo saddles it has no other pickups, no controls or cavities on the face or back. The preamp with a simple volume and low pass filter is mounted on the upper edge. Power is supplied from external (I detest batteries). I have named it the “Empress” model and will be building similar basses (not all ebony due to rarity) under the name Acero Instruments. My personal preference for strings are Rotosound RS88 nylon tape wound. I have used these for about 30 years now and am used to them. The sound is not what you might think. I do not go for an acoustic sound nor the expected double bass or other tones from the strings I use or due to fretless playing. My sound is more well rounded and more like fretted with a smoother edge. In conclusion this has a huge bass sound and fulfills my expectations for the sound I want.
Well done, Robin!
Would you like your bass guitar featured for Bass of the Week? Send an email with a few photos and the story of your bass build to featureme@bestbassgear.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Nice looking instrument!
Thank you. I appreciate your comment
Oh, my!!! That bass is gorgeous and I’ll bet it plays and sounds great, too! Fantastic job!!!
Thanks its had strinsg on it now for about a month and is really starting to open up.
Thanks the strings have been on about a month now and it is really starting to open up. clear and bell like
VERY cool. Beautiful work, Robin!
Thank you. I am pleased it has bee received well.
That is very a sweet looking bass! Great job!!
Great work! Would be nice to ear it! How heavy?
Weight came in around 11 pounds as there is no chambering done. All solid. Fantastic deep bass tone with incredible sustain and definition.
Excellent execution on all fronts!
Thank you it was the culmination of a lot of thought and planning.
Beautiful bass…and has the right number of strings too!
six string version coming up soon
Very impressive!
Stunning!
That is truly a work of art; absolutely beautiful.
Thank you. A six string with ebony neck and curly claro walnut is in the works.
There’s a saying in the architectural field that goes: LESS IS MORE. this fits the bill. Simple and elegant. would love to hear it.
Next trick is to hide midi and a tube preamp.
Thank you. The next trick is to hide midi and an onboard tube preamp.
Price? Ideas for other colors/wood finishes/combos and when is it going into production?
Not production but strictly custom made to order. Ebony this size is not commonly available and one should expect very high cost. Any wood that can be obtained can be used. Figure 9 to 12K for solid ebony neck with everything else to customer spec. CAn be built with other neck woods for substantially less.
The Rotosound Nylon Tape wounds are the strings you hear on the Who’s My Generation, and what Larry Graham used on tracks with Sly and the Family Stone. 😉
I fell into using them many years ago. With my style playing sounds punchy and brilliant. Allows me very low action. quiet slides and it just a super slick feeling.
Thanks for your comments