“Saber-tooth” P-style Bass - 2022

My very first stringed instrument was an off-branded P-bass, and although I rarely build other companies’ shapes, I’ve always wanted to see certain features on a “P," and this was my opportunity to fulfill that. This fellow turned out with a very 70’s vibe, between the use of Padauk, Walnut, and Maple, it sports a cream covered P/U cover, a 2x2 Headstock, and body-through construction.

Specs:

This bass sports a book-matched flame Walnut top, figured Maple body and neck, Ebony Headcap, and a Padauk fretboard. Chambered and contoured body with an “f-hole.” Seymour Duncan SPB-2 “Hot" P-style pickup with a cream cover. 34 inch scale-length, body-through construction, with a bone nut. Gold Gotoh bridge and tuners. Pearl diamond inlays and side dots; Maple/Ebony “W.” This bass has plenty of punch and bottom, with a clarity supplied by the Maple.

Mahogany 4 String Bass - 2016

Initially completed in Los Angeles, this bass promptly travelled to Oregon with me, and quickly adjusted to the weather differences, cracking the Nitrocellulose finish. In 2018, I refinished it in order to have it for sale at my shop, Taborella. Having not sold, and enduring cold winters in our uninsulated shop, the finish cracked again. The top has now been refinished with Polyurethane in order to stand up to the weather! The reverse of the guitar is still finished with Nitrocellulose, and bares the scars of a “spiderwebbed” vintage finish. It looked cool, so I left it!

Specs:

The body is one piece of solid African Mahogany with Rosewood binding, Black/white purfling, and a “comfort carve” on the reverse. Neck is plain Maple with a Rosewood fretboard, and an Ebony headcap and backstrap. Rosewood was used to created the pickup ring, electronic cover, string block, finger rest, and the truss rod cover. Gold Gotoh tuners and gold Gotoh bridge. 34 inch scale length, strung-through body construction, and bone nut. The pickup is a Lollar “Original P-Bass” single coil with a master volume and master tone. This bass has a round and mellow tone, as opposed to the punchiness of a standard P-bass.

Mahogany “Tuxedo” Bass - 2019

This bass guitar possesses characteristics which I usually use on my 6-string guitar builds. The body was created from my 6-string guitar template, and the inlaid Maple “f” hole is a rare addition to my basses. This bass also displays my new contoured neck joint, as well as my return to using celluloid bindings - this one possess tortoise.

Specs:

The body is a single solid piece of African Mahogany with celluloid tortoise binding. The neck is Mahogany with an Ebony fretboard, and an Ebony headcap. Maple “f,” and truss-rod cover. Gold Gotoh tuners, and gold Gotoh bridge. 34 inch scale length, body-through construction, and a bone nut. Acrylic electronic cover plate. Black speed knobs. Lollar P-bass pickup with master volume and master tone controls. Comes with a hardshell case.

Maple & Mahogany Short Scale Bass guitar - 2013

My first short-scale bass guitar. With this bass, I attempted to mimic techniques I was using to build my 6-string guitars at the time. This bass has a 1 1/8 inches thick body, again, loaning itself to good sustain. This bass ended up being slightly neck heavy, but also possesses a sonic contrast to your typical short-scale bass - the magic being in the pickup…

Specs:

The body for this bass is a 3/4 inches thick Mahogany slab sandwiched by a book-matched flame Maple top and a back. The neck is of Maple with a Rosewood fretboard, headcap, and backstrap. The string block, knobs, and electronic cover are Rosewood. The “floating” bridge is also of Rosewood, with a bone top to resist string tension. 30 inch scale length, strung-through body construction, and a bone nut. The pickup is a Seymour Duncan SPB-3 “Quarter Pounder.” Its name derives from the 1/4 inch pole pieces that create a beefy, punchy tone. The “quarter pounder” sounds as close to an active pickup without the 9V power supply. As a result, this bass is the punchiest short-scale bass you may have ever heard! Master volume and master tone control.

Mahogany & Wenge 4 String Bass - 2015 - Sold (2019), Modified (2021)

I sold this bass a few years back, and though the customer loved the feel, he wanted something closer to an Active sound. Originally sporting a lower output P-style pickup in the neck position and a “Sidewinder” (bass Humbucker) in the bridge position, the bass lacked the punchiness the customer desired. Rather than go “active,” the solution I recommended was to install twin Duncan “Quarter-Pounders” - the larger pole pieces providing a much thicker tone. It now sounds like an active bass without the requisite battery and dynamic loss associated with onboard preamps.

SPECs:

The body is one piece of solid Mahogany with a “comfort carve,” and utilizes my smaller 6-string guitar body size. The neck is Mahogany with an African Wenge fretboard, and Ebony headcap. The pickup rings, knobs, string block, truss-rod cover, and electronic cover are of Wenge. The “floating” bridge is also of Wenge with a carved bone top. Gold Gotoh tuners. Ebony knobs. Twin Seymour Duncan SPB-3 “Quarter Pounder” pickups in neck and bridge position. 3-way selector switch, master volume, master tone. 34 inch scale length, strung-through body construction, and a bone nut. 

Short scale Bass - 2019

specs:

This little bass appears simple, but again, sporting a Seymour Duncan SPB-3 “Quarter Pounder,” this bass is a beast when plugged in. The contoured body has a Swamp Ash center with Mahogany “wings.” The top is of plain walnut, and finished in candy apple red with Flamed Maple binding. The bolt-on neck is Maple with a Rosewood fretboard, headcap, and backstrap. Cocobolo Rosewood “floating” bridge. Black Gotoh tuners. 30 inch scale length, body-through construction, and a bone nut. Master volume and master tone, topped with black speed knobs.