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What are some unique features in a bass? I.e. string mutes, two outputs, trem etc.
- Thread starter sebastianseeker
- Start date
The Steinberger L2 was the most innovative bass design of the past 40 years, but has been rendered "too 80's" by the Hipster Contingent. I can't think of another bass that just wiped the slate clean and started over from scratch on the entire concept.
Standard feature on Gibson Les Paul basses with low impedance pickups, 1969-79.
Very common on West German instruments - especially Framus - from early '60s through some point in the '70s.
Back in the 70's the Electra brand made guitars and basses that you could plug modules into that provided various effects. You could mix and match the modules. Chris Squire of Yes had one.
Here's Jake Serek, of Serek basses, demonstrating his Electra bass.
Here's Jake Serek, of Serek basses, demonstrating his Electra bass.
Transparent lucite/acrylic/epoxy body (Ampeg Dan Armstrong)
Synthetic/wood-composite bodies (Ibanez Ergodyne, Cort Curbow)
Pretty nearly everything the late Dave Bunker did, from headless tuners to his own truss rod architecture. An overlooked genius.
Scalloped fretboard (Yamaha Attitude)
Laser pickups (Lightwave)
Synthetic/wood-composite bodies (Ibanez Ergodyne, Cort Curbow)
Pretty nearly everything the late Dave Bunker did, from headless tuners to his own truss rod architecture. An overlooked genius.
Scalloped fretboard (Yamaha Attitude)
Laser pickups (Lightwave)
Through-neck with wings is less common than bolt-on necks for electric basses, but I'd guess that it's probably the second-most-common construction method (trailing far behind would be set-neck). It's rare only in the sense that cheap basses aren't made that way, but once you start looking at instruments over $700 that aren't based on Fender designs it isn't hard to find some.
He's had so many good ideas that nobody else has bothered to run with but should. His D-tuner bridge might be literally unique.
Vigiers have no truss rod and you are assured the bass neck will never need adjustment. That's why I have three of them.
Peavey T40 with the phase switch and coil split function on the tone knobs. You can get some REALLY crazy sounds out of it if you try.
There have been several examples(primarily on guitar)even before his, but Phil Lesh’s Alembic(?)bass with one separate pickup per string is notable.
Then the Lace company, known for their
unique pickups, for a time issued their Helix model basses, with a Strat-style output jack on the back…
I have a neck-through, and while it is ergonomic and non-invasive, I don’t think there’s that much of a problem solved by it.
Then the Lace company, known for their
unique pickups, for a time issued their Helix model basses, with a Strat-style output jack on the back…
I have a neck-through, and while it is ergonomic and non-invasive, I don’t think there’s that much of a problem solved by it.
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Back in the 80's there was a company called Novatone who developed a system whereby a bass's neck could be modified to enable different fretboards to be swapped out on the fly, such as fretted to fretless. The fretboard was held onto the neck magnetically. Tony Levin had a Stingray that was modified with the Novatone system, and was featured in an ad for them. The company is no longer in business and from what I understand the concept didn't work out very well, for multiple reasons. Others (including Steinberger) have tried to develop systems to switch a bass from fretted to fretless on the fly, but none have taken off.
Steinberger's attempt:
Steinberger's attempt:
Ampeg did the micro-tilt on their Scroll Basses in ‘66. (The Baby Bass had it earlier than that, but that’s an electric upright.)
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Much more common now that we can finally buy them for $100 and up.
DJmtd
Commercial User
- Feb 18, 2025
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One of perhaps the least appreciated innovations/unique features from Vigier was the original Nautilus System from way back in 1983. This is the best breakdown I've ever come across for it:
My old username was VigierUSA fwiw... now I work for MTD. Plenty of innovations from the mind of Mike Tobias out there as well!
My old username was VigierUSA fwiw... now I work for MTD. Plenty of innovations from the mind of Mike Tobias out there as well!
Ovation Magnum I. Stereo/mono, graphite, built in mute-contraption, adjustable poles, threaded inserts for neck screws, built from fkn helicopter parts, aluminium surround that doubles as a thumb rest.
Truely ahead of its time. One of the largest sounding basses I've ever played, huge personality on that thing. Extremely underrated imo, and kinda rare. Was lucky enough to buy one off a fellow TBer some years back.
Right - the "tension-free" neck on the batch of Ibanez ATK basses he built. The neck was just a shell for a steel tube that took all the stress.
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Some of them also feature a kill switch, and a switch / lever that engages / disengages string mutes.
