This is an important instrument for several
reasons. Most obvious is the headstock shape. I did not want to do it
but I knew that it had to be done. Bass tuners simple do not fit on a
Samurai headstock. I squeezed them in on my first bass but when it comes
to 5 or 6 strings it would not be possible. I came to terms with that.
My spiritual advisor and firebreathing bass player of the Fat Weasels,
Bob Migliardi is responsible for doing a fine job at designing the headstock.
He knew I wanted this traditional headstock shape to resemble my original
Samurai headstock as closely as possible. This is what we came up with
and it looks and works very well. Notice the perfectly straight sting
direction to the tuners.
I hope to be making 5 and 6 string basses
soon and the same headstock will be used. Another innovation is the string
retainer bar on the head. This is designed by me and custom machined to
fit the bass. The screws are also countersunk into the bar for aesthetics
and most importantly the screws do not screw into the wood as on Floyd
Rose equipped guitars. The screws are anchored in small brass bushings
that are imbedded in the headstock. This enables the player to alter the
position of the bar thus varying the string break-angle to the tuners
from the nut. The unstained pickups were Bob's idea along with the black
hardware. It is fitted with flat wound strings and the aluminum bridge
gives it a bright sound. Switching and electronics are identical to my
guitars.
This is also a more guitar like bass in
that it has an angled neck. Meaning that the neck pocket is angled back
like on many guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul and others. This results
in a lower string height in relation to the top of the body. Uncharacteristically
the neck is also guitar like because its V shaped. Again, a feature found
only on guitars not basses. Do you get the idea that I am a guitar player
and not a bass player?
Yes, I know, I could have built a Fender
bass like so many highly respected (lets give Warmoth a call) bass builders,
but that wouldn't be me now would it.
