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Bass Musician Magazine’s Year of the Luthier – Rob Elrick
Bass Musician Magazine’s Year of the Luthier – Rob Elrick…
Rob Shares…
I’ve always preferred to remain behind the scenes, happy to let my instruments speak for themselves, as any viable instruments must. I don’t believe in “personality driven” products, and prefer to stand behind my products, rather than in front of them. Until NAMM made it impossible to do so, I almost always wore badges with fake names, not only in an effort to maintain anonymity, but because it afforded me the opportunity to receive honest feedback that would have likely never been proffered to me directly. Regrettably, those days are gone…
How did you get your start in music?
At a very early age I developed an interest in my grandmothers piano and received some rudimentary instruction on it from her until my mother was able to acquire one for our home. Shortly after, my brother and I began receiving lessons from one of the most peculiar sociopaths either of us have likely ever encountered. In grade school I studied cornet, eventually transitioning to trombone and playing bass trombone though my first year of undergraduate studies. I began playing bass guitar at 14 and almost immediately began playing in bands that practiced daily after school. That continued through graduation, after which everyone began going off in different directions. I studied music at a state university before eventually finding my way to Berklee in Boston, where I completed a bachelors in music.
Are you still an active player?
Until about 2 years ago I was still pretty active as a player. I don’t consider myself retired from playing as I still play regularly, but I am between “regular” gigs. I’ve found that the older I get, the more selective I’ve become about who I want to play with, but I do have a few irons in the fire.
How did you get started as a Luthier? When did you build your first bass?
Before going to Berklee I had put together two bass guitars from parts that had become my main instruments. They were significantly re-worked, but by no means “built” by me, simply modified and assembled. While enrolled at Berklee, around 1988 or 89, I began playing 6-string bass, and while I had been lucky enough to obtain a very high quality instrument, which I continued to play until some time in 1992, it wasn’t long before I started searching for another bass, one that resolved some of the deficiencies present in that instrument.
In 1992 I began fabricating prototypes that would become the earliest versions of the Elrick bass. I began playing them in 1992 and they debuted at NAMM in 1993.
How did you learn the art of woodworking/Luthiery? Who would you consider a Mentor?
I have never worked under another builder so have no one I’d name as a mentor. I have been influenced primarily by my perception of what makes a practical and functional instrument. What features are complimentary, or “needed”, from a players perspective and, just as importantly, what features are not needed.
Prior to attending Berklee I was a scholarship student at the Center for Creative Studies / College of Art and Design (CCS/CAD) in Detroit. I was a crafts department major at CCS, which essentially amounted to being a materials major. While there I practiced many disciplines, I worked in the foundry, welded, blew glass, worked with wood, worked in metal smithing and as a potter. With such a diverse background in hand fabrication, I was confident in my abilities when it came time to begin prototyping my first instruments.
How do you make your wood selections?
Primary woods for an instrument are selected for their individual tonal properties but also for how they compliment one another in particular combinations. While figured woods used as decorative tops can influence the sound and responsiveness of an instrument, in most cases, their primary contribution is aesthetic.
How about pickups? What pickups have you used in the past? What electronics do you use right now?
I have a relationship with Bartolini that actually pre-dates Elrick Bass Guitars. As a result, I’m fortunate to have been a beta tester for some of the pickups and electronics found in my instruments. And while not all were in development for my exclusive use, I was able to exercise some influence over some of their products I use in my basses. As such, Bartolini pickups and pre-amps are standard equipment on all of my instruments.
I also offer pickups custom made for my basses by Aero Instrument, these are most often seen in custom wood pickup covers and Master Series basses.
Who were some of the first well-known musicians to start playing your basses?
Until recently my instruments have primarily been available only through authorized dealers. As a result, in the past, when a notable player has acquired one of my instruments, I’ve usually been the last to know. Because I’ve always considered it unrealistic to expect any musician to play one instrument exclusively, I’ve seldom sought to cultivate exclusive relationships with artists, since such agreements eventually find most artists in breach of contract simply out of practical necessity.
How do you develop a signature or custom bass for an artist?
I have never been a great fan of signature basses, particularly since, as a custom builder, I offer every bass player the opportunity to receive their own signature bass. This is the most valuable service I offer, the opportunity for any musician to receive an instrument that is a reflection of themselves as an artist, their own personal statement.
What are a few things that you are proud of and that you would consider unique in your instruments?
I think that when many people order a custom instrument from a company like mine, they imagine the service they are contracting is for an individual craftsmen to hand-carve their instrument from start to finish. In most instances, this is not the reality. In the case of Elrick Bass Guitars, I am the only person doing fabrication. I select and process all of the raw lumber used in my instruments (sometimes starting with a chainsaw), I fabricate all the component parts, I hand-carve all necks and body contours, I hand sand and hand finish every instrument, I do all of the fret jobs and set-ups, and I personally wire all of the electronics.
While I’m proud of the balance, playability, and aesthetic of my instruments, I’m most proud to be able to say that, since 1992, I have personally built every single US Series instrument.
Which of the basses you build is your favorite?
The favorite bass I build will always the next one, and then, more likely than not, the one after that…
Can you give us a word of advice for young Luthiers just starting out?
Do you like ramen? Good…
What advice would you give a young musician trying to find his perfect bass?
Again, ramen?
Compared to 25 years ago, todays market is awash with options and flooded with both new and used gear that is easily obtained from the four corners of the earth. Before taking the leap into a custom instrument, do your research.
Does the brand you’re considering have a good reputation in the market?
Do they have a history of dependable product support?
Do they make an instrument that suits your specific needs?
What are your specific needs?
If you’re unsure, determine what your needs are before making any significant investments.
And when you’re asking around for advice, rely on people you know and trust, not anonymous internet forum chatter.
What is the biggest success for you and for your company?
My greatest success has been my brands persistence in the marketplace. As a small business established in the days before the internet, with no advertising budget and a credit card in lieu of start-up capital, Elrick Bass Guitars has always depended on positive word of mouth to propagate. That is no less true today than it was 24 years ago, I still tell Elrick players who contact me, “tell your friends…”
Are you preparing something new, some new model or new design? Or maybe some new gear amps, etc.
For me, it could be argued that every next bass is something new, but aside from known existing models, I do have some things in development, including an instrument prototyped about 20 years ago and shelved until maybe 5 years ago, then shelved again until 2 years ago when one leaked out to a top-secret recipient. There’s still a chance that it will make it into general circulation one day soon, but as is so often the case, I have been distracted by another product in development that should be ready for the world before the 2016 summer olympics. Upon it’s completion I will begin ironing out the details of a limited edition 25th anniversary bass for 2017.
What are your future plans?
If everything goes according to plan, hopefully I will find time for a nap.
Is there anything else you would like to share that we have not included?
I don’t object to sharing , only oversharing…
Visit online:
www.facebook.com/elrickbassguitars
Instagram – elrickbasses
Twitter – ElrickBasses
Bass CDs
New Album: Jake Leckie, Planter of Seeds
Bassist Jake Leckie and The Guide Trio Unveil New Album Planter of Seeds,
to be released on June 7, 2024
Planter of Seeds is bassist/composer Jake Leckie’s third release as a bandleader and explores what beauty can come tomorrow from the seeds we plant today.
What are we putting in the ground? What are we building? What is the village we want to bring our children up in? At the core of the ensemble is The Guide Trio, his working band with guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Beth Goodfellow, who played on Leckie’s second album, The Guide, a rootsy funky acoustic analog folk-jazz recording released on Ropeadope records in 2022. For Planter of Seeds, the ensemble is augmented by Cathlene Pineda (piano), Randal Fisher (tenor saxophone), and Darius Christian (trombone), who infuse freedom and soul into the already tightly established ensemble.
Eight original compositions were pristinely recorded live off the floor of Studio 3 at East West Studios in Hollywood CA, and mastered by A.T. Michael MacDonald. The cover art is by internationally acclaimed visual artist Wayne White. Whereas his previous work has been compared to Charles Mingus, and Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet with Charlie Haden, Leckie’s new collection sits comfortably between the funky odd time signatures of the Dave Holland Quintet and the modern folk-jazz of the Brian Blade Fellowship Band with a respectful nod towards the late 1950s classic recordings of Ahmad Jamal and Miles Davis.
The title track, “Planter of Seeds,” is dedicated to a close family friend, who was originally from Trinidad, and whenever she visited family or friends at their homes, without anyone knowing, she would plant seeds she kept in her pocket in their gardens, so the next season beautiful flowers would pop up. It was a small altruistic anonymous act of kindness that brought just a little more beauty into the world. The rhythm is a tribute to Ahmad Jamal, who we also lost around the same time, and whose theme song Poinciana is about a tree from the Caribbean.
“Big Sur Jade” was written on a trip Leckie took with his wife to Big Sur, CA, and is a celebration of his family and community. This swinging 5/4 blues opens with an unaccompanied bass solo, and gives an opportunity for each of the musicians to share their improvisational voices. “Clear Skies” is a cathartic up-tempo release of collective creative energies in fiery improvisational freedom. “The Aquatic Uncle” features Randal Fisher’s saxophone and is named after an Italo Calvino short story which contemplates if one can embrace the new ways while being in tune with tradition. In ancient times, before a rudder, the Starboard side of the ship was where it was steered from with a steering oar. In this meditative quartet performance, the bass is like the steering oar of the ensemble: it can control the direction of the music, and when things begin to unravel or become unhinged, a simple pedal note keeps everything grounded.
The two trio tunes on the album are proof that the establishment of his consistent working band The Guide Trio has been a fruitful collaboration. “Santa Teresa”, a bouncy samba-blues in ? time, embodies the winding streets and stairways of the bohemian neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro it is named for. The swampy drum feel on “String Song” pays homage to Levon Helm of The Band, a group where you can’t always tell who wrote the song or who the bandleader is, proving that the sum is greater than the individual parts. Early jazz reflected egalitarianism in collective improvisation, and this group dynamic is an expression of that kind of inclusivity and democracy.
“The Daughters of the Moon” rounds out the album, putting book ends on the naturalist themes. This composition is named after magical surrealist Italo Calvino’s short story about consumerism, in which a mythical modern society that values only buying shiny new things throws away the moon like it is a piece of garbage and the daughters of the moon save it and resurrect it. It’s an eco-feminist take on how women are going to save the world. Pineda’s piano outro is a hauntingly beautiful lunar voyage, blinding us with love. Leckie dedicates this song to his daughter: “My hope is that my daughter becomes a daughter of the moon, helping to make the world a more beautiful and verdant place to live.”
Bass CDs
Debut Album: Nate Sabat, Bass Fiddler
In a thrilling solo debut, bassist Nate Sabat combines instrumental virtuosity with a songwriter’s heart on Bass Fiddler…
The upright bass and the human voice. Two essential musical instruments, one with roots in 15th century Europe, the other as old as humanity itself.
On Bass Fiddler (Adhyâropa Records ÂR00057), the debut album from Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and bass virtuoso Nate Sabat, the scope is narrowed down a bit. Drawing from the rich and thriving tradition of American folk music, Sabat delivers expertly crafted original songs and choice covers with the upright bass as his lone tool for accompaniment.
The concept was born a decade ago when Sabat began studying with the legendary old-time fiddler Bruce Molsky at Berklee College of Music. “One of Bruce’s specialties is singing and playing fiddle at the same time. The second I heard it I was hooked,” recalls Sabat. “I thought, how can I do this on the bass?” From there, he was off to the races, arranging original and traditional material with Molsky as his guide. “Fast forward to 2020, and I — like so many other musicians — was thinking of how to best spend my time. I sat down with the goal of writing some new songs and arranging some new covers, and an entire record came out.” When the time came to make the album, it was evident that Molsky would be the ideal producer. Sabat asked him if he’d be interested, and luckily he was. “What an inspiration to work with an artist like Nate,” says Molsky. “Right at the beginning, he came to this project with a strong, personal and unique vision. Plus he had the guts to try for a complete and compelling cycle of music with nothing but a bass and a voice. You’ll hear right away that it’s engaging, sometimes serious, sometimes fun, and beautifully thought out from top to bottom.”
While this record is, at its core, a folk music album, Sabat uses the term broadly. Some tracks lean more rock (‘In the Shade’), some more pop (‘White Marble’, ‘Rabid Thoughts’), some more jazz (‘Fade Away’), but the setting ties them all together. “There’s something inherently folksy about a musician singing songs with their instrument, no matter the influences behind the compositions themselves,” Sabat notes. To be sure, there are plenty of folk songs (‘Louise’ ‘Sometimes’, ‘Eli’) and fiddling (‘Year of the Ox’) to be had here — the folk music fan won’t go hungry. There’s a healthy dose of bluegrass too (‘Orphan Annie’, ‘Lonesome Night’), clean and simple, the way Mr. Bill Monroe intended.
All in all, this album shines a light on an instrument that often goes overlooked in the folk music world, enveloping the listener in its myriad sounds, textures, and colors. “There’s nothing I love more than playing the upright bass,” exclaims Sabat. “My hope is that listeners take the time to sit with this album front to back — I want them to take in the full scope of the work. I have a feeling they’ll hear something they haven’t heard before.”
Available online at natesabat.bandcamp.com/album/walking-away
Gear News
New Gear: Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass
Esopus Guitars Launches New Acoustic/Electric Bass…
Esopus Guitars is proud to announce the new “Tailwater” bass guitar, from legendary bass luthier Stuart Spector. This 32” scale bass is handcrafted by Stuart using the only finest woods and components at the Esopus Guitar workshop located near Woodstock NY in the Catskill Mountains.
From its fully carved spruce top (the top is carved on both its exterior and interior surfaces) with a thumb rest that is elegantly carved into the top, to its custom-made Fishman piezo pickup and super hard Carnauba wax finish, every detail of the Tailwater is part of creating the ultimate playing experience.
The Tailwater bass features a fully chambered spruce over alder body (15.5″ lower body bout width, 2.25″ body thickness measuring from the peak of the carved top) that delivers a super comfortable tonal tool for all your low-end needs.
Each Tailwater bass is hand-signed and numbered on the back of the peghead by Stuart Spector. A very limited number of Tailwater basses are handcrafted each year at the Esopus workshop.
“I am proud to present the Tailwater bass, a bass that I have spent the last three years perfecting. The Tailwater is a culmination of all of my 45 years of experience, knowledge, and passion for bass guitar crafting. I am so eager to hear what fellow musicians create with this exciting new instrument.” -Stuart Spector
Direct Pricing : $4995.00 plus options.
For more information about Esopus Guitars and Stuart Spector’s handcrafted instruments, visit www.EsopusGuitars.com.
Bass Videos
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Ian Allison Bassist extreme…
Most recently Ian has spent the last seven years touring nationally as part of Eric Hutchinson and The Believers, sharing stages with acts like Kelly Clarkson, Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Matt Nathanson, Phillip Phillips, and Cory Wong playing venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Staples Center and The Xcel Center in St. Paul, MN.
I had a chance to meet up with him at the Sellersville Theater in Eastern Pennsylvania to catch up on everything bass. Visit online at ianmartinallison.com/
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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
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Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
New Gear: Spector Woodstock Custom Collection Volume II
New Gear: The Dingwall John Taylor Signature Model
Interview With Bassist Edmond Gilmore
Have Fret Sprout? Sharp Fret Management… a How-To Video
This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Tour Touch Base (Bass) with Ian Allison
Interview With Audic Empire Bassist James Tobias
New Album: Avery Sharpe, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
