Latest
Luthier Spotlight – Devon From Devon Bass Guitars
Meet Luthier Devon From Devon Bass Guitars
How did you get your start in music?
Although I’ve been in music from a very young age, I got my first bass after my girlfriend in high school was grounded from going to the prom with me. So, what did I do with that extra cash? I bought a bass, of course. The girlfriend is long gone, but the bass never left me!
Are you still an active player?
Yes! I play bass mostly in church on a worship team. I find playing in a church very challenging as you need to learn new music within a week and then be prepared to learn more the following week. A lot of times you’re changing keys on the fly and have to work through compositional changes with every service — extreme flexibility is key!
How did you get started as a Luthier? When did you build your first bass?
While I built my first bass in 1993, I actually started building guitars as an independent study where I went to school at Carnegie Mellon University. All that really did was give me access to the wood shop. The real education came from a local Luthier who I called on the phone daily. Bless him for his patience because he’d talk me through the next steps on the guitar I was building step-by-step. When he was done, he got a chance to see the instrument and told me, “You know what kid? You’re a natural. You should consider doing this for a living!” From there I was hooked and couldn’t stop making musical instruments.
How did you learn the art of woodworking? Who would you consider a Mentor?
Except for the over-the-phone lessons from the local Luthier in Pittsburgh, I’m mainly self-taught; I suspect a lot of Luthiers are. We’re just innovative problem-solvers that simply figure out how to do things — they just happen to be musical instruments. Although I didn’t have a mentor, I wish I did. I’ve always admired and marveled at the work of Michael Tobias. I hope I could meet him someday to tell him that!
How do you select the woods you choose to build with?
I select woods based off their aesthetic and tonal properties — and the most beautiful woods don’t always sound the best and the best-sounding woods aren’t the most beautiful. I really pride myself in obtaining some of the most rare and beautiful woods money can buy. This is a prominent feature of a lot of my basses. That’s why I’ve rarely covered wood with paint — I just think the natural beauty of the wood tells the whole story. Consequently, I always have to plan ahead with my wood. Some of the wood I purchase has to sit for at least 3 years before I can use it or it will warp or crack if used prematurely. I want to ensure that my basses are extremely stable and reliable for whoever will be playing them.
How about pickups?
I’ve always used Bartolini pickups. I really like their warm tone and it’s a tone that I’ve become accustomed to. That said, I’d love to have my own Devon Pickups. Lately, I’ve been using other pickups from Nordstrand and Honey Badger. They have such different voicings than the Bartolini pickups and they’ve really opened up a new world of tonal options for my players.
Who were some of the first well-known musicians who started playing your basses?
Although I really don’t pursue endorsements of the rich-and-famous, there have been a few well-known players who’ve purchased my instruments throughout the years. As a policy, I don’t give away free instruments to famous players. I think it’s more of a testimony when well-known players are willing to lay down their own hard-earned cash for my bass because it’s something they want — not because they received for free.
More importantly, I love supporting players that love what they do and understand how a quality instrument can make a difference. Most of the players I sell basses to are folks that have already owned at least one of my instruments.
How do you develop a signature or custom bass for an artist?
It all starts by listening to the person and asking all the right questions. Sometimes a bassist knows exactly what they want, other times they want help making decisions. Either way, my goal is to help them get the bass that most closely matches their expectations. One of my favorite parts is showing off some of the awesome woods from my stock and helping them envision how their completed instrument will look, feel and sound. Then I’ll often share photos of the build as it’s progressing. That said, it’s a very collaborative effort where the player gets to contribute to the final piece. However, the best part is watching my customers play their bass for the very first time. Nothing is as magical as that moment. It makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it!
What are a few things that you are proud about your instruments and that you would consider unique in your instruments?
Some of the most unique features of my basses include the magnetically-fastened electronics and battery covers — it makes accessing them a literal snap. The other notable feature is the rounded edge on my fretboards. I dare say that my necks are among the most playable bass necks in the industry. You’ve just got to try one to know what I’m talking about!
Which one of the basses that you build is your favorite one?
They’re like your own children, how can I choose a favorite? But, if I had to choose a recent favorite, it’s a J5 Fretless that I completed with an exquisitely rare Thuya Burl top with matching pickup covers and knobs and an ebony fretboard. It plays like butter and has the most wonderful “Mwah” growl to it. Gives me shivers just thinking about it!
Can you give us a word of advice to young Luthiers who are just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to say, “no.” You can’t be everything to everybody. Build instruments that you’d want to play yourself and you know that you’ll always believe in what you’re doing.
What advice would you give a young musician trying to find his perfect bass?
There’s no such thing as the perfect bass for all instances. Each bass has it’s own tonal personality and will be suitable for some occasions, but not others. That’s why you see very experienced bass players often have several instruments to choose from to match the occasion, venue or situation they’re playing in. The best thing a player can do is think through which combination of instruments will most closely match the repertoire of styles they’ll be playing. Often times this includes a variety of instruments with different pickup configurations, fretboard woods, scale lengths and number of strings. Most experienced, serious bass players have at least 6 basses.
What is biggest success for you and for your company?
As crazy as it sounds, I believe my bass building is a calling for me — to build beautiful works that God wants me to do. So, success to me is becoming who He intended for me to be — and in that, there’s a lot of fulfillment.
Are you preparing something new?
I’m always thinking of new models and features. I’m driven by innovation and aesthetics. The hard part for me is to choose which one to focus on. Consequently, I believe that I can continue to push the models I currently have with further generations with some really cool innovations that will add some great brand differentiation.
What are your future plans?
Continue to build my digital capabilities in marketing my instruments; this is essential for a builder who doesn’t use a dealer network in the US.
Visit online at www.devonguitars.com
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/
Latest
This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram
Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…
Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag
FEATURED @officialspector @bqwbassguitar @brute_bass_guitars @phdbassguitars @ramabass.ok @tribe_guitars @woodguerilla_instruments @mikelullcustomguitars @jcrluthier @elegeecustom
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
