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Bass Musician Magazine’s Year of the Luthier – Chris Kohlman, Kohlman Bassworks
How did you get your start in music?
My mom’s parents and three brothers were all musicians and they would have jam sessions at the many cookouts we had at my grandparent’s house when I was a kid. They all played a variety of instruments but at some point I realized there was never a bass guitar in the ensemble. At the same time, I was beginning to learn more about the role of a bassist in contemporary music. All of that really set the wheels in motion.
Jose Tinajero – NeoJazz 6 Deluxe
Are you still an active player?
Yes. I play in an acoustic rock trio called Unleaded that includes two of my closest friends, both of who are accomplished musicians. We have played together in one form or another for decades so playing out with them is like putting on your most comfortable pair of shoes. The three of us are also teaming up with another longtime friend to form a rock band called 4Warning. Hopefully that will take off in the next few months here in the 757 area code.
Keith Horne in a recording session – NeoJazz 4 Deluxe
Link to a video created by Keith Horne that showcases his NeoJazz 4:
Keith Horne also featured the NeoJazz 4 in the music video of Bill Leverty’s song “Strong”:
How did you get started as a Luthier? When did you build your first bass?
I had been working on basses for years. I was self-taught out of necessity because I was extremely picky about how my instruments played and I couldn’t afford to keep paying for someone else to do all of my setups. So I read a lot, experimented a lot, and became fairly good at repairs and setups. About five years ago I decided that I could probably build my own basses and began thinking through the various stages of bass building. I have a degree in architecture, so the creative side was there. And since I grew up with an engineer father and woodworking grandfather, I figured I had at least enough of a background to give it a go. My first build was a parts bass and it progressed from there. The first all original creation was completed about four years ago and the business took off from there.
Diego Gomes (Brian Grilli) – RetroMod 5 Standard (Peavey endorser)
How did you learn the art of woodworking/Luthier? Who would you consider a Mentor?
One of my band members in the nineties was a wonderful Englishman named Stuart Douglas who performed most of the guitar and bass repairs for the local music stores in our area. I shadowed him constantly because I was simply amazed at his depth of knowledge and the high level of craftsmanship of his work. He was always willing to teach and I was always willing to listen. He was my mentor and will always be a longtime friend. He has since moved back to England and on occasion I find myself wishing he were around to help me get out of some of the sticky situations that crop up during difficult repairs or builds.
How do you select the woods you choose to build with?
I try to buy from a local supplier and because of this, my selection is limited. At some point I will begin using some of the vendors I have met at the NAMM shows over the last few years. But for now, I like to use local sources. This provides me with a supply of woods such as Ash, Walnut, Mahogany, Hard Maple, and a few other exotics that have nice colors and grain patterns.
Jim Cahoon NeoClassic P4
How about pickups? What pickups did you use in the past? What electronics do you use right now?
I used active EMG systems for many years so it stands to reason that I gravitated in that direction once I started building. But I knew I needed to branch out some and subsequently started using Bartolini, Mojotone, and Nordstrand components. Mike Pope was also gracious enough to provide me with a preamp for a NAMM build last year and I will probably contact him at some point soon to begin using the Flex Core preamps from time to time for higher end builds. But right now I use Nordstrand and Mojotone probably more than any other vendors. My friend and bass guru Keith Horne also introduced me to Lindy Fralin about two years ago when I was building Keith’s NeoJazz four string and I fell in love the Fralin jazz and P bass pickups as well. There are just so many options available now and they all have their unique sounds. I think that’s great for the low-end world.
Who were some of the first well-known musicians who started playing your basses?
I have been very fortunate in that the business began to grow fairly quickly in this area thanks to the great musicians we have here in Tidewater. But it wasn’t until Keith Horne and I teamed up to build his four string NeoJazz that the interest shifted into high gear. I have to thank Keith for that, hands down. He has played with artists like Tanya Tucker, Trisha Yearwood, Peter Frampton, Luke Bryan, Waylon…the list goes on and on. And because of his success and the people he knows, I have seen a considerable increase in inquiries about my basses and it has manifested into increased sales. I have built him a four string and a six string, and am working on a five string right now. I have also built basses for Diego Gomes (Brian Grilli), Betty Mullins (The Mullins Sisters), Andrew McNeely (Sea of Souls), Jim Cahoon (Rockstar Parking), and a variety of other local musicians. I also have a four-string custom NeoJazz I am currently building for Steve Cook, bassist for country artist Phil Vassar.
Andrew McNeely (Sea of Souls) – NeoClassic P4 Standard
How do you develop a signature or custom bass for an artist?
I haven’t gone down the “signature bass” path as of yet. But for custom builds, I try to embrace my penchant for design and make the build special for the player. Up to this point, no two custom builds are the same. Each is unique to the individual and born out of concepts that just seem to come to mind. I also build “stock” basses that are sold through Russell’s Music World here in Norfolk, VA, and they are unique as well. But at some point I would imagine the stock units would become duplicative out of necessity.
Mike Tobias checking out a RetroMod 4 Standard at Summer NAMM 2015 (he liked it!)
What are a few things that you are proud about your instruments and that you would consider unique in your instruments?
First and foremost, I endeavor to build basses that satisfy my own needs as a bassist. I am picky when it comes to playability. And I figure if I don’t want to play it, no one else will either. Elements such as ergonomic contours, high quality fretwork, low action, and proper balance are a must have for me and I do my best to incorporate these elements into my builds. One of the unique traits of my basses is the incorporation of morphed body inlays I have started to design into my custom basses. I have had a tremendous amount of positive feedback from people who have seen pictures of my customs and I am extremely thankful for that. I would also imagine that my neck profile is somewhat unique. It seems to be a happy medium between a rounded C shape and Fender D shape. I have not played another bass with this profile but it comfortable to me and appear to be successful.
Which one of the basses that you build is your favorite one?
The one I just finished…every time LOL! No kidding! Every time I finish a stock build, I think, “Maybe I’ll keep THIS one”. But, alas, they end up on the wall at the music store. But as far as designs, I think I like my RetroMod body shape in the five-string version the best. The design was inspired by both the Fender Jaguar and the cheap Japanese piece of crap I had when I was a kid. Mike Tobias was gracious enough to give me a thumbs up for the design at the 2015 Summer NAMM show. I figured, if HE liked it then I must be doing something right (smile).
Kohlman with early NeoJazz 3+1
Can you give us a word of advice to young Luthiers who are just starting out?
Don’t be afraid to seek out your mentors and ask questions. Also, we have the Internet: everything you ever wanted to know about bass building is out there on a server somewhere. Do some research, then break down the steps needed to craft a bass from scratch. Think about cutting out the body shape, routing pickup cavities, crafting the neck etc. Then go for it. Just remember…safety is always paramount. I constantly remind myself in my shop that there is no “undo” button if you slip up with power tools. And email me if you have a question. I will be happy to share what I know about the art of crafting custom basses.
What advice would you give a young musician trying to find his perfect bass?
Call me LOL! Seriously, go play as many basses as you can get your hands on. If you go to a music store and the sales associate is less than thrilled that you want to test-drive a multitude of basses without committing to anything, find another store. They do not have your best interest in mind. It is paramount to purchase a bass that you WANT to play and is of a quality high enough that it can be set up to suit the individual. Nothing will deter the interest of a budding musician faster than an instrument that is difficult or simply undesirable to play. And once you find an instrument to suit, be careful about “settling” on something that’s almost as nice but cheaper. Be true to yourself when you critique an instrument and try not to let price be the guiding factor if at all possible.
Betty Mullins (The Mullins Sisters) – pair of RetroMod 5 Standards on stage, Gloucester VA
What is biggest success for you and for your company?
For me, success is not the financial bottom line, but instead getting positive feedback from those who play my basses. And as I have alluded to before, I am thankful to have a music community that has provided me a lot of positive feedback concerning my basses. More and more lately, I am beginning to meet people who already know who I am and what I do, and have nice things to say about all of it. THAT is success to me. And it is exciting at the same time. Participating in the 2015 Summer NAMM show was also a company milestone and I look forward to having booths at subsequent shows. Oh yeah, and Keith Horne. He has been a great “shot in the arm” to the business as well. So there’s that LOL!
Are you preparing something new, some new model or new design? Or maybe some new gear amps, etc.
I am working on the design for a chambered bass (based on two of my current models), as well as a design made fully out of an uber lightweight wood called Paulownia. I have had several players come to me with physical limitations and Paulownia is an excellent wood for cases like these. I just haven’t yet refined the design enough yet to satisfy me. It’s a work in progress.
Pair of STOCK NeoClassic
What are your future plans?
Kohlman Bassworks is my “part time” job, although my wife might disagree. I have a career in civil service right now and my goal is to develop KBW into something I can step into full time after I retire (although with two kids not far from setting off for college, retirement could be a LONG way away). When I retire I want to build basses fulltime, instead of immediately jumping back into the world of architecture and planning like so many of my peers before me have done.
Is there anything else you would like to share that we have not included?
The Kohlman Bassworks website in under development right now but should be live in a few months. The url will be www.kohlmanbassworks.com
I also have two Facebook pages, one personal and one business.
Personal: www.facebook.com/chris.kohlman.5
Business: www.facebook.com/Kohlman-Bassworks-456427384435438/
Tim Orton – Marlo 5 Deluxe
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…
Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag
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Features
Interview With Audic Empire Bassist James Tobias
Checking in with Bergantino Artist James Tobias
James Tobias, Bassist for psychedelic, Reggae-Rock titans Audic Empire shares his history as a musician and how he came to find Bergantino…
Interview by Holly Bergantino
James Tobias, a multi-talented musician and jack-of-all-trades shares his story of coming up as a musician in Texas, his journey with his band Audic Empire, and his approach to life and music. With a busy tour schedule each year, we were fortunate to catch up with him while he was out and about touring the US.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Dallas, Texas and lived in the Dallas area most of my life with the exception of 1 year in Colorado. I moved to the Austin area at age 18.
What makes the bass so special to you particularly, and how did you gravitate to it?
I honestly started playing bass because we needed a bass player and I was the one with access to a bass amp and bass. I played rhythm guitar and sang up until I met Ronnie, who I would later start “Audic Empire” with. He also played rhythm guitar and sang and we didn’t know any bass players, so we had to figure something out. I still write most of my songs on guitar, but I’ve grown to love playing the bass.
How did you learn to play, James?
I took guitar lessons growing up and spent a lot of time just learning tabs or playing by ear and kicked around as a frontman in a handful of bands playing at the local coffee shops or rec centers. Once I transitioned to bass, I really just tried to apply what I knew about guitar and stumbled through it till it sounded right. I’m still learning every time I pick it up, honestly.
You are also a songwriter, recording engineer, and a fantastic singer, did you get formal training for this?
Thank you, that means a lot! I had a couple of voice lessons when I was in my early teens, but didn’t really like the instructor. I did however take a few lessons recently through ACC that I enjoyed and think really helped my technique (Shout out to Adam Roberts!) I was not a naturally gifted singer, which is a nice way of saying I was pretty awful, but I just kept at it.
As far as recording and producing, I just watched a lot of YouTube videos and asked people who know more than me when I had a question. Whenever I feel like I’m not progressing, I just pull up tracks from a couple of years ago, cringe, and feel better about where I’m at but I’ve got a long way to go. Fortunately, we’ve got some amazing producers I can pass everything over to once I get the songs as close to finalized as I can.
Describe your playing style(s), tone, strengths and/or areas that can be improved on the bass.
I honestly don’t know what my style would be considered. We’ve got so many styles that we play and fuse together that I just try to do what works song by song. I don’t have too many tricks in the bag and just keep it simple and focus on what’s going to sound good in the overall mix. I think my strength lies in thinking about the song as a whole and what each instrument is doing, so I can compliment everything else that’s going on. What could be improved is absolutely everything, but that’s the great thing about music (and kind of anything really).
Who were your influencers in terms of other musicians earlier on or now that have made a difference and inspired you?
My dad exposed me to a lot of music early. I was playing a toy guitar while watching a VHS of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live at SXSW on repeat at 4 years old saying I wanted to “do that” when I grew up. I was the only kid in daycare that had his own CDs that weren’t kid’s songs. I was listening to Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, and The Doors when I could barely talk. I would make up songs and sing them into my Panasonic slimline tape recorder and take it to my preschool to show my friends. As I got older went through a bunch of music phases. Metal, grunge, rock, punk, hip hop, reggae, ska, etc. Whatever I heard that I connected to I’d dive in and learn as much as I could about it. I was always in bands and I think I kept picking up different styles along the way and kept combining my different elements and I think that’s evident in Audic’s diverse sound.
Tell me about Audic Empire and your new release Take Over! Can you share some of the highlights you and the band are most proud of?
Takeover was an interesting one. I basically built that song on keyboard and drum loops and wrote and tracked all my vocals in one long session in my bedroom studio kind of in a stream-of-consciousness type of approach. I kind of thought nothing would come of it and I’d toss it out, but we slowly went back and tracked over everything with instruments and made it our own sound. I got it as far as I could with production and handed it off to Chad Wrong to work his magic and really bring it to life. Once I got Snow Owl Media involved and we started brainstorming about a music video, it quickly turned into a considerably larger production than anything we’ve done before and it was such a cool experience. I’m really excited about the final product, especially considering I initially thought it was a throwaway track.
Describe the music style of Audic Empire for us.
It’s all over the place… we advertise it as “blues, rock, reggae.” Blues because of our lead guitarist, Travis Brown’s playing style, rock because I think at the heart we’re a rock band, and reggae because we flavor everything with a little (or a lot) of reggae or ska.
How did you find Bergantino Audio Systems?
Well, my Ampeg SVT7 caught fire at a show… We were playing Stubbs in Austin and everyone kept saying they smelled something burning, and I looked back in time to see my head, perched on top of its 8×10 cab, begin billowing smoke. We had a tour coming up, so I started researching and pricing everything to try and find a new amp. I was also fronting a metal band at the time, and my bass player’s dad was a big-time country bass player and said he had this really high-end bass amp just sitting in a closet he’d sell me. I was apprehensive since I really didn’t know much about it and “just a little 4×10” probably wasn’t going to cut it compared to my previous setup. He said I could come over and give it a test drive, but he said he knew I was going to buy it. He was right. I immediately fell in love. I couldn’t believe the power it put out compared to this heavy head and cumbersome cab I had been breaking my back hauling all over the country and up countless staircases.
Tell us about your experience with the forte D amp and the AE 410 Speaker cabinet.
It’s been a game-changer in every sense. It’s lightweight and compact. Amazing tone. And LOUD. It’s just a fantastic amp. Not to mention the customer service being top-notch! You’ll be hard-pressed to find another product that, if you have an issue, you can get in touch with the owner, himself. How cool is that?
Tell us about some of your favorite basses.
I was always broke and usually working part-time delivering pizzas, so I just played what I could get my hands on. I went through a few pawn shop basses, swapped in new pickups, and fought with the action on them constantly. I played them through an Ampeg be115 combo amp. All the electronics in it had fried at some point, so I gutted it out and turned it into a cab that I powered with a rusted-up little head I bought off someone for a hundred bucks. My gear was often DIY’d and held together by electrical tape and usually had a few coats of spray paint to attempt to hide the wear and tear. I never really fell in love with any piece of gear I had till I had a supporter of our band give me an Ibanez Premium Series SDGR. I absolutely love that bass and still travel with it. I’ve since gotten another Ibanez Premium Series, but went with the 5-string BTB. It’s a fantastic-sounding bass, my only complaint is it’s pretty heavy.
Love your new video Take Over! Let us know what you’re currently working on (studio, tour, side projects, etc.)
Thank you!! We’ve got a LOT of stuff we’re working on right now actually. Having 2 writers in the band means we never have a shortage of material. It’s more about getting everything tracked and ready for release and all that goes into that. We just got through filming videos for 2 new unreleased tracks with Snow Owl Media, who did the videos for both Love Hate and Pain and Takeover. Both of these songs have surprise features which I’m really excited about since these will be the first singles since our last album we have other artists on. We’ve also got a lot of shows coming up and I’ve also just launched my solo project as well. The debut single, “Raisin’ Hell” is available now everywhere. You can go here to find all the links distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jamestobias/raisin-hell
What else do you do besides music?
For work, I own a handyman service here in Austin doing a lot of drywall, painting, etc. I have a lot of hobbies and side hustles as well. I make custom guitar straps and other leather work. I do a lot of artwork and have done most of our merch designs and a lot of our cover art. I’m really into (and borderline obsessed) with health, fitness, and sober living. I have a hard time sitting still, but fortunately, there’s always a lot to do when you’re self-employed and running a band!
Follow James Tobias:
jamestobiasmusic.com
Facebook.com/james.tobias1
Instagram.com/ru4badfish2
TikTok.com/@jamestobiasmusic
audicempire.com
Bass CDs
New Album: Avery Sharpe, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
Avery Sharpe and his Double Quartet to release, I Am My Neighbors Keeper
A new recording will be released on JKNM Records by internationally renowned bassist/composer Avery Sharpe, “I Am My Neighbors Keeper” is scheduled for release in June 2024.
Sharpe has composed a new work that highlights our commitment to one another. Avery initiated the project as a response to the political and racial division that has grown over the past seven years in the country. “The U.S political climate has drastically changed in the past 40-plus years, especially during the last seven of those years. In this age of greed, which Sharpe refers to as “IGM,” I Got Mine, basic human compassion has been eroded. Racial, economic and social strides are being turned back.
“We have food insecurity, the unhoused, pandemics, school shootings, domestic violence, and an opioid problem, just to name some. There is a need to remind people that each of us is here on this planet for a very short period of time. It doesn’t matter if one has a religious approach or a secular approach, it all comes down to concern and compassion for each other. Through these compositions and recordings, Avery’s mission as an artist is to remind us that we all are interconnected and that ‘We Are Our Neighbor’s Keeper.’ When we help to uplift one, we uplift everyone,” Sharpe said.
Each movement in the piece describes the values we should strive for to help one another for this multi-media (video slide show during performance) and multi-discipline performance.
Many of Sharpe’s projects and recordings have been about “standing on the shoulders of ancestors, heroes and sheroes.” Among his recordings and projects, include “Running Man” (celebrating the athlete Jesse Owens), “Ain’t I A Woman” (about Sojourner Truth), and his most recent project “400: An African American Musical Portrait” (marking the 400 years from 1619 to 2019).
Avery Sharpe has recorded and performed with many jazz greats from Dizzy Gillespie to Yusef Lateef. He had an illustrious run of 20 plus years with the legendary Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, of which he recorded more than 25 records with Mr. Tyner and performed countless worldwide concerts.
Visit online at averysharpe.com/
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
