Maurice Fitzgerald’s 6-String Bass in Progression

Here is a rundown of the making of Maurice Fitzgerald’s custom 6-string Wyn bass.

This is a 6-string Claro Walnut topped bass that’s nearing completion for Maurice Fitzgerald. I had saved this exceptional Walnut for a very long time and his bass seemed like the perfect place to use it. I decided it would be a nice aggressive design element to angle the book matched swirly grain patterns in towards the neck. It was a fun thing to find this Cocobolo board that could carry this same angle from the body and extend it up the neck.

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The back received the same Claro Walnut treatment with a body core of African Mahogany. The neck construction is using a super thin taper core of Wenge with Padouk striping.

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This photo also shows the tone and visual accent layer of Padouk just under the Claro Walnut top.

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Since a 6-string neck built from Wenge can be quite a weighty thing, I have done everything possible to carve deep cutaways and to keep the neck as slim in profile as possible. (I think the easy access right up to the 24th fret is going to be pretty sweet.) I found a very light weight African Mahogany billet for the body core, further reducing the weight. This bass will be finished in a couple of days!!

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Thank goodness I’m slow at putting together web site entries. This allowed me to finish Maurice’s bass and photograph it before my latest entries were placed on the site. So here it is in all it’s glory. I must say that with the Claro Walnut top and back, Wenge taper core neck, and Cocobolo fretboard, this bass has a killer warm sound. Very pristine and defined highs and mids and yet the low B has an amazing throaty attitude.

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The Claro Walnut on this top is found in Northern and Central California. In addition to its great tone attributes, Claro is known for it’s highly figured rich brown color and striking grain patterns. A very fine wood to work with!

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From the back, this taper core neck thru bass really shows a nice aerodynamic design quality. Maurice insisted on taking the bass before I got a chance to test it out in a wind tunnel!!

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The little mark that appears to be a scuff mark on the edge is actually part of the wood. I sanded and sanded thinking it was a surface mark. It was not. Lets call it a distinctive beauty mark that only nature can provide!! There is no up charge for this special feature that appears from time to time!!