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Abraham Laboriel Test Drives His New Wyn

A follow up from the previous post, I collaborated on a 5 string fretless bass with Abraham, the goal — to build a chambered bass with great acoustic bass properties and capable of sounding like an upright bass. Here is Abraham’s first test drive of this bass.

Published by Randy, on May 29th, 2014 at 9:46 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Abraham Laboriel Test Drives His New Wyn

Abraham Laboriel talks about his Wyn, music and life

Abraham discusses the process that he and Randy went through to figure out and design his first Wyn bass.

The topic of this video was what advice does Abraham have to offer on how to become a great musician. But by the end of this heartfelt interview, you realize everything Abraham has to say can apply to any and everything in life. Gems of wisdom from on Old Soul.

Published by Randy, on March 19th, 2014 at 5:33 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Abraham Laboriel talks about his Wyn, music and life

Wyn Tone Demonstration Video

I’ve been thinking for quite some time that a “tone demonstration video” for the web site was long overdue. So, I recently gathered some friends in my shop to collaborate on this video. It’s purpose was to answer using audio and video rather than words, many of the questions that potential customers almost always seem to ask. How many tones can I get out of a Wyn bass? If it plays great slap and pop, will it also produce mellow R&B tones? Describe the difference in tone you get from one of your fretless basses. Talk about a fool’s errand to put all of that into words!! I was writing way too many emails that weren’t really doing the job.

Fortunately I’m smart enough not to attempt the demonstration myself. I talked my talented Brazilian friend Isaias Elpes (who recently finished two years of study with the master Abraham Laboriel) to do the demos. Two Wyn guitars are going direct into the mixing board, that’s it. No compression, effects or processing. Enjoy!!

Published by Randy, on March 13th, 2014 at 8:13 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Wyn Tone Demonstration Video

In Progress: March 2014

The list is growing with customers that I’m building basses for in 2014 as well as potential 2015 customers that want to update on the 2014 progress. What I have concentrated on since the last update on necks was to shift to my full focus on the first six basses on the 2014 list. It’s actually grown to eight, but who’s counting? I often like to get to some major milestone before I do an update, but there is a flow going on and there is just no point where all basses are at the same stage.

This update is intended to give the flavor of the variety of things I’m doing as I attempt to finalize the first six basses before jumping onto the next six. (or seven or eight. Every time I seem to make a rule, I break it) Last year I pretty much built 27 basses all at the same time. Madness I tell you!! They all got done, but it felt like everything was going way too slow. This time, I will concentrate on smaller groups, finish, ship, and go to the next group. It already feels better to me in that I have more of a variety and more of a feeling of progress and completion.

This first photo looks like it’s far along, but other than the top Koa bass, all the others have bodies of unglued sandwiches. I have just cut out the layers and set them with the floor with the necks, and fret board and headstock blocks to start to give the eventual feeling of each bass.

In Progress: March 2014 | Main Image

Published by Randy, on March 11th, 2014 at 9:44 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on In Progress: March 2014

The Class of 2013! A Peek at Twenty Seven Basses in Progress

For whatever reason, I have arrived at a group of twenty seven basses that I’m currently working on. I think I started out with twelve and I just kept adding as the orders came in. According to my calculations, just a couple shy of a nervous breakdown, I somehow stopped adding at twenty seven.

This first photo shows how the bass components have taken over my work bench. Seriously, I’m working on a couple of sawhorses wondering how my work bench turned into a giant storage unit!!

The Class of 2013!

Below there are twenty seven “mug shots”. At this point the necks are put together as a laminated block. The body wings the same. It’s the first time I can set the major component pieces together and we can all see it’s going to be a bass guitar one day!! (the tops haven’t been sanded and there’s no finish on them. Just dry wood but you can already see how incredible the grain will be once they have a final finish.) I have listed the guitar top wood with each photo.

Published by Randy, on March 18th, 2013 at 1:26 am. Filed under: NewsComments Off on The Class of 2013! A Peek at Twenty Seven Basses in Progress

Looking Forward to Seeing Everyone at NAMM 2014!!

No, guys that’s not a typo! Wyn Guitars has reluctantly decided to skip the winter NAMM show this year. This morning, I snapped this photo of my current “work in progress” batch of orders – twenty eight basses in progress with more orders after that! I figured it made more sense this year to stay in my shop and keep the sawdust flying!!

28 Guitar Necks for 2013

I will miss the conversations and the fun and listening to the best bass players on the planet, but I promise I’ll return next year and we can just pick up where we all left off last year!!!

Happy Holidays and a Great 2013 to Everyone!!

Randall Wyn Fullmer

Published by Randy, on December 17th, 2012 at 6:48 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Looking Forward to Seeing Everyone at NAMM 2014!!

Randall Wyn Fullmer – Restrung Preview

What are the rewards and what is the price to leave your established career and start again at the bottom? How many nine-to-fivers contemplate the same “great escape”? How many times a day while sanding guitar bodies can I ask myself what in the heck was I thinking?

The film makers are two Canadian cinematographers named Mike Enns and Ralph De Groot. They are a couple of great and super creative guys and the principals at their company – Enns Visuals. Somehow they find my story compelling. There is no explaining Canadians!! But it’s an adventure and I completely trust these guys to make me appear more interesting than I am!!

Published by Randy, on September 19th, 2012 at 8:59 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Randall Wyn Fullmer – Restrung Preview

Pennal’s New Band!!

Published by Randy, on March 19th, 2012 at 8:27 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Pennal’s New Band!!

Pennal Johnson for Aguilar

Happy Pennal and his Toys… Pennal Johnson in an ad for Aguilar Amps, bringing his Wyn along for posterity. Right on Pennal! Photo by Chris Monaghan for Mo/Pho Photography.

Aguilar advertisement featuring Pennal Johnson with his Wyn bass

Published by Randy, on March 19th, 2012 at 8:06 pm. Filed under: NewsComments Off on Pennal Johnson for Aguilar

The great Jermaine Jackson “J” Bass – Part 3

Jermaine Jackson’s custom Wyn bass has been completed! For parts 1 and 2 of this post, see The great Jermaine Jackson “J” Bass and The great Jermaine Jackson “J” Bass – Part 2

I have worked with Jermaine off and on over the course of more than a year to brainstorm, make crude drawings, cut out cardboard mock-ups, make the basic guitar block and hang a strap on it to see if the ergonomics were right, and of course, (of course) went shopping for the exact right Swarovski Crystals. Yes………….

Through this entire process, Jermaine has been like a little kid. So in awe of the concept that his idea could actually become a tangible playable bass. Okay, I’m a bit in awe of that myself!! I spent a lot of time explaining the “prototype” thing to Jermaine. There were just a lot of things that I did on this bass that I haven’t really done before, it’s a work in progress, there are no guarantees this will be anything you’ll want to play, etc………. handle in the middle of the top, working with Jermaine’s logo “J” as the basic body shape and coming out with something you could put on your knee and actually play, inlaying the entire fretboard with pearl, and the Crystals………

Did I have my moments?? You bet I did!! But some how (as usual, luck played a role) the “prototype” turned into a very playable, very funky sounding growly bass! Our wild and crazy scheme actually came together as a real bass!! I now know how Geppetto felt when all of a sudden Pinocchio started talking!!

The magic day arrived when Jermaine was ready to drop by the shop and I had the guitar tuned up and ready to go. Glee I tell you, one of those super fun days you do not forget!! Here, Jermaine poses in my crowded little lunch room/ guitar storage area/ office space, surrounded by my other in progress basses. Obviously the other basses are a bit miffed that they didn’t get the jewel treatment. I tell ya, they won’t shut up about it!!

Jermaine Jackson's J-Bass - Part 3, Image 1 of 5

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We had to pose in my shop space/ space port wood shop! All of the dust tubes make you question whether this really could be ready for outer space travel. (The truth of the matter is that when I put on my special helmet, it is ready!!)

Jermaine Jackson's J-Bass - Part 3, Image 2 of 5

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Here Jermaine in front of a giant Waterfall Heart and Sap Bubinga board. I look at this board every day and wonder if I’ll ever have the guts to cut into it, it’s so beautiful just like it is. Well, it’s not only the guts, it’s kinda heavy too!! Like 280 pounds heavy!!! It will crush my saw horses I fear!! Speaking of dangerous things, at this point we discussed the need under stage lighting for the entire audience to be fitted with very dense sun glasses!!

Jermaine Jackson's J-Bass - Part 3, Image 3 of 5

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Outside to check out how the guitar worked in sunlight. It worked!!! Jermaine stood in the middle of the parking lot and I moved the guitar from side to side. Shards of wild colorful light emerged. In the mid day sun, you could actually see the colored light across the cars. This is more than a guitar. On the right sunny day, it could rob a 7-11!!!

Jermaine Jackson's J-Bass - Part 3, Image 4 of 5

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And finally, the “walk on stage carrying the guitar by the handle moment!!” Life doesn’t get any funner than this!! We discussed the stunning fact that someone (some guy named Leo Fender?) seems to have already invented the “J” bass. What!!!!!????? We were only 50 years late with ours!!!?? I think Jermaine will come up with another name and who knows where this will all lead!! a

Jermaine Jackson's J-Bass - Part 3, Image 5 of 5

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Published by Randy, on February 18th, 2012 at 8:22 am. Filed under: News,Photo GalleryComments Off on The great Jermaine Jackson “J” Bass – Part 3