Custom Basses for Custom Bass Players
Available basses
4-String Frame Bass
SOLD
Headless 4-String Bass
34" Scale
Hipshot Hardware
Aguilar Passive Pickups
Wenge Neck Through Construction
Double Ball End Strings
6.45 lbs
Includes Mono Gig Bag
5-String Frame Bass
SOLD
Headless 5-String Bass
34" Scale
Hipshot Hardware
Seymour Duncan Passive Pickups
Flame Maple Neck Through Construction
Double Ball End Strings
6.55 lbs
Includes Mono Gig Bag
5-String Fretless Frame Bass
SOLD
Headless 5-String Fretless Bass
34" Scale
Hipshot Hardware
EZI Pickups with Auilar 3-Band EQ
Wenge Neck Through Construction
Double Ball End Strings
8.10 lbs
Includes Mono Gig Bag
Models
Frame Bass
Starting at $4,000
34" Scale Length
Figured Maple Neck
Swamp Ash Body Core
Figured Top and Back Body Plates
Hipshot Headless Hardware
Bartolini Pickups w/ Aguilar 3-Band EQ
Ebony Fingerboard (Fretted or Fretless)
Double Ball End Strings
6-7 lbs (depending on options)
Includes Mono Gig Bag
Q-Bass
Starting at $4,000
30, 32, 34 or 35" Scale length available
Figured Maple Neck
Variety of wood options
Hipshot Hardware (Headless and Slotted Head Stock Options Available)
Fretted or fretless
Neck Thru or Bolt-On options available
Pickups (varied options)
11-String Harp Bass
Starting at $5,500
- 35″ Scale 4 string bass section
Flame Maple neck through construction
Swamp Ash body wings
Bartolini Pickups w/ Aguilar 3-band eq
Hipshot Ultralight Bass Tuners
Schaller Planetary Banjo Tuners
ABM Individual Bass Bridges
“Harp” String Guages – .84 .72 .56 .44 .34 .24 .16
B-Band Pickup under “Harp” saddle
Stereo Output – Tip: 4 String Bass Ring: 7 String “Harp” Section
Includes Gig Bag
16-String Harp Bass
Starting at $5,900
35″ Scale 4 string bass section Flame Maple neck through construction Swamp Ash body wings Bartolini Pickups w/ Aguilar 3-band eq Hipshot Ultralight Bass Tuners Schaller Planetary Banjo Tuners ABM Individual Bass Bridges “Harp” String Guages – .84 .72 .56 .44 .34 .24 .16 B-Band Pickup under “Harp” saddle Stereo Output – Tip: 4 String Bass Ring: 7 String “Harp” Section Includes Case
Frame Guitar
Starting at $3,500
25.5" Scale Length
Figured Maple Neck
Swamp Ash Core
Figured Top and Back Body Plates
Hipshot Headless Hardware
EMG Pickups
Ebony Fingerboard
Double Ball End Strings
Includes Mono Gig Bag
BB Model 49
Starting at $4,000
34, 35 or 36" Scale length available
Wood (varied options)
Fretted or fretless
Neck Thru or Bolt-On options available
Pickups (varied options)
About Barton Basses
The idea for building instruments started during my senior year of high school while trying to draw a logo for my first band during math class. Somehow, the ambitious thought of making all of the instruments sprung to mind and the seed was planted. As time went on, the idea focused in on building basses and never left. As I continued to play in bands and grow as a musician, I found myself emulating the likes of Jaco and Les Claypool, so the obvious thing to do was to pull the frets out of my bass and I never looked back.
After reading Mickey Hart's "Drumming at The Edge of Magic" I was inspired to build a drum, and as luck would have it I located the book he referenced, "The Ojibwa Dance Drum: Its History and Construction" at the local library and made my first musical instrument. Many other percussion instruments followed, e.g. Shekeres, Bullroarers and a variety of other noise makers. Then one day I saw an article in the local newspaper about the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery guitar making & repair school, made a phone call, took a tour and was signed up all within a day or two. After attending R-V, I went on to tour the country with my semi-successful ska band, Kongo Shock which lasted for about 5 years until the band dissolved. As Bob Marley once vocalized (as well as many others) "When one door is closed, don't you know another is open" and a position became available at Roberto-Venn where I am currently the Assistant Director and continue to build my original designs as well as play around locally in my current band Mr. Incommunicado.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my work.
Barton
Ordering
Models:
Frame Bass
Q-Bass
Harp Bass
Frame Guitar
BB49
Contact me for pricing estimates and options.
A variety of wood choices, electronics, hardware and other add-ons are available.
All models include a gig bag.
A 50% deposit is required to start your build with the remaining 50% due upon completion prior to delivery.
Bass completion time is approximately 2-8 months depending on the complexity of the build.