4-String Basses

Collage of 4-string bass guitars

Jump to year:


2024

4-2-24
Nick’s lefty 4-2-24.


2-5-24
2-5-24


1-15-24
1-15-24 Rainbow Bass


2023

12-1-23
12-1-23.


10-1-23
10-1-23.


6-6-23
Justin’s bass, 6-6-23.


4-1-23
John’s bass, 4-1-23.


3-21-23
Marshall’s 32″ bass with 2000-year old Brazilian hard wood top. Also pictured is 9-25-06.


2022

7-2-22
This bass was sold in Japan.


6-3-22
Fretless twin to 7-2-22 sold in Japan.


5-26-22
Dean’s Fretless 4-string 5-26-22.


5-4-22
Spud’s 4-string 5-26-22.


3-3-22
Corin’s Semi-Frills 3-3-22.


2-16-22
Ben Kleinman commissioned 4-string 2-16-22. It is now in the hands of Peter Teresi. Also pictured also is Tony Senatore, owner of the 5-7-88 six-string, and Peter’s wife Jae.


2-2-22
Thomas Branson’s 4-string 2-2-22.


2021

9-21-21
Fretless 4-string 9-21-21. This bass has a mahogany neck and core, ebony fingerboard and heel block, pau ferro neck binding, myrtle top and back wings, pau ferro top and back center and purple heart stripes, control plate, fret markers and pickup cover.


7-28-21
Serial number 7-28-21.


7-25-21
Fretless 4-string 7-25-21 made for Jason Momoa.


7-4-21
Bo Dan’s piccolo, serial number 7-4-21, now owned by Palle.


6-9-21
Josh’s serial number 6-9-21.


4-29-21
Rachel’s rainbow 4, tuned D A E B.


4-1-21

2-18-21
Jason’s serial number 2-18-21 bass features a mahogany body and neck with paduak stripes on the body and pau ferro stripes on the neck. The headstock has walnut veneers and a mahogany nameplate and ebony truss rod cover. Pickup covers are ebony and walnut, while the control plate is ebony.


1-2-21
Thomas’ serial number 1-2-21 walnut 38″ scale fretless is modeled off of Carl’s personal instrument.


2020

12-5-20
Brian’s beautiful 38′ scale 4-string, serial number 12-5-20. This bass contains Macassar ebony, west African mahogany, pau ferro neck binding, olive wood, a bocote and walnut core and red heart.

Photos courtesy of Jocelyn Curry of J_Anne photography.


11-26-20
Serial number 11-26-20, made for Palle.


10-21-20
This serial number 10-21-20 38″ scale full-frills fretless belongs to Hiroshi in Japan.


10-9-20
Serial number 10-9-20 semi-frills for Ovi in Germany.


10-6-20
Serial number 10-6-20 semi-frills in Japan.


7-21-20
Rich’s fretted twin to fretless 5-5-18. The body has an olivewood top and back and the fingerboard is snakewood. This bass was a built at the same time as 5-5-18 but due to issues with the neck was delayed. Also pictured is 5-5-18 and 6-9-05.


4-9-20
Gavin’s semi-frills with unique inlay on the back.


2-29-20
Rainbow bass with a figured padauk back, serial number 2-29-20.


1-30-20
Semi-frills bass for Naka in Japan, serial number 1-30-20.


1-23-20
Serial number 1-23-20.


2020 Unknown Serial Number 1

2019

10-31-19
Serial number 10-31-19, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


10-21-19
Taichi’s new bass was a feature at his wedding in June of 2020.


10-1-19
Steve Geer’s 4-string, serial number 10-1-19.


8-26-19
Serial number 8-26-19 made for J Goldman.


7-24-19
7-24-19 is owned by Samuele in Italy. Also pictured is 5-string 1-18-06.


7-15-19
Maarten from Belgium shared photos of his 4-string.


7-4-19
Serial number 7-4-19 made for a client in Japan.


6-25-19
Nick Otersen’s semi-frill’s bass, serial number 6-25-19.


4-1-19
Thomas Haight’s semi-frill’s bass, serial number 4-1-19. Also pictured is Scarlett.


3-5-19
Marc’s lefty Rainbow Bass.


2-14-19
36″ scale ebony/bacote bass, serial number 2-14-19. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


1-15-19
Tim’s no-frills 1-15-19.


2019 Unknown Serial Number 1

2019 Unknown Serial Number 2
This bass was completed in September 2019.


2019 Unknown Serial Number 3
Marcus picked up his bass in March 2019.


2019 Unknown Serial Number 4
Aaron from Chile came to pick up his bass in May 2019.


2018

11-29-18
Phillip Klapp’s 32″ Semi-Frills. It has a Kent Armstrong MM pickup with wood cover, carved scroll, and walnut top. It originally had Carl’s passive circuit but now has an Audere Pro Z 3 band preamp using the existing holes. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


10-1-18
Palle’s serial number 10-1-18, 38” scale 4 string fretless. Set neck, macassar ebony fingerboard, lined. Figured walnut top with Kent Armstrong pickups and hipshot hardware. Includes a 3-way pickup selector: neck pickup, both, bridge pickup. Second 3-way switch: full tone, treble defeat, standby.


9-24-18
4-string fretted semi-frills, 36″ scale, serial number 9-24-18.


7-4-18
32″ scale, serial number 7-4-18. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


6-21-18
36″ semi-frills with custom mahogany neck and side runners and ebony fingerboard, owned by Zach D. Serial number 6-21-18. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net

Also pictured is 1-17-18.


6-20-18
Serial number 6-20-18 semi-frills piccolo. The bass is all walnut with a Kent Armstrong pickup.


5-15-18
Custom ’10 million dollar bass’ style 4-string 36” fretless, serial number 5-15-18. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


5-5-18
Serial number 5-5-18, pillar bass made for Richard Nunez. The bass features a snake wood fingerboard with 29 fret markets, a 1.625” wood nut and snake wood truss rod cover. The pickup is a single passive Kent Armstrong HBNM-1 ‘Musicman’ pickup and volume and tone controls as well as an on/100nF tone/off switch. Weight is 3346g / 7.37lbs.

Also pictured is 8-18-08, and the fretted twin 7-21-20.


5-3-18
Serial number 5-3-18.


4-3-18
Serial number 4-3-18, 4-string fretless. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


4-1-18
PJ’s 34″ scale ball scroll bass, serial number 4-1-18.


1-26-18
Serial number 1-26-18, 4-string fretted. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com

Also pictured is 1-25-18.


1-25-18
Serial number 1-25-18, 4-string fretless in Japan. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com

Note the modification that the current owner has had made as a pickup ramp and pickguard.

Also pictured is 1-26-18.


1-17-18
Serial number 1-17-18 Full Frill’s features active EMGs with pickup selector neck/both/bridge pickups and mute/on/100 nF capacitor circuit. Woods are walnut, paduak, bloodwood, ebony, and mahogany. It weighs 7.6 lbs.

Also pictured is 6-21-18.


1-1-18
Serial number 1-1-18, mahogany top and back, walnut core and padouk lines with padouk caps. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2017

11-27-17
This 36″ scale semi-frills has Kent Armstrong pickups, Hipshot black hardware, a mahogany body and a walnut neck. Weight is 7 pounds 1 ounce, Serial number is 11-27-17.


11-26-17
Casey’s bass, delivered in time for Christmas 2017.


9-5-17
Cole’s 36″, “Super Fancy” 4-string, serial number 9-5-17, with two passive Kent Armstrongs. The body is walnut & paduak top with west African mahogany core. It has a laminate stripe center block and headstock containing snakewood, ebony, and coccobolo. The neck is Honduran mahogany with pau ferro side stripes and macassar ebony fretboard.


8-14-17
Jason’s West African Olive wood bass, 8-14-17.


5-15-17
Semi frills 38” scale 4-string, serial number 5-15-17. It features a single pickup, maple top, mahogany back, cedar center block, zebra wood, lacewood, and some walnut.


4-9-17

1-18-17
Serial number 1-18-17, lefty.


2017 Unknown Serial Number 1
Teal and his wife came to pick up this bass in July 2017.


2017 Unknown Serial Number 2
Jang Young came from Korea to pick up his Semi-Frills in January 2017.


2017 Unknown Serial Number 3

2017 Unknown Serial Number 4

2016

12-28-16
Abraham came from Barcelona to get his 4-string Semi-Frills


12-21-16
Serial number 12-21-16, padauk 4-string fretted. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


12-20-16
Serial number 12-20-16, padauk 4-string fretless. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


12-7-16
4 string 32″ scale 29 fret Semi-Frills. It has a mahogany body with purpleheart stringers, bolt-on mahogany neck and single Kent Armstrong pickup. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


9-1-16
PJ’s 34″ scale ‘1977 reissue’, serial number 9-1-16.


8-2-16
Serial number 8-2-16. Red zebra wood top and back center block, mahogany wings, lined ebony fingerboard, padouk runners on neck and body, and front and back headstock, cedar back. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


7-30-16
Serial number 7-30-16. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


7-4-16
Serial number 7-4-16, built for a client in Japan.


6-14-16
Serial number 6-14-16. This bass features walnut, padauk, mahogany and ebony.


5-19-16
Serial number 5-19-16. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net

This 36″ scale bass has a layered core using walnut, padauk and mahogany. It features two Kent Armstrong pickups.


4-3-16
Serial number 4-3-16, 36″ scale semi-frills. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net

Features two Kent Armstrong pickups (MusicMan style in neck position and Soap Bar in the bridge position), passive circuit with volume, tone, three-way (Pickup selector) switch and three-way (off/on/bass cut) switch and Hipshot hardware. Weight is 6 lbs, 8 ounces.


3-29-16
Serial number 3-29-16, mahogany body with rosewood center stripes, mahogany neck, 36″ scale with ebony fingerboard. Volume and Tone with 3 way switches for each pickup (wired passive), Kent Armstrong pickups.

Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


1-28-16

1-20-16
Mark’s serial number 1-20-16. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


1-14-16
Palle from Denmark shared photos of his semi-frill’s 36″, serial number 1-14-16.


2016 No Serial
Bass owned by Rogelio “Kello” Gonzalez. When Kello ordered his fretless bass, serial number 11-14-12, he asked for a fretted neck as well. Later he asked for a body for that neck and this bass was born. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2016 Unknown Serial Number 1

2016 Unknown Serial Number 2

2016 Unknown Serial Number 3

2016 Unknown Serial Number 4

2015

12-29-15
Serial number 12-29-15 owned by Greg Cancar.


10-29-15
Palle’s bass, serial number 10-29-15. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net, and The Bass Collection, http://www.e-basscollection.com/


10-28-15
4-string fretless, serial number 10-28-15. It has a mahogany core, bird’s eye maple top and walnut back. The neck is mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard. The bass weighs just under 6 lbs. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


8-11-15
Zach’s padauk bass, serial number 8-11-15.


6-23-15
Palle’s serial number 6-23-15. This bass has since had a second pickup added by Carl. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


5-28-15
Serial number 5-28-15, now owned by Magnus. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


4-7-15
Serial number 4-7-15, owned by James S.


2-14-15
Serial number 2-14-15, ‘Valentine’s Day Bass’ owned by Mike. Mike met up with Les and asked him to sign his headstock.


2-5-15
Serial number 2-5-15. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


1-29-15
1-29-15, 29 fret semi-frills that has since had an active Kent Armstrong pickup added. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


1-19-15
Placeholder


1-1-15
Placeholder


2015 Unknown Serial Number 1
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2015 Unknown Serial Number 2
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2014

12-12-14
Heide’s bass, finished on Frank Sinatra’s birthday. Serial number 12-12-14.

12-4-14
Michael McIntyre’s bass, serial number 12-4-14.

12-3-14
Serial number 12-3-14, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


10-31-14
Serial number 10-31-14, 4 string 36″ scale with walnut top and back and walnut core. Ebony bridge plate and hipshot A-type bridge. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


10-8-14
Serial number 10-8-14 belonging to Mikael from Sweden.


9-18-14
Serial number 9-18-14. This bass has since received a new neck, with the back of the headstock signed by Carl.

Top and Back Wings Master Grade Cocobolo
Walnut Center Core
Mahogany Core
Ebony Body Streamers
Walnut Heel Block
Mahogany Neck
Extra thick cut Morado Finger Board
Front and Back Walnut Head Cap
Ebony and Walnut string Nut
36″ Scale
Kent Armstrong Passive PU’s
Passive Vol/tone knobs
Pickup selector switch
Normal/Bass boost/Standby Switch
Ebony Truss Cover
Ebony and Cocobolo Pick up Covers
Cocobolo Control Knobs
Paduk Control cover
Hip Shot A-type Bridge and Ultrlight Tuners
7.8 lbs

Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


9-15-14
Serial 9-15-14, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


5-27-14
Seriasl number 5-27-14, currently owned by Magnus. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


5-13-14
Serial number 5-13-14, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


4-24-14
36″ scale, serial number 4-24-14. Spanish cedar neck, blood wood fingerboard, koa headstock veneers, red heart headstock core, walnut body with lacewood strips, walnut/curly mahogany/ebony center block, walnut control plate. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


3-25-14
PJ’s “Pistachio Bass”, serial number 3-25-14.


1-1-14
Serial number 1-1-14 no-frills bolt-on. This instrument is now owned by Magnus. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2014 Unknown Serial Number 1
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2013

11-4-13
36″ scale no-frills bolt-on, serial number 11-4-13, owned by Dave Muntner.


10-14-13
Serial number 10-14-13. The neck had a truss rod issue and so Carl replaced it in 2015. You can see the different necks in the photos. Jeremy now owns the bass.

Also pictured is 7-22-99.


10-3-13
Dan from Australia’s full-frill’s serial number 10-3-13. This bass is a rare fretted / floating bridge combination with string-through construction.


9-5-13
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2-14-13
Serial number 2-14-13. Photos courtesy of The Bass Collection www.e-basscollection.com


2-5-13
Serial number 2-5-13, photos courtesy of The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


2013 Unknown Serial Number 1

2013 Unknown Serial Number 2
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2012

11-27-12
PJ’s ‘Snake Bass’, serial number 11-27-12, Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


11-14-12
Bass owned by Rogelio “Kello” Gonzalez, serial number 11-14-12. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


8-14-12
Serial number 8-14-12. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection www.e-basscollection.com


8-6-12
Nicholas Coleman’s left-handed olivewood bass, serial number 8-6-12.


7-10-12
Serial number 7-10-12, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


6-4-12
Serial number 6-4-12. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection www.e-basscollection.com


5-17-12
Serial number 5-17-12 32″ scale bass owned by Greg M. The body top is amboyna burl. The bass also has mahogany, walnut, ebony and padauk. It has a single passive Kent Armstrong pickup.

Also pictured is 2-5-06.


4-27-12
Semi-Frills Bolt-on with mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard and mahogany body. 36-inch scale with one passive Kent Armstrong pickup with a wood cover. Controls are master volume, master tone, tone shift. Serial number 4-27-12.


4-26-12
This 32″ Semi-Frills bass, serial number 4-26-12 was once owned by PJ. It is now owned by Gustavo and has been signed by Leland Sklar.

The bass features a mahogany body and neck, padauk neck side runners and ebony fingerboard. The pickup casing has ebony sides and bloodwood top. The headstock front is ebony and padauk, while the back is padauk and ziricote. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


4-1-12
Ky;e’s serial number 4-1-12. A second pickup was later added by Carl.


3-14-12
Serial number 3-14-12, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


2012 Unknown Serial Number 1
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2011

12-25-11
Serial number 12-25-11, owned by Nick Volkart. This bass was stolen near Alameda, CA in April 2019. Please contact Aaron if you have any information on its whereabouts.


12-5-11
Ben’s 4-string 32″ scale bass, serial number 12-5-11.

It has a black walnut body with curly maple stripes, maple neck with ebony fingerboard, curly maple/ebony headstock. The bass features a Kent Armstrong pickup with and ebony cover with cocobolo stripes. The nut is also ebony and cocobolo. The name plate and control covers are both black walnut and the heel block is ebony. Hipshot tuners and bridge.


12-4-11
Serial number 12-4-11, photos courtesy of The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


11-11-11
Serial number 11-11-11. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


10-25-11
Serial number 10-25-11. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


10-24-11
Serial number 10-24-11. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


10-4-11
Serial 10-4-11. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


9-12-11
Bass owned by Rogelio “Kello” Gonzalez, serial number 9-12-11.


5-4-11
Serial number 5-4-11. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com

Multi-laminate exotic wood top and back with a maple core and rainbow cat’s eyes. Paduak neck with wood binding and pau ferro fingerboard. 36″ scale with 24 fret markets. Dual coil passive pickups.


4-13-11
Serial number 4-13-11. Photos courtesy of The Bass Collection www.e-basscollection.com and he Low End, www.thelowend.net


3-3-11
Serial number 3-3-11
Body core: Mahogany
Body front top: Gaboon Ebony center with Cocobolo wings
Body rear top (from center to both sides): Fish-eye Oakwood, Cocobolo, Canarywood (stripe), Gaboon Ebony. The diamond is Gaboon Ebony.
Pickup cover: Lacewood with inlayed Gaboon Ebony diamond.
Front routed control cavity with Cocobolo plate.

Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Macassar Ebony with outer Gaboon Ebony stripes. Mother-of-pearl side dots.

Headstock: Mahogany with Cocobolo front plate and Fish-eye Oakwood rear plate. That one is the same wood as the one used for the center stripe of the rear top but cutted from a different section. It looks totally different.

The name plate on the headstock is purple dyed wood

The electronics are very simple: one single Kent Armstrong humbucker pickup, passive tone control and a three position toggle switch: center is the operational mode; left is bypass, it totally silences the bass (clever intuition); right takes away some high end. This last position in conjunction with the tone control offers a wide range of nuances within the single sound available from the pickup.


2011 Unknown Serial Number 1
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2011 Unknown Serial Number 2
32″ scale. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2011 Unknown Serial Number 3
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2011 Unknown Serial Number 4
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2011 Unknown Serial Number 5
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2010

11-30-10
Matt’s serial number 11-30-10. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


10-10-10
Serial number 10-10-10, photos courtesy of The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


8-26-10
Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


7-5-10
36″ scale mahogany body with mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


4-25-10
Serial number 4-25-10. 1x Kent Armstrong pickup with custom rosewood pickup cover. Active electronics. Controls feature volume and EQ adjustments. 32″ scale, 28 frets. Weight is 7 Lbs, 12 ounces.


4-17-10
Mahogany body with Ebony finger board and Ebony Pickup cover and Ebony headstock Front and rear cap. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


4-14-10
Serial number 4-14-10. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


3-23-10
Serial number 3-23-10, photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


3-15-10
Serial number 3-15-10 as seen in Bassbois Garage review: link


2-5-10
Serial number 2-5-10. Photos by Evan Meyers. This bass is now owned by Larry.


2010 Unknown Serial Number 1
4 string Semi frills 36″ scale. Mahogany body with Ebony Finger board, Pickup cover, front and back Headstock cap and Neck pocket block. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2010 Unknown Serial Number 2
4-string padouk front and back with walnut, mahogany and padouk core. Mahogany neck and flame maple front and back center block. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2010 Unknown Serial Number 3
36″ scale 4-string No Frills with mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard and Kent Armstrong pickup. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net


2010 Unknown Serial Number 4
32″ scale mahogany body with mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Photos courtesy of The Low End, www.thelowend.net and The Bass Collection, www.e-basscollection.com


2010s Unknown Serial Number 1

2010s Unknown Serial Number 2

2010s Unknown Serial Number 3

2010s Unknown Serial Number 4

2010s Unknown Serial Number 5

Top