If you have followed the building process of this bass, then you know it is a 5 string handmade by the Irish luthier Chris Larkin.
We've sold several Larkin basses over the last few years, but we can honestly say this is his best so far.
Great wood selection and painstakingly attention to detail are the norm with Chris. What sets this instrument apart from previous Larkin basses is that Chris is now using carbon fiber rods along the neck, which enables him to make a slightly slimmer neck that is a joy to play. We specified mandolin frets and they are great: your left hand slides up and down the neck like nobody's business, almost as if it were a fretless. There's also more room for your fingers at the dusty end of the fingerboard.
In short, the bass plays itself (well, almost).
Action can be set real low, and the Larkin trademark silky finish complete a perfect package from the playing point of view.
But of course this is useless if the bass sounds less than great. Don't worry, there are bags of tone here.
The twin active Basslines pickups have a magnet arrangement that works as Precision pickups (regardless the rectangular pickup housings). These pickups are absolutely noiseless, and the sound is full and pure, free form any pre-EQ, which makes them perfect for fans of flat uncoloured bass. They are also perfect for adding EQ and effects afterwards, be it through the internal preamp or external devices.
The onboard Aguilar OBP-3 circuit is extremely musical, and in this case the combination of Basslines pickups and this preamp is a match made in heaven.
Bass & treble do exactly what you'd expect from them, except no sing of the typical muddiness or hiss from lesser preamps. Mids have been set at 400Hz to provide maximum growl and fingerstyle punch.
An amazing slap sound is produced with a slight boost of Bass & Treble with both pickups on. Swith to the bridge pickup and add a touch of Mids and you are rewarded with a familiar Jacoesque nasal (in the good sense) tone.
The neck pickup deserves a special mention: with a slight treble boost it sounds almost acoustic (similar to a piezo but more natural). Turn down the treble and boost the lows & Mids and you enter classic P-zone immediately.
In short: an all round bass that nails some of the most familiar bas tones.
The beautiful Redwood Burl top complete the package to make this a great sounding & great looking bass that is easy to play and is also lightweight. Do you need any more reasons to buy it?
Reacter 5B Bass by Chris Larkin
- 5 string, 35" scale
- lightweight resonant alder body and neck with maple strips on a glued in neck.
- Basslines pickups & Aguilar OBP3 preamp
- Stunning Redwod Burl top
- Mandolin frets (a la Leland Sklar)