One morning while siting in our sun room enjoying a cup of coffee, we were treated to the sight of a barred owl who flew onto a branch no more than 40 feet from our house. He stayed for quite a while, staying long enough for me to get some great pictures, and then left as silently as he had arrived. That encounter was the inspiration for this new bass.
"Barred Owl" is a 5 string upright, and features the first 5 string neck I have made. The body and neck are made from sapele, an African hardwood similar to mahogany, and the 34" scale fretless fingerboard is made of rosewood. It is finished with a transparent red dye with dark burgundy accents and then coated with clear lacquer.
There is a musicman style humbucking pickup and the volume and tone controls are mounted on the back for ease of adjustment while playing. It is fitted with La Bella Deep Talkin' flatwound strings. The bass sits on a heavy-duty stand which is adjustable for height and tilt.