SkunkWerx USA Custom "Aster" Meteora Bass 2021 Butterscotch Fender Japanese JB Neck SD Dragonfire

** Now includes tweed hardshell case with super soft red plush interior! Pending arrival, as guitar and case will be shipped together. **

Here at SkunkWerx USA, we are always looking for the coolest guitars, and when we can't find what we want, we just make 'em!

Meet "Aster", as in "Aster-Oid". She's out of this world, and definitely fulfills our "Reverse Engineered From UFO’s” ethos. Mash the past with some stunning tech, and take over the world

When Fender first produced the now legendary "Meteora" six string guitar, it was the first truly new idea from Fender in a decade or more, and was an instantaneous hit. A very limited run, they sold out fast, and continue to command higher than original sale prices. An instant classic.

It was only a natural progression for them to make a badass bass, right? Maybe not. Crickets.

We saw a void in the big F's catalog, so we decided to fill it. Our first addition to our new "Perpendicular Paradigm" line features our first bass guitar under the SkunkWerx USA label, and we knocked it out of this world! Aster is ready for liftoff!

We started with a custom cut two piece ash body and custom cut pickguard. We then laid thin coats of Butterscotch lacquer, and finished that off with a semi gloss clear coat, all the while ensuring as thin and hard of a finish as possible to allow the wood to fully resonate. We intentionally buffed that to a semi gloss, but could easily be polished back to ultra gloss. We thought the finish fit the vibe better.

The neck required something very special, in this case a lightly used early 2000's Fender Japanese Jazz Bass Neck, with awesome black block inlays and black binding that give this bass a very regal look. We leveled the frets, perfectly rounded the fret edges, crowned them, and polished them like jewels. As the neck is the only previously lightly used part on this guitar, it does have a couple of minor imperfections in the finish. Very small, barely evident in the pictures, and I can supply more accurate pics on request. It's a 97/100, no worries, and it plays like a DREAM! Fitted with Fender standard bass tuners, and a bone nut, both native to this neck.
For pickups and wiring, we chose a Seymour Duncan USA SSB-4b Passive Soapbar Phase II, with ceramic magnets, hitting the meter at 3.7K DC. This passive variation has a moderate output and a slightly more subtle tone than its active brothers. The punch you want is still there, but the feel of the pickup is more organic. Drop tunings are no problem for the SSB-4. Even with the lowest of lows, the articulation and low-end clarity shine. If you're switching from an active to passive setup, these will drop-in to any EMG 35 sized pickup slot.
For the other pickup, we chose Dragonfire Split P Bass Pickups featuring Alnico V (A5) magnets and flat-top pole pieces to provide better balance and output across the strings, these pickups produce 8.3K (approximate) output. These precision-style pickups are single-coil split for two distinct pickups wound opposite from each other. This wiring allows for more even tonal capability and balanced sound along with reduced hum. These pickups are great for most styles of play and have tons of versatility, while still maintaining ferocious bite.
Finish that off with a vintage style real brass barrel bridge, Dunlop Strap Lok buttons, chrome knurled knobs and you have a super versatile, incredible playing, and positively killer looking beast of a bass! Feels almost like a short scale, very balanced both on the lap and while using a strap. Scale says 8.2 pounds. Full setup performed, with intonation set, and string height at 12th fret just about 1.5mm. It'll got lower, no sweat, but why?

Now includes tweed hardshell case with super soft red plush interior! Pending arrival, as guitar and case will be shipped together.

Be the first, and only, on your block with a SkunkWerx Aster "Meteora" bass!

DVS Guitars always recommends a full set up by a qualified technician, as temperature and humidity can affect playability during shipping. We recommend waiting 48-72 hours BEFORE performing any setup to allow the guitar to acclimate to your local humidity and temperature. This often alleviates issues without the need for additional setup. During colder months, we recommend you leave the instrument in its shipping box for at least 24 hours, as temperature changes can cause finish cracks and other damage. All instruments are PHOTOGRAPHED during packing to ensure we have the most recent and accurate pictures in case of damage during shipping.
All warranties are offered and serviced directly thru the manufacturer. No returns unless DVS Guitars has substantially misrepresented the condition of the item. Return shipping is at the BUYER'S expense, and all returns are subject to a 20% restocking fee, so please review all photos carefully, and ask questions before you buy. We strive to provide as accurate information and descriptions as possible, nobody like surprises!
You can count on DVS Guitars to do what we can to make sure you are fully satisfied with your purchase. Thanks for looking!