Hi there! I'm Oda, the Bass player!
How is everyone spending Golden Week?
I’ve heard that if you can take time off on weekdays, you could get up to 11 consecutive days off—but not many people can do that, right?
If you’re thinking, “My break isn’t that long, and I’m not really in the mood for a trip…,” please come visit Shin-Okubo!
You can stop by TCGAKKI and enjoy some Asian cuisine on the side 🍴
Now, in our last post, we introduced the MGBass custom model!
Did you get a chance to watch the demo video?
Actually, I’m releasing another video this time!
Be sure to watch it all the way through!
First up, we’ll continue our introduction to the custom models.
Our first shipment of this model!! For those who think, “That shape is a bit too outlandish…”
Africa 5 Strings
This is a model we didn’t have in stock when we restocked last year.
Even though I said, “For those who think ‘that shape is a bit too outlandish…’,” I ended up going with a super flashy burl top! Haha
It’s the only model in our MGBass lineup with an F-style head shape.
I personally chose the lollipop-style tuners, and they look incredibly cute paired with the body’s round, chubby shape.
Let me be honest about the wood selection process.
MGBass offers an incredible number of wood combinations to choose from (for the Africa model alone: 5 body types, 8 body top types, 11 neck types, and 18 fingerboard types!).
While trying to resist the urge to go for “super outlandish combinations,” I—as the Bass player—and Mr. Tanaka from the repair department discussed things like “What kind of sound are we aiming for?”, “Wouldn’t this pair well with that?”, and “What would appeal to Japanese players?” to make our decision.
For this “Africa” model, however, based on my personal feeling that “a Japanese manufacturer probably wouldn’t go for this combination” and “it has such a cute vibe anyway!”, I chose a neck with a purpleheart inlay.
Isn’t it cute??
It’s cute, right!!!
(Sorry, I got a little carried away raving about two lines that are only a few centimeters long.)
Also, the wooden pickup cover—the only one in the lineup—is definitely worth checking out!!
It’s so cool and cute.
And this is the only 6-string in this lineup!!
Desert 6 strings
This is also a model we’ve just received for the first time.
The body top is made of two types of wood, which we at MGBass call a “double top”!
It features a curly maple/wenge double top, a mahogany back, and a ziricote fingerboard.
The ziricote fingerboard used on the Infinity Ghost 6 we received last year looked incredibly cool, so I definitely wanted to use it on this 6-string with its wider fingerboard—that’s why I chose it.
Honestly, the finished look turned out even cooler than I imagined!!
While many of the woods used are quite hard, I think we were able to achieve a warm sound by using mahogany for the back—the part of the body that has the greatest impact on the tone.
The combination of the EMG pickups’ natural tone, the Bartolini preamp’s warm sound, and the resonance of the wood all come together to create a sound that’s “clear yet full of the warmth of the wood.”
This is truly a bass that embodies MGBass’s philosophy of “the optimal fusion of wood and electronics”!
Now, please check out the performance video!
I, Oda, am back on Bass, just like last time.
The bass I’m using is the Africa 5 Strings, which I introduced first this time!
The guitar is a TMG Guitar/DOVER! ← This one is currently available at a great price!!!
I tuned the bass to blend seamlessly with the guitar’s gritty, driving sound.
It fits perfectly into the ensemble without sounding out of place, yet the bass lines still cut through clearly—I think we’ve truly embodied the “Mid-Fi” sound!
Please give it a listen with earphones or headphones! (That’s every bassist’s wish, lol)
Here’s the video featuring the MGBass/Extreman headless natural quilted 5 that I introduced last time!
I’m so happy when people come up to me in the store and say, “I saw your video!” Thank you all so much as always!
Thank you again for watching all the way to the end!
See you next time~👋
Oda