Two Basses : Deep Cranberry STD-VI 36" scale & Imperial Blue STD-V 34" scale
Brad MacDonald : SOUL-IV
Chris Tarry : STD-V
Dan Kozar : STD-Guitar
David Wallimann : STD-Guitar
Etric Lyons : STD-V
Gerd Resse : STD-IV
Ian Da Souza : SOUL-IV
Jake Wolf : L-BOW-V
Juan Arias : STD-Guitar
Matthias Rethmann : STD-V
Vail Johnson : SOUL-IV

These amazing musical instruments are hand-made by Heiko Hoepfinger and his team at BassLab in Germany. GH Services is the exclusive dealer and distributor for BassLab Instruments in Canada and the United States. See the About Us page for more.

News
· Craig Kickbush of Ecliptic sent us this video of him playing his L-BOW-VI at their CD release.

· The new StepABout stereo pre-amp stompbox for Chapman Stick players is now here! This is based on two modified BassXX circuits, and was designed in collaboration with Stick master Greg Howard. Visit Stick Enterprises for ordering info.

· Polo Jones is playing a BassLab SOUL bass, and will tour with Zuccherro this summer.

· In collaboration with the great Ned Steinberger, BassLab is producing a new composite NS Viola, which will be ready in time for the Musikmesse!

· We have a cool new paint finish available! See a preview here.

· The Stick XBL36™ is now in production! Estimated delivery is 2007.04. Visit Stick Enterprises for ordering info.

· We had two BassLab basses in the AccuGroove booth, #1291 Hall E at the NAMM Show in Anaheim. More...

· Bass Player magazine (March 2003) has a great review of a silver STD-V with soundholes.

· Bass Inside online magazine, in an August 2002 review, gave a perfect score to the STD-V.

Check out our new In The Lab section, where individual instruments are explored in detail.

Heiko uses his own high-tech composite material to create a strong monocoque structure, or hollow shell, throughout the entire instrument. The body and neck are one piece, so there are no dead spots and the tone is uniform all over. The light weight improves the ratio of string-to-body mass, which means that the acoustic body influences the sound quality of the instrument more than heavy wood, resulting in a bigger and tighter low end. And these instruments aren't affected by the weather - they stay in tune!

The composite material is the result of six years of research into modern materials, acoustics, and new construction methods. Called "Tunable Mixed Composite", it is a unique mixture of resins and other ingredients. The ratio of ingredients can be adjusted, depending on the instrument design and the desired sound. See how the BassLab Composite compares to wood. Carbon fibre is used to add stiffness and to provide electrical shielding throughout the entire body, but the patented BassLab production process is completely different from the standard graphite instrument process.

For the bass models, you can select either passive or active controls. The superb BassXX (pronounced like basics) preamp is custom-made to BassLab's specifications, and it provides bass, treble, and sweepable midrange controls, along with a passive mode switch that allows you to play the instrument without a battery.

Unlike many high-end instruments with active electronics, passive mode on a BassLab is a "tone zone" unto itself. It's not just an afterthought for when the battery runs out. Heiko believes in making a bass sound good naturally, then the preamp can be used to filter out what you don't want rather than artificially boosting what isn't there.

To create your desired tone, you can choose between two soapbar or three stacked humbucking high output Rough Crystal pickups. The stacked pickups provide a more focused sound, which is great for solo bass and fretless instruments.

All basses have 34" scale and 24 frets (and occasionally one or two more), with the exception of the SOUL, which has 20 frets like the bass that inspired it - the Jazz Bass.

You can get a custom bass or custom guitar with any combination of tuners, pickups, and electronics, and also any neck profile, body shape, and lacquer colour. For the standard instruments and options see the Prices and Ordering page.

For all enquiries, contact ghservices.com@gmail.com, or use our Price Request Form to get a quote.

L-BOW V STD VI DN1000

The STD

STD V headless BassLab designed this instrument to be the new standard for electric basses. Light in weight, very comfortable to play, and the sound has a tight mid-range punch with clear definition in the lows.

The bass pictured here is a 5 string headless with the BassXX preamp, 3 pickups, and soundholes. The colour is Silver metallic, with painted silver hardware. This bass was reviewed by Bass Player magazine.

The ABM tuners are located at the tail of the instrument, rather than the head. Normal (single-ball) strings are used, with the free end clamped at the head and the excess string trimmed off.

Standard Measurements (can be customized)
Model Scale String-to-String Neck Width
at Nut at Bridge Fret 0 Fret 12 Fret 21
STD-V 864mm (34") 9mm 19mm 48mm 68mm 78mm
STD-VI 864mm (34") 9mm 17mm 58mm 76mm 86mm
The head configuration can be the familiar 'chopped-off' headless look, or a small headstock that adds a bit of visual interest. (See the Gallery for headed and headless basses.)

Typical options: 4, 5, or 6 strings, fretted or fretless, headed or headless, BassXX or DaCapo preamp, 2 or 3 pickups, colour. Other things are possible, too!

The L-BOW

L-BOW V The sound of this bass is remarkably "time-aligned" and balanced, due in part to the built-in "bow" running parallel to the neck that joins the body to the head. This feature alters the resonance of the instrument, giving a broader low-end response. In fact, all BassLab instruments have a better low-end than conventional instruments, but the L-BOW takes that even further and carries the effect right up the spectrum.

The pictured instrument is finished in yellow, with the BassXX preamp, 2 pickups, and black hardware.

Standard Measurements (can be customized)
Model Scale String-to-String Neck Width
at Nut at Bridge Fret 0 Fret 12 Fret 21
L-BOW-V 864mm (34") 9mm 19mm 51mm 66mm 76mm

Typical options: 4, 5, or 6 strings, fretted or fretless, headless (C-BOW variant only), BassXX or DaCapo preamp, 2 or 3 pickups, colour.

The SOUL

SOUL IV This is BassLab's modern recreation of a popular instrument from the last century! It is still constructed in the BassLab way: a hollow, composite body, weighing about 2500 grams (about 5.5 pounds). It has the characteristic Jazz Bass sound but with great sustain, low end, attack, and a compelling organic quality. The neck has 20 frets.

The bass shown here is finished in Ice Blue metallic

Standard Measurements (can be customized)
Model Scale String-to-String Neck Width
at Nut at Bridge Fret 0 Fret 12 Fret 21
Soul-IV 864mm (34") 9.5mm 20mm 42mm 58mm 63mm
with a special twelfth fret indicator, 2 pickups, and black hardware. The bass is loud enough to permit practicing without an amp. This isn't your grandpa's J-Bass!

Typical options: 4 or 5 strings, fretted or fretless, BassXX or DaCapo preamp, 2 or 3 pickups, acoustic soundholes, colour, various pickguard finishes.

The C-GUITAR

C-GUITAR All of the benefits of the BassLab technology are available to guitarists as well, resulting in a clean sound that is rich and full like a hollowbody jazz guitar, but has a huge crunch when overdriven. The flowing lines and light weight are a positive change from the conventional wood slab.

The instrument pictured here has 6 strings, 2 Seymour Duncan "Screaming

Standard Measurements (can be customized)
Model Scale String-to-String Neck Width
at Nut at Bridge Fret 0 Fret 12 Fret 21
C-Guitar 635mm (25") 6.5mm 11mm 41mm 52mm 56mm
Demon" humbuckers, and LSR tuners. There are 25 full frets, and a 26th half fret under the highest two strings.

Typical options: different pickups, passive or active electronics, custom control configurations, colour.

The DN1000

DN1000 You might expect a double-neck to be a strain on your back, but this DN1000 weighs in at only 5700 grams, or less than 12 pounds!

This double-neck bass has two 5-string necks, one fretted and one fretless. On board are two DaCapo preamps, one for the fretted neck's 2 pickups, and one for the fretless neck's 3 pickups. The two preamps are summed to one output jack. The tuners and bridges are by ABM and are lacquered to match.

Typical options: any combination of necks (guitar or bass, number of strings, fretted or fretless), parallel or angled necks, BassXX or DaCapo preamps, 2 or 3 pickups, multiple output jacks, colour.

The Stick XBL36

Announcing the Stick X36 - a collaboration between BassLab and Stick Enterprises

Announcing very exciting news! Stick Enterprises, inventors of The Chapman Stick®, has asked BassLab to help develop The Stick XBL36™, a member of the Stick X36 family of 36-inch scale fretboard tapping instruments.

The body is made using the BassLab hollow-shell composite technique, resulting in a light instrument with the subtle acoustic quality and "liveness" that is the hallmark of BassLab instruments. Greg Howard said that it might be the best-sounding Stick ever made!

This new version of The Stick will be available first in a 10-string model. It also includes new fret markers extending the full width of the fretboard. They are very visible to the player and add a unique look to the instrument.

The new Stick is currently in final prototype stages and will be available from Stick Enterprises soon. Contact them with all enquiries about the XBL36.

The Stick XBL36 was premiered at the 2003 Frankfurt Musikmesse, where it was on display with other BassLab instruments in Hall 4.0 booth K08.


Prices

See our prices or use our Price Request Form to get a quote on your own BassLab!


FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions

For more details on the BassLab instruments, visit the FAQ page. There's also info on the BassXX Preamp and the Rough Crystal Pickups.


In The Lab

Check out our new In The Lab section, which showcases recent projects.


Reviews, Tests, Seminars, and Shows

See our Reviews, Tests, Seminars, and Shows page.

Where to Buy a BassLab
· E-mail us for direct sales, or try our Price Request Form.