Harpy Instruments is a company that describes itself as a family of musicians who enjoy building unique, playable basses. “Our goal is to build interesting, quirky instruments that add a touch of fun and creativity to the art of music-making,” they share.
They accomplished that goal with their Toucan Electric Bass, a cool nod to vintage designs of the ’50s. Each bass is uniquely built with a selection of woods, stained veneers, and birch plywood. Harpy utilizes a J-bass style Mighty Mite neck that they modify for further comfort.
As cool as it looks, the design centers around its pickup configuration.
“At the heart of the updated Vintage 50’s single coil pickup in the mid and forward position. We are literally pickup forward,” they write. “This exceptional pickup system, which faithfully captures the warm, punchy tones that defined the sound of the ’50s with a modern touch. The pickups deliver a rich, deep resonance that forms the cornerstone of this instrument’s sonic identity.”
Hear the bass in action in the company’s demo: