Thundercat’s bass is as unique as his playing, so this week we’re taking a look at his signature model from Ibanez. The massive six-string hollow body is made in the company’s Japanese custom shop with curly maple for the back and sides and quilted maple for its top. Its five-piece maple and purpleheart neck is topped with a bound rosewood fingerboard inlaid with acrylic blocks.
Ibanez and Thundercat chose a comprehensive set of electronics with a pair of EMG 45HZ pickups as well as a Graph Tech Ghost system in the bridge that offers piezo and MIDI output options. The top toggle switch selects between the pickups while the three lowest mini-switches select between MIDI, Piezo, or a combo, a Mid/Dark EQ, and the MIDI Program. Three of the four knobs on are volume controls for each pickup set with the fourth being a tone control for the magnetic pickups.
As complicated as that seems, Thundercat mixes it into a massive bass tone that he can then manipulate to his will. Listen to what he can do with it in this unbelievable rendition of “Them Changes” featuring JD Beck, DOMi, and Ariana Grande: