We’ve featured a couple of instruments by AJR Guitarmods over the past couple years, and now we’re checking out their lightest bass yet: the Swift Lite 34-inch four-string bass. The inspiration came to luthier Andy Rogers while thinking of the first time he picked up a bass.
“One of the things that surprised me the very first time I took hold of an electric bass guitar – and I don’t think I’m alone – was JUST how heavy it was!” Rogers shares. “And the older I get, the more I ask the question, ‘Tell me again…just why ARE electric guitars and basses so heavy?’. And I could never get a fully convincing answer. And it’s quite an important question because, nowadays, I struggle in long gigs. And then I started noticing that so do a lot of my aging friends. And so do young players. And so do the increasing number of female players. And that’s a lot of ‘And’s!”
His solution was the Swift Lite, a full-scale bass that has a conventional look and balance but weighs in at just 6 pounds and six ounces. Rogers built it with a swamp ash body and poplar burl top with redwood veneer demarcation lines. Its three-piece neck is crafted from maple and walnut while the maple fretboard is adorned with ebony block inlays. He also included glow-in-the-dark Luminlay side dots for visibility. Other features include Nordstrand NJ4 pickups, a Schaller 2000 bridge, and Schaller M4S light tuners. Interestingly, the control knobs, cover, and headstock plate were all made from body offcuts.
