This week we’re checking out a collaboration between Conklin Guitars and Jason Everett called the OM Bass. The bass is a seven-string fretless that is fitted with several interesting features to suit the bassist’s world music style.
Its pickups are a pair of custom Bartolinis along with a set of GraphTECH Ghost piezos in individual saddlebridges. Besides EQing, the OM Bass is set up for MIDI capability with a GraphTECH Hexpander 13-pin hexaphonic output.
The neck is a seven-piece laminate of zebrawood and wenge matched to a walnut body. “Jason’s version also features exotic top woods (Cocobolo and Yellowheart) with a stunning OM Symbol on the fingerboard which is finished with an ultra-hard polyester finish,” Conklin writes. Another cool feature is the addition of Hipshot Xtender keys to the A and D strings for tuning flexibility.
“I often play modally with resonant open strings,” Everett shares. “Most of those pieces are in E, D, or A. The drop keys on the low E and B strong allow me to incorporate those lower strings as part of the sonic pallet when appropriate.”
Check out this clip of Everett putting the OM Bass to good use: