An orange 5-string bass made in Orange, California

Apr 4, 2007 09:54 GMT  ·  By

Yo, bass playaz! This one goes for you as I am rather proud to present you the new contraption from Human Base, the American version: BaseX.oc5. Yep, the name is somehow strange yet what it represents is a great and fine piece of music instrument-building.

Siggy Jaeger is one well-known name in the bass industry: he is a German Master Luthier building by hand about 60 bass guitars each year, made for the most demanding and exigent players in the field. From the most exquisite essences of wood and with his artful craftsmanship, Mr. Jaeger has earned a strong reputation in the industry and his bass guitars are acclaimed by top names.

Now, the requests for his bass guitars have long outnumbered his possibilities so he teamed up with Praxis Musical Instruments in Orange, California. The reason was obvious: making the same excellent basses according to his design and performance specifications but in a larger number and at a lower price.

The new axe follows Jaeger's own design and runs on Delano German built pickups (unlike other models which are Bartolini-powered) and also German-made electronics (Glockenklang) while the strings come from d'Addario. One particularity is the deep-set hi-tension 6-bolt neck ensuring a firm behavior of the very well-balanced instrument while the special treatment (Open Pore Finish) of the Ash body gives a better feel on the wood and reportedly provides with more resonance.

The American version of the Jaeger BaseX.oc5 bass guitar is available through Praxis Music Instruments and comes in the fretless version as well. For $1,700 you get Lifetime Warranty and a Deluxe gigbag.