“Expanding our signature aesthetics, ergonomics, and playability to a whole new audience of creators”: Abasi Concepts has debuted its first-ever Larada bass guitar – ushering in a new headless design in the process
Tosin Abasi’s brand has created its first production bass, with the Larada five-string combining a headless design with Fishman Fluence Multi-Voice pickups
Abasi Concepts, the guitar firm of Animals As Leaders virtuoso Tosin Abasi, has announced its first production run of bass guitars with the Larada Bass.
The brand announced the model via its social media channels, revealing the first few details of a design that stays close to the ergonomic shape of Abasi guitars while retooling it for five-string bass.
One major difference, however, is an all-new Larada headless design, which includes individual string bridges as part of a 24-fret multi-scale build.
In terms of build, it offers a set-neck construction with carbon fiber reinforcement. Two Fishman Fluence Multi-Voice pickups have been chosen to amplify the beast’s rumble.
Other details spotted in the teaser video include four control knobs – presumably equating to a volume and tone pot per pickup, or some EQ parameters – with the truss rod adjustment situated where the neck meets the body.
As is the case with the rest of the Abasi lineup – which includes the Larada, Emi 7, and Space T models – the Larada Bass' inlays nestle beneath the lowest strings, gradually working their way up the neck after the 12th fret.
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Going off the video, there will be four colorway options: red, black, gray, and natural, all with gloss finishes.
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Says Abasi Concepts: “We’re extremely excited to announce the Larada Bass – expanding our signature aesthetics, ergonomics, and playability to a whole new audience of creators and performers.”
The official launch of the Larada Bass comes after Tosin Abasi himself showcased an intriguing half-fretted, half-fretless bass model at NAMM 2018. That, notably, actually had a headstock, so it looks as though some revisions to the design have taken place.
Six years later, the Larada Bass represents the first opportunity for bassists to experience Abasi guitars.
It’s the latest innovation from Abasi Concepts, which has also previously teased a seven-string nylon concept instrument.
There are currently no further details as to a release date, price, or if there will be four-string models in the range, but Guitar World will be quick to report updates as soon as they land.
In the mean time, head over to Abasi Concepts.
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A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.
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