“Affordable, direct-to-fan, and simple in every way. It really is a dream come true”: Sterling by Music Man’s first-ever Joe Dart signature model is a made-to-order funk powerhouse that costs less than $400

Sterling by Music Man has unveiled its Joe Dart Artist Series Bass – a highly affordable take on the Vulfpeck funk maestro’s hugely popular Ernie Ball bass guitar.

We say affordable, we really mean it: the first-ever Sterling version of the Dart bass model weighs in at $399. Compare that with the $2,599 Joe Dart III (which sold out in seconds) and the $2,399 single-pickup version (which this new model is based on), and, on paper, it looks like a helluva deal.

Indeed, the Sterling Dart bass marks, in some cases, a saving of upwards of $2,000. Given Sterling has a solid reputation for affordable craftsmanship in its corner – and Dart’s wholehearted seal of approval, too – it’s looking like this model could well be an absolute hit among funk fans.

For Dart himself, this release marks “the culmination of the original dream” he and bandmate Jack Stratton had when they first set out to build an accessible instrument for budding bassists.

Image 1 of 2

That dream? “To build a funk bass stripped down to its essence,” Dart says, “beautiful, minimal, well-crafted, and available to the world in a way that’s true to Vulfpeck’s ethos: affordable, direct-to-fan, and simple in every way possible.

“I’m so proud of this collaboration,” he continues. “It really is a dream come true.”

What is bound to pique interest even further is the fact the bass is being launched as a “Timed Release”. That means it will be available exclusively from the Sterling by Music Man website for just the month of May, and each instrument will be made-to-order.

The $2,599 model sold out in seconds, so a made-to-order system is a smart bet from the firm – allowing it to stir up demand but not risk over-producing and being left with inventory. Going direct-to-fan, means they cut out the retail middle man (which has its own pros and cons), but keeps costs low. 

The Sterling Dart bass is, as expected, a no-nonsense funk workhorse, with the Dart-classic natural-finished soft maple body. There’s also a hard maple neck and fretboard, 22 medium frets and a sole H-I ceramic humbucker that’s dictated by the lone volume control.

Other appointments include a 34” scale, fixed bridge, and Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Flatwound strings. In other words: it looks (and probably feels) like the Dart bass we all know and love.

Image 1 of 5

This has all the makings of a seriously popular gear release. Back in 2020, the returning Joe Dart bass was hailed as a “streamlined one-knob wonder”, and its subsequent variants have merely built on that base. 

A $399.99, made-to-order option that carries all the stripped-back flair of the original? Sounds like a winner to us. Heck, according to the brand, 1,327 basses have already been sold (seven have sold in the time it took to write this story).

Head over to Sterling by Music Man to find out more.