The O Bass is the brainchild of Orange Technical Director and lead designer Adrian Emsley, whose inspiration came from his self-confessed love of vintage gear. Having spent a lifetime modifying all manner of bass guitars, the O Bass brings together all of his know-how in a unique and truly charismatic instrument.
Aside from its impeccably sleek lines and shapely aesthetics, the O Bass delivers the goods where it really matters. Plugging in reveals a sound with buckets of personality – familiar, yet somehow all of its own. A custom-wound split–coil pickup bears a very distinctive sonic mojo, with a well-balanced bass response and a bold and defined mid-range. Players with a softer touch will immediately find themselves in Motown territory, with earthy overtones in abundance. Dig in a little more aggressively and the O Bass responds with an infectious harmonic grind that harks back to the birth of rock ‘n’ roll. As Emsley puts it, “It growls like a policeman’s dog!”
The O Bass first made an appearance in an early form as a demonstrator piece at the 2014 winter NAMM show, hidden from public view in the Orange booth. However, having been leaked on a number of videos on the internet, we were inundated with requests to put it into production.
Construction: 4 string fretted single cutaway, Bolt on
Body: Okoumé Basswood Veneer, A.B.S. Binding on Tear Drop Sunburst & Off-Black versions
Neck: Maple, Dual Action Truss Rod, Rosewood Fretboard, A.B.S. Binding & Headstock Overlay
Electronics: 1 x custom wound split-coil humbucker, Master Tone & Master Volume
Hardware: Nickle top-loading 4 saddle bridge & open gear tuners
