Mayones Custom Shop Patriot 5 Classic VF 'Hulk' 5-String 2014 Electric Bass

This is an incredibly unique high-end 5 string electric bass guitar from Polish manufacturer Mayones. Founded in Gdansk in 1982, Mayones specialise in handcrafting custom made instruments, whilst also offering a line of high end production models. This particular example was custom ordered as a Patriot 5 Classic VF, and features a custom colour combination which the customer named ‘Hulk’, as indicated by the custom truss rod cover engraving. The top and headstock are finished with ‘Trans Dirty Purple Matt’, whilst the rear and sides of the body are finished in Trans Emerald Green.

Manufactured in 2014, this bass features a neck-thru construction comprising an Alder body with 3A Flame Maple top, 5-ply Wenge/Padouk neck and 24 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Black hardware is fitted including an ABM 3710 5x single-saddle bridge and Schaller M4 sealed tuning machines, as well as an Ebony nut. A pair of Bartolini xxP46C Soapbar pickups are installed, and are wired to an Aguilar OBP-3 on-board preamp, with controls for master volume, pickup balance, middle, bass, treble and passive tone, with a mini toggles for coil splitting and active/passive modes.

The 5-ply Wenge/Padouk neck plays superbly, with a fairly slim profile which might be described as a ’D’ shape. The shallow shoulders work to moderate the nut width, which is fairly substantial as a 5-string. The open-pore texture of the Wenge to the rear of the neck is pleasant under the thumb, creating a tactile sensation when traversing the neck which adds unique character to the playing experience. The neck-thru construction and generous cutaways ensures that access to the top frets is a breeze, opening up the full range of the instrument The multi-scale configuration of this bass ensures an even string tension in standard or altered tunings. Ranging from 33”-35”, the scale length retains a fairly traditional feel due to its proximity to the standard 34”, whilst also reducing how extreme the ‘fan’ of the frets is.

The pair of Bartolini Soapbar pickups installed in this bass work in conjunction with the on-board Aguilar OBP-3 preamp to deliver an incredibly versatile range of sounds. There is great fundamental bass tone with the controls at their midpoints, producing a warm and powerful low end, clear mids and sparkling top end that captures the attack of your playing. The ability to switch between active and passive modes at the flick of a switch is invaluable, whilst the rest of the extensive controls provide ample tone-sculpting opportunities, allowing you to craft the perfect sound for almost any musical setting, as well as tweaking whilst playing. This is an incredibly well-made bass, with the playability and sounds to back up its striking aesthetics. Perfect for the contemporary working musician who demands quality and versatility.