I designed the original A Bass Jade Model in 1976. The player in me wanted to physicaly reproduce the sound that I hear in my head, the builder in me wanted to keep the best aspects of a vintage instrument, fine tuned to my preferences. On a Fender the low note is E and the high note is E flat, and personally I just wanted one more fret.
So I made my basses to have a low E a middle E and a high E. All my necks have my signature "butta" oil finish. Each 'A' Bass has a voice of it's own, listen, and it will reveal it's secrets to you.
Generation I A Basses Sing since 1976
"If you want to have a bass made, why not have a bass player make it" Darryl Jones "Albey, I call this bass my second wife" Tommy Shannon "Don't say I like it, tell the people I love it" Stanley Clarke I hand-carved basses for Stanley Clarke, Tommy Shannon, Foley, Reggie Scanlan, Fran Sheehan, Michael Henderson, Berklee Bass Professors and so many more.
I designed The 'Jade Bass' and the Darryl Jones Signature model bass.
Generation II
A Basses licensed the design to Lakland Basses. To meet the demand of my original design of the DJ Bass, Darryl and I decided that Lakland Basses had the craftsmanship to re-produce the quality instrument that bassists have come to expect from A Basses. The Darryl Jones Signature Model Bass 4 string and 5 string is currently licensed to and available through Lakland.
Generation III Introducing the 'Pearl Bass'
Hand-made, one-at-a-time by Dennis Roy. It has been great to colaborate with Dennis, he and I have traveled similar paths; he is a Boston Symphony bassist, master acoustic bass repair man and builder of DC ROY basses.
Made with attention to every detail; my 'P' design is made from woods that are hand-picked by Dennis and I for weight and character of grain, to hardware, and of course...my famous oil neck finish.
Larry Pollack of Aero pu's has hand wound and customized pick-ups to my specifications.
