Birdsong Guitars Cortobass

Corto 6C-53. Chrome with two piece figured walnut body center joined with a single EMG humbucker in the bridge. I chose to have one made with NO VARITONE OR TONE. Just a volume control. This is basically a jazzed up Corto Classic, a disontinued model which has been absorbed by the Cortobass - read the reviews. The other reviews mentioned a sturdy TKL case coming with the CortoBass but this wasn??t the case with mine.

Hands down the nicest sounding amplified instrument I have ever played. Plugged straight into a basic Ampeg B3 115 will send you straight into midrange nirvana, but this beauty also has full range. You will not believe that such a BIG and FULL tone can come from such a small axe. Mine is made from walnut which gives it rich lows and tons of sustain. There is no noise whatsoever.

The bass is a stunning work of art and Scott should win the noble prize for designing the neck, which is nice and thick with a slight V shape. Very expressive. My hands just love it! Keep in mind that short scale basses have a lower string tension. This might be a problem for someone, but I just love bending them bridge cables. There were a few minor problems such as a few buzzing strings and a jack that cut out, but Scott got back to my e-mail in a flash and they were easily fixed.

See the other reviews. I can only say that holding this instrument will make you feel like you can take on the world.

Scott and Jamie are the best. I questioned them for months over the available options and Scott had the patience of Job. In the end I just handed the whole thing over to him and he came up the perfect instrument for me. You can trust these folks. Good people making the world a better place.

I have only been playing bass for 2 years, but I have been playing fretted instruments for over 20. Comming from an acoustic background I like to rely on my fingers for tone and dynamics so the simple one pick up/no tone is perfect. This Bass represents a new chapter in my musical life. Two years ago I realized that Bass was THE right instrument for me ( actually it was my first instrument, but my fingers never got any bigger so I switched to guitar after a few months). In the last few years I have tried Rick, P-bass and Spector budget models but was unable to match the sound in my head. Birdsong did. There is some seriosly good Mojo in this fiddle.

Cortobass ???Supremo??? #039, made in 2006. Hand-made body of Swamp Ash & Cherry. 3-piece CNC-milled Maple neck with 12??? radius, 1/4??? thick Rosewood fretboard and oversized side-dot markers for visibility in the dark. Woodburned art on headstock. Neck has a pronounced vee-shaped profile at the headstock and blends to a more oval shape at the heel. Roundwound strings (0.045??? to 0.105???). Cherry-topped Ebony control knobs. Sturdy wood hardshell case looks just like a TKL without the label. Only problem with the case is that the unstitched overlapped seams of the vinyl covering started coming unglued. Not a big deal ??? I just glued them back together.

I play mostly blues, country, folk & rock. Mostly just use the humbucker up full and the varitone in bypass. NO hum, even when using the Lace Gold single coil in a garage studio full of fluorescent lights. For gigs, I play through a Hartke HA4000 head & 2200 2x12 cabinet, with DI signal to the PA. For practice or small jams, I use a little combo amp (Fender 1x10 or Behringer 1x12). I don???t use any effects or processing. The compact body is very comfortable, although the very attenuated lower ???horn??? is not quite as secure-feeling on the knee as I???m used to. The Varitone gives an interesting variety of tones. Sustain is amazing for such a little chunk of hardwood.

Builder Scott Beckwith is also a musician, and he tests each instrument to make sure that his adjustments work before shipping. I measured E-string height at about 0.082??? and the G at about 0.062??? at the 12th fret, and this feels just fine for me. The pickups give a balanced signal for all of the strings. Fret ends are smoothed and blended to the slightly rounded edge of the thick Rosewood fretboard. Neck width is about 1.5??? at the nut and 2??? at 12th fret. It feels similar to a well setup J-bass only with a shorter scale length and lighter body. I noticed a slight sticky feeling from the finish on the back of the neck whenever my hands weren???t perfectly clean & dry. Scott suggested that I just give it a little buffing with some 0000 steel wool. This helped, although I still prefer the feel of the harder satin polyurethane(?) finish on the neck of my Mexican Telecaster.

Very ruggedly built, with hefty hardware, high-quality electronic components, and nylon tee-shaped strap buttons. I???m sure it will live longer than I will! At 7.5 pounds, it does not seem especially light to me, as I have been playing compact & lightweight basses for years. But all of the weight that it does have is in just the right place. It balances just about perfectly with no neck dive. I???ve had it over 4 months now, and haven???t had to adjust the truss rod once, even though the bass came from the humid Hill Country of Texas to Western Nevada???s high & dry Great Basin Desert. This neck design seems pretty stable.

???Mom & Pop??? artiste/entrepreneurs Scott & Jamie were extremely helpful and responsive, from my first request for their free Sound Samples CD through brainstorming and creating a wishlist of options for my instrument. They provide an unusually-long 5 year warranty.

If I had to replace it, I???d want another Birdsong. In fact, I???m already planning to buy a second one within the next few years. Scott is always experimenting, and I???m looking forward to seeing what new ideas he comes up with in the future.

Hard to choose a favorite feature, but it might be the optional oversized side-dot markers. These REALLY help when you???re playing in the dark and need to put your hand in the right place on the fretboard. There???s nothing that I hate, but I???d prefer for the body fit the knee a bit more securely for long seated sessions. Also, I???d really like a Maple fretboard, although Scott only uses Rosewood.

My first bass was a new short-scale 1979 Fender Musicmaster. The 30??? scale was pleasant, but the sound was dead at certain spots on the neck. Went through a series of standard-scale instruments over the next ~25 years (Fender, Peavey, St. Louis Music, Washburn, etc.) and decided to give a chance to a more modern short scale instrument. Sure am glad I did!

This is 6C-050 cortobass #2 of 2 anniversary bass built in Wimberly,Texas and completed on 7/31/06. it is a fretless,short scale bass. Weighs 7 lbs15oz.the boby is loval texaspecan made fronm the same tree as 6C-49.the neck is maple,fretboard is ebony fretless,truss rod cover is ebony as is the nut. tuning machines are Hipshot Ultralight,strap buttons are Gripper T,bridge is Hipshot style A brass,strings are Fender 9120M .058-.110 tapewound,pickups are Lace and the wiring is Vol-Vol-Varitone,knobs are ebony and comes with a plush lined hardshell case.

this is my 4th birdsong bass and i am getting the same quality sounds as my others.....you can read about my styles and amps on previous reviews(cortobass #49 and Sadhana #2 and #4)

As usual a beautifull natural finish and no adjustments needed on this well built instrument.

This bass is as reliable and dependable as my other birdsong basses which shows why I am a repeat customer and have more in the works with birdsong !!!!!!!!!

This is another reason why I am a repeat customer !!!! I wish I could give a higher rating than a 10,I would give a 20. Just call Scott and Jamie (owners) and find out why!!!!! Customer support is #1 with them BEFORE ,DURING AND AFTER, all interactions with their CUSTOMERS !!!!!

I LOVE BIRDSONG BASSES! IM A REPEAT CUSTOMER(3TIMES WITH MORE IN THE WORKS) AND SATISFIED! check out their website www.birdsongguitars.com and find out the best kept secret on short scale basses and see why more and more experienced players are finding happiness !!!!!

this is 6C-049, # 1 of 2 anniversaty basses..this was hand built in wimberly,texas and completed 7/31/06..weight is 7lbs.7oz the body is local wild texas pecan,neck is maple,fretboard is rosewood,nut-ebony,tuning machines are Hipshot Ultralight,strap buttons-Gripper T,Bridge is Hipshot Style A brass,Lace pickups and wiring is Vol.-Vol.-Varitone,knobs are rosewood,strings are DR Extra"Black beauties" BKB-45 .045-.105, this is a short scale bass . the finish is rosewood,hardware is black on gold.comes with a plush lined hardshell case

this is my 3rd birdsong bass so you know i love them..i play jazz and blues primarily for my own entertainment nowadays(i started playing in 72).I play thru an assortment of acoustic amps (models 370/371,122,136 and 220).you can get a full range of sounds especially with the varitone..with just a click you can get a different sound...these birdsong basses have become my primary basses and have my other basses jealous which include 2 carl thompsons,2 fenders, alembic,warick,warrior, 2spectors,2 spellbinders,punisher,rick and others.i can get all the sounds of my other basses on my birdsong bass....Nuff said !!

Fron the case to my hands...no adjustment needed...action great! solid-well made! the finish is hand rubbed oil blend on local texas becan....the natural beauty is a sight to behold and admire...this instrument is solid and a work of natural art that will be appreciated for many years...!

Like I said earlier, this bass is solid,the gripper Ts are great nad i have come to depend on birdsong since this number 3 for me . BIRDSONG = RELIABILITY/DURABILITY..!!!!!!!

I wish i could give a higher rating in this category ,because not only because of their great quality of their instruments,their CUSTOMER SUPPORT IS SECOND TO NONE!! THEY ARE THE #1 REASON I AM A REPEAT CUSTOMER WITH FUTURE PLANS FOR MORE!! Just speak with them(Scott and Jamie) and immediately you will know you will get a special instument...Visit them like i did and you will experience an even better appreciation of the instrument they will create for you !!!! You can find no better communication here! BEFORE,DURING AND AFTER your bass is delivered to you !!!!

Ive been playing since 72,and have over 21 basses ....if it was lost ..after crying ..i wouuld be on the phone and have Scott and Jamie(the owners of birdsong) built me another ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!

My recent purchase of a Cortobass was the best musical decision I have made in quite some time. Though I am new to the bass (after 30 years a a jazz pianist), I can easily see spending many happy hours practicing and playing this bass.

My model was featured at Birdsong as an oddity, as it has a knothole all the way through the body! But it's way cool looking, and sounds better than my other four basses ever will.

The sound is great with the double pick up system- quite a bit of variation in tone and color. I am using a Hartke Kickbass set-up, and it is voluminous.

The instrument is a work of art- set up beautifully, all natural wood, with great attention to detail. Scott and Birdsong love to build basses, and it shows!

Seems a sturdy little fellow, and I look forward to using it with my Beatles cover band. It should work great for Classic Rock.

Possibly the best, most communicative customer service I have ever received from a music company. Highly recommended from start to finish. so jump in and order a bass!

What more can be said about Birdsong and Scott Beckwith! Great axe, great company, and their success is guaranteed with such a top-flight product. My next bass purchase will be a custom Sadhana model they offer, also short scale. Visit their site and drool!!!

Hand built in Wimberley, TX U.S.A in 2005 as a First Anniversary build, is a short-scale one piece Texas Mesquite body, maple neck and a rosewood fretboard, with chrome hardware and a rosewood control plate. Engraved aluminum truss rod cover, commemorating the first anniversary. Also, hipshot ultra lite tuning machines, a hipshot style "A" bridge, EMG SEHB bridge pickup and a Lace Sensor Gold neck pickup. Wired with two volume pots and a Varitone control. Ebony knobs and of course Birdsong nickel wound stings and a hardshell velvet lined case with shipping included. For more information on the CortoBass Standard features please visit http://birdsongguitars.com

A seven course meal! Scott had written next to a photo of 5C-018 ?I will match the sound against any other short-scale bass in the world?. WELL, he was right,, AWESOME. Sussssstaaaaiiiinnnnn, punch, highs, lows, the whole bouquet. Every color, every flavor. I (BluesJamJim) will match it against ANY BASS in the world, with the exception of another Birdsong Bass. Oh, and this thing is quiet! (My 305 was, still is noisy even after shielding the electronics cavity.) S/N ratio on Mesqorto can not be measured at the line input of my recording devices. Zero, zilch, none. I am sure if I hooked it up to my O?scope I could find some. But I don?t hear any. Oh, and who needs any effects pedals with that Varitone control. You can dial in just about any sound you need for any style. I am not kidding. Just make sure you mute your amp before toggling through. It is a make before break circuit, resulting in a pop as you change capacitance. Did I mention sssussstainnnnn?

Let me put it this way. Take my Ibanez SR 305 DX and it?s a 63 VolksWagon Beetle (nothing wrong with the bug). It got the job done and got you there, but 40 hp was nothing to get excited about, and the Cortobass 5C-018 is a Viper SRT on U232. The ride is unparalleled. My old, stiff fingers could actually pull off some pretty kewl licks. The SR 305?s neck feels like a 2x4 after playing ?Mesqorto?. The action was setup perfect, and it is not headstock heavy. You can let go of the neck without the head searching for a landing zone. Mesquite being one of the heavier body woods used at Birdsong Guitars, weighs in at a back saving 8 lbs. 12 oz.

I?ll let you know in another 10 years,, I am hard on equipment. This fine instrument is built like an M1-A1, and should be issued a mil-spec rating. I am sure this beautiful piece of art will age just fine.

Birdsong Hand Built Guitar Co. of Wimberley, Texas U.S.A. is all about personal service. You are NOT just another sale, and this is not just another guitar. Scott and Jamie are the friendliest people I have never met. The instrument was packed to survive a nuclear strike, even UPS could not destroy it. My only complaint would be, is that I did not pick up Mesqorto person. I am saving up for a Sadhana. (These things are addicting) I don?t think two will be enough either, maybe a bakers dozen.

I was searching the web for a kids bass, something small as a novelty, but playable. After a week, it was looking like a Daisy Rock or that J Reynolds bass. Then I clicked on a link that was no joke! There on the home page of BirdsongGuitars.Com was Cortobass Standard 5C-018, a one piece Texas Mesquite beauty. This ?Mesqorto? bit me and I immediately emailed Scott and Jamie (Birdsong Proprietors) about this fine instrument. It was a real toss up between it and a Super Sweet Walnut Sadhana (6S-002). You might have seen a picture of it in ?Bass Player? magazine. However, the Rustic Texas Mesquite won my heart.
When the art, I mean, instrument arrived, it was like that scene out of Pulp Fiction when, whoever would open the brief case, the whole room filled with light... only this was an aura of love for music. Then this feeling comes over you... kinda like... well, let?s put it this way. Take the ten most happing, most exciting, most pleasurable experiences in your life until now, multiply that times a million and that best describes it.
Whether you are a seasoned pro, (with an extensive collection, know every playing style and have 30 platinum albums hang'n on your wall).,, or you are 6 years old and reading this... Order One! It is truly a unique playing experience. The instrument comes with a seven day approval from the time you receive the tool. Trust me, you won?t be shipping it back! I am an audio engineer first and a bass player last. Meaning that, I am a crappy bass player. However, I do know a fine instrument when I play one and taste it?s flavor.

Hand-built in the USA in 2006, 4-string, top half of the body is a stunning piece of purpleheart while the back half of the body is an equally gorgeous piece of mahogany, 24 frets with zero fret, Lace Sensor neck pick up and EMG Select bridge pickup with separate volume controls plus tone control. Neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard and has a substantial feel (but avoids feeling too thick). Neck width is similar to the slimmer Fender necks (J-bass) and adds to the ease of playability of the neck (as does the natural oil finish of the neck... think "butter!"). Hipshot A-style bridge and strings through the body help ensure sustain, as does the solidness of the overall build. Beautiful natural oil finish -- I believe my bass may be somewhat unique with the entire top half being purpleheart as this is a difficult wood to work with; did I mention it's stunning?. Hard case included.

Scale length is 31", making it shorter than a typical bass, which is one of its selling points for those with compact hands. Build and tone quality is not sacrificed with this short scale instrument. Attention to detail abounds on this bass: custom wood burned logos, wood control knobs, Scott (the builder) even made the truss rod cover out of matching purpleheart... but he didn't stop there! The truss rod cover is also "chipped" at the edges to look like an old arrowhead. Wow.

I'm just beginning to explore the tonal characteristics of this bass but I am thoroughly thrilled with what I'm hearing right out of the box. I mainly play rock and blues and this bass has a very good growl. It punches through the mix well and exhibits no hum or other noise.

Can't say it enough: the bass was perfect right out of the box. The results speak for themselves but I had no doubt that I would receive anything but the best. Just spend a few minutes talking to the owners (Scott and Jamie): the owners obviously love what they are doing, and that love of music is reflected not only in the delivery of the final product but with ongoing communication with the customer all the way through the build process.

The bass seems rock solid. I have no doubts that it will withstand years of gigging with little other than normal maintenance. The oil finish may need to be renewed semi-regularly but that's the way you take care of real wood.

I can't imagine finding a pair of people that are more helpful in the process of a custom built bass than the fine folks at Birdsong. Very helpful at every step of the way. Each bass comes with a 7-day approval guarantee. The bass is warranteed for five years.

Anecdotal example of the customer service received: Post-delivery, I had a conversation with the builder and was remarking how great everything looked. When asked for criticisms I really had none, but offered an unsubstantial comment that the builder might consider notching the wood control knobs (which themselves are gorgeous) to afford a point of reference for the players' settings. In a follow-up e-mail I learned that I was being sent replacement knobs that are marked for this purpose. This is the length that Scott and Jamie go to to ensure that the build process is successful for the customer.

Do you need a quality short scale bass that: a) sounds great, b) plays wonderfully, and c) exhibits top notch fit and finish? Wouldn't it be nice to find that, and have a customer experience that cannot be beat? Look no further than Birdsong.

Cortobass No. 21 hand made in Wimberley, Texas, U.S.A.
24 Frets - 31" shortscale neck. Passive pickups - Lace pickup in neck position and EMG humbucker at the bridge.
Mahogany body oil finish. Woodburned Kingfisher motifs. Dunlop straplocks. Black hardware.
Rosewood fretboard with side dots only. Tilt-back headstock helps maintain string tension.
Though shortscale, it comes fitted with strung-through nickel roundwound standard scale length strings. (Hipshot bridge allows strings to be top-loaded or strung-through.)
Comes complete with a well-built, sturdy case.
6-position varitone for tone control.

The sound is amazing.
I've played many basses over the years and this is the best by far.
Cuts through the mix no problems at all. Can give a wide variety of sounds.
Through my Ampeg setup, I prefer the first two positions of the varitone and tend to favour the EMG humbucker. That said, I have a small Roland Cube practice amp and prefer the blended sound of both pickups with this. Probably a case of adjusting to your own amp setup and personal tastes.
The other guys in the band can't get over how good it sounds.

Looks and feels great. It's a dream to play.
Only a couple of very minor points (see below) that were very easily corrected.
I play with a pick and the action on the bass as it arrived was a bit low for me and there was some fret buzz (though not noticeable when playing live). Couple of tweaks to raise the strings and it was fine. In fact, Scott Beckwith, Birdsong Guitars, recommends a higher string setting for pick players.
When playing live, top G string tended to be overshadowed by the others and sometimes got a bit lost. However, again a couple of tweaks with the cant of the pickups brought this back into line.

Solid and well-built.
Oil finish may need some top-up over time but it really shows off the wood.
Very lightweight. Complete absence of neck-dive!
Only had this for a few months, so can't really tell how well it will fair over the years but no reason to believe that it won't stand the pace.

Dealing with the company was a breeze.
It was a bit of a step in the dark commissioning a custom bass (and a shortscale one at that) from a company on the other side of the world. (I live in the UK.)
However, Birdsong sent regular updates with pictures of progress.

Only reason I gave this a 9 (as opposed to a 10) was that I've now seen their new Shanti bass and it looks a real stunner. Check it out at their website www.birdsongguitars.com.

Oh, and if you're importing to the UK, don't forget to budget for the import tax - cost me #251. But, hey, the guitar is worth it. There ain't many of these basses about, so you'll stand out from the crowd and sound better than most.

Cortobass Number 17 - two pick-up. Hand-built in Wimberly, Texas in summer 2005. See other reviews for features in common. Hardware is black. It's made from a beautiful piece of walnut with purpleheart. It came with a quality case. The 31" scale makes it very easy to play with no apparent compromise on sounds. I have had it since September and I still get "the glow" each time I pick it up. For more detail visit Birdsong's website.

A wide range of sounds from round and fruity to grunt. The Varitone gives step changes offering real choices. I prefer the first 3/4 of the volume range.
No noise.

I play finger-style and don't often "dig in" so Scott suggested setting the action quite low. This works. The Varitone can give a clunk when first used. They say it's part of the way it's built. This is overcome by cycling throught the settings before playing. Apart from that detail, just about everything in this section is as good as it gets. They have very high standards.

This is the only thing I'm confident I'll have to leave to someone in my Will! This bass will go on forever.
The finish is oiled so may need some maintenance. On the other hand, it'll be nice to see it ageing with me.
All hardware is of excellent quality.

These are great people. They love what they do. They do what they say, when they say they will - and then a bit. Customer support during the build was excellent. There's a 5-year warranty . It was an act of faith to order an instrument from "across the pond" - you just feel that Birdsong will do the business. Given the excellent contacts to date, I can't imagine it ever falling short. As a bonus they even managed to find a better deal on shipping. If you're worried about mishandling in transit -and I was - this bass comes with some serious packing. See elsewhere for Birdsong's support if the instrument does get knocked about.

I found nothing in the market to rival this. It's not a make-do shortscale but a fresh approach thought through from start to finish. There is nothing I dislike.It is the most comfortable instrument I have ever owned - that includes acoustic and electric guitars, from Harmony to Gibson. Buying a hand-built bass is a one-off. For anyone who stole it, I'd campaign to bring back exile to wherever they sent Papillon.
I chose it because it was what I was looking for, I was convinced they'd do the business and they have!

Brand new, semi-custom built 4 string bass, with a mildly flamed poplar body (gorgeous!), totally passive electronics and all top quality hardware.
The main topic of conversation, however, is the tiny size/short scale neck. Its hard to believe, until you try one, just how light and, well, small this bass is. Having the short scale not only allows you to fit the bass in a guitar case (a superb hard case is supplied), but your fingers just whizz around the fingerboard. Short scale basses are supposed to be heaven for people with small hands, but my friend has fingers like pork sausages and he finds it just as easy to play as I do (and I am not vertically challenged either).
The pickups are a combination of makes, which Scott, by trial and error, has found work brilliantly together. The neck pickup is a Lace and the bridge an EMG. The tone control is also unusual, being a 6 position Varitone by Torres, rather than bass and treble. I am getting my head round this at present, but it seems very good, and simple. In fact, simple seems to be the by word with this bass, as the finish is simply oiled, and its so simple to play!
One other thing, I asked for larger side dots so I could see them on dark stages. Scott has fitted huge pearl dots with wood burnt outer rings, which are superb!

I am no expert on short scale basses, but I know that the ones I have heard in the past tended to be one trick ponies, somewhat lacking in deep tones and a bit thuddy.
Think again! This bass is nothing like that, although Scott has admitted the very lowest sounds are perhaps compromised by the short scale length. If so, I cannot hear the difference! Perhaps my ear drums have started to deteriorate over time, but I can't detect any loss of bottom. The sound is very varied between the 2 pickups, and the Varitone gives a number of variations on a theme. The bypass position is also quite superb. I am not saying that its a jack of all trades, I would doubt that it would be a slappers first choice, but for me, its spot on. Rock & Roll!

As delivered, I could not find any fault with this bass.
I have had a number of custom made basses, all of which cost many times as much as my Tiny, including several by Hugh Manson, one of the U.K's top luthiers, Pedulla and Overwater, and none were any better than the Cortobass. Flashier, more complex electronics, shiny paint jobs and expensive woods, but not better made.
Even the delivery from America to the U.K. took only ONE DAY (I thought Concorde had been taken out of service!), although UK Customs held on to it for a week trying to find out new ways of charging as much tax as possible.
I am sure that as the woods settle down, a few tweaks will be needed, but thats no problem. The birdsong team are to be congratulated on the obvious care they put into their product.As a work of art, I asked them to sign the bass, which they did!

I can't see any reason why the Cortobass should not stand the test of time. Sure, the oiled finish will dull and wear, it will pick up dings, and every so often, I might need to perhaps even clean it, but its that kind of instrument. Although its hand made to my spec., its not too expensive so I dont intend treating it like a museum piece (unlike my other custom basses which ended up being for home use only as they were so expensive and precious).
I will probably replace the strap bittons with straplocks, although the supplied buttons are semi-locking and seem fine.

Its been a blast dealing with Birdsong! They send you photos as the build progresses, and lots of e mails, and I couldn't imagine a more pleasant buying experience. I hope nothing goes wrong (I very much doubt it will), as Texas is a long way from England, but I am sure that I would receive the same courteous and friendly service if it did.
Their website must be the most informative out there as well. Its worth a read even if you dont know a bass guitar from a bicycle!

I have been playing 5 years, and own 4 Pedullas, an Overwater 5 string, Status Kingbass, Lakland Darryl Jones, 2 Lightwaves, Stingray, Nathan Shepperd Bass (UK Luthier), and a few others. I really do feel like cutting back, though, as the Cortobass is so easy to play it makes the rest seem difficult by comparison.
In the UK, we have small breweries where one man has a vision about how beer should taste, so he sets up on his own to brew the ideal pint. We call them "Micro Breweries". Perhaps Scott and Jamie have set up a "Micro Luthiery" in Texas, in their search for the perfect bass. It may seem a bit on the small size until you try it, but clear out your preconceptions of short scale basses. The Cortobass may be the new standard!