Arbor AB500 5 String Bass Guitar

The most important component of a bass guitars tone is solid construction.  Solid joints and an accurate fit give a bass guitar it’s resonance.  When you pick up a well made bass you can feel it and when you play a well made bass you can feel it in your soul.

Appearance

The AB500 is a two pickup, solid body electric 5 string bass guitar.  It has a two octave rosewood fingerboard, chrome plated tuners, a fully adjustable bridge, a volume control for each pickup and a master tone control.  The AB500 is offered in Black and Transparent Red finishes over a comfortably contoured body.  All of the edges are rounded giving it a nice modern look.

Playability
I have been playing bass guitar for over 20 years and when I picked this bass up and started to play it, I knew it was going to be hard to put down.  The fact that I couldn’t put it down was the first indicator that this instrument was special.  I have smaller hands than most bass players and because of that, 5 string basses are harder to play.  This neck is comfortable in my hands and made it very easy to play.  The thin body along with the cutaway on the G string side makes it easy to get to the 24th fret.  The strap button on the extra long horn helps to keep the bass from being too neck heavy and gives the bass a nice balance when you stand up to play it.

Sound
I played this bass through a solid state head with a 4×10 cabinet and with a 2×15 cabinet and it sounded full and balanced over the entire neck.  The high end was nice and clear and the low end was deep and rich without being muddy.  This is due in no small part to the solid construction.

Accessories
The Arbor AB500 comes with two allen wrenches necessary for adjusting the truss rod and bridge saddles.  It does not have a custom made case but it does fit in a number of different commercially available hardshell cases and gig bags.  I recommend hardshell cases because of the protection they offer and when you have your guitar in the back of a van or truck, it makes it easier to stack them.

Blurp
I give the Arbor AB500 5 String Bass Guitar 10 out of 10.  no ifs, ands or buts.  If you are looking for a 5 string bass that looks cool and sounds great this is the ideal choice.  Factor in the $300 list price and it is unbeatable.  The quality construction makes this a prefect addition to any bass guitar players arsenal.

For more information or to grab one today, go to BoutiqueMusic.com.