Manta 5-String Hollow Body Bass

The Manta bass is a radical new design featuring a full 3D hand-carved hollow body. The neck extends through the hollow body to the bridge. There is airspace around the neck inside the body. The thru-neck provides superior sustain, strength, and appropriate weight and balance. Since the neck extends through the body, the fretboard can be placed forward enabling the player to reach the 24th fret easily. The pickups are mounted to the neck, which further assists in transferring sound to the pickups.

Although the instrument's body is hollow, it still has sufficient weight to not feel flimsy. The 3D body is contoured front and back so that it is very comfortable against the player's body. The body thickness increases to almost 2 inches in the middle allowing for a suffiently large sound chamber yet retaining the feel of a solid-body bass.

With Bartolini pickups and active electronics, you have complete control over the sound you can get from this instrument. By setting all equalization flat on both the instrument and the amplifier, you get a clear tone with incredible depth as well as brightness. You can hear the hollow body, but without the boominess that most hollow bodies exhibit.

The body style is a blend of traditional and futuristic, or perhaps retro, depending on your perspective. The instrument is dimensioned so that it will fit in a standard P-Bass case.

The Manta bass is available with several options, including: 4-string, fretless, and a solid body version.

L.A. Kidwell has put considerable research, experience and plain hard work into the design of this instrument. There is nothing comparable on the market. Variations in the body style as well as companion electric guitar models are planned. If you are looking for a truely unique and highly playable instrument, the Manta bass is an excellent choice.

Specifications
Neck
Scale Length		34”	Frets		Two octave 24 fret
Nut Width		1.85"			Width at 24th Fret			2.75"
Configuration		Unique L.A. Kidwell floating neck-through design.
Wood		African Padauk with Maple stripes
Fingerboard		Ebony			Radius			10”
Fret wire		Jumbo
Position Markers		Red Heart Abalone trapaziodal shaped inlay
Side Dots		3/32ndMother of Pearl dots
Truss Rod		Double expanding				Adjustment		Hex at headstock
Reinforcement		(2) Steel
Nut		Brass – J-bass size
Headstock		Laminated Flame Maple
Tuners		Gotoh GB7 - Black (Hipshot Ultralights are optional)
Body
Construction	2-piece hollow body construction with 3D sculpted top and back. The 2-piece body forms a hollow tone chamber. The top and back act as sound boards.
Wood (top to back)	Top: Wild Maple Rear: African Padauk
Bridge	Custom Shop - Contour Tail - Black
Bridge String Spacing	19mm between strings.
Strap Holders	Standard - Black
Electronics
Neck Pickup	Bartolini M45C Dual Coil Humbucker Soapbar
Bridge Pickup	Bartolini M45C Dual Coil Humbucker Soapbar
Electronics	Bartolini HR-4.6/918   3 Band Active EQ
Controls	Master Gain, Blend, Treble/Bass Gain, Mid Gain with push/pull switch center frequency.
Knobs	Hand made wooden knobs.
Access Cover	African Padauk grain matched access cover.
Battery	(1) 9V Transistor Battery
Instrument Jack	Switchcraft deep panel stereo jack. Side mounted on bottom.
Shielding	Copper foil tape lining the control cavity
Finish
Body	Pre-catalyzed nitrocellulose hand rubbed lacquer
Neck	Pre-catalyzed nitrocellulose hand rubbed lacquer
Dimensions/Weight
Length				Width
Weight	8 lbs. or 3.63 Kilograms			Balance			Balances perfectly at the neck heel.
Case Size	Fits a standard Fender-style bass guitar case
Pricing
List Price	Call or email for a price quote