About Us
Our basses are made to honor the music, to honor the musician, and to honor the flourishing role of bass in music. We are excited to cater to bass players exclusively, for that is our passion. Skillfully hand crafted without CNC machinery, each bass is built with precision to the highest quality standards
Mana Basso translates to “Life energy bass”. It is an acknowledgement to the energy that music, the musician, and the maker imbue into each instrument. Mana is the Polynesian word for the spirit energy that flows through all things. And Basso is old Italian for bass singers and instruments.
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Mana Basso was started by bassist Tony Walters. As a bass player and professional furniture maker, he eventually melded his two passions together and formed Mana Basso.
Woodworking runs deep in his family, and Tony considers the upright bass/violin family of instruments a large influence on his Mana Basso designs.
“I revel in the availability of local, non-commercially harvested hardwoods in my region; they can rival the beauty of even the most exotic of woods, without the negative environmental or humanitarian impacts.”
The wood selected for our basses goes through a rigorous vetting process that includes ensuring a consistent grain density, direction, and angle so we can capture the greatest strength and stability from the wood. Tap testing is also incorporated to help determine beneficial sonic properties. All of Mana Basso’s designs include elements and considerations that increase sound transmission, ease of playability, and neck stability. It is an important trademark at Mana Basso to offer low, silky smooth action for greater finesse and musical expression.