DISC Chowny SWB-1 Scott Whitley Active Bass, Black

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Key Features

  • Signature Scott Whitley Bass Model (Big Country, The Animals)
  • Short Scale For Easier Playability
  • Bright & Resonant Ash Body
  • Active EMG 2-Band EQ For Tonal Sculpting
  • Balanced Tone From Angled Single-Coil Pickups

DISC Chowny SWB-1 Scott Whitley Active Bass, Black Overview

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The Chowny SWB-1 Scott Whitley Active Bass in stealthy Black finish was designed in Britain for Scott Whitley, bassist for Big Country and formerly The Animals. As a professional gigging musician, Scott wanted to bring a short-scale bass guitar to the market with an incredibly diverse range of tones. Its 30.75'' scale-length makes left-hand fretwork effortless and gives it a ''slinky'' feel that is perfect for vibrato and lead lines. It also makes long playing sessions easier on the hands and brings technically challenging techniques more under the fingers. The active single coil pickups are mounted at an angle for a balanced tonality across the strings, while the EMG 2-band EQ provides great scope for tonal sculpting. The goal of this guitar was to provide a great-playing and true value short-scale bass guitar; it is ideal for those with smaller hands, beginning musicians, or simply bassists who want a great-value and easier to play instrument than a full-scale model with a variety of fantastic tones.

Product Ref: 102812

Full Description

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Chowny SWB-1

The CHB-1 was the first bass guitar that Chowny produced, and like the SWB-1, it also featured a short scale-length. Chowny took on Scott Whitley’s original SWB-1 design and developed it further, improving the original design based on customer feedback and Scott’s ideas. the Chowny SWB-1 Scott Whitley Active Bass features a contoured neck joint which assists high-fret access, along with active electronics for versatile tones. It delivers great playability and tones at an affordable price-point, so whatever your level of technique or musicianship, you’ll find real value in the SWB-1.

Quality Tonewoods

The SWB-1 features an ash body finished in stealthy Black finish. Its contoured body is very comfortable to hold and its shorter scale means it is more manageable than your typical electric bass. The neck features a ebony fingerboard, chosen for its smooth playability and low-end articulation.

Versatile Electronics

The Chowny SWB-1 features dual single coil pickups, chosen for their wide range of tonal sculpting via the volume/tone controls and the pickup selector. They can achieve everything from punchy vintage sounds through to more modern and scooped slap tones. They are wired through an EMG 2-band EQ which gives even more room for tonal shaping. Internal switches can provide even more options for changing the frequency response, meaning the SWB-1 has a particularly wide range of sounds available to it.

Quality Hardware

The SWB-1 includes a ‘mono-rail’ bridge, usually found on much more expensive bass guitars. Each string has its own saddle meaning the vibrations are isolated and transferred individually to the guitar. It provides great clarity in chordal playing or when performing fast and busy-sounding music. The strings are spaced at 19mm intervals which aids faster styles of playing, and the quality synthetic bone nut is a high-mass item for increased sustain.

All-Rounder

The SWB-1 is a great bass for the gigging musician who requires a wide range of sounds. Its active pickups and 2 band EQ provide a great platform for tonal sculpting. The short scale-length and design features enable fast playing with an easier action for the left-hand fingers. From growly traditional sounds through to scooped, hi-fi slap tones and everything in between, the SWB-1 is a versatile instrument with great playability. It would also make an ideal guitar for younger players or for those with smaller fingers who don’t want to miss out on quality tones that they may have to compromise with on traditional ‘beginner’ basses.

About Chowny

Since 2014 Chowny have been making unique and versatile bass guitars, designed in Bristol, UK.

In Chowny’s own words,

“Chowny Bass is a UK start up bass guitar brand. Our ethos is to give you the most guitar for your money that we can. So this means the best woods, parts, paint and sound that we can cram into an entry level priced guitar”.

Reviews

 “4.5-out-of-5: For a relatively small-bodied bass, the low end is considerable: you’ll have no problems approximating the stomach-disturbing throb of a bigger instrument. The treble is admirable too, with glassy tones that pop away satisfyingly.”Music Radar

Read the full Chowny SWB-1 Scott Whitley Signature review.

Features

  • Ash body with low profile bolt-on neck joint
  • Dual single-coil pickups
  • Active EMG 2-Band EQ
  • Short scale length for easier playing
  • Mono-rail type bridge

Specifications

Body

  • Wood: Ash
  • Construction: Solid Bolt-On
  • Shape: Asymmetric Double Cutaway
  • Colour: Black

Neck

  • Wood: Maple
  • Fingerboard: Ebony
  • Inlays: Mother-Of-Pearl Dot
  • Number of Frets: 24
  • Nut: Synthetic Bone
  • Scale-Length: 30.75’’ Short

Electronics and Hardware

  • Pickups: Twin angled single-coils
  • Controls: Pickup Selector / Volume / Tone (passive), Pickup Selector / Volume / Bass / Treble (active)
  • Electronics: Active EMG 2 band EQ
  • Tuners: Chrome
  • Hardware: Chrome
  • Bridge: Fixed, individual ‘mono-rail’ string saddles