Aquilina Bertone 5 Custom #022035 - blackburst

Handcrafted in France, the 5-string solid-body electric bass AQUILINA Bertone 5 Custom #022035 is an exceptional instrument featuring an Alder and Ash body, a bolt-on neck in Byzantine Walnut (scale 34"), an Ash fingerboard, a duo of Aguilar Super Double pickups, a remarkable active/passive switchable Markbass pre-amp and Hipshot hardware.
It's a resolutely modern bass with versatile active electronics, a 24-fret neck and remarkable treble access. A bassist by trade, Sébastien Aquilina naturally turned to making this instrument. After graduating in 1998 from London Guild Hall University and ITEMM (Institut technologique européen des métiers de la musique), he continued his apprenticeship with LAG, Gilles Pourtoy and Kopo Lutherie, before opening his own workshop in Rennes at the end of 2003. From 4 to 7 strings, Aquilina Basses is renowned for its sublime creations for Richard Bona, Etienne Mbappé, Kevin Reveyrand, Pascal Celma, Chip Shearin and Edo Castro.
Thanks to his Shelby with acoustic chamber, Sébastien Aquilina is the only French luthier to have won the "Best of show" award, at the 2013 Namm Show. Each Aquilina model has been designed according to a specific sound signature, from the most traditional to the most innovative, but with a systematic desire to optimize the balance of masses and sounds.
All the wood species, whether historical (American, exotic) or local (Sycamore, Cormier, Alisier, Poplar burr), have been dried for over 15 years, to guarantee the best possible stability. The fingerboards benefit from a special treatment to homogenize the spectrum and eliminate dead notes. Each stage of construction is carried out with the utmost meticulousness (study of ergonomics according to body and neck interlocking, overturning, etc.), entirely by hand, without digital machining.

For fittings, electronics and pickups, Aquilina relies on leading brands such as Aguilar, John East, Glockenklang and Hipshot. The necks are reinforced with an in-house truss rod in steel and carbon. All these small details give Aquilina basses outstanding playability and harmonic richness.