Markbass - MB GV 5 GOG CR MP FC Blue Sky

If you've ever dreamed of putting your fingers on a bass with surgical responsiveness, the Markbass MB GV 5 GOG MP Blue Sky could well tick all your boxes, even the ones you hadn't planned on. Thanks to its 2 in-house developed Noiseless JJ Style pickups, the grain remains clean even in solo mode. Every string responds to the fingertips, with no unwanted hum, even when inspiration gets you up at 2am. The passive electronics give simple but precise control, like a good buddy who understands you without you having to say too much.

The ultra-thin maple neck, screwed onto an alder body sculpted in J-style, makes for a comfortable playing experience that really gets you into the grooves. The grip is frictionless: whether you're a fan of the nervous slap or the nuanced groove, the C-profile is almost indecently supple. And then there's that 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with block inlays... it stands out, even when you're not moving.

Behind this MB GV 5 GOG MP Blue Sky model is a name: Andrew Gouchè. Yes, the Andrew Gouchè who has rocked the stages alongside Prince and Chaka Khan. His touch is evident everywhere in this bass, from the choice of materials to the ultra-singing sound grain. Far from being a marketing gimmick, this collaboration has given birth to an instrument whose soul has been tested by a master of groove. That alone makes you want to put down a walking bass at 7am without a cup of coffee. Who knows, maybe this bass will finally give you the courage to publish that solo that's been lying dormant in your drafts?