The Overwater Bass

Like most, we learnt of Overwater the brand from Scott Devine's online bass lessons where he initially started out using his Signature Progress and Signature Jazz Bass guitar. We could feel the unique tonality and sheer quality of those instruments, and there is simply a special quality to them.

We moved to London, United Kingdom for a few years and on one of those weekends at the London Bass Guitar Show, I chanced upon and tried first-hand an Overwater Perception Bass. I was immediately blown away and it left such a lasting impression. I could not afford it as a student but I made a promise to myself that I would one day bring one of my own back to Singapore. 

Overwater is led by Chris and his team, based in the City of Carlisle, UK. Overwater's philosophy is to treat electric basses fundamentally as acoustic instruments. By amalgamating the properties of curated tone woods and bespoke hardware, they create instruments offering a naturally resonant response, balanced across the frequency range and with a fundamental tonality that comes directly from the materials from which the instrument is crafted. These are then paired with Overwater electronics, which ensure flat response at neutral - no colouration or pre-shape to the sound until the EQ section is engaged.

The result is a clean, quiet, full range output signal for versatility in tone and dynamics adjustments, and ensuring the natural character of the instrument and that of the player, is transferred accurately to the chosen means of amplification.

As such, Chris and team have worked with musicians from all over the globe. Particularly, they are the go-to boutiques for professional bassists in the theatre and broadways scenes, especially in the United Kingdom and the USA. Needless to say, they are a prime choice for collectors and musicians alike. 

Importantly, at the heart of it all, Chris and his team are a humble and lovely people. They are incredibly genuine and share the same love for music and fine craftsmanship. We are privileged to be able to partner each other in our endeavour to bring Overwater Basses and culture to the region. 

Check them out here.

-Timbreworks