“The Superleggera’s body shape is unique and perfectly balanced. The subtle references to the great Marcello Gandini (Lamborghini Miura, Alfa Montreal) are sublime. The brushed aluminum hardware is entirely bespoke. The bridge is made to my design parameters (as tool free as possible) with Tao’s usual attention to detail and magnificent design aesthetics. The pickups are custom Benedetti.” - Hansford Rowe
American bassist Hansford Rowe began his career in the clubs of New York City. With French drummer Pierre Moerlen, he reformed the jazz-rock group Gong. PM’s Gong is considered one of the great fusion bands of the late 70s. Recording guests included icons like Mick Taylor, Steve Winwood and Didier Lockwood.
International touring soon secured Hansford a place among the world’s leading bass players and work with Mike Oldfield, Allan Holdsworth, John Martyn, Biréli Lagrène, La Monte Young, David “Fuze” Fiuczynski, Gary Husband etc Hansford, with Warwick bass guitars and guitarist Jon Catler developed the first Just Intonation bass. He is considered an expert in the use of alternate tuning systems. His last record is Decadence by Gong Expresso.
Tao Guitars was founded by Belgian luthier duo Serge Michiels and John Joveniaux in Brussels in 2004. The boutique builders collaborate closely with customers to perfectly outfit guitars to the individual and since the two luthiers handcraft all of the instruments by themselves they limit their output to just a few instruments per year. Infused by a deep sense of design and inspired by architecture, Italian auto design and Japanese aesthetics, Tao’s work is a perfect balance between functionality, tone and adventurous design. For more on Tao Guitars, please visit:http://www.taoguitars.com/.
HR Superleggera Bass by Tao Guitars
• Lightweight Swamp Ash body
• Neck-through of Bosnian maple with a Wenge center (tinted black)
• Wenge fingerboard with brushed aluminum fret marker inlays
• Custom proprietary Benedetti pickups
• Proprietary aircraft-grade brushed aluminum hardware
• Circular graining of electronics box aluminum lining
• Modified Hipshot lightweight tuners
• Proprietary titanium truss rod by KTS Japan (single bar, double action)
• Fret and nut material 18% Nickel / Silver (Maillechort – copper, nickel, and zinc)
• Paint: Lamborghini Oro Elios
• Scale: 34.5”
• String spacing at nut: 9mm
• String spacing at bridge: 17mm
• Fingerboard radius: 14”
• Weight: 7.8lbs
• Price: 14,000 Euros
