Tatchi Bass Review: The Korean Workshop Rebuilding Pre-CBS Fender Tone from the Metal Up

Tatchi Bass is a small, highly skilled workshop based in South Korea. Its theme is the tone of vintage Fenders from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, the so-called Pre-CBS era, and it is earning attention as a maker of outstanding Fender-style instruments.

Geek IN Box is the distributor for Tatchi Bass in Japan. In this article we explain who they are, what makes their basses different, and which models we stock.

The Workshop Behind Moollon Basses

The Tatchi name may not be widely known yet, but its work is. Moollon, a brand highly regarded among professional musicians in the United States, has its basses built in the Tatchi Bass workshop.

The head of Tatchi Bass studied electronic engineering at university and goes as far as building his own tube amplifiers and audio speakers. He has deep respect for Pre-CBS Fender instruments, and the brand's concept is to understand what made those basses sound so good and to pass it on. The instruments combine a scientific approach with woodworking of a very high standard.

What Makes Tatchi Bass Different

No off-the-shelf parts: in-house "Sound Steel" hardware

The most remarkable thing about Tatchi is that it researches and develops almost every part itself: pickups, tuning machines, bridge, even the control plate.

After analyzing the sound of vintage Fenders, the team concluded that commercially available parts were not good enough, and that the parts had to be made from specific metals and materials. Just as builders speak of tonewood, Tatchi calls its metals "Sound Steel," and it approaches the instrument from its smallest components upward with no compromise.

Ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer

Every Tatchi is finished in nitrocellulose lacquer. On high-grade ash in particular, the finish is kept extremely thin so the wood can resonate as freely as possible. The more you play it the more character it gains, and you get to enjoy watching it age the way a vintage instrument does.

A passive 5-string that stays open and clear

Five-string Jazz Basses often suffer from highs that do not cut through and a low end that turns dark. Tatchi has solved both. Its 5-string keeps the bright, open character of a 4-string while delivering a rich, wide low end.

The output is fat and fast at the same time. In our view it stands among the very best passive 5-string J basses made today.

Our Verdict: One of the Best Answers for Vintage-Minded Players

We handle a great many basses every day in the shop, and the quality of Tatchi Bass still surprised us.

Their approach is not to copy the look. It is to work out, fundamentally, how Fender got that sound at the time. Developing parts in-house to move closer to Pre-CBS tone is a concept you rarely come across.

Even a dry line signal with no effects or EQ gives you a low end that hugs the floor and a tight, defined midrange. If you want traditional virtues in an instrument that can hold its own in a modern band, this is one we recommend with confidence.

Tatchi Bass Models at Geek IN Box

To push the vintage look and sound even further, we special-order our Tatchi basses with a gloss finish on the back of the neck instead of the standard satin.

4 Strings Jazz Premium Ash / Maple, Light Aged

The body is top-grade ash. Ash prices keep climbing, but this model uses it generously. It has a dynamic, growling midrange and is a joy to slap. The finished instrument carries the spirit of the 1950s.

5 Strings Jazz Alder / Rosewood, Candy Apple Red

Alder body, rosewood fingerboard, Candy Apple Red. The classic 60s recipe, faithfully realized as a 5-string. A powerful low end and rich overtones make this the flagship.

4 Strings Jazz Alder / Rosewood, Candy Apple Red

5 Strings Jazz Alder / Maple

Custom Orders

Besides 4- and 5-string Jazz Bass types, Tatchi Bass can build Precision Bass and PJ types to order. You can choose the fingerboard (rosewood or maple), body wood (alder or ash), color, matching headstock, block inlays and more.

See Tatchi Bass instruments in stock at Geek IN Box, or ask us about a custom order. We ship worldwide from Japan.