Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass
The Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass (or simply the Status Doubleneck Bass) is, as it's name suggests, a doubleneck bass guitar, which consists of the bottom half being a standard bass guitar, and the top half being a touch-screen MIDI synth controller. There have been three distinct models of it, which Chris has used through the recent years.
Mark 1
| Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass (Mark 1) | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Status Graphite / Misa |
| Used | 2012-09-13 — 2018-06-23 |
| Body type | Alder encased in one-piece graphite composite |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on |
| Body covering | Satin black paint |
| Wood | Alder body, wrapped in a carbon-graphite shell |
| Bridge | Mono-rail bridge/tuners |
| Electronics | Master volume, pickup blend control |
| Pickup(s) | 2 Status soap-bar pickups |
| Special circuits | Top half of the bass is a modded Misa Kitara |
Information
First seen in 2012, Chris used this bass for the song Madness. The top half of the bass is a Misa Kitara, cut to fit the frame of the body, and the bottom half is a Status S2-Classic headless. Due to originally Misa Kitara being made out of plastic, not built for heavy touring and thus prone to failure, Chris had three of them built for backup purposes through the tour.
The bass was later succeeded by the greatly improved and re-colored version in 2017. While keeping the original intent of the Doubleneck bass, the Misa Kitara part was ditched completely out of the newer model, using instead, a custom-built keyboard, with all it's electronics hidden inside the neck, connected to an iPad, which connects to MIDI through wireless. The Mark 1 was kept in Chris's rack nevertheless, but only for backup purposes.
Touring
The bass debuted at the SVT on the 13th of September 2012 where it was used for Madness. After a break from touring, it returned for a couple of gigs in 2016 and 2018. The bass was tuned to standard (EADG).
Songs used for
Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass Mark 1 Gallery
Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass
The doubleneck bass up close
The Kitara doubleneck during prep works at the Status workshop for the 2022 tour
Mark 2
| Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass (Mark 2) | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Status Graphite / Starr Labs |
| Used | 2017-05-20 — 2023-10-02 |
| Body type | Alder encased in one-piece graphite composite |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on |
| Body covering | Turquoise sunburst paint |
| Wood | Alder body, wrapped in a carbon-graphite shell |
| Bridge | Mono-rail bridge/tuners |
| Electronics | Master volume, pickup blend control |
| Pickup(s) | 2 Status soap-bar pickups |
| Special circuits | Top half of the bass is a custom-built Misa Kitara |
Information
The second iteration of the Doubleneck Bass was built during the Drones Tour, in order to replace the Misa Kitara section with a tougher, touring-friendly build. The Kitara portion of the doubleneck bass was replaced with a sturdier wooden neck, with buttons laid on top, housing all the keyboard electronics controlling a custom iPad software which controlls a digital synthesizer in an off-stage laptop, located backstage. It is connected to the computer via wireless MIDI. The Mark 2 Doubleneck Bass was made by an U.S.-based manufacturer, specialising in MIDI guitars, called "Starr Labs".[1]
In terms of colours, this double-neck bears a similarity to the White LED Status Chris Wolstenholme Signature Bass in Turquise Sunburst, except that the bottom neck doesn't feature LED lights and is headless.
Touring
The bass has been used ever since 2017, with an exception of a shorter festival leg in 2018. It's been used for Dig Down & Madness, and is tuned to EADG. Wolstenholme still brings the original Doubleneck Bass Mk1 with him on tours, but only for backup purposes. The bass was also used for Nishe during the Will of the People tour in 2022, which was an intro song to Madness. It was retired from touring in 2023 and replaced with a newer version in 2024.
Songs used for
Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass Mark 2 Gallery
Doubleneck Bass Mk2 - Front of the unit (via Starr Labs's Facebook page)
Doubleneck Bass Mk2 - Back of the unit (via Starr Labs's Facebook page)
Doubleneck Bass Mk2 in it's case, in the Status workshop during preparations for the 2022 tour
Mark 3
| Status Kitara Doubleneck Bass (Mark 3) | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Status Graphite / Mosi Audio |
| Used | 2024-12-08 — |
| Body type | Unknown |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on |
| Body covering | Satin black paint |
| Wood | Unknown |
| Bridge | Mono-rail bridge/tuners |
| Electronics | Master volume, pickup blend control |
| Pickup(s) | 2 Status soap-bar pickups |
| Special circuits | Top half of the bass is a Mosi Audio Nova |
Information
The third version of the Kitara Doubleneck Bass, which made its debut in 2024 and includes a new MIDI controller called the "Nova", by Mosi Audio, built into the body of a Status doubleneck bass. The "Nova" itself was built as a spiritual successor to the Misa Tribass and the Misa Kitara, and is much tougher than the precedessors, with a wooden body and neck, a stainless steel fretboard and a glass touchpad.
In terms of paintjob, it is similar to the Mark 1 version of the doubleneck bass, being painted in satin/stealth black.
Touring
The Mark 3 saw its debut use at the 2024 Abu Dhabi gig.
