Sterling by Music Man has completed its trilogy of Joe Dart signature bass guitars by reviving its hugely popular Dart I model – and releasing not one, but two distinct new four-string models for the Vulfpeck funk maestro.
Last year, Dart – who already had three Ernie Ball Music Man signature guitars to his name – partnered with the firm’s affordable offshoot for the first time in his career to launch the Dart I bass.
The made-to-order, direct-to-fan release was only available to order for a month, and cost less than $400. It was a remarkable drop for bass fans, to say the least, and it goes without saying that the Dart I swiftly sold out.
Now, though, Sterling has reunited with Dart to keep up traditions and complete a trilogy of signature launches, reviving the Dart I and unveiling the Dart II and Dart III models that bring new body shapes and pickup configurations to the table.
Naturally, the price tags are going to be one of the biggest talking points here and, as was the case with the Dart I, Sterling has managed to keep its latest Vulfpeck signature models immensely affordable.
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Specifically, the Dart II and Dart III are both available for $499. That represents monumental savings of over $2k on the original Ernie Ball Dart II, which cost $2,699, and the Dart III, which debuted at $2,599.
As expected, these models follow the component precedent set by their Sterling sibling. However, whereas the first model offered a sole humbucker, the Dart II comes equipped with two single-coils, while the Dart III features a split-coil.
The Dart II also offers a subtly offset body shape in line with the Ernie Ball Music Man Caprice, whereas the Dart III is in keeping with the more conventional contours of the flagship model.
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Both builds broadly offer the same core specs, including soft maple bodies, hard maple necks with 9.5” hard maple fingerboards, and five-bolt neck joints. They also have open gear tuners, dual action truss rods, fixed bridges and ceramic pickups.
There are some further deviations to this blueprint, though, aside from the pickup and body shape swaps. The Dart II has a 34” scale length and 21 frets, as well as two volume controls, whereas the Dart III has a 30” scale length, 22 frets, and one volume knob.
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The returning Dart I, meanwhile, retains all of its original specs. These are, as expected, similar to the above, with the exception of its sole ceramic humbucker.
“Jack Stratton and I are thrilled to team up once again with Sterling by Music Man to build affordable versions of the three best basses I’ve ever held in my hands,” says Dart.
“The Joe Dart I, II, and III represent three different sounds and feels, three different eras of bass, and three different shades of my own work as a bassist. The feel of these instruments is incredible, and the quality would be remarkable at any price point.”
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Each new bass will be made to order, and will be available to preorder for a window of two months between April 1 and May 31. Shipping will start in September.
Head over to Sterling by Music Man to find out more.
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