CA Guitar Repair Blog: Bacchus Woodline517 AC BGP

1 Preamble

On August 18, Enche Nodi was at CA Guitar Repair to drop off his MIJ five-string bass. Well, the Bacchus Woodline517 AC BGP will probably be in the shop for quite awhile before it's given a clean bill of health. In the meantime, allow me to share what I've learned about this gorgeous instrument so far. For starters, although described as the "quintessential model" of the Woodline Bacchus Handmade Series; it is no longer in production. So, Enche Nodi is indeed fortunate to own an instrument that will soon become a rarity.

Bacchus Woodline517 AC BGP

Bearing the serial number 137480, this bass was handmade at Deviser's Aska Factory in Nagano, Japan. The "BGP" in the name not only alludes to the black and gold hardware theme, but also Bacchus' proprietary "Black Oil Finish Process." That's about it as far as introductions go, methinks. Join me, then, on a wondrous visual adventure into the heart and soul of the Bacchus Woodline517 AC BGP.

Black Oil Finish

2 Headstock

The headstock is home to five black Gotoh GB11W-5 open gear machine heads in a 4+1 configuration. Its face features the same black oil finish as the body, as well as "Bacchus® Handmade Guitars" and "Woodline Model" in contrasting gold script. And, in lieu of string trees, a black string retainer bar spans all five strings; providing the requisite string break angle.

Headstock Face

Headstock Labels

String Retainer Bar

On the back of the headstock, one gets a really good look at the Gotoh GB11W-5 machine heads; each secured in place with three gold screws. Meanwhile, the semi-gloss black finish, impressively smooth and free from blemishes; should offer adequate protection for years to come. Equally impressive is the 20:1 gear ratio, enabling fast and accurate tune-ups. And lest it escapes your notice, there's also a functional decorative feature on this side of the headstock. Sandwiched between Japanese characters and vine-like graphics are "Bacchus Handmade Guitars" and "Made at Aska Factory Nagano Japan" in crisp black script.

Back of Headstock

Gotoh GB11W-5 Machine Heads

A and E Machine Heads

A Proud Heritage

3 Neck

The Woodline517 AC BGP features a one-piece bolt on maple neck finished in clear satin. The neck heel is where the truss rod adjustment socket is located. Access to this socket is through a channel routed into the body at the rear end of the neck pocket. The truss rod may be adjusted with a 3/16" hex wrench without detaching the neck. The neck heel also features what appears to be "0906" and "WL-DX5ACBGP" marked in pencil.

One-Piece Maple Neck

Neck Heel - Screw Side

Neck Heel - Left Side

Neck Heel - Right Side

Truss Rod Socket

Neck Heel - Pencil Markings

Truss Rod Access Channel

3.1 Neck-Body Joint

As the neck is a bolt on, it is secured in the neck pocket by a black rectangular metal plate, plastic gasket, and four gold neck screws. The neck plate itself is engraved with "Bacchus," "Made by aska," and "137480," which is the serial number of the bass. Similar to the neck heel, the neck pocket has also been marked "0906" and "WL-DX5ACBGP" in pencil. Of particular interest to me is the snug fit of the neck heel in the neck pocket, testament to the craftsmanship of Japanese luthiers.

Bacchus Four-Bolt Neck Plate

Neck Pocket

Neck Pocket - Pencil Markings

Snug Neck Pocket Fit - Left Side

Snug Neck Pocket Fit - Right Side

3.2 Contoured Heel

Although it's not mentioned in the literature, the Woodline517 AC BGP's bolt on joint features a contoured heel. This element is already prevalent on instruments from the likes of Fender, Gibson and Ibanez; to mention a few. As a contoured heel enhances playing comfort and upper fret access, it's certainly a plus point for this bass.

Contoured Heel - Left Side

Contoured Heel - Right Side

Contoured Heel - Front View

Contoured Heel - Rear View

4 Fretboard

A really high end appointment on this bass is the dark and rich ebony fretboard. Radiused at 16 inches, it features a scale length of 34 inches, 21 frets, pearloid block inlays, and black side dots. On the whole, it's a very attractive fretboard. I mean, just look at the beautiful contrast between the translucent pearloid block inlays and dark fretboard. What about that celluloid binding, then? Well, the jury's out on that one.