This bass is METAL. No, really, it’s totally metal! At least the majority of the body, anyway. Italy’s Alusonic sent us their top of the line Django Supreme Tributo 400° model – which we had previously chronicled as part of our NAMM 2024 coverage – by way of US distributor, Bass Spotlight, to check out, and we were more than happy to oblige.
Aerospace Bass
Alusonic’s modus operandi is to use aircraft-grade aluminum for the body of their instruments, while also employing tried and true timbers for their necks, to best utilize the properties of both, without losing the spirit and sound of a true bass guitar – a focus of the highest importance to owner/builder, Andrea Pollice. This particular Django model bass came outfitted with a hard maple neck under that flawless, epoxy matte black finish (so perfectly carved and finished, you’d be forgiven for assuming it was carbon fiber, itself), a Graphitex fretboard, and two matching Dichrolam color-treated aluminum panels: one serving as the faux-quilted grain top, and the other as the headstock veneer. The top is nothing short of incredible, with blues, purples, and aquamarine colors all swirling together to approximate the quilted grain patterns of some outer-space tree. A carbon fiber plate comprises the entire back of the body, save for a rear-mounted, shining plaque that sports the instrument’s naming designation. But Alusonic doesn’t yield any control over their exacting designs lightly; they also design and contract the production of their own bespoke bridges, pickups, and preamps from nearby their home base of Morciano di Romagna, Italy. The company espouses an impressively holistic mindset regarding the production of their instruments and the player’s experience.
Attaching one of my favorite straps (strap locks are included gratis, in the case) and donning the Django for the first time, several novel, but noteworthy, items seemed to meet my senses, all at once. It’s light! The bass’ thinner than typical, semi-hollow, lightweight aluminum body keeps the total weight down to only 8.8 lbs.; impressive for a metallic 5-string, especially. It’s a bit chilly! I’m in Seattle – a much cooler climate than that of the Django’s origins – and the first couple of minutes of play time involve not just a warmup for your fingers, but of the front and sides of the body, as well. It feels … normal! Perhaps one of the most surprising elements, being aware of the make-up of these instruments in advance, is that beyond these first couple of passing observations, it doesn’t really feel different in any kind of alien way. It’s comfortable, and easy to interface with.
Metal Zone
But of course, it’s when you put cable to jack that things really get interesting, isn’t it? The Django’s MM+J pickup configuration, combined with its 5-way coil selection switch and 2-band EQ with master volume, produces a wide array of highly usable tones. As you might expect by now, these are not your average, everyday pickups, either! Their magnets are hybrid designs of both AlNiCo 5 and neodymium, for maximum volume and punch, but also warmth, and are made locally to Alusonic’s strict specifications. The positions on the coil selection switch give you the option to solo the dual-coil humbucker’s rear coil, that whole pickup (both coils in parallel) for a very convincing Music Man® StingRay® tone, all three coils in parallel, the rear coil of the humbucker along with the split-coil J-style, and just the J, alone. I go through each of the timbres available from these configurations in the associated video, published here.
My favorite tones came from the Music Man-style humbucker soloed, the vaguely Jazz Bass®-ish rear and front coil combination, and using all three coils (both separate pickup bodies) simultaneously. That MM-type pickup definitely satisfies all my StingRay desires and does it without being at all harsh, and I found the outside coils setting – seemingly girthier and with more attitude than a typical J setup – to almost beg for aggressive playing with a pick. The all-coils setting was like a more modern, alternate take on the MM vibe, which I immediately heard in more of a modern prog context. Despite the space-age appearance and materials, I didn’t find the Django to be unusually hi-fi or ultra-modern sounding; to wit, its single-coil, J pickup almost sounds closer to a P, to my ears. Rather, the Django never loses a familiar bass guitar personality when amplified. Personally, I’d love to see an option for the angled front pickup to be arranged in the opposite direction, approaching the neck at the treble strings, to lend some more gravity to those, so often thinner sounding, higher pitched strings, and more clarity to the lower ones.
End Milling
A lifetime, limited warranty is conveyed upon the original purchaser, which I strongly applaud! I’d love to see this more often for purchases of instruments of this caliber from other builders, and it’s just another facet in my determination that it’s hard not to recommend Alusonic’s Django line to a majority of bassists. Due to its ability to approximate several classic, archetypical electric bass tones, but also the potential to blaze new sonic trails, all while sounding as traditional or modern as most players are likely to desire, the Django is an ultimately usable tool that marries a massive billet of style and panache with that utility.
Specifications
| Brand: | Alusonic |
| Website: | www.alusonic.com |
| Model: | Django Supreme 5 “Tributo 4000” |
| Construction: | Bolt-on |
| Body: | Aircraft-grade aluminum |
| Body Finish: | Aluminum Mirror Finish |
| Top: | Dichrolam Q |
| Top Finish: | High gloss |
| Back Cover: | Carbon fiber |
| Neck: | Hard maple with graphite reinforcing rods and Dichrolam R headstock |
| Neck Thickness: | 21mm at 1st fret, 24mm at 12th fret |
| Neck Shape: | Custom “C/V” |
| Neck Finish: | Epoxy matte black |
| Fretboard: | Graphitex |
| Fretboard Finish: | Natural |
| Scale Length: | 34" (864mm) |
| Radius: | 16" |
| Number of Frets: | 24 |
| Frets Size: | Medium jumbo |
| Nut: | Graphite |
| Nut Width: | 44.5 mm |
| Position Marks: | Luminlay side dots |
| Truss Rod: | 2-way |
| Neck Plate: | 5-Bolt |
| Bridge: | Alusonic aluminum with self-lubricating and quick release system |
| String Spacing: | 18 mm |
| Tuners: | Hipshot Ultralites, black |
| Pickups: | Alusonic Hybrid Alnico5/Neodymium Hum+Split Coil |
| Controls: | Volume, Treble, Bass, 5-way selector switch |
| Hardware: | Aluminum matte black |
| Knobs: | Aluminumm black |
| Strings: | Alusonic Steel 45/135 |
| Accessories: | ABS Hardcase, Luminlay light charger, security straplocks, wrench keys |
| Weight: | 4kg / 8.8 lbs. |
| Warranty: | Lifetime limited |
| Price: | $7,250 |
