What if pin-thin bass legend Jaco Pastorius struggled with weight issues? Instead of playing the Bass of Doom, he would have played Phat Jaco!
Double Humbuckers
Phat Jaco is a two humbucker, fretless custom Jazz bass. An Alnico V Music Man-style humbucker in the neck position delivers thick, lush tones, combining the best of a P-Bass and a MM Stingray-style instrument. We found a custom stacked humbucker for the bridge, too, for a classic Jazz Bass sound…minus the hum. The greatest part of Phat Jaco is his silence. Play him loud on stage or quiet in the studio, adjust the pickup levels however you’d like—either way you won’t get any 60-cycle hum! Phat Jaco is a true, noiseless Jazz bass!
Fretless Fire
Like Jaco Pastorius, we pulled the frets on this jazz bass ourselves. But unlike Jaco we did not seal the neck with boat epoxy. Frankly, Skinny Jaco, we’ve played epoxied fretless necks before, and they feel a little sticky and strange.
We believe Phat Jaco would have taken advantage of new string technologies like D’Addario Chromes. These flatwound strings deliver a bright punch like roundwounds, but don’t chew up the fretboard. These strings give the neck a smooth, “woody” feel.
Heavy Necking
Phat Jaco’s tung oil-finished neck has a profile more akin to a P-bass, yet its low, fast action makes this bass a pleasure to play.
We filled the fret lines with JB Weld Wood Epoxy, which will not shrink or crack. We sanded everything super fine with our 12 inch radius block and we treated the fretboard with a liberal dose of Dunlop 65 lemon oil.
Get your hands on Phat Jaco, and your bass tone will never be the same! Listen to PJ rage on the tracks below!
Phat Jaco echoes the famous “Bass Of Doom,” but with a thick, double humbucker tone! 
The hacky pickup hole is part of the charm…really! 
Those classic J-Bass lines! Sexy! Phat Jaco is a fretless monster! 
A smooth, fast rosewood fingerboard…with just a bit of chipping during the fret removal. 
Phat J chills in his plush hardshell case! 
Oops! Over-drill! We can patch that! 
Classic Fender-style open back tuners. 
This headstock lacks your name! Make Phat Jaco yours! 
Fretless neck conversion in progress… 
These D’Addario Chromes are tight and bright, but don’t damage the fretboard. 
This split-coil humbucker from TNT Guitars sounds amazing…and hum-free! 
Phat Jaco, back when he had a Stingray-style humbucker in the neck and frets. 
Phat Jaco, back when he was a pencil-necked Glarry Jazz Bass! 
Skinny Jaco with the Bass of Doom, and fat Rob with Phat Jaco.