Jackson launches David Ellefson CB V Concert bass in its Legend Series

Jackson has announced the Legend Series, a set of signature models honouring four metal players: Randy Rhoads, Scott Ian, Marty Friedman and bassist David Ellefson. For Ellefson, the maker has built the Limited Edition Legend Series Signature David Ellefson CB V Concert Bass, inspired by his vintage Concert bass, according to No Treble.

The model has an alder body and a three-piece, through-body quartersawn maple neck reinforced with graphite rods. Its ebony fingerboard has a 12″–16″ compound radius for comfort along the whole neck. The electronics pair an EMG 40DC bridge pickup with an EMG CS at the neck and an EMG 3-band EQ. Hardware includes a Jackson HiMass 5-string bridge and Hipshot open-gear tuners. The bass is available now for $2,499.

In the Legend Series launch video, Ellefson explains that the instrument is based on the first five-string bass Jackson ever made, which he had built for Megadeth’s “Rust in Peace” tour. In a press release, he called his Concert basses the “sleek, high-octane version” of a great bass, saying their slightly smaller body and fast action suited his aggressive playing. His original 1987 Concert bass, he said, let him develop his playing without limits set by the instrument.

In October, mbuzz reported that the Legend Series is a limited-edition run of four instruments recreating guitars originally built for Rhoads, Ian, Ellefson and Friedman.