MusicRadar

Sandberg's Panther with its stunning walnut top.

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• Review

While many players are more than content to stick with their four-string basses, there are others who wouldn't be seen dead with anything less than five (wide-necked six-string bass, anyone?).

But whatever your personal preference this new, hand-built Sandberg model is well worth a closer look. It comes in both four- and five-string configurations so will please both camps, however, after examining the five-string Panther we feel it may encourage a few of you to jump ship.

This slightly offset body design offers an exaggerated upper horn that effectively provides excellent instrument balance, something that is sadly lacking in many five-string models.

It's of modest weight and the beautiful matt satin finish allows the walnut top over a mahogany body core to really stand out, while the white wood coach line has to be seen as the cherry on the top.

This Panther 'Special' model is also known as the Panther 'Walnut' bass – the main difference between this and the Standard model (see Spec Check) is obviously the choice of woods and the natural feel of the finish.

But rather than having the standard sloped forearm chamfer the one here is slightly dished, making it not only good-looking but pretty comfortable too.

At the rear, the body scoop is pretty standard but all the body edges are curved and tactile. With an unadorned fingerboard and dark wood headstock the design may be a little reminiscent of the eighties but the overall effect is one of completeness that is very easy on the eye.

Sandberg makes a point about these Delano-designed pickup covers and it must be said that the angled design of these units adds a contemporary visual edge in this natural wood environment. They also disguise the fact that one pickup is a humbucker and the other a split-coil unit.

Another plus point is the four-spot Sandberg logo used at every opportunity – it's very neat and gives the bass that extra touch of originality.

The chrome hardware is also clearly of high quality, from the traditionally styled open-gear tuners, to the hard block string tree and the excellent bridge and tailpiece.

This bridge unit really is finely engineered, fully adjustable in all aspects (all well illustrated in the included manual) and featuring roller-style bridge saddles and an extended raised tail to hide the string ends.

Very neat, aesthetically pleasing and highly functional, in fact it's a reflection of the whole instrument where everything is very well proportioned and balanced both in looks and practicality.

Sounds

When playing the Sandberg you soon appreciate that the neck is relatively shallow for a five-string and, although the fingerboard is not overly wide, it does seem very spacious.

This means that four-string players will immediately feel at home as the string spacing is similar so that the extra string just falls naturally under the fingers – excellent!