The Megatar is no longer in active production. This website is for reference purposes only.
THE MEGATAR
Like a bad ass 6 string bass and a guitar all on one neck. Magnificent tone, stunning looks, surprisingly easy to learn and miles of headroom. Handmade in California, USA.
The Megatar is no longer in active production. This website is for reference purposes only.
THE MEGATAR
Like a bad ass 6 string bass and a guitar all on one neck. Magnificent tone, stunning looks, surprisingly easy to learn and miles of headroom. Handmade in California, USA.
What is a Megatar?
Since 1999 The Megatar has been a key player in the growing trend in musical instruments known as tapping or touchstyle instruments. With the vast range of 12 strings on 25 frets, The Megatar is like a monster bass and a sweet sounding guitar on one sleek neck. You make it sing by touching the strings to the frets using familiar tapping, hammer-on and pull-off guitar techniques mixed up with slapping, percussive ideas and more. Create incredible harmonies, experience rich, sonorous chords, find a new melody and back yourself up on bass or even explore traditional jazz, blues, rock, reggae, classical styles. The musical universe has a lot of uncharted territory waiting to be explored, The Megatar will take you there.
Features
The Megatar combines innovation with tried and true “best practices” of electric guitar design to produce an instrument with a feature set that is the definition of how to achieve purity of tone and easy playability.
The solid neck-through design is essential for stability, tone, and sustain. Custom neck options take the function and beauty up another notch.
The neck is not only sexy, but also stiff enough for a nice low action. Dual adjustable truss rods and optional carbon fiber stringers keep it so.
A 14-degree tiltback headstock and zero-fret design are the formula for consistent action, sustain and resonance.
The custom solid brass bridge plate, is piezo ready and has the extra length needed for the extended intonation range of a 12-string instrument. Through-the-body string anchoring completes the intimate string to body connection. This bridge design also allows for the installation of state-of-the-art Midi and Piezo pickups from Graph Tech, opening up a whole universe of synth sounds in addition to the native sound of the instrument. This tried and true bridge system is also familiar to any qualified guitar tech, for dependability in the field.
Direct mount humbuckers keep things solid up front, and the minimal, hornless body allows unrestricted access to the fretboard, keeps weight down, and contributes to better balance in the ergonomically correct vertical playing position.
Traditionally hand-worked jumbo frets contribute to the lively feel and maximize sustain.
The optimized body shape fine tunes the mass, while the rear route control cavities are concentrated into the body wings to preserve the integrity of the resonant core of the instrument.
The 12 strings are divided into two string sets with some space in between for no crosstalk. In our standard tuning, known as 'bass bottom tuning' or 'straight 4ths', the bass strings are tuned in fourths just like a six-string bass (BEADGC), while the melody strings are also in fourths similar to a standard guitar but slightly lower (C#F#BEAD). The two string sets overlap just enough to keep your hands from running into each other, and with 25 frets, there is plenty of room to work.
With this tuning, you have identical home-position notes at fret 2 (double dots) on the bass side and at fret 12 (double dots) on the melody side. With the same notes under both hands, straight 4ths, and the strings arranged like a standard guitar or bass, understanding the geometry of the fretboard and unlocking the secrets of it's harmonic patterns is surprisingly easy.
Other popular tunings include Chapman Stick style tuning in Inverted-Fifths, bi-melody, dropped, and mirrored tunings. Plus all of these in an uncrossed string arrangement if desired. Normally free of charge. Of course, the tuning and string arrangement can be customized to suit your style and background.
Under the hood we keep the output signal as clean as possible with full faraday cage shielding, meticulous grounding, and top shelf components from brands like Alpha, Bartolini and GraphTech.
All of that effort going into sound quality, playability, and responsiveness means nothing without excellent intonation. To do it right, we teamed up with intonation guru Buzz Feiton. The result is an instrument that sounds perfectly in tune with other instruments, and more importantly is in tune with itself all over the fretboard for a clean, clear tone and tight harmonies.
Every new instrument ships with a patented 3-point strap, digital copies of a set of four method books, an extra .009 string, a stereo output cable and a tool kit. Several styles of cases are available, and are highly recommended. A variety of accessories are also available for the players convenience.
Want to see more?
How to Buy
Video Gallery
Two handed guitar tapping techniques played on megatar specialty 12 string bass guitars. Lots of different styles and tunings. Play bass chords and accompaniment at the same time with traditional or more piano like techniques.
Video Gallery
Two handed guitar tapping techniques played on megatar specialty 12 string bass guitars. Lots of different styles and tunings. Play bass chords and accompaniment at the same time with traditional or more piano like techniques.
Specifications
You want specs? Here's the lowdown on the Megatar Touch-Style Bass. Research and compare, we know we've got what you need.
Specifications
You want specs? Here's the lowdown on the Megatar Touch-Style Bass. Research and compare, we know we've got what you need.
Specifications
Construction: Solid neck-through construction, tilt-back head stock, zero-fret, and through-body string anchoring. Standard with two adjustable truss rods. Optional with multi-species neck laminations and three full length carbon fiber reinforcement rods.
Woods: Standard with laminated solid sapele body and wenge fret board. Custom wood choices available. Click here for more information on wood choices.
Scale Length: 33.5 inches.
Neck Specs: Width at nut: +/- 3.5” (87.5 mm) Width at last fret: +/- 5.0” (127 mm) Thickness at nut: +/- 1.0” (25 mm) Thickness at body: +/- 1.13” (28.25 mm) Flat, no radius.
Dimensions: Overall length: +/- 45.5" (115.5cm) Overall width: +/- 9.5" (24cm) Weight: Depends on wood choices. Normally between 8 and 10 pounds.
Frets: 25 Frets, nickel-silver extra jumbo (Stew-mac 154). zero-fret is Jescar Evo gold. Standard with parallel frets, fanned frets are available.
String spacing: Nut: .293" (7.44mm) Bridge: .413" (10.5mm) with 21mm gap in between
Body Shape: Standard with custom hornless minimalist body. Customized body shapes available.
Control cavity covers: Solid matching hardwood, fully shielded.
Fingerboard: Standard with quarter-sawn Wenge. Custom woods available.
Finish: Water-based ultra-hard musical instrument lacquer. Hand rubbed satin baby's butt finish. Optional traditional oil finish available.
Inlay: Available with Genuine abalone or MoP 8mm dots at D2, 5, D7, 9, D12, 15, D17, 19, D22. Custom inlay options available.
Side dots: Available with 2.8mm Genuine Abalone, same locations as above. Customizable.
Hardware color: Choice of black, gold, or chrome. Upgradeable.
Strap: Includes standard black 2"-inch web strap with Marvel strap locks in choice of gold, chrome, or black. Luxury leather strap upgrades with Schaller strap locks available.
Pickups: Standard with gold or chrome case alnico 5 humbuckers. Bartolini humbuckers and/or Graph Tech Ghost Acoustiphonic piezos highly recommended. Optional with custom Bartolini dual-channel active preamp curcuits and/or Ghost Hexaphonic MIDI output. Customizable.
Controls: Standard bass tone, melody tone, nested volume, side mount stereo output. Optional three-way pickup switches, stereo/mono switch, dual mono output, etc. Customizable.
Bridge System: Standard with custom chrome-plated solid brass monoplate and chrome-plated brass saddles. Through-body string anchoring with chrome ferrules. Optional Graph Tech tusq, or Graph Tech stringsaver saddles. Optional individual solid brass “12-Tone” bridge plates for fanned frets, custom string spacing, and/or tonal purity.
Tuning: Standard with straight fourths (bass bottom) tuning. Also available with "Chapman Stick" style inverted fifths tuning, mirrored fourths tuning, matched reciprocal, Daiss tuning, and others. Crossed or uncrossed. Custom tunings available.
Intonation: "Buzz Feiten Tuning System" compensated offset.
In the Box: Instrument, strap with locks, method books, tool kit, extra .009 string, stereo output cable.
Reviews
The Megatar is a masterpiece of the luthier's art! Thoughtfully manufactured with the player in mind, both playability and tone are unlike any other instrument I've played. Never before have I owned an instrument that could perform in so many different roles in an ensemble: Bass, Rhythm, Lead, Ambient Keyboard-like Textures -- the sky's the limit!
Reviews
The Megatar is a masterpiece of the luthier's art! Thoughtfully manufactured with the player in mind, both playability and tone are unlike any other instrument I've played. Never before have I owned an instrument that could perform in so many different roles in an ensemble: Bass, Rhythm, Lead, Ambient Keyboard-like Textures -- the sky's the limit!
What are People Saying?
“For me, it’s about playability. The Megatar neck is very smooth, and easy to play.”
“And the intonation is really outstanding — a nice clear sound.”
“The Megatar is a masterpiece of the luthier’s art! Thoughtfully manufactured with the player in mind, both playability and tone are unlike any other instrument I’ve played. Never before have I owned an instrument that could perform in so many different roles in an ensemble: Bass, Rhythm, Lead, Ambient Keyboard-like Textures — the sky’s the limit! Can’t wait to take it on tour with me!”
“When I first plugged it into my amp, I was really surprised about how clean and strong it sounds! The Bartolini pickups are great! The Lower bass strings are pretty easy to reach - and that was a surprise too, because my fingers are not very long, and so I had my little doubts about playing comfort. Bass sound is rich, bright and all notes are very, VERY precise! I especially like the sound with some smooth distortion and chorus added to the bass channel - what a roaring, deep tone! Melody strings are also especially bright and sonorous. And what sustain! Andrew, our guitar player, played a few chords on the melody strings and just turned pale with envy!
I think, the construction is worth praising too. The neck is wide, but pretty thin so (as I have already said) it is very comfortable for both hands to reach any note, at any fret. And I liked the fanned frets very much. As for me, personally, it feels easier for my fingers to strike the right note when playing fast ascending scales and passages. Fingers tend to shift closer to each other, so the fanned frets, converging from lower to higher strings, really help fingers to get to the right place!
Beautiful design. All parts combine with each other perfectly, and it feels smooth when you touch it, and comfortable when you put it on.”
“The Megatar Rocks!”
“Megatars are lethal and cause sleep deprivation.”
“Just writing to say I am having a blast with the megatar. It is a great instrument and I find that your books are allowing me to advance and keep me interested at the same time.”
“Great instrument. Plays fast and light. Great sound. Very much in tune!”
“Thank you very much for everything. Everything is perfect! Since the new tapping bass arrived, I have been preoccupied with practicing. This instrument makes me forget the feeling of time, which means that I have done nothing but play it.”
“I am really satisfied with the instrument. Once again I thank you very much for everything about the new tapping bass.””
“My Megatar arrived today. I am at this moment trying it out for the first time. It’s beautiful, and it sounds wonderful, much sweeter than I expected! I couldn’t be happier! Thank you.”
“The Megatar is quite an interesting and exotic instrument, congratulations. I like the sound characteristics, not only the timbre but also the easiness to get a good response throughout the fingerboard, and the sustain response.”
“To me The Megatar is like a spaceship soaring across the universe, like a cosmic goose, resonating at warp speed, propelled by the melody of my heartstrings.”
“I got the Megatar yesterday. I love it. It’s better than what I envisioned. Sounds great and plays great. Already I’ve discovered some new musical territories. Thanks.”
“Yesterday I bought a Megatar from your UK dealer and I am in love with it! I’ve tried other tapping instruments and have been a bassist for 12 years, but I love this instrument most of all! It’s really great! Just thought I’d let you know how happy I am with my Megatar, and all the best to you for the future.”
“This is one of the better instruments I’ve played — smooth action, great lows and a really comfortable strap. The hands feel very comfortable and it’s easy to reach everything. I like it!”
“This is an instrument which I find to be superior feature wise (wider string spacing, and superior sound) to other touch-style instruments I’ve played. With the Feiten Intonation System, the instrument is a helluva lot easier to tune!”
“I received my Megatar Eclipse yesterday and I am impressed! The sound and playability of the instrument are worth much more than the price that I paid. Thank you very much for such a quality instrument. It is going to be my main instrument from now on.”
“I’ve spent happy days with my new Megatar. It is more than I expected! Deep clear tone, lovely looking, easy to play fingerboard stabilized by MegStrap, and the body is not too heavy so I play this instrument many hours every day.”
”I’ll hit the stage with my Megatar at my next performance. I think the audience will be carried away by its great sound. Thank you for making such wonderful tapping instrument.”
“The tone is full and earthy over the whole fretboard, and perfectly in tune no matter where you play. All you have to do is lightly touch a string, and it responds with a clear, bell-like tone. If I had to rate the ToneWeaver out of 10 I would give it a 12! It’s a well-built, functional instrument that will last me for years to come. I’m totally satisfied with the instrument and the people of Mobius Megatar. Thank you!”
“I received my Toneweaver two months ago. When I opened the package to check that everything was in place, I could not believe my eyes. I could not stop looking at the instrument , because I knew it would be good, but I never thought that it would be so well done.
“This instrument is great because it gives me the opportunity to discover and explore new sounds , new harmonies , new melodies. It ‘s really magic !!!
“ The sound is present and well defined. I have never owned before today an instrument that could play so many different roles within a group, it can safely be rhythmic, melodic, harmonic or all of these things together. Moreover I can really take advantage of everything that I have studied on the electric bass
I am very satisfied with my purchase. again thank you. ”
“The Megatar offers me musical possibilities which are beyond the scope of the common composition. Where I used to try to imagine the bass in my head while I played guitar - or vice versa - I can now have both at the same time, as well as things I have never heard before. It’s uncharted territory , an adventure into new realms. The Megatar is almost an inexhaustible source of new ideas.”