Tuesday 11th October 2016, Trip to Atelier Z workshop Tokyo, hanging with Kenji Jino Hino🇯🇵💥

Japanese bass legend Kenji Jino Hino and I pick the same day to visit the shop! 👏🏾😂 The bass is the new BOH'S Custom6

The bass I'm holding in the pic is the new BOH'S Custom 6, smooth EMG pickups with Aguilar OBP3 preamp, Kenji Jino Hino holds the M245 with maple fretboard

On the last day of Incognito's five night run at the Blue Note Tokyo, I took a short cab ride from my hotel in Nagatacho to the Atelier Z shop and workshop in Shinjuku, Tokyo. I've been playing Atelier Z basses for about many years now and I like to make a visit about every other time I stay in Tokyo, to try out new instruments that are either newly released or in development.

The lab

Finishing touches to the body of a JHJ-189

A rack of owners instruments in for servicing

A new Jerry Barnes model being born - this bass is SERIOUS!!! #jelly

New colour, transparent blue

M245 galore

I said GALORE!!!

Future JHJ top...

...and future JHJ underside!

It seems every time I go they have literally moved the furniture around! The workshop and shop floor have swapped places a few times, mainly because there is limited space on the two storey premises and they have to prioritise space depending on production requirements on an ongoing basis. They have a small artist instrument storage facility at the moment where part of the old workshop was; the old workshop has partly moved to the front where the shop floor was last time... and the shop floor has moved back upstairs! I think I prefer it this way round; it's nice to have a bit of daylight while you play!

Selection of Atelier Z new and older guitar and bass models and the URB (Upright Bass)

A selection of Atelier Z endorsees, can you spot Bluey and I?!

I got to try the new BOH'S Custom 6 bass which I could tell Johnny is very proud of! It's a PJ configured 6 string fitted with super quiet EMG P6 & 45DC pickups for a smooth and consistent tone, a buttery maple on maple low profile neck. It's very different to my Beta 6 which most people think sounds like my four string if I'm not playing out of range, this is a more polite yet refined sound, a very nice instrument that unfortunately I don't have room in my suitcase for!

Atelier Z BOH'S Custom 6, quilt top/alder body

Jino digging in!

All smiles, jamming with Jino!

Japanese bass legend Kenji Jino Hino and I picked the same day to visit the Atelier Z workshop! 👏🏾😂 We haven't hooked up for about 5 or 6 years so a very pleasant surprise indeed! I was just getting into the Custom 6 when the front door of the shop burst open and in steps my man! 😂 Kenji has his own signature Atelier Z bass but after a brief man hug he grabbed an M245 that Johnny passed to him and we had a little play-along!