Description

ATELIER Z M#265 -Natural-【4.37kg】

The "Ash" body—appealing to both the eyes and the ears—is incredibly cool!
The color featured here is the "Natural Finish."
It boasts a high-gloss finish that perfectly showcases the powerful, high-quality grain of the Ash wood—a truly classic look.
This finish allows you to experience the wood grain directly; it is a standard ATELIER Z color and defines the brand's signature aesthetic.
If you're unsure which one to pick, you can't go wrong with this model.


【About this specific unit】
・Setup
Our specialist has performed a "slightly low" action setup.
String height (at 12th fret): 5th string approx. 2.5mm / 1st string approx. 1.7mm.
For the low strings, we aimed for a slightly lower action while ensuring the sound remains solid and defined—without muddiness—even with the wider vibration amplitude.
For the high strings, which are often used for solos and melodies in the upper register, we prioritized ease of technical playing.
While a setting as low as 1.5mm would be feasible, we set the height to account for potential "back-bowing" (reverse curvature) during shipping.
Even as it stands, the strings respond easily to a light touch.
The setup allows for solid thumbing on the low strings, while the "pull" (popping) action is smooth, allowing the finger to release without getting caught.
Please note that with a lower action, players with a heavy picking hand may experience some fret buzz. If that happens, we can adjust the string height to your preference, so please feel free to ask.


・Weight
It weighs in at 4.37kg, which is average for a 5-string bass.
Ash wood can vary significantly in weight, but this particular weight offers excellent balance, combining great tone with ease of handling.

・Wood Grain
This unit displays the bold, distinctive grain characteristic of Ash.
The visible grain structure—resembling layers of fine lines—is a testament to the wood's tight, high-quality density.


【Sound】
It delivers the superb tone that is unique to ATELIER Z. The development of the M#265 began with a meeting with Tomohito Aoki, a top-tier bassist known for his work with T-SQUARE and other acts.
It features the classic combination of an ash body and maple fretboard, delivering a tight, clear sound with a fast attack.
It excels particularly in funk, rock, and pop genres.
It offers professional-grade quality capable of handling modern music and complex chord voicings.
The result is a clear, powerful active bass designed for players unsatisfied with off-the-shelf models of the time—specifically optimized for slap playing while ensuring the instrument cuts through the mix in an ensemble setting.

It is equipped with the renowned Bartolini XTCT preamp.
Boosting the treble produces a brilliant, aggressive sheen reminiscent of an overdriven tone.
Boosting the low end allows for earth-shaking bass frequencies, offering a wide dynamic range.
The combination of the tight ash body and the XTCT preamp clearly and powerfully captures the attack of slap playing, giving the instrument a commanding presence that cuts through the mix.
Turning the controls all the way up makes it easy to achieve that classic "scooped-mid" (don-shari) sound.
Its appeal lies in a sound with a piercing presence that never gets lost in a band ensemble.
While retaining a powerful low end and sharp attack, it allows for a tone with more "body" and sustain, offering the versatility to handle any genre.
The addition of "Spectrum Boost" increases sound pressure, maximizing the XTCT's clear, wide-range sonic characteristics.
Versatility is further enhanced by the ability to switch to passive mode simply by pulling up the tone knob.

[Playability]
The neck features a standard slim profile and a satin finish, ensuring comfortable fingering.
While Atelier Z is often associated with gloss-finished necks, this satin specification has become standard on both regular models and custom orders in recent years.
It prevents the hand from sticking during long playing sessions, supporting comfortable, speedy fingering without causing stress or fatigue. Additionally, resting your hand on the pickup fence while slapping provides excellent stability, making thumbing and popping techniques incredibly easy to execute.
It offers stress-free playability; the strings respond effortlessly to a light touch, requiring no excess finger tension.


Since 1989, ATELIER Z has established itself as a bass guitar brand that enjoys deep trust, particularly among professional musicians.
By combining active circuitry with an ash body, they pioneered a tight, fast-attack "scooped-mid" (don-shari) sound that has significantly influenced the modern bass landscape.
This sound pairs exceptionally well with slap playing, making the brand synonymous with active basses that are "ready for the stage" right out of the box.
ATELIER Z has consistently built its lineup around the Jazz Bass (JB) style, with superior sound and playability as its core strengths.
The brand's history and identity are defined by its commitment to incorporating the preferences and setups of professional bassists, ensuring the delivery of instruments that are always performance-ready.
This is a special instrument designed to fulfill every bassist's desire to take the stage with the ultimate sound and look.


[Included Accessories]
Gig bag, wrench

[SPEC]
Scale: 34"
Neck: Maple 1P
Fingerboard: Maple 21F
Body: Ash
Tuning Keys: GOTOH GB528
Bridge: ATELIER Z BB518
Pickups: ATELIER Z JBZ-5
Preamp: Bartolini XTCT + Spectrum Boost
Controls: Master Volume, Balancer, Master Tone/Switch (Active ON/OFF), Treble Boost, Bass Boost

Payment

Please pay within 4 days after purchase.

Shipping

Please refer to Shipping and handling.

About other area, please ask me.

Returns

Returns are accepted ONLY if the item was not the item described.

EU buyers have the right to withdraw from their purchase within 14 days of receiving the item (Right of Withdrawal). To exercise this right, you may use the "Return item" option from your Purchase History or Order Details page and select "Withdrawal from Contract" as the reason.

International Buyers - Please Note: 

* Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. 

* Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying.(Excluding shipments to the U.S. where the item price is $2,500 or less)

* These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up - do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.  

    *Colors may appear differently from the actual product depending on the shooting equipment and your screen settings.

　Please understand that we may not be able to ship the item in the original manufacturer's packaging. Thank you.