Marc Helberg's "Cleo"

New Jersey's Marc Helberg just missed getting his hands on Norton No. 1, my trusty personal bass (and very first Norton Custom) that I had put up for sale earlier this year. But rather than lament "the one that got away," we started putting plans in place to create a bass similar to it, yet which would incorporate many of the advancements Norton Customs has made in the way of product, finishing, hardware and setup since the days when old No. 1 was brought to life.

Based on a Norton Series I bass in violin shape, Marc named his bass "Cleo." The name is borrowed from his dog, who - just like the bass - exhibits plenty of bark and growl. Indeed, Marc's bass is loud, punchy, rich in tone and has plenty of growl on tap thanks to the pizz setup and Helicore Pizz strings. The bass was also treated to a quality Despiau bridge, aluminum adjusters, lightweight composite tailpiece, aircraft cable tailpiece cord and a Revolution Solo pickup (lovingly dyed black to match the bridge ; ).