bass gallery

Victor's first bass guitar, wasn't. It was a regular guitar from which older brother, Regi, removed the strings and then re-strung the instrument like a bass. It was what they could afford and the exercise allowed the small, very young, bassist to reach all the frets easier.

This page represents a brief, historical photo-biography of the most important instruments Victor Wooten has played over the years. While Victor owns, and plays, other instruments, these particular basses were essential to his history, from early childhood through today, and hold special significance. The stories behind these basses are detailed within the pages of Me and My Bass Guitar and are reproduced in photos on pages 267 to 271 of the book. Please note; the bass photographs on this page were taken by the photographer Victor Lemonte Wooten. (Just another talent of many. See biography for details.)

Victor's first real bass was this Univox. Victor played this bass just as he began touring professionally after moving to California from Hawaii. He was about five or six. This photo, used in the book and on the cover, was taken sometime around 1972. Victor played that bass until his teenage years and still owns it today. It was the bass he first used to do the single back-handspring while playing.

In October of 1972, the Wooten family moved to Virginia. There, as Victor grew, he began to follow the career of famed bassist Stanley Clarke. Ultimately, he saved his money until he was able to buy an Alembic bass, endorsed by Stanley. This bass was one of the first to feature exotic woods, such as this Zebra Wood top on Vic's, and on board active electronics. Victor still has this base in his collection as well as a couple of other basses actually owned by Stanley Clarke, including the Alembic he played on the original School Days and the upright from Desert Song.

Perhaps the most well known bass Victor plays is referred to by him, and those around him, as "Number One." It is a 1983 Fodera Monarch Deluxe. Serial number 37, and one of the first Fodera basses ever made by Vinnie Fodera and Joey Lauricella. It was actually sold, on credit, to a sixteen year old Victor who had arrived in a New York studio to record with Kashif. Kashif did not like Alembic basses and demanded Victor find another and the result was this bass.

"Number One" was played during his time at Busch Gardens and throughout his entire Flecktones career. The bass has been on thousands of stages and in numerous recording studios around the world too many times to count. It has been dropped repeatedly, worn, the neck was broken once while Victor was spinning it, the finish is nearly gone, the hardware and electronics are old, yet Victor refuses to allow Fodera to refinish or update the bass.

After Victor first moved to Nashville, and was playing with singer Jonell Mosser, he met a fellow bass player named Joe Compito who became his very close friend. Joe was also a bass builder. He built Vic's five-string fretless as well as a six string. This fretless, made of Purple Heart Wood, is the one you will most see on Flecktones gigs and you can hear it on songs like Flight of the Cosmic Hippo by the Flecktones as well as a number of Vic's solo recordings. Joe Compito passed away during the first day of recording for Victor's solo, Grammy nominated, release Yin-Yang. On that CD you will find a beautiful, haunting song, called Joe's Journey which was inspired by Joe Compito. This photograph does not do the bass justice. It is a beautiful work of art.

If not Number One (which will always be number one), the bass you are most likely to see Victor playing, today, is this custom Fodera work of art called Yin-Yang. It was jointly designed by Fodera and Victor Wooten and features a superbly shaped blend of Holly and Ebony Wood. This bass must be seen in real life to truly appreciate the craftsmanship and attention to detail for which Fodera is so well known.