Feel the Power with Mike Watt's Signature Reverend Bass
Greatness takes time — just look at this collaboration between Reverend Guitars and legendary punk bassist Mike Watt! The signature Wattplower MKII bass takes all the specs, bells, and whistles of the original Wattplower and adds a new pickup configuration for extra tone options. The result? A sleek, responsive electric bass with an absolutely killer look. Reverend crafted the Wattplower MKII’s body from 100% korina, a tonewood choice that’s universally lauded for its incredible resonance and sonic properties, which include upfront midrange, snappy treble, and low-end fundamentals. Meanwhile, the Wattplower MKII's pickup combo was designed for diverse tonal control and huge tone minus the hum, with a P-style 2-way, 3-blade bridge pickup and a Rio Grande Pitbull humbucker neck pickup. From chill grooves to funky, punky attacks, the Wattplower MKII’s energetic design is a blast to explore and behold.
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Huge array of tones on tap
Mike Watt’s aggressive, funk-inspired play and positive attitude are legendary in the punk underground. On the Minutemen's classic 1984 LP, Double Nickels on the Dime, listeners can hear the jubilant, percussive attack Watt employs. To tap that distinct tone, Reverend outfitted the Wattplower MKII with custom P-blade pickups. The Mark II Wattplower features a versatile 3-tier P-blade configuration with two different voicings (bridge-biased or neck-biased with the center blade is always engaged) for classic P-style tone with a bump in volume, sustain, clarity, and an extended low-end response. The Mark II also adds one Rio Grande Pitbull in the neck pickup position. The Rio Grande Pitbull is a slightly lower-volume pickup with focused midrange that is ideal for when you want to lay back a bit with a more subtle groove. Plus, Reverend and Mike selected ceramic magnets and 43-gauge wire for the Wattplower MKII’s pickup design, a choice that keeps buzzy hum out of your riffs and grooves!
Two-way bridge provides sonic options
Mike Watt prefers tight, even string spacing for accommodating his aggressive articulations and funky attack. To meet this need, the R&D team settled on a Hipshot A Style bridge that’s custom modified for use as either a string-through-body or top-loader. Choose string-through for slightly more sustain or change course with a top-loading setup for faster attack and response. The Hipshot bridge is an enduring favorite among bass players here at Sweetwater!
Dynamite bells and whistles
The Wattplower MKII blends bold playability with sharp looks and features that take bass playing to new heights. A spunky double-cutaway body grants easy access to all 21 frets — an absolute must for expressive players — while the custom ultra-reinforced front-mounted input jack, Luminlay neck dots, and retro-styled volume/tone controls make gear management easy onstage or off. Finally, you’ll appreciate the toned-down Reverend pickguard that shows off more of this bass guitar’s beautiful finish, which is accentuated by bold one-of-a-kind anchor and Wattplower inlays on the first and 19th frets.
Reverend Guitars Mike Watt Wattplower MKII Features:
- Signature 4-string bass designed in full collaboration with Mike Watt
- Balanced, lightweight build: a solid korina body and a 3-piece korina neck
- Outfitted with 3 Reverend pickups and a 3-way selector for incredible hum-free, big bass tone
- P-style 2-way, 3-blade bridge pickup and 1 Rio Grande Pitbull humbucker neck pickup
- Vintage low-profile top-hat knobs
- Unique fret inlays — Minutemen-style anchor (1st fret) and cursive Wattplower inscription (19th fret)
- Neck-mounted Luminlay side dots for playing in dark environments
- Hand initialed and serial stamped for authenticity
- Hipshot A Style bridge for clarity, attack, and sustain
