New: Version 2
Chester
The microphone that makes your upright bass sound like your bass.
Lighter. Faster to install. Tuned specifically for upright bass, on stage or in the studio.
6.7 oz
Lightweight
< 30 sec
Install time
48V
Phantom power
Hand-built
Made in Utah
30 days
Audition
Lifetime
Warranty
Built by an Upright Bassist Who Got Tired of Compromising
Every bassist knows the struggle. Pickups don't sound natural and they quack. Clip-on mics are flimsy. Cheap condensers sound thin. Studio mics sound great, unless you're moving.
Chester V2 solves all of that. In under 30 seconds.
I rebuilt Chester to be lighter, faster to install, and tuned with a flat response specifically for the upright bass. The 40 Hz low cut and a natural high cut are built into the circuit, so all you need is 48V phantom power. It's plug and play and ready for the stage.
Comparable boutique upright-bass mics run $650 and up. Chester is lighter, installs in under 30 seconds, and costs a third less.
$449
with free shipping
Introductory price
Built by hand in Highland, Utah
In stock and ready to ship
Buy Now30-day audition. If it's not your sound, send it back for a full refund.
Secure checkout via Stripe · all major cards accepted
Simple to Mount. Simple to Use.
- ● Mounts between the strings below the bridge. No velcro strap. No bulky body.
- ● Installed in less than 30 seconds, every time
- ● Keyed swivel locks in your favorite mic angle
- ● Included cable clip secures the cable to the mic itself. Nothing extra touches the tailpiece.
- ● Just needs 48V phantom power. No fancy preamps or board EQ tweaking.
You play. Chester handles the tone.
From the Builder
My Preferred Placement
This is exactly where I mount Chester: between the strings and just above the tailpiece, with the capsule facing into the body of the bass. It gives the most balanced tone and the best feedback rejection.
Most balanced tone
It sits in the natural sound field of the bass, so you get the full body and the string detail together, not one or the other.
Best feedback rejection
Tucked in close and aimed at the body. The built-in low rolloff works great with the natural proximity effect.
Out of your way
Mounts between the strings and the cable connector slides securely into the clip so nothing flaps around while you play.
What's New
What Changed in V2
Every change came from gigging the original Chester and listening to bassists who actually use one.
190 grams
Just under 7 oz. About half the weight of most stage condensers. Your bass barely notices it.
Installs in Under 30 Seconds
No more velcro strap. No bulky body. It mounts between the strings below the bridge in seconds.
Tuned for Upright Bass
The circuit is tuned to upright bass. Flat response through the fundamentals, with a gentle high cut after 7k. No surprise EQ peaks.
40 Hz Low Cut
A built-in filter cuts stage rumble before it hits the board. Cleaner low end. More gain before feedback.
Keyed Swivel
Aim the capsule wherever you want it. Set the angle once and it stays put.
Medium Cardioid Capsule
A medium-size cardioid capsule resists stage feedback better than a large-diaphragm condenser, while staying round and even across the whole register of the bass.
Neutrik XLR Connector
A short cable off the head basket ends in a high-quality Neutrik male XLR. Plug in any standard XLR cable, or go straight into a wireless transmitter. The included clip secures your cable to the mic itself, so nothing extra touches the tailpiece.
Plug and Play
The low and high cut filters live inside the circuit, so all you need is 48V phantom power. No fancy preamps. No drastic EQ tweaks at the board.
Air-Tight Hard Case
Every Chester ships in an air-tight hard-shell carrying case.
The Natural Tone You've Been Chasing
A balanced, consistent, round sound of your bass. Nothing hyped, nothing missing.
The fundamental warmth of the bass
The wooden resonance
The growl and air
The clarity without harshness
The fullness without boom
The same tone every night
The closest thing to studio-mic tone you can take on stage.
Chester in a Live Mix
Basin & Grange live, with Chester on the upright bass.
Who Builds Chester
Hi, I'm Boyd.
I'm an upright bassist, and I gig with my band, Basin & Grange — those live videos above are our shows, with Chester handling the bass. I built the first Chester for myself because nothing I tried let the audience hear what my bass actually sounds like.
Every Chester is assembled, tested, and tuned by ear in my shop in Highland, Utah. When you order one, it comes from my bench, not a warehouse.
Have a question before you buy? Email me at info@molinellomusic.com or call 801-893-1171. You'll get me, not a support desk.
— Boyd Timothy
Musicians Tell Me the Same Thing
They stop fighting their sound.
They relax.
They play better because they hear themselves clearly.
There's a moment, usually on the first note, where they smile.
It sounded so good I didn't want to stop playing. So much so that when the concert was over I stayed playing alone in the hall just to listen more.
That moment is what this mic was built for.
Made by Hand. Tuned by Ear.
Every Chester is assembled by hand. Medium cardioid capsule, custom-tuned circuit, and a copper and brass body with a brass mesh grille. I tune each one individually so the sound is consistent from one mic to the next. Only the body itself may vary slightly, because it's built by hand.
Chester V2 Technical Specs
Capsule
Medium-size cardioid condenser
Pattern
Cardioid
Tuning
Flat upright-bass response with a gentle high cut after 7k
Low Cut
Built-in 40 Hz filter to prevent stage rumble
Mounting
Mounts between the strings below the bridge with a keyed swivel for precise angle
Install Time
Under 30 seconds
Connector
Short attached cable ending in a Neutrik male XLR. Plugs into any standard XLR cable or wireless transmitter.
Power
48V phantom power required
Weight
190 g (just under 7 oz)
Build
Hand-built copper and brass body with a brass mesh grille
Includes
Mic, XLR cable clip, and air-tight hard-shell carrying case. Bring your own standard XLR cable.
Warranty
Lifetime manufacturing. 30-day audition.
Questions Bassists Ask Before Buying
Do I need to buy anything else? +
Just a standard XLR cable and 48V phantom power, which any mixer, audio interface, or mic preamp provides. Chester has a short cable attached to the mic that ends in a Neutrik male XLR, so it plugs straight into your regular XLR cable, or directly into an XLR wireless transmitter if you play untethered.
Will it fit my bass? +
Chester is designed for standard 4-string setups and mounts between the strings below the bridge. If your setup is unusual, say a 5-string or a very low tailpiece, email me a photo of your bridge and tailpiece before you order and I’ll tell you honestly whether it will work.
Does it work for arco (bowed) playing? +
Yes. The flat tuning across the register of the bass captures bowed playing just as naturally as pizzicato, which makes it at home in classical and jazz settings as well as bluegrass and folk.
What about feedback on stage? +
At acoustic, bluegrass, jazz, and folk stage volumes, Chester gives you noticeably more gain before feedback than a large-diaphragm condenser: the medium capsule, the built-in 40 Hz low cut, and the capsule aimed into the body all work in your favor. On a very loud stage with monitors pointed at the bass, every microphone has limits. The preferred placement shown above is the most feedback-resistant spot I’ve found.
Will it mark or damage my bass? +
No. Chester mounts between the strings below the bridge. There are no clamps on the top, no velcro around the tailpiece, and nothing pressing on the finish.
Do you ship internationally? +
U.S. only for now. If you’re outside the U.S. and want a Chester, email me. If there’s enough interest, I’ll figure out international shipping.
What if it’s not my sound? +
You get a 30-day audition. Play real gigs with it. If it’s not right for you, send it back for a full refund; you cover the return shipping.
Is there a warranty? +
Lifetime manufacturing warranty. If something on your Chester ever fails, I’ll repair it or make it right.
Something else on your mind? Email me — I answer every message personally.
Chester V2 Frequency Response
The mids stay flat, so there are no hyped peaks to invite feedback on stage. The gentle low-end roll-off is intentional. When Chester is mounted on your bass, the proximity effect fills in the body and warmth, capturing how your bass actually sounds.
Response normalized to 0dB at 1kHz.
Ready to Get a Chester?
Buy One Today
Chesters are built and ready to ship. First come, first served.
- ✓ Ships within 1 to 3 business days
- ✓ Free U.S. shipping with tracking
- ✓ 30-day audition period
Secure checkout via Stripe · all major cards accepted
If the batch sells out
Chesters are built in small batches. If the current batch is spoken for, get on the list and I'll email you the moment the next one is ready.
Built by hand, not pulled off a shelf.
Final Units. While Supplies Last.
Original Chester (V1): $299
The Chester that started it all. Same warm, woody tone. Mounted under the bridge with the original velcro tailpiece strap. Chester V1 has been sunset, but I still have a small number left at a closeout price.
$299
Only 2 units remain
- ✓ Large-diaphragm condenser (26mm) in a 3" copper-pipe body
- ✓ Mounts below the bridge with included velcro tailpiece strap
- ✓ 48V phantom power. Ships with a hard flight case.
- ✓ Same 30-day audition period and lifetime build warranty
Only 2 left at this price. When they're gone, they're gone.
Your Bass Has a Voice. Chester Lets It Speak.
If you're ready to finally hear your upright the way you always wished it sounded:
Buy a Chester V230-day audition · Lifetime warranty · Free U.S. shipping
Not sure yet? Email me your question — you'll get me, not a support desk.