1 Custom Shop Bass
Born in 1972 in Divo, Ivory Coast, Manou Gallo grew up in a culture where drums were reserved for men. She played them anyway. Mentored by producer Marcellin Yassé, who encouraged her to pick up the electric bass, she eventually toured Africa as a multi-instrumentalist before arriving in Europe in 1997 to join Zap Mama — performing on the biggest stages in Europe and the United States. Since 2003, she has led her own bands and collaborated with Manu Dibango, Wyclef Jean, and Marcus Miller, among others.
In 2009, she won the MAMA Award (MTV Africa) as Best Artist of Ivory Coast. In 2013, Forbes Afrika named her the only woman among the Top 10 Best African Bassists. Bootsy Collins dubbed her "The African Queen of Bass." She is known for her devastating slap technique and the depth of groove she brings to every instrument she plays.
RKM reached out to Manou with an offer. She told us what she was looking for — and the result is a Singlecut 5 unlike anything else in our history: Swamp Ash body, Hard Rock Maple neck with Birdseye Maple fingerboard, our own RKM JSC5 pickups, and a Gold Leaf Bronze finish — without relic, sealed in polyurethane. Between the pickups, a Macassar Ebony ramp that gives her right hand exactly the feel it needs. One instrument. One vision. Hers.
This is not a production run — the Singlecut V is Manou's instrument. But if you want one built to the same specifications, we can build it for you as a Custom Shop order. Contact us to discuss it.
Inquire About This Bass
Designed to meet Manou's needs — musical and physical. This is a bass built for slap 90% of the time: low action, precise setup, and a tone that is defined and round exactly the way Manou needs it. The Swamp Ash body keeps the instrument light without losing resonance. The Hard Rock Maple neck and Birdseye Maple fingerboard deliver the brightness and snap her technique demands. The RKM JSC5 pickups — our own design — were voiced specifically for this instrument. The Macassar Ebony ramp between the pickups sits at the exact height her right hand needs, built into the body as a tool, not a decoration. Gold Leaf Bronze finish, no relic, sealed in polyurethane — clean and present. Every decision on this bass was made with one player in mind.
| Configuration | Custom Shop — Singlecut V |
| Construction | Bolt-On |
| Strings | 5 |
| Scale | 34" |
| Frets | 24 |
| Nut Width | 1.75" |
| Nut Material | Graphite |
| Body | Swamp Ash — Singlecut |
| Neck | Hard Rock Maple + Carbon Fiber |
| Fingerboard | Birdseye Maple |
| Pickups | RKM JSC5 (RKM exclusive) |
| Preamp | Aguilar OBP-1 (Boost only) |
| Controls |
Vol · Blend · Low/Hi Boost stacked + Active/Passive switch |
| Bridge | Hipshot Style A |
| Tuners | Hipshot Ultralite ½" |
| Finish | Gold Leaf Bronze — No relic, Polyurethane |
| Special | Macassar Ebony ramp between pickups |
| Serial Number | #035 |
Photo Gallery
