Alright, bass players, here’s something cool. Joe Dart – one of the funkiest bassists out there – just teamed up again with Sterling by Music Man to drop not one, not two, but three signature basses. And the kicker? They’re all made-to-order, and each one is under $500.
If you remember, Sterling released the Dart I last year. It was Joe’s first collab with them (after doing a few models with Ernie Ball Music Man), and people went nuts. It was only available for a month, cost less than $400, and sold out fast.
Now, they’re bringing it back and adding two brand-new models: the Dart II and Dart III. So now there’s a whole trio, and yeah — it’s basically a much more wallet-friendly version of Joe’s top-tier $2,600+ basses.
Here’s what’s up with each one:
- Dart I is the original — simple, clean, with a single ceramic humbucker. Classic Joe Dart vibes.
- Dart II brings in two single-coil pickups and a slightly offset body shape (think the Caprice from Ernie Ball). It’s got a 34” scale, 21 frets, and dual volume knobs.
- Dart III has a split-coil setup, shorter 30” scale, 22 frets, and just one volume knob. The body shape is more traditional.
All three use soft maple for the bodies, hard maple necks and fingerboards (with a 9.5″ radius), five-bolt neck joints, open gear tuners, and fixed bridges. Super solid specs for the price.
Joe summed it up like this: “Jack Stratton and I are thrilled to team up again to build affordable versions of the three best basses I’ve ever held in my hands. Each one has its own feel, sound, and era — and the quality is just wild for the price.”
Every model is made-to-order and only available to pre-order between April 1 and May 31. After that, they’re gone. Shipping starts in September.
If you’re into Joe’s sound and funk grooves or just want a killer bass for under 500 bucks, this might be the time to jump in.
You can check out the Joe Dart Signature basses on the Sterling by Music Man website.
