McGrath Guitars is a family-owned, two-person shop in San Diego, California. We design, build, paint and wire every bass ourselves, and we build them to be played.
The builder
Built by a working bass player
Cormac McGrath has spent over 20 years behind the bench and on the stage. After thousands of gigs and festivals, he knows exactly where mass-produced instruments let players down.
Most guitars are like classic cars: stunning to look at, but often ergonomic nightmares. Every McGrath design, from our P Style and Rebel bodies to the classic J Style, starts with how it feels to play for a three-hour set.
Our goal is a bass that earns its spot as your main axe.
The painter
Every finish is hand-painted by Madelyn
What truly sets a McGrath apart is the finish. Every bass is hand-stained and painted by Madelyn McGrath, a four-time Emmy Award winner in art and graphic design, who treats each instrument as a one-of-a-kind canvas.
As featured in
What the bass world is saying
The build
Organic finishes, surgical engineering
Under the paint, every detail is refined for tone, playability and reliability on the road, with roasted flame maple necks, carbon reinforcement and stainless steel frets.
We use components from the best in the business:
- Hipshot
- EMG
- Lollar
- Lindy Fralin
- Nordstrand
- DiMarzio
Exclusive pickups
Our own Lindy Fralin split-coil Thunderbirds
We wanted the punch, clarity and hum-canceling of a split-coil pickup with the clean look of a classic Thunderbird cover. Lindy Fralin built exactly that for us: custom-modified bobbins and precision-wound split coils that fit inside a Thunderbird shell.
They're hand-wound in Virginia for our 4- and 5-string builds, and made only for McGrath Guitars.
Every bass ships protected
A McGrath x Protec hybrid case, included
Every instrument that leaves our shop comes in a custom McGrath x Protec Pro Pac Contego case at no extra charge. It's the light weight of a gig bag with the rigid protection of a hardshell.
- Embroidered McGrath logo
- Shock-absorbing foam
- Weather-resistant nylon
- Backpack straps
- Room for cables and gear
Our own electronics
Designed and built in-house
The McGrath Tilt EQ
A single-knob preamp inspired by a studio cult classic: boost the highs while easing the lows, or the other way round. Featured in Bass Magazine.
The McGrath Switch
Our patent-pending 12-way rotary pickup selector, with a companion app to set up your own tones. Featured in Bass Magazine.
The Thunderhorse
Our flagship, developed with Chris Caccamise of The Bass Channel: Thunderbird, P and J pickups on one bass.
Our basses are played by artists including Billy Sheehan, Aongus Ralston and Chris Caccamise. Meet our artists →
Come play one
NAMM 2027Booth #5336
We're back in Anaheim in January 2027, in Hall D. Come play our basses, try the McGrath Switch and Tilt EQ, and talk through your custom build with us in person.
Some basses are made to hang on a wall. Ours are made to be played.
Design your own in the Bass Builder, grab one that's ready to ship, or talk it through with us.
